Force plates serve as valuable tools for analysing the kinetic characteristics of human movement. They have traditionally been more prevalent and well suited to high-performance environments. However, there has been a shift whereby strength and conditioning coaches, physiotherapists and sports clinicians within the private sector have integrated the technology to greater objectify and provide insights into an individual’s athletic capacities, force generation capabilities and support the overall rehabilitation and return-to-play process.

Despite the increasing use of force plates, the selection of metrics remains a challenge due to the vast array of options available, over 100 metrics, in fact. This abundance can be overwhelming, leaving practitioners unsure of which metrics to choose in order to effectively quantify performance. Not all metrics offer the same level of reliability; some exhibit greater variance and sensitivity than others. Therefore, the primary goal of this article is to transparently outline our approach to integrating force plates into our environment with a primary focus on the metrics I analyse for performance and rehabilitation.