Functional Evaluation and Training Systems (FEATS) Cable Column

System Overview
The Functional Evaluation and Training Systems (FEATS) are actually a family of systems that add performance measurement and progress tracking to the traditional selectable weight-stack training and therapy equipment. The first member of this family to market is the multi-purpose Cable Column system.

FEATS is the cooperative effort of three companies, each bringing expertise in an essential field for this system:

Magnum Fitness has been providing quality commercial strength training equipment to the fitness world since 1978. In the past two decades, Magnum has set the standard for innovation in features and the design of commercial fitness equipment.

Exertools is a manufacturer and distributor of physical conditioning equipment designed to improve functional performance. Its product line was developed to meet a clinic's need for training and conditioning tools that offer affordable, space saving conditioning protocols without sacrificing quality, presentation, or clinical effectiveness.

retiSoft brings to the FEATS team over 30 years of embedded, real-time systems and software engineering experience. This expertise is key to the FEATS Graphical User Interfaces, database processing, and real-time data gathering and analysis functions.

System Use
FEATS was designed to provide the physical therapist or trainer with a single piece of equipment that can be used for a wide variety of therapy and training requirements. The FEATS computer automatically monitors the patient's activities during training or test sessions and summarizes performance graphically and textually in printed reports. The FEATS program maintains a database of patient information, including data collected during test sessions, allowing comparisons of performance between sessions to demonstrate and document progress.

The FEATS Cable Column system comes with a predefined list of over 50 exercise movements that just scratch the surface of how this versatile system can be used. The examples above illustrate how the basic Cable Column unit can be used alone or with props, such as benches, chairs, steps, etc. to condition or strengthen almost every muscle group in the body.

The FEATS Cable Column system can also be used as a training aid for sports conditioning exercises. The examples above show a swimming (butterfly stroke) movement and, with the aid of optional handles, baseball and golf swings.

---

The FEATS Cable Column software runs on a common Personal Computer under Microsoft^® Windows 95^TM, so most users will quickly learn to operate the system without the need for formal training. If assistance is needed, the extensive on-line help system will answer most questions quickly.

The FEATS Cable Column software saves its patient information and test session data in common dBase or ASCII flat files, so importing FEATS information to other applications can be easily accomplished. No proprietary data formats are used!

From the data collected in real-time during a patient session, the FEATS software can determine velocities, accelerations, power, motor control compliances, etc. Following an exercise session, you can objectively evaluate the patient's actual performance based on real metrics, rather than the traditional subjective estimates. And, over time, FEATS will allow you to compare individual sessions to clearly demonstrate progress in the patient's recovery. Share the FEATS Summary Reports with insurance companies that may be skeptical regarding the value of the therapy program.

Interested?
For more information on the FEATS Cable Column system, please contact Exertools at 800-235-1559, or via e-mail at exertools@aol.com.