The primary focus of the HPL is to provide services to Stanford Athletes to optimize performance and reduce the risk of injury. In achieving this goal, the HPL also functions to educate coaches, athletic trainers and student-athletes.

Athletic Services can be further grouped by the type of service provided:

• Testing: Encompasses initial baseline testing and follow-up data collection for coaches and their athletes. Examples include oxygen consumption, energy efficiency and anaerobic threshold measure, as well as 3D and 2D motion capture performed in the lab and out in the field.

• Clinician Referrals: Clinicians referrals are complex cases that have been referred to the Human Performance Lab for biomechanical or physiological testing. Interventions are discussed with the referring clinician following a range of testing. Testing examples include analysis of a sport specific technique, alignment assessment of jumping and landing, or a DXA scan for low bone mineral density or body composition.

• Optimizing Performance: This covers smaller projects that are designed to optimize performance through technique analysis and modification. As opposed to long-term programs, these projects are shorter in length, will meet a specific need of a coach or athlete, and will typically be the focus of student projects.

• Screening: Pre-participation screening is performed in conjunction with the Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinic to detect for risk factors associated with injury and disease. Screening tests are sport-specific, ranging from DXA scanning for low bone mineral density and fracture risk, to cardiac screening with ECG and echocardiograms to screen for potentially catastrophic cardiopulmonary failure. 

• Development of sport science programs: This includes an assessment of current training regimes and creating long-term programs with various sports. Interventions from these programs range from nutritional advice and monitoring of training intensity and frequency to technique and biomechanical analyses.

Stanford Student-Athletes, Coaches or Athletic Trainers interested in learning more about testing and programs in the Human Performance Lab should contact us, at or (650)724-6272.