In elite sport, return-to-play isn’t just about hitting strength benchmarks. It’s about restoring symmetry, rebuilding confidence, and doing so with precision. That’s the challenge John Meyer faces daily with his professional athletes, and that's exactly why he leans on motorized resistance to bridge the gap between rehab and returning to the game.
More Than Just Isokinetics
Although isokinetics have long been a gold standard in clinical rehab, they've been traditionally confined to single-use machines which are either infrequently used or often end up collecting dust.
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But John Meyer and the 1080 Quantum change that. It delivers true isokinetic loading and much more to support a holistic return-to-play process. With adjustable concentric and eccentric loads and velocities, plus multi-planar movement options, this all-in-one system let’s John create the exact stimulus his athletes need:
-Isokinetics to control effort and measure force at fixed speeds
-Isotonic resistance to mirror real-life loading
-Eccentric overload to reintroduce braking forces
It’s not a one-off testing machine, it’s something John integrates into daily rehab and training sessions, making every rep part of a progressive and measurable return-to-play process.
Creativity Meets Control
The value of motorized resistance isn’t just in the loading it creates, but in how it’s applied. In the case of AC joint rehab, John uses the 1080 Quantum to mimic the exact mechanism of injury in a safe and progressive way. This involves loading shoulder abduction in what he calls a “board battle.” He applies isokinetic loading for measuring and developing force, and eccentric overload for exposure to rapid braking forces.
Combining creativity like loading through an ankle cuff on the forearm to shorten the moment arm, and dialing in the range of motion/loads/velocities/type of resistance to match that stage of rehab, is how you get clinical creativity with total control.
Data Builds Confidence
Return-to-play isn’t just physical, it’s psychological. And confidence is hard to develop without evidence. For example, John shared that with his “board battle” test, return to practice occurs at 80-85% of baseline and return to games occurs at ~90%. Having that real-time feedback and data from the 1080 Quantum helps bridge that gap both for himself and the athlete.
Also, it gives everyone else involved the same assurance. Surgeons, strength coaches, front office staff, etc. can shift away from opinion and towards objectivity when they see hard numbers and clean graphs.
It's these moments where tech becomes more than just a training tool, but a translator across disciplines.
Takeaway
Whether you're in early-stage rehab, the final-phase before returning to games, or building out your pre-season testing battery, motorized resistance gives you the freedom to load creatively and get the data to help you do go through the process confidently.
From isokinetics to eccentric overload, the 1080 Quantum gives you control over what matters most: the stimulus, the response, and the decision-making that supports it all to get your athletes back stronger and better than ever.
Published: December 4, 2025