San Francisco (August 17, 2026) — Whether training for a marathon, preparing for a cycling event, or simply looking to improve overall fitness, Bay Area athletes and active adults can access the same gold-standard exercise physiology testing used by elite and professional athletes at the UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery’s Human Performance Center (HPC). The HPC takes pride in participating in community events, like hosting a workshop at the annual Bay Area Science Festival and providing testing to local sports teams.
Since 2015, the HPC has worked with the San Jose Sharks and has brought a group of UCSF staff to assist with the Wingate test at the Sharks’ preseason camps. The Wingate test is a 30-second cycling evaluation that measures an athlete's maximum anaerobic power output. This kind of test closely reflects the demands of ice hockey, where athletes skate at maximum intensity during shifts lasting thirty to forty-five seconds.
“There are many different ways to assess fitness,” said exercise physiologist Mathias Sorensen, MS. He adds that the most useful assessments are those that are both practical and relevant to the athlete's performance. “Working with the San Jose Sharks offers a valuable perspective to see how an elite athlete performs and the numbers related to their performance. Many people underestimate the gap between recreational fitness and world-class athletic performance until they see test results. Seeing the whole range allows me to provide better feedback to our clients.”
The HPC also provides fee-for-service exercise science and physiology testing for the community. Though there are many ways to track progress at home and estimate fitness, testing at the HPC can provide objective, detailed feedback on certain health metrics. The two most-used services are the blood lactate profile assessment, a performance metric, and the VO2 max assessment, an efficiency metric. Other services include anaerobic testing, a resting metabolic rate assessment, and a body composition assessment.
“Wearable data is getting better and more common. Having an expert get the most accurate numbers so you can understand your daily numbers and use them to guide training helps maximize your exercise potential,” said Dr. Anthony Luke. “Our expert exercise physiologist, Mathias Sorensen, can perform the gold standard testing and explain how your numbers can be used.”
Many clients seek and approach testing with a data-driven mindset, aiming to identify strengths and weaknesses before beginning a structured training plan. One client was able to manage her training plan and steadily increase her distance-running capacity with insights into her blood lactate levels. She stated that basing her training plan on these results has helped her reach podiums in her races. Another client improved his VO2 max to the 99th percentile with consistent testing to guide his training regimen.
Additionally, the HPC partners with faculty and research staff across several UCSF departments, including orthopaedic surgery, physical therapy and rehabilitation science, urology, and neurology. Ongoing work includes studies involving knee arthritis, Parkinson's disease, and urology.
“We enjoy being a hub for exercise science and biomechanical testing,” said Sorensen. “The wide range of scope allows us to work with athletes to improve their performance as well as support research that will improve our future processes.”
These are just a few examples of how the HPC helps people in the community improve their health and athletic performance. You can learn more about all the services the HPC offers at hpc.ucsf.edu.