Education – [𝗣]𝗥𝗲𝗵𝗮𝗯

06 Jul Massage: Where does it fall in the recovery process?

Posted at 15:53h in Education 2 Comments

There are many cultural themes that carry between different sports physical therapy settings, especially at the higher levels of competition, but one that has always stuck out to me is the concept of massage. It doesn't matter if you're an elite athlete, a weekend warrior, a high school track runner, an elderly fall risk patient or you've been referred to me for a one time visit from your orthopedist -- the question is painfully frequent regardless of patient demographics: "can I get a massage?" Selfishly, I'm excited to write this article to have on hand as an educational piece for many of my athletes -- rather than explain my thought process verbally time and time again. If you are one of my athletes, please know you've been sent to this article in an effort to further polish up your already deep knowledge of how to better take care of your body. But more likely than not, you aren't an athlete under my care -- and in that case, I hope to temper your expectations and beliefs behind this passive intervention. Read on to learn more about massage and recovery.

14 Jun Returning To Kipping Pull-Ups In CrossFit

Posted at 13:50h in Education, Shoulder 0 Comments

Every sport has some specific skill that makes it unique. The skill is needed to excel in the sport due to the demands of the environment or competition. One of those unique skills in the sport of CrossFit, gymnastics, and obstacle course racing is the kipping pull-up. Derived from gymnastics, the kip made its way into CrossFit, allowing increased intensity and power output while completing the same amount of work as a strict pull-up. As with any skill, if we rush the process to develop it without paying attention to our foundation injury can occur. Once that happens the question becomes, "How do I return to kipping pull-ups?"

04 Jun The Best Medicine Ball Exercises

Posted at 16:00h in Education, For Clinicians 0 Comments

Are you considering more medicine ball exercises, AKA med ball exercises, in your routine but aren't sure what to do or how to proceed? Perhaps you've seen some cool medicine ball exercises going down in your gym and on social media. Maybe you've come across some great deals online for med balls, which might be a nice addition to your home gym but you want to make sure you know how to use them! With that being said, understanding the purpose behind the different applications of medicine ball exercises will help you decide exactly how to begin when you pick up that med ball! Continue reading to learn how to determine the best medicine ball exercises for you!

04 Jun The Best Exercises For Shin Splints

Posted at 16:15h in Education, Foot/ankle 0 Comments

Got a pain in the front of your shins that just does not want to go away? Have you been running a lot or playing a lot of sports that involve jumping activity? If so, you may be dealing with what is known as 'shin splints'. This lower leg injury often due to overuse is a difficult one to rehabilitate for many reasons, one of which being its obscurity. Shin splints, which is better known as 'medial tibial stress syndrome', is an injury more common in endurance athletes such as runners, as well as athletes involved in jumping sports such as basketball or volleyball, who are placing large amounts of stress with high volume through their lower extremities. In this article, we are going to show you the best shin splints exercises that will get you out of pain and back to your activities!

why rice/rest doesn't work the prehab guys

04 Jun Why RICE/Rest Doesn’t Work For Injuries!

Posted at 16:30h in Education 0 Comments

Think about that last ankle sprain or wrist sprain you suffered, what did you do immediately following the injury? Probably ice, add a little compression, and elevate that body part. Great idea, you did the right thing, but it’s time for the therapy world to shift away from the acronym RICE and shift towards the POLICE Principle for injury recovery and tissue healing. Haven’t heard this acronym yet? Want to learn how to speed up the recovery process? Want to learn why rice/rest doesn't work for injuries? Well, you’ve come to the right place.

can running improve weightlifting the prehab guys

04 Jun Can Running Improve Weightlifting Performance?

Posted at 16:30h in Education 0 Comments

We typically hear and see evidence for the case of runners complementing their running with strength training to improve performance and reduce injury. Let's flip the script and ask, can running improve weightlifting performance?

exercises to improve your balance the prehab guys

11 Apr Exercises To Improve Your Balance

Posted at 15:23h in Education 0 Comments

Do you feel that your balance is off? Are you not as sturdy as you want to be when walking on sand for example, or tackling the terrains of a long hike? Similar to other aging phenomenons that inevitably occur throughout the lifespan such as a decrease in muscle mass or bone density, our postural control, which is essentially our ability to maintain balance in an upright position naturally declines. As a result, we become more susceptible to falls and/or potential injury. In order to prevent a more rapid decline of our postural control, we need to [P]Rehab it! In this article, we will help you understand what systems in our body play a role in postural control, and how you can utilize balance exercises to maintain optimal control of your body with your daily activities!

power exercises for runners the prehab guys

03 Apr Develop Speed With The Best Power Exercises For Runners!

Posted at 12:13h in Education 0 Comments

If you’re a runner, you understand the importance of lacing up the shoes, putting in the miles, building up that base, and getting in a few days at the gym. While this is certainly a recipe for success, it’s not always the best recipe for success. Why? What’s the magic ingredient we are missing? Well let me ask you, when is the last time you hit the weight room and more importantly, when is the last time you lifted with an emphasis on power training to improve your speed? I stumped you, huh? Power is often that missing ingredient from a runner’s perfect training plan to improve speed and get you to the finish line quicker. Check out this blog for the best power exercises for runners to develop speed. And from this point on it's speedy miles and podium finishes!

04 Jun Are Your Hips Really Out of Alignment? Are Your Legs Different Lengths?

Posted at 16:30h in Education, Hip 2 Comments

It's a pretty common story we hear in physical therapy practice on a weekly (maybe daily) basis: "I've been told by my (insert healthcare provider here) that my hip alignment is off and my hips are out of place. Can you put them back quick before we start our session today?", "I don't think my pelvis is aligned right, my one leg feels longer than the other. Can you take a look?", or "Can you do a quick check for me? My alignment is off." I doubt it. But we should probably dive a little bit deeper than that shouldn't we? There is a ton to unpack here. To be honest, it's probably one of the most emotionally charged topics within this field. That being said, I hope I can bring some good discussion to the table today, and help provide some reassurance for you. I'll say it again, and trust I do so with a positive and optimistic demeanor (not a dismissive one): I doubt the notion that your hips really are out of alignment, and for good reason in your favor! Let's try and break this down mechanically, culturally, psychosocially and take a look from an evidence-based perspective -- visiting some pertinent literature along the way. Read on if I've caught your attention!

cracking joints the prehab guys hip alignment

04 Jun Is Cracking Joints Bad? The Science Of Joint Cavitations

Posted at 16:45h in Education 2 Comments

"Stop cracking your knuckles or you'll ruin your joints, Your joint is out and we will pop it back in." These statements or narratives seem to surround the snap, crackle, and pop of our cracking joints. History and research show us the first statement is not true and this was likely a parenting strategy to get kids to stop cracking their knuckles because parents were getting annoyed with the noise! However, the other questions remain and in this article, we will answer them along with giving the scientific rationale of what the popping sound truly is!

Don't miss any of the latest [P]Rehab content