By: Maggie Gebhardt, PT, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT For athletes eager to return to peak performance after injury, regaining muscle flexibility is a critical step—and dry needling is emerging as a highly effective tool in physical therapy to support that journey. At MEND Colorado, we integrate dry needling into personalized treatment plans to target tight muscles and myofascial trigger points...
In Boulder, staying active is not just a hobby. It is a way of life. From trail running and cycling to skiing, climbing, and weekend adventures, movement is part of who we are. When a sports injury interrupts that rhythm, choosing the right care becomes just as important as the recovery itself. At Mend Colorado,...
By: Megan Davis, PT, DPT, OCS Neck pain is one of the most common conditions we treat in our Lafayette and Boulder offices. Neck and shoulder blade pain are a common pattern we see in our patients who may have only neck or scapular pain but could also have neck and shoulder pain together. We...
By: Ian Nay, PT, DPT, OCS CrossFit, Olympic weightlifting, and powerlifting are highly effective for developing strength, power output, and work capacity, but from a biomechanical perspective, these three training styles are heavily biased toward the sagittal plane of motion. The sagittal plane involves forward-and-backward or vertical movement patterns, which dominate foundational lifts such as...
By: Megan Davis, PT, DPT, OCS A common question I get asked when I am working out at CrossFit or working with my patients who also participate in Crossfit is how to keep our shoulders more stable to withstand the demands of CrossFit? It is recommended to have at least 1-3 strict pull ups before...
Knee pain is a common issue for tennis players because the sport involves repetitive stopping, starting, and lateral movements that place heavy loads on the tendons and joints of the knee. One frequently seen condition in tennis athletes is patellar tendinopathy (often called “jumper’s knee”), which stems from chronic tendon overload during high-impact actions like...
By: John Crawley, PT, DPT, OCS Elbow pain is a common reason rock climbers in Boulder, Lafayette, and Longmont have to take an unwanted “forced rest” from the crag. Whether you’re projecting at The Spot, sessioning at BRC, or hitting the local Front Range sandstone, elbow issues can sideline even the strongest climbers. The most...
Shoulder pain is a very common issue for rock climbers, largely because climbing places high and repetitive demands on the shoulder’s muscles, tendons, and joint structures. The most frequent causes include rotator cuff problems (such as tendinopathy, strain, or tears), subacromial impingement, and biceps tendinopathy — injuries that arise from both acute sudden movements and chronic...
Low back pain is a frequent challenge for athletes who place high demands on their bodies, especially gymnasts, CrossFit athletes, golfers, climbers, and those involved in team sports. These athletes often combine heavy loading, explosive power, rotation, and end-range positions — all of which require the spine to transfer force efficiently. When mobility, strength, or...
By: Lucas Glomb, PT, DPT, OCS High-quality ACL rehabilitation should be criterion-based, not time-based. Most people recovering from ACL surgery are told they’ll return to sport in 6–9 months. While healing timelines matter, time alone does not determine readiness. Two people at the same point on the calendar can have completely different strength, movement quality,...
