Researchers estimate 1 in 5 adults will drop out of an exercise program. Time remains the most common reason for drop outs, but many participants state lack of improvement. This frustration is understandable given the individual’s commitment of time, energy, and money toward their health and fitness goals. The reasons for lack of improvement are...
Eccentric exericise, where our muscles contract and lengthen, is an essential part of any exercise program. Its benefits of strength, flexibility, and injury prevention are well known in the literature and have been discussed on our prior blog posts. Eccentric exercise as pictured above has a unique stimulus on the structure of the muscle and...
Aerobic exercise should be the foundation of your weekly exercise program because of the mental, emotional, and physical health benefits associated with this type of exercise. Some individuals who complete daily aerobic exercise or training incorrectly believe this type of exercise is sufficient for muscle growth and strength development. Resistance training remains the gold standard...
A common question we receive from young throwers and their parents is how to improve throwing velocity safely without undue stress on their arms. Our prior posts on throwing have focused on reducing arm stress through injury prevention and lower quarter strengthening. This post will focus on the research surrounding exercise programs designed to improve...
The hamstrings are a group of 3 muscles running from the pelvis to the back of the knee. These muscles are an essential component of the posterior chain improving lower back, hip, and knee stability. In our previous posts we have discussed the importance of developing these muscles for injury prevention and sports performance. Specifically,...
In our prior posts on injury prevention in sports we have highlighted the importance of training volume management, balance training, and strength training. Of all the training options, strength training is the most important due to its’ ability to cut an athlete’s risk of injury in half. Despite the evidence many healthy athletes focus a...
Hamstring strains or pulls are a common injury among acceleration sports including rugby, soccer, and sprinting. Our previous blogs have written about the causes and treatments of these muscle injuries. One of the common causes of injury involves a lengthening contraction (eccentric) of the muscle during these explosive sports movements. If the muscle is unable...
Alpine skiing is Colorado’s most popular winter sport and provides billions in tax revenue each year. Across the country, about 7 million individuals took part in at least one day of alpine skiing in 2017. Skiing while popular and fun does come with inherent injury risks. Authors have found 1-2 ski injuries per 1000 ski...
Self soft tissue mobilization using a foam roller or other device (stick, ball, etc) is a popular adjunct to training that we see our strength and endurance athletes utilize in our Boulder physical therapy practice. We often receive questions about how and when foam rolling should be utilized in training and whether it helps with...
Stretching remains one of the more debatable areas in our profession. Although mobility and stretching can play a significant role in Physical Therapy treatments designed to help an individual recover from injury their importance in a healthy individual is questionable. Despite this, stretching’s popularity remains on display in most gyms and exercise classes, but the...
