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Altered Motor Control - Review of Research Kyle Kiesel PT, PhD, ATC, CSCS This, of course is a complex question, but we have learned that the response to movement following injury is more complex than previously thought. One approach is to look at injury risk factors to, in a sense, we work backwards to help us answer the question. By considering risk factors for injury, we gain a better understanding of what happening in the motor control system after injury. It is clear from the peer reviewed literature that previous injury is by far the most robust factor related to future injury. With this fact in mind, it should make us feel somewhat uncomfortable as rehabilitationists that those with a previous injury, even after completing rehabilitation, are at the greatest risk of subsequent injury. . . . keep reading Is the Present Day Athlete Prepared for the Initiation of Athletic Performance Enhancement Training? Robert Panariello MS, PT, ATC, CSCS The lack of early age athletic "preparation" as well as the common occurrence of youth athletic "sports specialization" is presently an all too common theme in the United States. The dream of a college scholarship and perhaps an ensuing professional payday appears to often be the incentive for such early sport specialization. However, too early a sport specialization does have its consequences. An example of such a consequence is the 12-year-old baseball pitcher whom I recently rehabilitated after arthroscopic elbow surgery. According to his father "this young man is going to be the next Roger Clemens". Obviously the father did not realize that throughout Roger Clemens athletic career, this Hall of Fame caliber pitcher never had elbow surgery. My time and experiences with this young athlete was my incentive to write this article. . . . keep reading Audio Interview - Gray Cook updates the Joint by Joint Approach Anthony Renna asked Gray to update the Joint by Joint Approach a few months back on the Strength Coach Podcast. Ask Gray a question, get a 30 minute answer. Kidding Gray! It was a fantastic explanation and really takes you through his thought process so I annoyed Anthony enough he finally let me use it. Anyway, this is a must listen interview and I absolutely wanted to be able to share it with all of you. . . . keep reading Super Stiffness Stuart McGill, Professor of Spine Biomechanics At a gymnastics or martial arts meet, or at a weightlifting competition, listen to the coaches advice to the athlete -- Stay tight! This means to maintain stiffness. Being stiff ensures that there will be minimal energy losses as forces are transmitted through the linkages. Optimal performance requires stability, and stability results from stiffness. Stiffness in the body results from muscular co-contraction. Used properly, it will assist in getting through "sticking points", enhance whole body strength and speed. Be stiff, and be compliant. Knowing the difference and when to be one or the other is a major way to improving performance. . . . keep reading A Joint-By-Joint Approach to Training Mike Boyle MA, ATC In a recent conversation about the effect of training on the body, Cook produced one of the most lucid thought processes I have ever heard. Gray and I were discussing the findings of the Functional Movement Screen (www.functionalmovement.com), the needs of the different joints of the body, and how the function of the joints relates to training. One of the beauties of the Functional Movement Screen is that the screen allows us to distinguish between issues of stability and those of mobility. Cook's thoughts were simple and led me to realize that the future of training may be a joint-by-joint approach rather than a movement-based approach. . . . keep reading More

Considerations in Athletic Performance Enhancement Training: How Much Strength Do Our Athletes Need? Robert A. Panariello MS, PT, ATC, CSCS Throughout my 30-year career in in the fields of Sports Rehabilitation and Athletic Performance Training, I have spent thousands of hours in conversation with many good friends and mentors in the Strength and Conditioning profession. In a specific conversation that occurred in 2009 with renowned NFL and Hall of Fame Strength Coach Johnny Parker, he expressed his concern upon reading a newspaper article reporting an 800-pound squat performance by a collegiate football player. Coach Parker's concern was the necessity of such a high intensity squat lift as a strength requirement for the game of football and is the risk of such a high intensity squat performance worth the reward? . . . keep reading ACA Rehab Council Educational Symposium I wanted to post on this conference coming up the end of March In Las Vegas since the majority of the presenters are also frequent contributors to the site. Craig Liebenson, Sue Falsone, Lee Burton, and Phil Page will be presenting just to name a few. Looks like a fun couple of days so check it out. . . . keep reading 2012 Teleseminar Interview #2 - Cal Dietz Cal Dietz is one of the best in the business when it comes to training collegiate champions, and he has some great techniques that apply not only to strength and conditioning, but also higher level rehab. Cal will talk about his Triphasic undulating training model, submaximal high velocity training methods, the role of the CNS, applying strength and conditioning principles to injury prevention and rehab, and much more... . . . keep reading Fluoroscopic Shoulder Investigation - Packing the Shoulder These videos come from Dr. John DiMuro DO and Mark Toomey RKC who have teamed up to do fluoroscopic investigations of many of the joints of the body with movement and under load. I just interviewed them and will get that up soon, but in the meantime wanted to give you a little preview. . . . keep reading 2012 Teleseminar Interview #1 - Dr. Shirley Sahrmann Dr. Shirley Sahrmann discusses the principles behind Movement System Impairment Syndromes including defining the movement system and why it is so important, how she classifies the syndromes, accessory motion hypermobility, and more. She also discusses some unique assessment and treatment ideas for the cervical spine, thoracic spine, knee, and foot/ankle. . . . keep reading Exercise of the Week - Bear Crawl Variations Joe Heiler PT, CSCS Here's a classic exercise with a new twist. I've used these variations in our strength and conditioning programs, and also with many of our higher level patients with great results. There are a number of benefits to performing these variations from stability to creating better movement patterns... . . . keep reading Manual Technique of the Week: IASTM and Functional Release of the Fibular Head Erson Religioso III, DPT, MS, MTC, CertMDT, CFC, CSCS, FAAOMPT Having problems restoring a patient's ankle dorsiflexion? The problem may be higher than the talocrural and subtalar joints! The fibular head should glide antero-laterally when performing dorsiflexion whether it's open or closed chain. I had a request on the EDGE Facebook page for this technique. Ask and you shall receive! . . . keep reading External Coxa Saltans (Snapping Hip)Treated with Active Release Techniques: a Case Study Andreo A. Spina, BKin, DC Snapping hip seems to be the flavor of the month around here so thought I would do a little more research into it, and found a great case report in the Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association by one of our teleseminar speakers from last year: Dr. Spina. . . . keep reading What is the Fundamental Human Function? Craig Liebenson DC Lots of talk on here lately about fundamental levels of function from movement to the development of gait so thought I would squeeze in one more from Dr. Liebenson - 200,000 years ago man controlled the upright posture. Life on earth is billions of years old so this is a recent development and thus phylogenetically fragile. Human ontogenesis is "hard-wired" in our DNA to create this upright posture by 4 years of life. Unfortunately, modern lifestyle conspires with gravity to impair it. . . . keep reading 2012 Sports Rehab to Sports Performance Teleseminar Welcome to year 4 of the Sports Rehab to Sports Performance Teleseminar! This will be bigger and better than ever so sit back, relax, and get ready to learn from TEN of the best Physical Therapists, Chiropractors, Strength Coaches, and Athletic Trainers in the world! . . . keep reading More