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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

Manual Technique of the Week - IT Band Releases Joe Heiler PT, CSCS This is part I in a four part series covering soft tissue techniques to address the muscles surrounding and affecting the hip. In this first episode I'll demonstrate ways to address the muscles that interface with the IT Band (Vastus Lateralis and Biceps Femoris in this case) using some basic manual techniques, using instrumented techniques, and how to address these areas with a foam roller. . . . keep reading Exploring Functional Movement Gray Cook PT I am in the process of reviewing Gray's new DVD: 'Exploring Functional Movement' so I wanted to share Gray's overview of the project. I know a bit of Erwan Le Corre's work at MovNat, but from what I've seen so far it gives me an even greater appreciation of movement. Hopefully I can perform some of these moves with enough grace to shoot some videos to share! . . . keep reading Increasing Intensity Without Increasing Load Joe Heiler PT, CSCS I'm constantly on the lookout for ways to challenge my patients and athletes, but without overloading to their joints and tissues. We all have those folks that want to really push themselves, but sometimes they are at that point in their lives or careers where it's just not appropriate for longevity sake. In this article I'll discuss some of the strategies I use to get the most out of strength training without overloading the weakest link. . . . keep reading 5 Mobility Issues Preventing a Consistent Release Point Mike Reinold PT, DPT, SCS, ATC, CSCS Most people know that one of the keys to successful baseball pitching is a consistent release point. This is a point that is driven home by coaches all the time. Most people focus on your arm slot, for good reason. Many times inconsistency in your arm slot can be the major cause of poor biomechanics and difficulty repeating your delivery. I see this a lot in young baseball pitchers that are trying to tweak their mechanics and pitchers that may have discomfort in their shoulder or elbow and are trying to take some pressure off the sore area. However, the act of throwing a baseball is a sequence of kinetic chain events that ultimately lead to your release point. There are several factors with your lower body and core that may be altering your arm slot and leading to an inconsistent release point without you even realizing. . . . keep reading Key Functional Exercises You Should Know - Turkish Get Up This review covers part III of Gray Cook's new DVD: Key Functional Exercises You Should Know. The majority of the DVD covers the Turkish Get Up which is what I will address here, but also covers the Q & A session at the end of Gray's presentation. I know Gray doesn't like to give an answer to the question 'if you could only use one exercise what would it be?', but when he has had to it has been the TGU. There are just so many great things going on with this exercise that I look for any excuse to work it in with my patients and athletes. . . . keep reading Audio Interview with Dr. Todd Arnold In this interview, Dr. Arnold talks about how he has adopted Functional Movement Systems and the TPI system, how he creates and team and uses these systems as he works with elite level athletes in multiple sports. Dr. Arnold also shares some of his ideas on how certain sports movements could influence your thought process when it comes to corrective exercise and how performance could be tied to FMS scores. . . . keep reading Key Functional Exercises You Should Know - The Deadlift Joe Heiler PT, CSCS Gray Cook recently released his new DVD: Key Functional Exercises You Should Know which covers the Chop and Lift, Deadlift, and Turkish Get-Up. Gray presents a lot of great information, especially as it relates to why these should be the important pieces in your rehab/training programs, and also some new twists are far as technique and cuing. This week I'm reviewing the deadlift and single leg deadlift. . . . keep reading Webinar - Kinetic Chain Connections - How foot mechanics relate to biomechanics of injury and performance In this one hour seminar, we will explore how foot mechanics, the most complex joint system of the body, relates to injuries in team sports. In a clear and concise presentation, Dr. Bruce Williams will address very demanding subject matter such as pathomechanics of injury and how performance is compromised by joint and muscle dysfunction. With topics covering a wide range of subjects such as kinetics and foot anatomy, coaches and therapists can learn to create connections between popular movement screens and foot architecture and functional tests. Practitioners and clinicians will love the evidence based medicine approach to treating underly problems with a holistic approach to treating injury and maximizing performance. . . . keep reading Audio Interview with Patrick Ward In this interview Patrick talks about the physiologic buffer zone and it's components, how improving these qualities can enhance performance and make athletes more injury resistant, tests you can use during training and rehab that will give you real time feedback concerning the state of your clients and patients, and how to use that information to drive your interventions.. . . . keep reading A 3-Step Approach to Improving Stride Length Joe Heiler PT, CSCS/Kevin Neeld MS, CSCS, LMT I had a father and son come to me recently with a number of running injuries and looking for answers. Their biggest concern was improving stride length and speed, but in their attempts to do so themselves the father ended up with plantarfascitis and hip pain, and the son who is a year removed from ACL surgery is starting to have some knee pain again. I do read Kevin Neeld's blog on a regular basis and when I caught this article I figured this would be a great one to share. It's hockey related of course, but for those of you dealing with runners there is a great take home message... . . . keep reading More