The Joint Ventures' Blog

Whether your athlete is an elementary school soccer player or a collegiate hockey player, athletes are constantly in situations that can foster a high amount of anxiety and stress. According to Merriam Webster, anxiety is defined as “an abnormal and overwhelming sense of apprehension and fear often marked by physical signs (such as tension, sweating, and increased pulse rate); by doubt concerning the reality and nature of the threat; and by self-doubt about one's capacity to cope with it.” What this means for athletes is that a game, event, or competition may elicit a level of fear, doubt, and stress that can directly affect their ability to perform.
 

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Maybe a better question to start with is "Why do you have knee pain?"  The short answer to this question is - repetitive strain and weakness; however, the longer answer takes more reading of important information! This article is being written with the assumption that you have functional knees with no tears, loose bodies, or large cartilage defects directly affecting your knees’ function. If you have a generally “healthy” knee and are a relatively healthy person who continues to get knee pain that doesn't seem to go away, your answer might lie above and below.  

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As a physical therapist, I find myself answering questions about the hot topics in the rehabilitation world. The topics can range from Michael Phelps' use of cupping, to the use of dry needling for low back pain. ‘Sitting is the new smoking’ is a phrase that has been credited to Dr. James Levine, a professor of Medicine at the Mayo Clinic, and since has gained popularity as something I often get asked about. That phrase is based off, and backed by, multiple studies including a recent one conducted by Diaz KM, et al in 2017. The study concluded that the total volume of sedentary time, and its accrual in prolonged, uninterrupted bouts, are associated with all-cause mortality. In plain English, the longer you stay in a seated position, the increased your risk is of an early death. That's a huge finding!  But have no fear, there are a few steps in between sitting and death! 

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Most patients don’t even know they have pelvic floor muscles, much less that there is physical therapy to treat them. 
 

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We have mentioned in previous posts how words matter a lot, and the language we use shapes the reality of our bodies and health. This is no different than the narrative that is commonly spoken in our society about aging. Statements like, “I am just getting old” and, “it’s due to old age” are so frequently used that most people don’t even realize they are saying it. The phrase, “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks”, has become a part of our vernacular to excuse someone’s habits and behavior patterns without any hope to change.  

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Do you want to be more explosive so you can jump higher, run faster, be more agile, improve overall fitness, and help decrease your risk of injury? If you do, you may benefit from plyometric exercises. Plyometric training is a very specific mode of exercise, but it has a broad applicability to any activity that requires deceleration or acceleration of the body or the exertion of forces against the ground or an object. This is true with many athletic activities including running, jumping, throwing, and changing directions, but also with many daily activities.  

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Today marks the start of a well-deserved vacation. At the airport, as you bend forward to lift your bag, your back quickly tightens up and your big week abroad flashes before your eyes. What do we do when our back starts talking to us? 

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Spring seems to be the overhead athlete season. It marks the beginning of baseball, softball, lacrosse, tennis, and the CrossFit open, among others. Great demands placed on the shoulder, scapula (shoulder blade), and thoracic spine (middle of the back) during these sports often brings on the onset of shoulder pain. However, not all shoulder pain is directly related to the shoulder, and may in fact be a combination of shoulder, scapula, and spine coordination.1  

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Words do matter, a lot. Language shapes the way we think and perceive our worlds, including our very own bodies and health. While the mind can seem separate from the body, it’s rather the opposite. Advancements in neuroscience research allow us to now confidently say, how we think, what we hear, and what we say can directly affect our health, pain, and function. 

People often exchange the terms "strength" and "stability" as if they are one and the same. That really is not true. It’s important to understand the differences between the two, as well as know how to improve both areas to create a better overall platform for performance. 

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