Why Strength Isn’t Always the Problem: Understanding Motor Control
When people think about physical therapy, they usually think about getting stronger or stretching tight muscles. And sometimes that’s true. But a lot of the time, especially with ongoing pain or recurring injuries, strength isn’t actually the main issue. The real problem is motor control. What is motor control?Motor control is your body’s ability to […]
Weather & Pain: Myth or Science?
Do you ever feel like your joints can predict a storm better than the weather app? Have you caught yourself blaming the weather for a flare-up in pain? If so, you are not alone. Many patients with joint pain report that their symptoms worsen with changes in the weather. Why does the weather impact my […]
Can Women Get Bulky From Strength Training?
I remember playing sports in middle school and high school and being afraid to lift weights because I didn’t want to “look manly.” I’d heard over and over again that girls who lifted would lose their figure and start to look like boys. As a physical therapist with a background in exercise science, I can […]
Is Strength Training Safe for Kids? A PT’s Advice for Parents
“Is strength training safe for kids? As a Physical Therapist, I get this question from parents more than any other. Since I was a physical education teacher and coach in 2010, I’ve heard many concerns about strength training and children. Many still worry it could stunt growth or cause injury—but the reality may surprise you. […]
How To Keep Your Youth Baseball Player Healthy (Part 2)
If you missed Part 1, check it out here: https://rehabilitationperformance.com/how-to-keep-your-youth-baseball-player-healthy-part-1/ Part 1 focused primarily on avoiding overuse, which is likely the lowest-hanging fruit when it comes to youth baseball injuries. Now that we’ve covered that, let’s dive deeper into the areas I address daily as a Physical Therapist. Below are ways 3-5 we can keep […]
Leadership Lessons I Learned From Being a Parent
No one warns you that parenting might make you better at your job. They warn you about the sleep deprivation. The messes. The emotional breakdowns over the wrong snack or the wrong color cup. What they don’t mention is that somewhere between morning chaos and bedtime routines, you quietly start learning some of the most […]
How To Keep Your Youth Baseball Player Healthy (Part 1)
Injuries in baseball players are on the rise, there is no arguing that. One of the more alarming things I’ve noticed, however, is that the injuries are now starting at a younger age. In fact, UCL reconstruction (‘Tommy John’ surgery) in athletes ages 15–19 has increased dramatically over the last decade. We are seeing an […]
Your Elbow Isn’t Your Problem Part 3: It’s Your Spine!
If you’ve stuck with me for the first two parts of this blog, you have probably started to pick up on the theme that everything in the body is connected and pain in one area doesn’t necessarily mean that’s the area that is at fault. If you haven’t, go back and read parts 1 and 2 so I don’t […]
Your Elbow Isn’t Your Problem Part 2: It’s Your Shoulder!
In the first part of this series, I talked about the concept of regional interdependence and that pain in one part of the body can usually be traced back to other parts of the body. With elbow pain, one of the common sources of this pain can be the shoulder. With any overhead athlete (i.e. Baseball, Softball, […]
Your Elbow Isn’t Your Problem—Part 1
The weather is getting warmer, and the days are getting longer, which can only mean one thing- spring is on its way. While I’m sure spring brings excitement to everyone for different reasons, the only acceptable reason to be excited about spring is baseball/softball season! With baseball and softball starting to ramp up, I thought it’d […]