Strategies to Curb Risk Factors in Adolescent Athletes

By Detavius Mason

Today’s athletes are bigger, faster, and stronger then ever before. From a young age, athletes know to play on the high school team, on a Division Ι college roster, and eventually on the pro level, they have to be “better” then their peers. Adolescents are faced with that type of pressure to succeed starting in middle school! With this type of pressure for success coupled with the negative examples presented to them by the athletes they see on TV and/or admire, it is not surprising to anyone why some high schools choose to random drug tests their student-athletes throughout the sporting year. Three of the top sports in America (basketball, football & baseball) have had great players tarnish their legacies due to illegal performance enhancing drugs, narcotics, alcohol related incidents, or steroids. These professional “role models” who get arrested for such buffoonery help to reinforce the “everyone does it so that makes it ok” notion, add to that the dream of playing professional sports & the win at all costs attitude makes high school kids the ideal target to implement an intervention program to attempt to reduce risk behaviors. Two of these programs, the Athletes Training & Learning to Avoid Steroids (ATLAS) program for males and Athletes Targeting Healthy Exercise & Nutrition Alternatives (ATHENA) program for females focus on anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS), alcohol, marijuana, amphetamines, narcotics, as well as sport supplements, dieting pills, and eating disorders. Continue reading “Strategies to Curb Risk Behaviors in Adolescent Athletes” →

Baby Boomer’s Joint Replacement Questions Answered

Baby boomers continue to receive attention as they reach different milestones of life.  One particular piece of attention currently revolves around the growing number of younger populations, particularly baby boomers, who are receiving joint replacement surgeries. Continue reading “Baby Boomers’ Joint Replacement Questions Answered” →

Post Partum Back Pain Causes and Prevention

By Dave Van Zandt, CSCS, CEAS, Cert FCE

The physical stress of caring for infants and young children can place a tremendous biomechanical strain on your back.  Daily repetitive stress from lifting the child or infant can lead to back injury or pain. Continue reading “Post Partum Back Pain Causes and Prevention” →

Cumulative Trauma Disorders

By Dave Van Zandt, CSCS, CEAS, Cert FCE

Cumulative Trauma Disorders(CTDs) are caused from an accumulation of repetitive microtrauma to the body’s tissues.  CTDs, also referred to as Repetitive Motion Injuries or overuse injuries, can occur in both the industrial and athletic populations.  They are often seen in activities requiring prolonged, repetitive movements.  The symptoms of a CTD are often slow to develop.  Many people will avoid going to the doctor and just modify their activity until the pain subsides, while others will try to work or play through their pain.  After all, “No Pain, No Gain.”  However, this should not be the case with overuse injuries as long term medical problems, such as arthritis, can occur if CTDs go undiagnosed. Continue reading “Cumulative Trauma Disorders” →

How to Start a New Years Exercise Program

By Dominic McKinley, MD, CAQ and Joe Mullins, M. Ed., ATC 

“A new year and a new you” – This is a resolution that is shared by multitudes this time of year. Intentions are high. Motivations abound. Memberships are purchased. One thing is missing – A Plan! Continue reading “How to Start a New Years Exercise Program” →

How to Decrease the Monday Morning Soreness After Playing Weekend Warrior

By Dominic McKinley, MD, CAQ and Joe Mullins, M. Ed., ATC 

It’s recreational league basketball night or church league softball game night. We’ve got our Lebron James’ headband and jersey on or we are supporting the Ken Griffey, Jr. forearm sweatbands. We enter the playing arena with the swagger of our yesteryear. All goes well as we ring up a triple double (that’s three double dribble calls) or go four for four at the plate (that’s four hotdogs at the concession stand since we didn’t eat lunch or dinner). Continue reading “Weekend Warrior” →

Keeping Kids Active Once School Begins

By Joe Mullins, M. Ed., ATC 

As summer vacation winds down and school activities ramp up, kids’ routines have the potential to undergo a drastic change. Much of the time spent during the summer months in being active will be replaced with classroom time sitting still. As parents, we need to help our children avoid the nationwide epidemic of childhood obesity by promoting after school physical activity. Continue reading “Keeping Kids Active Once School Begins” →

The Role of Orthotics in Athletic Performance

By Joe Mullins, M. Ed., LAT, ATC

The importance of the feet in sports and the role they play can perhaps be understood through an analogy of a NASCAR racecar. All of the cars in the race look the same. The majority of the cars in the race have equal or very comparable engines. The difference in the winning car and the others is often times the ability to negotiate the turns better (known as the “handling” of the race car). The relationship between the tires and the chassis determines how efficient the driver can manipulate the racecar. The same holds true for the athlete. The relationship between the feet and the remainder of the other joints in the body (collectively known as the kinetic chain) determines how efficient the athlete can manipulate his or her body during skilled athletic movements. Continue reading “The Role of Orthotics in Athletic Performance” →

Are the FCE’s You are Getting as Good as You Want or Need

The Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE) method has clearly been established as the best means possible for testing and measuring a person’s physical and functional ability, at this given time. The FCE has been used throughout occupational medicine to assess many patients in a variety of circumstances and employment settings. King, et.al (1998) reviewed ten currently marketed FCE systems and presented “A critical review of functional capacity evaluations”. The most widely utilized reason for ordering an FCE is to perform a current assessment of an injured workers readiness to for returning to work following a work related injury or illness. King, et.al identifies other reasons for FCE’s to be performed which include; post offer pre-employment screenings, to determine levels of current disability, identifying deficiencies and setting treatment goals for industrial rehabilitation, and most importantly case closure. Continue reading “Are the FCE’s You are Getting as Good as you Want or Need” →

Why is the Core Important to Runners

By Dominic McKinley, MD, CAQ and Joe Mullins, M. Ed., LAT, ATC

Core training continues to receive more and more attention by the sports conditioning industry. Medical professionals such as physicians, athletic trainers, and physical therapists along with personal trainers and workout partners are encouraging the physically active to begin core training. This is because a strong core improves overall strength, power, speed, quickness, agility, coordination and balance. The co-authors of this article agree that core training is essential to performance enhancement and injury prevention. The purpose of this article is to define the core, outline the importance of the core to runners, and define core conditioning. Continue reading “Why is the Core Important to Runners?” →