Ice Baths: A Cool Way to Speed Recovery
Posted on by Athletico
Elite athletes jumping into tubs filled with ice water after a tough workout is a fairly cliché scene in sports movies, but for good reason. Ice baths have become a post-workout habit that countless professional athletes take very seriously. Kobe Bryant is so dedicated to taking ice baths that his personal tub of cold water has gotten its own police escort! Hearing things like that makes people wonder how something as simple as ice water can be beneficial to the world’s most successful athletes. When asked, those athletes will often cite reduced muscle soreness, faster recovery, and injury prevention as their main reasons for taking the plunge. (more…)
5 Tips to Staying Healthy in Gymnastics
Posted on by Athletico
Editor’s Note: Today’s post is written by Amy Bell, PT, DPT. Amy is Athletico’s Gymnastics and Cheerleading Program Manager.
Young gymnasts everywhere aspire to go to the Olympics one day and compete for the gold. While the road ahead will not be easy, staying healthy while participating in gymnastics will be the key to helping gymnasts’ dreams come true. (more…)
Vestibular Physical Therapy: Treating the Cause of Prolonged Concussion Symptoms
Posted on by Athletico
It seems you cannot turn on the TV lately without hearing something about another professional athlete who is suffering from the effects of a concussion. A concussion is a serious brain injury and is very difficult to assess and treat as MRIs and CT scans are almost always normal. If not treated properly, these concussions can cause both short- and long-term problems. One treatment that is getting more and more attention is the use of vestibular physical therapy for individuals who have been concussed. (more…)
Minimizing Back Pain by Finding Your Neutral Spine
Posted on by Athletico
If you have ever had lower back pain or been in physical therapy for treatment, you most likely heard the term ‘Neutral Spine.’ Neutral spine refers to the position of your spine where all three curves are in proper alignment and there is the least amount of stress placed upon the structures. Not only is there the least amount of stress on the spine, the neutral spine position is also the strongest position. When doing daily activities, it is very important to observe good body mechanics in order to minimize the force through our spine. Good body mechanics begin with a good neutral spine posture. (more…)
The Common Sense Solution to Eating Healthy
Posted on by Athletico
Every day when you turn on the news there is someone discussing the latest and greatest diet trend to “try today!” Americans have gone low carb, no carb, raw, vegan, Paleo, low fat, south beach and cabbage soup! We have tried everything, so why are we still getting bigger? What is the answer? I am sorry to say that there is no one answer. If there was one answer, we would all be skinny! So, here is a common sense, gimmick-free look at what we should be eating: (more…)
Why Play Volleyball?
Posted on by Athletico
You don’t have to be Misty May-Treanor or Kerry Walsh Jennings to enjoy the game of volleyball. Volleyball is a great sport that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and skill levels. It can be played year round as it can be played both indoors and outdoors. Aside from the pure enjoyment of the game, volleyball has many benefits. (more…)
Hydrating for Performance and Health
Posted on by Athletico
At first, hydration might seem like a dry topic, but there is more to it than just drinking water. Many people may not realize that hydration levels can affect everything from essential bodily functions to your mental and physical performance levels, making it an ideal topic to cover with hordes of athletes returning to their sports this week. (more…)
The Many Benefits of Swimming
Posted on by Athletico
With the Olympics upon us, I am very excited to watch as some of the world’s premier athletes compete to win for their country. I am always in awe when watching the swimmers and how their lean and muscular bodies seem to glide through the water so effortlessly. You can tell that they are in great shape both on the outside and inside. For many years, I have been advising patients to try swimming or to perform some water aerobics as a form of exercise. I have always heard how good it is for individuals who may not tolerate pounding on the pavement due to joint pain or arthritis. (more…)