Athletico Health Resources

We are just a couple of weeks away from the start of the 2019 football season, which means that many Fantasy Football players are still assembling their teams. To help those who still need to draft their players or finalize their starting lineups, Athletico’s Brandon Bowers, PT, DPT, is providing tips via the Athletico Fantasy Football Injury Report. This report, which will be available weekly throughout the 2019 season, highlights significant player injuries and provides recommendations on which players you should consider starting (or sitting) each week. (more…)

Look around as you sit at the café or as you walk into work. How many heads do you see angled down at their smartphones? The human head weighs about 12 lbs, but as the head angles forward and down the force on the neck begins to increase exponentially. At a 15 degree angle the head weighs 27lbs., 30 degrees 40lbs, 45 degrees 49lbs, and 60 degrees 60lbs.¹ (more…)

One of Athletico’s core values is continuous improvement, which is something that is important to me as an athletic trainer who is always trying to improve upon my skillset and profession. Recently I attended a workshop on the topic “assisting individuals in crisis” in South Carolina put on by ATs Care. If you have not heard about ATs Care, it is a peer-to-peer support system comprised of athletic trainers to help assist other athletic trainers who have experienced a critical incident. It is a committee that is sponsored by the National Athletic Training Association (NATA). There are peer-support/CISM (critical incident stress management) teams at the district and/or state levels. To be clear, crisis intervention is NOT psychotherapy. Critical incident stress management is a comprehensive, phase sensitive and multi-component approach to crisis/disaster intervention. (more…)

At some point in our lives, most of us will experience back pain¹ in some form. Back pain is complicated because there are numerous factors that can contribute to the start of it. Factors such as type of injury, age, activity level, medical history, and even socioeconomic status can have an effect on the cause and severity of your back pain. It can have an enormous impact on your personal life, family life, job performance and ability to participate in recreational activity. There can also be extreme financial implications² that come with back pain, including time off work due to injury, doctor’s appointments, imaging such as MRIs or CT scans, and prescription medication costs. (more…)

Many people like to get out of the house and exercise – especially parents who are cooped up inside with their little ones when the weather is too hot or cold. One option for exercising outdoors with a child is to use a jogging stroller, which allows mom or dad to run while their child enjoys a relaxing ride. Although a great option for exercise, jogging with a stroller comes with unique challenges due to added weight and bulkiness. Read below for some tips to help you minimize the risk of injury during stroller jogs with your little one. (more…)

Throughout the years we have seen fitness trends come and go, but some exercises stand the test of time. Incorporating classic exercises into your regular routine can help you build strength and stability, which minimizes the risk of injury. Consider taking your fitness routine back to the basics by adding some of these classic exercises: (more…)

Swimming – whether for recreation, for exercise, or as part of an organized team – is well known as a low impact, excellent source of activity. While swimming has many benefits for both cardiovascular health and strengthening of multiple muscle groups, it is not without risks. (more…)

It’s back-to-school season. Parents and kids will be shopping for school supplies and one item on many lists will be a new backpack. Before heading back to school, parents and kids should know there are recommended and not recommended ways to wear and use a backpack. Improperly fit backpacks or backpacks that are too heavy can lead to poor posture. Poor posture can be a cause of low back or neck pain. (more…)