Athletico Health Resources

The holiday season is a joyous time of year to spend quality time with family and friends. This time of the year can be tough on the body, however. Whether you are spending more time cooking, cleaning, putting up lights, or even shoveling, it’s a good idea to remember to stretch.

Stretching can help reduce stress and improve aches and pains that may be brought on by the holidays. Here are 12 stretches you can do daily for a happy and healthy holiday season.

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The core is the foundation for your entire body. Your core is much more than just abdominal muscles; the core includes the whole trunk, including the front, back, sides, and pelvic floor, and it spans from your shoulder blades to your hips. Every movement for a cheerleader starts at the core. If cheerleaders are not activating the core, then all movements, including running, squatting, basket tosses, and stunting, could be weaker, slower, or lead to injury.

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Here at Athletico, we have an extensive blog catalog about different exercises and applications for various ailments. Within this blog, I will highlight exercises for non-athletes. Honestly, everyone is an athlete in some form, and certain exercises can be tailored to help reach specific goals.

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Building strength and muscle mass is a goal that many have (and these two attributes will typically go hand-in-hand), whether the person wants to be healthier, look better, help improve athletic performance, etc. These people all have similar goals of improving as much as they can. With new information about the importance of muscle mass and strength for overall health, starting your strength and muscle gain journey as soon as possible is of high importance. But where to begin? How do you navigate the process? There are so many resources on muscle gain and strength building, and it is easy to get lost in the noise. This blog will lay out tips to help you along this journey and give you a framework to draw a plan.

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Hip injuries in dancers comprise about 17.2% of all muscular and bony injuries. These injuries are often hard to diagnose because many have overlapping signs and symptoms. Injuries can occur for a variety of reasons. Some injuries are traumatic from a fall, contact, or another impact like a fracture or an avulsion (where a muscle can yank on its bony attachment and pull some bone loose). Additional injuries can come from overuse and result in tendinitis (or other tendinopathies), bursitis, snapping hip, strain, or a labral tear. Some are bony, like Femoral Acetabular Impingement (FAI) or dysplasia. Whatever the cause, a hip injury can be frustrating for a dancer.

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Squats are a foundational exercise movement. When you squat, you move at multiple joints via the action of several major muscle groups. A squat involves a hip hinge and bending at the knee and ankle. A squat is also a functional movement. Every time you sit down in a chair or get up from a seated position, you move through a squat pattern. Despite the familiarity of this movement pattern, it is easy to make errors with your squat form. So here are some tips to help you squat better (and maybe even with less pain or less risk of injury).

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The response to flu, colds, or bronchitis is varied, and individuals may be affected differently. A cold can present varying symptoms and severity, including sore throat, coughing, sneezing, fatigue, fever, and more. How do you know when to return to your workouts after being sick? This blog will discuss a few physical therapist-approved tips to help you get back to your favorite activities.

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Many cheerleaders want to achieve higher and more powerful jumps. Jumps take practice and repetition. Jumping also involves the whole body, requiring strength in your legs, hips, core, back, and upper body. These four focus areas may help you achieve your high jumping goals!

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