Athletico Health Resources

For many, the term ‘athletic trainer’ brings about the image of a polo and khakis clad person standing on the sidelines taping ankles, stretching players, or evaluating injuries. While these ideas may be accurate, there is a lot more to the profession than that. As healthcare professionals, athletic trainers are well-versed in the evaluation and treatment of a wide range of injuries, conditions, and issues. This can encompass everything from a sprained ankle to cardiac arrest to an emotional problem. Here are 5 things you may not have known about athletic trainers. (more…)

When you think about the parts of a woman’s body that are affected by pregnancy, the hands and wrists are not the first thing that come to mind, but up to 20% of women are affected by carpal tunnel syndrome during pregnancy. Symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome include numbness, tingling, burning or aching in the fingers, and pain in the wrist, hands, forearms, and sometimes upper arm to the shoulder. In severe or chronic cases, hands may feel weak or uncoordinated and muscle atrophy may be present. Symptoms usually affect both hands and can begin at any stage of pregnancy, but are most common in the later stages. (more…)

Congratulations! You made the commitment and registered for a Marathon. Whether this is your first or your 50th marathon, I’m sure you are excited to get going. Now comes the tough part for most marathoners-what do I do now? (more…)

For a team that has a hooved mascot, the Bulls have had their fair share of toe injuries. One particular injury, turf toe, has reared its ugly head more than a few times over the past few seasons. I know what you’re thinking. Why is an injury that happens on the court called turf toe and not court toe? Well, since this injury was initially common due to the nature of early versions of artificial turf, it quickly got its alliterative name “turf toe” even though it can happen on any surface. Luckily, modern artificial turf has improved to a point that it no longer carries an increased risk of this injury, but the name has stuck around. (more…)

Have you ever woken up and felt dizzy? Did you feel like the room was spinning? Chances are, you thought something was seriously wrong and possibly went to the ER. Once all the medical tests were done and it was cleared that you were not having a stroke, you may have been given an anti-vertigo medication and sent home. What many people do not know is that this condition is something that could easily be treated without medication and can be cleared in as little as one session with a physical therapist. I am talking about positional vertigo, one of the most common reasons that people visit their primary doctor. (more…)

As a massage therapist, I have worked with a lot of clients over the years with fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia is one of the most misunderstood and frustrating medical conditions out there today. Many people who suffer from this chronic disease have been misdiagnosed multiple times before someone figures out why they have so much pain. (more…)

The thumb: It has allowed humans to develop into the most dominant species on the planet. Without it, we wouldn’t have the Mona Lisa, the Seven Wonders of the World, or quarterbacks that can complete a pass while scrambling out of the pocket when their protection breaks down. You can see just how important the “lone wolf of the hand” is in life and sports, and when Bears quarterback Jay Cutler was sidelined by a thumb injury, I started getting a lot of questions about thumb injuries in athletics. They’re fairly common in sports since the thumb is separate from the other fingers, exposing it to some unique injuries. Lucky for you, my background allows me to explain what a couple of the more common injuries are. (more…)

Holidays are not only a time of joy, but they are also usually a time of overindulgence and stress. Around the holidays people have more than their fair share of cookies, chocolates, cocktails, and wine (my mouth is watering just thinking about it). So I propose that this year instead of going along with the status quo, we give gifts that will enhance the health of the recipients. Here are just a few ideas: (more…)