Cheerleading Safety Tips
Cheerleading is a potentially high risk sport and it involves extensive and consistent training.
Participation in cheerleading ranges from young kids through collegiate athletes. The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) estimates approximately 400,000 students participate in U.S. high school cheerleading annually, including competitive squads.1 Cheerleaders can be found at the elementary, junior high, high school, and collegiate levels as well as at park districts or private competitive gyms. Cheerleading squads can be all-girl or co-ed.
Does Running Cause Arthritis?
As a runner, I have been told by friends or family that running will “wear out your joints,” that “it causes osteoarthritis,” and that it “is bad for your knees.” Although most of these comments were few and far between, they stuck with me. Since becoming a physical therapist, I started to hear comments like this more frequently. However, this does not line up exactly with my understanding of the human body and how it responds to various stimuli. So I explored the question: Does running cause arthritis and should I be worried?
The Dreaded Side Stitch
“When things look worst, we run the most.” This is a quote from Christopher McDougall in the famous book Born to Run and how, in times of great stress, we run. McDougall mentions three times in this country’s history that there have been substantial running booms: the Great Depression, Vietnam, and September 11th1. “Maybe it was a coincidence. Or maybe there’s a trigger in the human psyche, a coded response that activates our first and greatest survival skill when we sense the raptors approaching.” – Born to Run.
It is reasonable to think that we are currently in the midst of this country’s fourth running boom due to the uncertainty surrounding the Coronavirus. So, now is the perfect opportunity to speak on one of the more common symptoms with running: the dreaded side stitch.
What is Pre-hab?
Do you have a surgery planned soon? Is your sport physically demanding and places you at increased risk of injury? Are you worried about weakness in your joints as you age? Preventative rehabilitation may be the key for you!
Preventative rehabilitation or “pre-hab” helps condition and strengthen the body to improve recovery after surgery, speed up the recovery process and may prevent injury from occurring. Oftentimes, we group pre-hab into two main categories: Prior to surgery and injury prevention. In this blog, we’ll explore the benefits of both of these pre-hab programs.
Returning To Sports After Quarantine
As we continue to navigate the current pandemic, athletes, coaches and teams alike have been closely monitoring whether or not they’ll be able to return to their sport. Many athletes may find themselves excited to return to sports but are they physically ready to jump right back in? These are some considerations for athletes, parents and coaches should they be allowed to return to sports after this break.
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At-Home Lower Body Strengthening Exercises
Normally, athletes would be in the midst of their summer sports leagues in preparation for the upcoming school sports season. Due to COVID-19, our athletes are now participating in online and virtual practices with their teams, with some states just starting modified live training. One aspect that should not be overlooked as high school sports associations plan for fall sports seasons, is how our athletes are continuing to stay strong despite closed gyms and school weights rooms. While working out at home is an option, you may find you’re limited due to lack of equipment and your environment.
To help, here are a few exercises athletes can do to strengthen their legs and help prevent knee injuries. This quick 3-part workout can be done at home using only a chair and adding some tempos and holds.
Self-Care for New Parents
As a new father and experienced physical therapist, I realized being a new parent is not only a rewarding and joyous experience, but it can be very hard on the body! As Father’s Day approaches, here are some tips I would like to share on how to prevent aches and pains as a new parent.
The Not-So-Comfortable Home Office
Over the last several months the opportunities to Work from Home (WFH) have kept a large majority of the population safe and healthy. Yet, WFH may not always be as comfortable as it sounds. Many workers have needed to trade in their rolling chair and dual computer monitors for the family room couch and laptop. Small changes to someone’s work environment may be on-setting large differences in the way our bodies are used to moving. These changes may also result in new feelings of soreness and pain. It is important to be mindful of the things we can do in order to combat the challenges of WFH to minimize the potential aches and pains of home office life.
