Athletico Health Resources

Have you ever experienced pain or swelling in your Achilles heel after prolonged activity? Though the Achilles is the strongest tendon in the body, it’s still susceptible to injury. Achilles tendinitis is an overuse injury of the Achilles tendon, which is the tendon that connects the calf muscles at the back of your lower leg to your heel bone. It is a common condition in endurance athletes and other athletes who put repetitive stress on their feet and Achilles tendon. Here are some of the common causes, symptoms, and ways to manage the pain. (more…)

As an athletic trainer that works with young, active populations, I get a lot of questions about injuries– some more common than others. One of the more common questions I get– especially adolescents – is “What is this bump below my knee?” The answer is almost always Osgood-Schlatter disease – a condition that sounds like the end of the world, but isn’t anything to lose sleep over. (more…)

If you are an athlete, you probably know all too well when your allergies kick up. But there is hope! By being prepared and taking the necessary precautions, you should not have to restrict your activity very much. (more…)

When I treat a patient after an ankle sprain, I am never surprised to find out that this may not be the first time they sprained their ankle. I often have younger athletes in the clinic after their second or third ankle sprain and find out that they never had any formal treatment after the first one. So why are recurring ankle sprains so common and how can we prevent them? (more…)

March is National Athletic Training Month and athletic training has evolved as more and more people find out that athletic trainers’ expertise has applications far beyond athletics. Sure, working with on the field (or court – it is time for March Madness) may be the backbone of our profession, but there is an ever-expanding list of non-traditional settings that athletic trainers are making an impact. Below are 10 settings you might not have realized utilized athletic trainers. (more…)

So here we are, three entries deep into the “It’s All in the Hips” saga. We’ve covered gluteus medius and its role in stability. We’ve also talked about the gluteus maximus and its importance in power production. Today, we’ll take a journey to the front of the hips to talk about the hip flexors. (more…)

In my last post, I made the case for 2 muscles in your hips being integral for optimal health and performance. The first post focused on the gluteus medius, but now it’s time to take a look at the gluteus maximus. Our 2 gluteus maximus muscles (glutes for short) make up a majority of our rear and are probably the most famous muscles in the body. It has been focused on in the famous “Buns of Steel” workout and has inspired more than its fair share of songs. The glutes’ main action is extending our legs backwards, which is incredibly useful for anything from walking and standing up to sprinting and lifting. The problem is that since most of us spend a majority of the day sitting, our glutes are rarely used and are often weak. (more…)

“It’s all in the hips. It’s all in the hips.” – Chubbs, Happy Gilmore

Chubbs knows what he’s talking about. In my time working in athletic training, I’ve worked with a wide range of athletes – from pros to weekend warriors. No matter what skill level I’m working with, one consistent problem I find is weak hip muscles. Weak hip muscles put excess strain on several other structures on your body, which can lead to injury or impaired performance. Two of the hip muscles that are consistently under-utilized are the gluteus medius and gluteus maximus. Today, we’ll go over the gluteus medius and hold off on its bigger brother, the gluteus maximus, for the next post. (more…)