Athletic Trainers Keep You at the Top of Your Game
You may think of an athletic trainer as the person at the end of the bench who comes running to the aid of an injured player. While you’d be right, you would be only partially right. Certified athletic trainers are members of a health care team who work with physicians, physical therapists and others to help prevent, recognize, assess, and rehabilitate injuries no matter where they occur. Athletic trainers are everywhere from the field, in the back yard and on the dance floor or stage. (more…)
Stretch of the Week: Dolphin Stretch
The last calf stretch of February is the Dolphin stretch. The Dolphin Stretch is a bonus stretch because it will get into the shoulders and the upper back as well as the calves! It’s very similar to the forearm stretch on the wall from week 2 in January if you want to go back and take a look, but we are taking it to the floor this week.
Stretch of the Week: Wall Calf Stretch
It’s week 3 of loving our calves, and this week is one of my favorite stretches! I call this the Wall Calf Stretch. It’s slightly an inversion (upside down) so please be careful if you have a blood pressure issue or get vertigo easily. For the Wall Calf Stretch you’ll probably need a little wall space. 🙂 (more…)
Stretch of the Week: Calf Massage Technique
This week we are going to give our calves a little extra love with a calf massage technique instead of a stretch. This is one I use all the time because my calves are so tight. If you have trigger points or “knots” in your muscles, this is a great way to work them out on your own. I’ll warn you right now, it might be tender, so just apply as much pressure as you feel comfortable. That’s the great thing about this technique, you have control over how much you sink into the tissue. (more…)
Stretch of the Week: Simple Calf Stretch
February is upon us! Can you believe it!? Let’s loosen up our calves during this lovely month! 🙂 The first week we will keep it sweet and easy with a Simple Calf Stretch. You will need a wall or space on the floor depending on which version you choose. There should not be any strains or complications with this stretch because it’s pretty gentle. It will stretch from the calf through the Achilles’ tendon, and down into the bottom of the foot. Let’s do it! (more…)
Stretch of the Week: Eagle Arms
The final stretch of January’s month long shoulder love is…Eagle Arms! The full version of this stretch can be a little tricky, so I’ve provided an accessible beginner modification for everyone. This will stretch the deltoids and rotator cuff muscles, as well as the upper back slightly. I don’t advise doing this stretch for people with shoulder injuries. You won’t need anything but your arms for this one 🙂 (more…)
Stretch of the Week: Shoulder Stretch
Week 3! How are your shoulders feeling? Are you stretching daily? Couple times a week? Keep it up! This weeks shoulder stretch will take you through the shoulder’s range of motion from front to back. Again, this is a pretty straight forward stretch. I don’t recommend this stretch for people that have any shoulder injuries where it hurts to bring the arms above the head. (more…)
Stretch of the Week: Forearm Wall Stretch
This weeks stretch is called forearm wall stretch. It’s not so much a forearm stretch as it is a shoulder, upper back and chest stretch. The only thing you’ll need for this stretch is a sturdy wall 🙂
I don’t recommend the stretch for people with severe shoulder injuries or upper back injuries. (more…)
