Athletico Health Resources

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…)

January is all about loosening the shoulders up! This month we will take a look at four different stretches that will loosen up the muscles in the chest, the shoulder girdle, and in the front and back of the arm. Please remember to honor your body and not overly push yourself in these moves. The shoulder has a very wide range of motion and can be easily injured if stressed too far, so please listen and be aware of what your body is telling you.  (more…)

Week 2 of this months quadriceps stretches is the King Arthur stretch. Hopefully you have tried week one, frog stretch I, and you have gotten some insight as to how tight your thigh muscles really are. If you have not tried that stretch yet, please go back and attempt it, as it is a good warm-up for this stretch. I do not recommend this stretch for people that have knee injuries or severe chronic knee problems, as it is hard on the knee. The benefits of this pose are: it stretches the hip flexors and the quadriceps. (more…)

This month we will be focusing on stretching our quadriceps and hip flexors. These group of muscles can be very tight on quite a lot of people because of all the sitting and driving we do as a society. This can sometimes lead to knee pain or hip pain. Even just the simple act of sitting back on our heels can cause a great deal of discomfort for some, so please be patient with yourself this month! Practice these regularly and the front of the thighs will eventually loosen up! Please listen to your body as always, and back off if you feel pain that is not a “stretchy” discomfort. (more…)

The gymnastics and cheer seasons’ are underway! Check out our second blog focusing on staying healthy during the gymnastics and cheerleading season. Our second blog by Melissa Winterhalter, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS, specializes in gymnastics and performing arts. She is a Board Certified Orthopedic Specialist and a NSCA Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist. (more…)

So we’ve made it through to the last week of November! Hopefully you are feeling a little less tension in the hamstrings by now. The final stretch of this month is a “simple” forward fold. I use quotations here because for some people this stretch is not necessarily that easy. But hopefully through this guidance you can make it comfortable and within your bodies capabilities to achieve. Over time those fingers will reach those toes comfortably, just remember to be consistent! (more…)

This week’s stretch is called head to knee forward fold. Don’t let the name fool you! It can take years to actually get the forehead to the knee WITHOUT rounding in the back. Just do your best and be happy with where you are in it today 🙂 This stretch is great for calming the mind, relieving mild depression/anxiety, simulating the liver/kidneys and also helps to improve digestion just to name a few benefits!

(more…)

The gymnastics and cheer seasons’ are picking up intensity! Check out our first of two blogs focusing on staying healthy during the gymnastics and cheerleading season. Our first blog by Sarah Clough PT, DPT, Cert. MDT, PES, who has a passion for treating gymnasts, trampolinists and cheerleaders, focuses on wrist pain in gymnasts and cheerleaders. (more…)