Caffeine is a well established stimulant enjoyed by many adults, in many forms, around the world each day. Users have known about its’ performance effects since the beginning with researchers confirming its’ performance benefits over the last century. It is one of the few well established performance enhancing drugs and was previously restricted and is...
Team and individual athletes are always looking for an edge prior to their competition or race. The preceding days variable’s including rest, nutrition, training, and exercise are dialed in to create an optimal environment on game or race day. Most Physical Therapists and sports medicine professionals encourage an active dynamic warm up in the hour...
Running remains one of the most popular outdoor activities in Boulder where participants can take advantage of the acres of open space. It is difficult to beat the simplicity, low cost of entry, and workout intensity found in running. Its’ physical benefits are well established by the research including decreased body mass, improved heart and...
If we had to pick only one strength training exercise it would be hard to beat a squat variation due to its’ ability to recruit a large percentage of the lower quarter musculature. To be fair, drawbacks of the squat would have to include the significant learning curve to learn the correct exercise movement, as...
Previously it was thought Physical Therapists should withhold strength training from endurance athletes or have athletes perform exercises with high reps (>15) and low weights (30-45% 1 rep max). These incorrect guidelines and prescriptions created insufficient training loads in endurance athletes and even worse led many endurance coaches and athletes to avoid weight training all...
Running economy, similar to miles per gallon in a car, is the amount of oxygen and energy required to propel a runner over a given distance. In addition to fuel utilization, runners with better economy demonstrate better running form and a faster processing of metabolic wastes during exercise. This measure has been shown to have...
Muscle imbalances, muscle strength and length differences across an individual joint, are frequently examined by Physical Therapists in individuals with pain, loss of function, or disease. For example, imbalances between our shoulder external and internal rotators have been shown to correlate with multiple shoulder disorders and help predict success after surgery. In addition, asymmetries in...
One of the milestones of return to sport or recreational activities after injury is the restoration of strength often measured as a percentage of the involved extremity. Measurements should be at least 90% of the uninvolved limb before returning to sport. Those who have returned from injury know the last 10% can be the hardest...
Strength training is an essential part of any workout program. Participants should aim for 2 to 3 workouts per week targeting major muscle groups of the upper and lower body. Multi joint movements such as the squat or deadlift provide a more effective and efficient workout compared to single joint exercises (ex. leg extension machine)....
Foam rolling has become a popular exercise intervention used to improve sports performance, accelerate recovery from workouts and training, and decrease muscle pain and tightness. Previous research has utilized 2-3 bouts of 60 seconds along major muscle groups in the lower body including the quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves. One component of the exercise prescription which...