There are few treatments more effective for the prevention and treatment of injuries and musculoskeletal conditions than resistance training. Unfortunately, many Americans are not performing enough strengthening to prevent the loss of muscle mass (sarcopenia) which begins to occur in the 3rd decade of life. After age 30 we begin to demonstrate a progressive loss...
In the last couple of weeks we have posted on the impact of strength training on endurance performance. Studies have shown resistance training improves both running and cycling economy leading to faster times. These studies add to our existing knowledge on the importance of endurance athletes balancing their endurance training with strength exercises. The pool...
This week we posted on the benefits of strength training on cycling performance. Specifically, how strength training improves our body’s use of resources including oxygen and fuel to power us through our endurance workouts. The more economical or efficient endurance athlete will be able to sustain a higher speed for a longer period of time...
As we move towards the end of winter many Boulder cyclists are growing tired of the indoor hours on their bicycles. One of the benefits of the winter months for cyclists is the opportunity to introduce strength training into their work out programs. A 2 to 3 day a week, total body strengthening program not...
The 3 inevitable events in our society include death, taxes, and low back pain. Many of us will experience a significant episode of low back pain in our lives but the vast majority of these symptoms are not associated with serious pathology such as fracture or cancer. In our previous posts on low back pain we...
In prior posts we have documented the impact of ACL injuries on our athletes. Unfortunately, these injuries are becoming more common especially among female athletes who are up to 8-10 times more likely to sustain an ACL injury compared to their male peers. The risk factors behind these injuries have been described in previous posts,...
The squat may be one of the best exercises for the development of strength and mobility through the lower quarter of the body. It is often used as the foundation of strength training by both recreational athletes and pro athletes alike. I often use the squat in our Physical Therapy practice with patients recovering from...
Knee arthritis (knee OA) is the most common form of osteoarthritis and affects many individuals in middle to older age. This condition can be found on x ray or MRI testing in both asymptomatic and symptomatic individuals. The high rates of false positive imaging findings require a thorough subjective and objective examination in order to make a...
Background Sacroiliac (SI) joint pain is an less common source of low back pain but has a higher incidence pregnant and post partum patients, as well as, after trauma. The incidence of SI pain in patients with low back pain is 13% (9-26%) (1). The majority of patients will report buttock pain (94%), lower lumbar...
Despite having no symptoms, many of us will develop age-related changes in the musculoskeletal structures of our bodies, similar to the aging effects on our skin. These findings are most prevalent on highly sensitive imaging techniques such as MRI and often lead to unnecessary and costly medical procedures. Our shoulders are also prone to development of age...