By: John Crawley, PT, DPT, OCS In rock climbing, your “engine” is actually three separate systems working in concert. Whether you are sticking a desperate dyno or grinding through a multi-pitch day, your body chooses a specific chemical pathway to create Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP)—the molecule that powers every muscle contraction. Each discipline has differing demands...
By: Erica Tran, PT, DPT, OCS Background For most of my life, osteoporosis felt like something I would deal with later. Something for my future self. Something that showed up in your 60s after a doctor ordered a DEXA scan and told you your bones were fragile. But bone loss does not suddenly appear at...
By: Rani Helvey-Byers, PT, DPT, OCS During a woman’s monthly cycle, the concentrations of hormones will vary significantly. But, what we don’t often realize is that these fluctuations can affect our athletic performance. Two hormones—estrogen and progesterone—play central roles in our energy levels, recovery, and exercise tolerance. Understanding how these hormones shift across the menstrual...
By: John Crawley, PT, DPT, OCS The nature of TMJ related pain can be complex. Often manifesting from a combination of bio mechanical and behavioral factors. Based on a synthesis of peer-reviewed research and systematic reviews, the top five contributing factors or management components for TMD-related pain are: Muscle Disorders (Myofascial Pain): This is one...
Boulder and its’ surrounding areas are well known for many things including the percentage of citizens who exercise. Some surveys have reported over 90% of people living in Boulder are active making it one of the fittest cities in the country. Granted this is self report, but it is hard not to look around during...
Technology’s impact on our lives continues to grow each year. In the exercise industry we have seen a significant impact ranging from wearable technologies tracking fitness data to numerous apps and online programs for any number of fitness and health goals. Two of the main limitations of these technologies include a lack of direct supervision...
Whether you’re cycling through deadlifts in a WOD or chasing PRs with heavy back squats, one of the most overlooked — yet critical — components for female athletes is the pelvic floor. More than just “private” muscles, the pelvic floor plays a key role in core stability, breathing mechanics, and load transfer. Learning to connect...
Quality of life and health span have joined lifespan as optimal goals for aging. Lifespan describes living the years of your life at an optimal level of health and wellness vs. the gradual then steep decline that normally follows aging. Losses in health span and normally associated with losses in physical independence. The low hanging...
By John Crawley, PT, DPT, OCS Hurt shoulder, what is it? As athletes that use their arms to complete a wide range of movement patterns to ascend rock climbing walls, they are susceptible to developing shoulder related injuries. If you are finding it difficult to determine the exact cause of your shoulder pain, you are...
Our bodies require calories to run effectively and efficiently. The vast majority of our daily caloric needs are required to support our body’s metabolism and cellular functions. Roughly 10-20% of our daily calories go toward fueling our exercise participation each day. If these burned calories are not replaced by increased consumption a caloric deficit is...