Nutritional supplements are widely advertised with amazing health claims but few have been able to show true effects beyond placebo or control groups. In regards to strength training, two have been studied scientifically to draw conclusions on their effectiveness. Creatine has been shown to improve strength gains and muscle growth among users who are concurrently...
The benefits of strength or resistance training are numerous including increased quality of life, reduce injury risk, and increased performance. In previous blog posts we have discussed the cross over effect where working one side of the body creates improved flexibility, strength, or balance on both sides of the body. If we view our...
In prior posts, we have discussed the importance of hip strengthening among runners. There is a strong correlation between hip weakness, especially the hip abductors, and knee pain. Studies have questioned if these strength impairments are present before pain develops or occur due to the onset of pain. In addition, some research has demonstrated runners...
As we move into Spring we begin to see our youth athletes return to the baseball diamond often with a sudden increase in practice volume. The sudden increase in throwing volume, either in the field or on the mound, places the athlete’s shoulder and elbow at greater risk of baseball injuries. The greatest risk factors for...
A common question we receive in clinic is how many repetitions should I perform of this strengthening exercise? Clearly, enough repetitions are needed under a given load to promote beneficial changes within the tissues for improvements in both healing and performance. Ranges of repetitions range from < 5, 8-12 reps, and >15 reps depending on...