Athletico Health Resources

The holiday season is a joyous time of year to spend quality time with family and friends. This time of the year can be tough on the body, however. Whether you are spending more time cooking, cleaning, putting up lights, or even shoveling, it’s a good idea to remember to stretch.

Stretching can help reduce stress and improve aches and pains that may be brought on by the holidays. Here are 12 stretches you can do daily for a happy and healthy holiday season.

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The core is the foundation for your entire body. Your core is much more than just abdominal muscles; the core includes the whole trunk, including the front, back, sides, and pelvic floor, and it spans from your shoulder blades to your hips. Every movement for a cheerleader starts at the core. If cheerleaders are not activating the core, then all movements, including running, squatting, basket tosses, and stunting, could be weaker, slower, or lead to injury.

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Millions of Americans undergo surgery each year. Physical therapy is one of the best healthcare decisions you can make before and after surgery to ensure you heal properly. This blog will discuss tips to help you prepare for a surgical procedure as well as what to expect after the procedure.

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Unfortunately, thousands of older adults aged 65 and older sustain a fall each year. Many falls lead to injuries that vary in severity. Falls can happen anywhere, but the majority of them occur in the home. Our homes can be full of hidden hazards. One way to reduce you or a loved one’s risk of falling is to fall-proof your home. For elderly families that may be visiting during the upcoming holidays, these helpful tips can keep everyone safe.

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During Men’s Health Awareness Month, we encourage men to take steps toward living a healthier life by staying active, maintaining a good diet, and taking early action when experiencing health issues. We sat down with men’s health expert, physical therapist, and Chicago clinic manager Nate Mancillas to discuss important men’s health topics and how physical therapy can help overall wellness. (more…)

Building strength and muscle mass is a goal that many have (and these two attributes will typically go hand-in-hand), whether the person wants to be healthier, look better, help improve athletic performance, etc. These people all have similar goals of improving as much as they can. With new information about the importance of muscle mass and strength for overall health, starting your strength and muscle gain journey as soon as possible is of high importance. But where to begin? How do you navigate the process? There are so many resources on muscle gain and strength building, and it is easy to get lost in the noise. This blog will lay out tips to help you along this journey and give you a framework to draw a plan.

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Hip injuries in dancers comprise about 17.2% of all muscular and bony injuries. These injuries are often hard to diagnose because many have overlapping signs and symptoms. Injuries can occur for a variety of reasons. Some injuries are traumatic from a fall, contact, or another impact like a fracture or an avulsion (where a muscle can yank on its bony attachment and pull some bone loose). Additional injuries can come from overuse and result in tendinitis (or other tendinopathies), bursitis, snapping hip, strain, or a labral tear. Some are bony, like Femoral Acetabular Impingement (FAI) or dysplasia. Whatever the cause, a hip injury can be frustrating for a dancer.

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Squats are a foundational exercise movement. When you squat, you move at multiple joints via the action of several major muscle groups. A squat involves a hip hinge and bending at the knee and ankle. A squat is also a functional movement. Every time you sit down in a chair or get up from a seated position, you move through a squat pattern. Despite the familiarity of this movement pattern, it is easy to make errors with your squat form. So here are some tips to help you squat better (and maybe even with less pain or less risk of injury).

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