Athletico Health Resources

Here we are: the NFL Super Bowl is here. This usually means that my couch game is in full swing, with me parked on the couch watching other people being active. However, this year will be different. I’ve developed a five-pronged approach to a healthy Super Bowl watching experience, based on increased activity, healthier snacking options and better football watching mechanics (seriously). As always, consult with your physician before trying any new exercise or eating routine. (more…)

January is all about loosening the shoulders up! This month we will take a look at four different stretches that will loosen up the muscles in the chest, the shoulder girdle, and in the front and back of the arm. Please remember to honor your body and not overly push yourself in these moves. The shoulder has a very wide range of motion and can be easily injured if stressed too far, so please listen and be aware of what your body is telling you.  (more…)

The final stretch of this month is what we call in yoga, child's pose. It's a wonderfully grounding stretch. If you feel stressed out, its nice to calm the nerves and mind. Especially with the holidays the past few weeks, this stretch is an excellent one to end the month with. The benefits of this stretch are: clams the brain and helps relieve stress, stretches the hips and thighs, and stretches the ankles as well. This pose is again not recommended for people with severe knee injuries or if you are in your third trimester of pregnancy. (more…)

This weeks stretch is called the hero stretch. This one can be very difficult for many people because of tight ankles AND quads, so please go back to the last three weeks' stretches to warm up and prepare for this stretch. I do not recommend the stretch for people that have severe knee or ankle problems. The benefits of the stretch are: stretches thighs, knees, and ankles; improves digestion; helps to reduce swelling in the legs for pregnant women; helps to strengthen the arches of the feet. (more…)

The seasons are changing and it’s that time of year to keep your health top of mind as we enter cold and flu season. There are a few simple things you can do to protect yourself from getting sick this fall and winter.  (more…)

Week 3 of our quad stretches is low or high lunge, depending on your comfort level. I know, you're going to say, "But Rachel this is almost the same stretch as last week, King Arthur!" I assure it is not ;) The benefits of this stretch are; it stretches all the hip flexors, (psoas, quadriceps, etc), stretches into the abdominal muscles and up into the chest. It's a deeper, whole front body stretch as opposed to King Arthur targeting more the quad. I don't advise this stretch for people with knee injuries. (more…)

R.I.C.E., which stands for rest, ice, compression and elevation, is an acronym familiar to many. Whether you are an "average Joe" or an athlete, coach, doctor, therapist or trainer it’s fairly common knowledge that if you are experiencing an acute soft tissue injury, R.I.C.E. is the standard operating procedure to get on track for a speedy recovery.  As medicine becomes more evidence based we look to research to support much of our clinical decision making.  Does current research still support the R.I.C.E. protocol? (more…)

Week 2 of this months quadriceps stretches is the King Arthur stretch. Hopefully you have tried week one, frog stretch I, and you have gotten some insight as to how tight your thigh muscles really are. If you have not tried that stretch yet, please go back and attempt it, as it is a good warm-up for this stretch. I do not recommend this stretch for people that have knee injuries or severe chronic knee problems, as it is hard on the knee. The benefits of this pose are: it stretches the hip flexors and the quadriceps. (more…)