Athletico Health Resources

Knee injuries are back in the news. With recent injuries to high profile players, water cooler chat is shifting from ACL injuries to meniscal injuries. If you want to be the resident sports medicine expert in the office, keep reading for a brief overview of meniscal tears and what they mean for athletes. (more…)

In my blog post from last month I discussed the benefits of foam rolling for preparing the body to play hockey. This month the topic of pre-participation warm-up will be discussed again, but through a very different but equally as important technique. Dynamic Stretching. (more…)

You may think of an athletic trainer as the person at the end of the bench who comes running to the aid of an injured player. While you’d be right, you would be only partially right. Certified athletic trainers are members of a health care team who work with physicians, physical therapists and others to help prevent, recognize, assess, and rehabilitate injuries no matter where they occur. Athletic trainers are everywhere from the field, in the back yard and on the dance floor or stage. (more…)

While increased amount of rest is common knowledge at higher levels of sport, it is commonly overlooked at lower levels. When it comes to improving athleticism in younger athletes, so much of the focus is put on strength training methods, diet, and supplementation, while little focus is put on sleep. There is a growing body of evidence that indicates that forgoing sleep might be a huge misstep.
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High school sports have more exposure now more than ever. This is partially due to nationally televised games such as football and basketball. There are now showcases for potential recruiters where young athletes can participate while still developing. Competition for an athletic scholarship has never been greater. Now, athletes are specializing in their sport to earn a competitive advantage and be the best at young age. Should specialization in athletics be touted, or should they continue to play multiple sports year round? Multiple researchers and college coaches state that single sport specialization is not the best practice. (more…)

As a medical professional who not only works with the Chicago Blackhawks but also a large number of hockey players of all levels, one of the more recurrent questions I receive is, “how to adequately warm-up before taking the ice?” My answer is the foam roll, for a variety of reasons.

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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…)

The gymnastics and cheer seasons’ are underway! Check out our second blog focusing on staying healthy during the gymnastics and cheerleading season. Our second blog by Melissa Winterhalter, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS, specializes in gymnastics and performing arts. She is a Board Certified Orthopedic Specialist and a NSCA Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist. (more…)