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Strength & Conditioning: What Most People Miss
What matters most in strength & conditioning? The beauty of sports and the field of exercise science is that there is no ‘one-way fits all’ for athletic development. In fact, on the contrary, there are hundreds of different ways of getting an athlete to achieve the same goals. The million-dollar question is, which one is the best? The best strength coaches are the ones that can not only get an athlete to their goals faster than others, but also do it with the least amount of expense to that athlete. This may not seem like the old school mentality that, ‘the most successful athletes are the ones who beat the crap out of themselves day in and day out’. That mentality, though catchy for motivational videos, doesn’t paint the whole picture. Let me tell you what I mean.
The human body only has so much it can give on any given day/week/month/year. Imagine it like a debit card. You can use the money on that card freely for whatever you choose but the minute you overdraft, there’s going to be a steep cost involved. For an athlete, that overdraft could involve injuries, decreases in performance, exhaustion, etc.
So, lets break it down. Team practices, lifts, individual work, and everyday activities all result in expenses to the funds on that debit card. If we look deeper, even other forms of stress such as school/work load, relationship issues and financial stress can also deplete an athlete’s ‘total available balance’ for a given day.
On the other hand, there are also ways that we can draw an income or make direct deposits to refill that account as we go. These deposits come in the form of rest/sleep hygiene, proper nutrition and several forms of recovery strategies (ex. Stretching, foam rolling, ice baths, aquatic therapy). The higher the income, the more available funds we have at our disposal for athletic development.
The reason I tell you all this is to say that a great variety of skills coaches and strength coaches specialize in helping athletes ‘spend money’ from that account. Few, however, dedicate themselves to the intricate science behind continually refilling that bank account after expenditures. That’s like consistently spending money without a solid income and expecting to not overdraft or get into a lot of debt at some point down the road.
I don’t say all this to condemn tough training regimes. In fact, I’m all for pushing athletes to their limits given the appropriate circumstances. However, all this is to say that you need both sides of the story. If all we focus on is going hard in the gym and we disregard proper recovery strategies, an athlete will not progress as much as they could and it could put them at a high risk of injury. But, if an athlete has better recovery between workouts, they will not only be healthier and reap more benefits from their last training session but they will also be better prepared to capitalize on their next session. If your strength coach is not actively educating you on both sides of the story, then you might be working really hard while also leaving some free gains on the table. Awesome workouts mean nothing if an athlete ends up injured or burnt out when it comes time to perform.
Grit: The Training Currency We Don’t Talk About Enough
Long Arc Quadriceps Exercise: Knee Pain Series
WHAT IS KNEE PAIN?
Pain in or around the knee may indicate a condition affecting the knee joint itself or the soft tissue around the knee. Knee pain is a common problem that plagues millions of individuals worldwide and is one of the most common conditions treated in physical therapy. Though very common, the underlying cause of knee pain can be multifactorial and should be thoroughly evaluated by a medical professional to ensure the most appropriate treatment plan is prescribed to you to best address your deficits.
COMMON CAUSES OF KNEE PAIN
Knee pain can have causes that aren't due to underlying disease. Examples include heavy physical activity, muscular imbalances, injuries such as sprains or strains, sedentary lifestyle, or decreased joint mobility. Knee pain can also be referred from other areas of the body which is why it is important for a thorough medical evaluation.
HOME TREATMENTS
If you have pain, swelling, or lack of mobility or stability in your knee, it is highly recommended that you seek medical attention for your knee pain. The treatment outlined below is only a first-aid measure. Please seek medical advice before moving forward with any other treatments/interventions.
Rest - Discontinue activities causing or increasing your knee pain
Ice - Apply ice to the affected area to help reduce swelling and pain. Apply for no more than 20 minutes at a time and be sure to place a towel between the ice pack and your skin to avoid nerve or tissue damage. A good rule is 15 minutes on, 45 minutes off.
Compression - Use an ACE bandage or knee compression sleeve to reduce fluid build-up and improve stability in the knee. The compression should be applied as to not restrict blood flow to the lower leg. If you notice that your foot or toes are changing colors or are becoming numb, the bandaging is too tight.
Elevate - To reduce swelling, elevate the knee above the level of your heart by placing some form of bolster, like a pillow, under your knee while lying down.
EXERCISES FOR KNEE PAIN
In Exercises for Knee Pain: In physical therapy we use exercises to strengthen and stabilize the knee to help reduce pain and improve function. We progress these exercises based on the recovery of the affected area and each patient’s tolerance to activity. Here are some basic knee exercises that we use in the early stages of treating knee pain that can easily be performed at home. Please consult with a medical provider before beginning any exercise program.
Straight Leg Raise
Quad Sets
Check out our YouTube Channel for descriptions on how to perform these exercises or if you have any questions about your knee pain please call us at 460-785-5415 to schedule a consultation with one of our Doctors of Physical Therapy.
Long Arc Quadriceps Exercise
The Long Arc Quadriceps exercise is a great exercise to help strengthen the quadriceps muscle.
The exercise can be performed sitting on the edge of a table or in a chair by slowly straightening the leg to be exercised. Keep your toes/ankle pulled back towards you as you straighten your leg. Hold this position for 2-3 seconds. Watch the video below for a visual description on how to perform this exercise.