FAQs
How is this different than a typical strength and conditioning program?
The difference lies in our approach and the goals we establish. Most strength and conditioning programs focus on improving performance by developing strength, power, speed, and agility. These programs are great and are an essential part of skill development in any sport. Our program uses a 3-pronged approach by combining a physical assessment with education and training to focus exclusively on mitigating overuse injuries in sports.
Why 10 sessions?
- An assessment session to review information from the intake form, explain the program, and identify deficits in flexibility, mobility, endurance, stabilization, movement pattern and faulty mechanics that could lead to injuries.
- An educational session to present and discuss with each player, family member, or coach:
- the findings from the assessment that could lead to injury
- the concept of a kinetic chain (how weakness and loss of motion from one part of the body could lead to injury at other parts)
- How external factors can lead to injury (ie. pitching volume, velocity, and mechanics)
- How to recognize the signs of performing or training in a fatigued state, which is one of the most significant precursors to injury.
- 8 training sessions to ensure each athlete progresses through a comprehensive program that can be performed independently at home with resistive tubing, light weights, and body weight. We believe that coming 2x/week for 4 weeks can accomplish this goal. If an athlete wants to continue beyond that, we can provide additional training in a group or one-on-one session.
If the program is designed to reduce injuries to a specific joint, why are exercises given for other body parts?
While promoting mobility, stability, and strength around the target joint is a key component, the success of the program depends on addressing other impairments of the kinetic chain that can be the underlying cause of an injury. For example, while the shoulder is the most commonly affected joint in overhead athletes (baseball, swimming, tennis, volleyball, football quarterbacks), many overuse injuries can occur due to poor mobility, flexibility, or strength around the hips, core, or lower extremities. Our total-body approach is key to our success.
What if an athlete is currently dealing with an injury or has dealt with overuse injuries in the past, is this program still appropriate?
Because The Center for Prevention of Youth Sports Injuries is under the direction of physical therapists (from The Sports Rehabilitation Center), we are experts in diagnosing and treating overuse injuries and understand the importance of preventing an injury from interfering with training and competing.
- During the initial session, we will determine if a current injury is significant enough to warrant formal physical therapy treatment prior to initiating the prevention program. If this is the case, physical therapy treatment will be billed under insurance (this is NOT the case for athletes without injuries who participate in the injury prevention program).
- Even with an injury, our experts will present a treatment plan that does everything possible to keep athletes in their sport through activity modification (ie. having baseball player hit and play in the field, but not throw or having a swimmer use fins during a workout and cut down distance to decrease stress on the shoulder).