Field and Court Athlete Agility
Knee Injury Prevention So why am I getting hurt? Welcome back, nerds. This blog will focus on the agility field/court athletes with lateral movements that include (but are not limited to) soccer, football, rugby, field hockey, basketball, and lacrosse. These sports are specifically called out because they often have non-contact knee ligament tears that can occur due to either muscular imbalance, muscle fatigue leading to joint instability, or improper/lack of prehab. Muscle imbalance just means to strengthen all the muscles around a joint. SO don’t just focus on your quads - do
The NAKOA Experience: FMS
Would we be allowed to jump in a car and drive along the freeway at 80 miles an hour without having obtained a driver’s license and/or understand the rules of the road? How about deciding to just start your Ph.D. with no Masters or bachelor’s degree? Dream on… So, how about loading a new client with a 200 lbs barbell compound exercise with no understanding of their current movement literacy? This type of coaching is not only unrealistic, it is dangerous. Insert -> NAKOA Experience <- here! Our NAKOA Experience is an hour-long introductory session
Ironman or Iron Pain?
The idea of swimming 2.4 miles, then hopping on a bike for 112 miles, and finishing off with a marathon, all in one day, is not fun. In fact, it is downright masochistic, and sadistic in its nature. So why do endurance athletes do it? To push their mind and body past their pain threshold and show in the furnace of adversity, how far the human spirit can take them. I was one of these athletes, and let me tell you, completing one of these events liberates you like you have
Anatomy 101: A Thrower’s Arm
On average 50% of baseball and softball players experience a throwing-related injury. According to the American Sports Medicine Institute, “The 2014 National Electronic Injury Surveillance System reported 130,376 emergency room visits due to baseball/softball related shoulder, elbow, trunk, lower arm, head, neck, ankle and facial injuries.” First and foremost, the main goal of training should be to keep athletes healthy, best acquired with a comprehensive approach. This should include a sport-specific strength and conditioning programming, shoulder and elbow care programming, and an in-depth educational process. Education is imperative to help athletes understand how to take care of their
Get To Know The NAKOA Physical Therapy Team
Get to know Allison Nelson, Director of Physical Therapy at NAKOA! Do you have any nicknames? Chico (my maiden name), Cheeks, Al, Alli, Big Al (haha not my favorite) How long have you been at NAKOA? I have been at NAKOA since 2013 If you could have one superpower what would it be? To breathe underwater and fulfill my dream of being a mermaid Whats your favorite food to indulge in? Chocolate chip cookies or french fries
Surf Smart, Prevent Injury
Surfing is not the first thing you think of when considering sports-related injuries. However, it has its fair-share of complications. Surfing poses risks of concussion, head injury, and even spinal fractures. Although these injuries are scary, they are much less common and not necessarily preventable with preparation (other than looking out for nearby kooks). Many musculoskeletal injuries, on the other hand, are preventable. This blog outlines some simple preemptive steps you can take to protect yourself from sprains, strains, and worse. Mobility! Mobility! Mobility! The BEST thing you can do for your
The Four Performance Qualities EVERY Skateboarder Needs
Skateboarding can be an extremely entertaining sport to watch- these wiry humans spinning through the air, grinding on rails and flipping their boards in seemingly impossible ways. Even the SOUND of skating seems to be quite pleasing to the ears. (check out our boy Tom Schaar winning the recent Vans Park Series Event at the 2017 Australian Open) What few fans of skating realize, however, is the BRUTAL TOLL it takes on their bodies. From concussions, broken bones, soft tissue injuries and skin lacerations, these stereotyped “skate rats” are much
How to Prevent Back Pain from your Golf Game
Golf is a highly skillful and patient sport, yet requires a high demand on the athlete’s body. A majority of golfers, from weekend warriors to professional, have experienced some form of back pain. Due to the explosive rotational movement of the golf swing, there is a significant amount of stress placed on the body, particularly the spine. Golfers also spend a considerable amount of time in a forward bent position while putting, adding stress to the back. Combine all of the stress along with hundreds of repetitive motions, and it
Common Lacrosse Injuries and How to Prevent Them
Lacrosse is a rapidly growing, fast-paced sport that is physical in nature with both player-to-player contact and stick-to-player contact. Lacrosse is a sport that challenges the entire body and requires a great amount of sprinting, cutting, agility, and hand-eye coordination. Due to the competitive nature of the sport, athletes experience many injuries ranging from acute trauma to chronic overuse injuries. COMMON INJURIES: Concussions are fairly common in lacrosse and usually occur from collisions with other players, getting hit in the head by a stick or the ball, or from a fall. Shoulder injuries
Habits of a Healthy Heart
True story. One day, a good-looking young man walked into his doctor’s office. While he was getting his checkup, the doctor explained how his cholesterol numbers were starting to reflect an unhealthy body. The doctor could see the man was not getting it, so the doctor got in his face and said, “Listen, I don’t want you to be the guy who looks real fit on the outside, but then one day falls over while running from a heart attack.” Did you know that you can be blocked on the inside
7 Shoulder Stretches and Strengthening Exercises to Prevent Injury
All surfers know the feeling of being landlocked due to sickness, injury, or work duties, taking its toll on cardiovascular fitness, surfing performance, and mental state. It is important at any skill level to maintain full body health to reduce your risk of injury while trying to perform your best in the water. The most common injuries amongst surfers are shoulder pathologies. Surfing requires repetitive shoulder rotation which can lead to common overuse injuries like shoulder impingement syndrome, tendonitis, rotator cuff tears, or labral pathology. It is important as a