Sports Medicine Solutions

Every coach has told you to train through full range of motion…. This is your sign to listen to them!

If you are training to be strong for life or competition, hit full ROM! Life doesn’t always let us work in the easy range so our training needs to match.

Example-if you want to squat full depth for a comp or just to pick a box off the ground you need to have access to 2 things-the ROM and the ability to produce power in that position.

If you’re having trouble getting into position or expressing strength shoot us a DM!

Body Evolution
Powell Performance

Knowledge Drop: don’t change much for the last week.

1- don’t add things you don’t normally do. You don’t know how they will affect you

2- keep doing what you’ve been doing but limit the volume. Hit your marks.

3- prep the night before. Lay everything out and pack what you can so you can show on time

These seem simple when spelled out but you’d be surprised what will sneak up on you at the least moment.

Knowledge Drop: What you need to know about fascia.

Fascia is a thick connective tissue that runs throughout the body. It is integral in providing stability throughout the body BUT it can also become a problem if it gets too restrictive.

This issue may not actually manifest in the area of restriction. It may create symptoms in another more vulnerable region of the body that share fascial connections.

Let us help you get to the bottom of your motion restriction so you can do what you love free of pain.

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Body Evolution
Powell Performance

Our careers are full of ups and downs. Injury, recovery, success, loss, winning and reaching to improve.

Listen in to see what we think about when we reflect back.

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Body Evolution
Powell Performance

Knowledge Drop: How to Read the Green/Yellow/Red Lights in Training.

Aches and pains are bound to pop up during hard training cycles. Learning how to read them and adjust are crucial to preventing injuries while still allowing hard training.

Often times your body’s discomfort during a movement or set, can be a yellow light (warning) of a little too much stress on the body or a negative movement pattern. Learning how to adjust for these mid-set or mid-block can go a long way to increasing your performance and longevity in the training.

One of the hardest lights to read is the red/yellow because it is right on the edge of causing injury, but can be a line flirted with for short periods of time. If you are training for an event that is only a few weeks out then it might be OK to touch that red line. This toeing of the line has to be in concert with treatment/recovery that allows for you to improve enough to pull back from the red line before you have to load again.

Managing these efforts, recovery, treatment is a skill suited perfectly for the certified athletic trainer. We are trained in athletic settings where performance and recovery can make or break a season or career.

Reach out if we can help you!!

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Body Evolution
Powell Performance

Listen to see why we love the what we do! We’re here to help you get back to doing what you love!

Body Evolution
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Georgia Athletic Trainers' Association

One of the most important parts of our job is our passion for the job! Take a listen to find out a little more about your Sports Med Team!

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Georgia Athletic Trainers' Association
Body Evolution

Knowledge Drop: National Athletic Training Month

Every March we try to take the opportunity to promote and advocate for our profession.

Big things I would like to hit this month are talking about the domains in which we practice and give you a little insight into Sports Med solutions motivations. Both Kathryn and I will share some of our personal attachment to athletic training and the athletes we have served.

Take a listen, stay tuned, and if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Just a note on support. Find a gym where the members support you. It can be vocal, on social media, or any form that is appropriate.

I have to talk myself into the fact i can move the weight in front of me. It mathematically makes sense but when I look at 4 plates on a squat I forget that I have done this.

When i see anything over 450 on deadlifts, I balk but I use the warm up to convince me. Don’t get caught up in percentages. Don’t get caught up in how it feels. just do the lift (if there isn’t pain).

Trust the process and math. You might need to shift a bit but don’t take that as an excuse to shoot low through the lift. Set up safely and push yourself.

Body Evolution
Powell Performance
Nathan Borget

You can ask anyone that is around me when I train-I am a member of the No Belt Gang. I avoid belts til I need them. That even includes doing 1-2 top sets and then put it on for that last set if I can’t get through it.

Having said that-there is a need for a belt at some point. Your core will be “weaker” than what your upper and lower body will be. The weakness isn’t pure lack of strength, it’s from the complexity of coordination when you’re moving through lifts.

Learning to brace is paramount (stay tuned for a drop on that next week) but maintaining your brace through movement is even more important. On top of that, bracing with a belt requires a bit of a different focus. Like with all things, practice makes perfect.

Let me know how I can help you learn to brace better!










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Knowledge drop: how I’m working around and rehabbing my own wrist injury.

About three weeks ago, I was trying out dinnie stone carries and had a mundane ache pop up in my wrist. I stopped working it for the day and gave myself about a week of thinking “it’ll go away on a tone“ before I realized I needed to actually treat it.

After doing an evaluation on myself and discussing with other providers (because there are some tests that you can’t do on yourself) I decided it was a muscular issue that was creating a joint problem.

After that, I began soft tissue work, supplemented by stretching and strengthening. The over arching goal is to avoid things that cause discomfort. That will allow the interventions to do their best.

If you are dealing with a issue and a joint, don’t forget to look at the tissues that feed that joint. Please reach out if there is something that I can help you with.

Knowledge Drop: Plan Your Holiday Rehab and Fitness Now!

The last 2 months of every year are not only full of holidays, travel and get togethers. This makes it tough to stay in rhythm with fitness and health goals. The best way to stay on track…as much as you can…is to plan ahead.

1st step-write down your schedule, find open spots amongst the demands where you can fit in a 15-20min mobility session, 60mins cardio, or a 90min lift.

2nd step-if your traveling, google gyms/training centers in the area where you’re going. Most websites have information on staffed hours, day passes, and other services they have available.

3rd step-set yourself up for success. Make the barriers to doing the right thing as small as possible. Examples: find an accountability buddy, pack the mobility equipment you need, bring the kettlebell and weighted vest in the car if you aren’t near a facility.

Last step: Execute the plan

If you have questions about specific ways to plan or work around an injury don’t hesitate to reach out.

Body Evolution
Powell Performance

This past weekend I competed in the against 9 other beasts in the open weight class.

I’m happy with the finish for only my second comp and came away with a lot of lessons. Training is as important as recovery and each event should be attacked with “reckless abandon”. That doesn’t mean lose form but it does mean be aggressive in transitions and the weight won’t break so move it fast/don’t set it down lightly.

Events:
-keg ladder 200-215-225-250
-340ish power stairs
-carry medley 90-140-150-220
-basket DL starting at 750 working up to 900+
-UPS truck pull

We had a great group from that competed and supported! Working along side them was one of my favorite parts!

I got the opportunity to travel with a couple of fantastic athletes this weekend up to Nationals in Erie. When I was packing for the trip I had to consider the limited weight I could fly with, how much do I need for 2 athletes for a 2 day comp but a 4 day trip, and lastly-what sort of intervention would I actually do?

By the time you get to comp, ideally the athletes are peaking, in good shape AND you have a game day plan for how you’ll provide service to them.

Check out the video for the tools I brought with me and the supplies I picked up at the location.

If you have a comp coming up and there are some concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out!!

Knowledge drop: how do low back mechanics affect the lower extremity?

If you think you can separate regions of the body simply because they have different names you are mistaken. If the low back isn’t moving well then you are more likely to develop pain, dysfunction, and lose power in the lower extremity.

Think about what supplies the lower body with input, and what takes sensation from the lower body up to your brain. Hint: it’s the nervous system. If the nervous system is impeded, either proximal or distal, it won’t work correctly.

All of the stretching, mobilizing, and strengthening in the world, won’t fix the nervous system if there is a mechanical block. But if we fix the mechanical block, you would be surprised how often it clears up the distal problems.

If you are interested in this or have chronic pain/dysfunction that isn’t clearing up shoot me a message so we can get started.

Body Evolution
Powell Performance

Knowledge Drop: Mechanical Low Back Pain

Often times people want to call the low back pain a disc or pinched nerve but you would be surprised how a mechanical intervention can improve it. We love to label stuff, we want to know a specific piece of anatomy, but in the mechanical intervention we look to see how the area functions and the pattern of symptoms.

In this treatment paradigm we use the mechanics of how the body is during baseline testing as well as how it responds to mechanical forces. That dictates how we continue to treat.

If you have problems with chronic or unexplained low back pain, please reach out!

Next knowledge drop will talk about how lower body pain and issues can stem from back mechanics.

Body Evolution
Matt Powell
Powell Performance

Knowledge drop: finding your rhythm during training and competition.

Rhythm isn’t just for the dance floor. It is one of the most important things you can do as a competitor, or to be effective in training.

Rhythm in training means that when you approach the skills, whether it’s general lifting or sport specific, you should approach it the same.

By approaching it, the same, you are ensuring repeatability, and therefore improving your success rate. Every squat or deadlift, free-throw or penalty kick, in practice or in a game, should look and feel the same. When that mechanical nature is present, variables, like noise, venue, spectators, etc, won’t Affect you as much.

If you are having trouble finding your rhythm and making things the same, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Body Evolution
Matt Powell
Trotter Barringer
Nathan Borget

Knowledge Drop: figuring out how to reach your goals.

The relationship btwn the coach/therapist and client should be symbiotic. You tell me what you want and I give you mostly what you need and, importantly, some of what you want.

There are different approaches to the end goal but you need to reach the goal at some point. Make sure you’re having those conversations with your coach so you’re both on the same page.

If you are trying to just improve your general fitness or work up to a lifting comp or triathlon it’s something y’all should be talking about. Whether it’s weekly or at least at milestones in the the off season or pre-comp spoken up make sure to have an open line!

If I can help you reach your goals, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Body Evolution
Powell Performance
Nathan Borget

Knowledge Drop: Are Asymmetries Bad?

Short answer is: maybe…. Other considerations that go into this answer are: Pain? Dysfunction? Numbness? Post injury difference? Congenital?

A lot of people will point to a difference side to side and immediately say that is driving the pain or causing lack of performance. That isn’t always the case.

Often the dominant side or the side you do repeated activities on will a different movement pattern. It isn’t always bad but if you’re having consistent issues or over use problems then we need to fix it.

How do we fix this-thats what everyone wants to know. The tough part is it just doesn’t take exercises or stretching-it takes INTENT. You have to want to do the right correctives both in regular life as well as when you do the exercises.

If you have something you think is contributing to pain or dysfunction, don’t hesitate to reach out and lets fix it!

Body Evolution
Powell Performance
Nathan Borget

Knowledge Drops: Considerations for your lifting surface

The surface that you lift on is very important based on your goals. If your goal is power production, look for a hard surface and stable shoes. If you are going to be doing a lot of plyometrics then you may want a softer more forgiving surface and supple shoe.

There have been numerous studies that have pointed to lifting on unstable/uneven surfaces resulting in reduced power production. If your goal is rehab or building stability, then a softer, unstable the surface will be needed.

If you have any more questions don’t hesitate to reach out.

Body Evolution
Powell Performance

Knowledge Drop: Train Through the Full Range of Motion

There is always a hot debate in squats-should I squat to parallel or past it with the goal of ATG. I like to reframe questions like that- train to your goals. If you need to hit full depth in a powerlifting comp, you should train to, or even better, below parallel. If you aren’t competing then I want you to move through the full ROM you can control well.

This can be extrapolated across the body and events. One of the tough areas is on atlas stone or sandbag loads. If you don’t train full or exaggerated thoracic extension under load then you won’t have strength in that range. This will cause fails as the load weight and height increases.

The stronger you can become through your full available ROM will have 2 major results-

1) your over all ROM will improve because you’re asking your muscles/joints to perform throughout there full ability.

2) you’ll prevent injury because the tissues will be more resilient throughout. Injury often happens in a range where the body isn’t used to producing force or creating stability.

If you have questions or some ROM limitations don’t hesitate to reach out!

Body Evolution
Powell Performance

Knowledge Drop: How to train with or through an injury.

This is one of the toughest tightropes to walk as a clinician AND as an athlete. Everyday can feel different and even feel like backsliding. This is ok!!

The important thing to look at is trends over several days noticing if the baseline pain/limitations are improving. One day of increased symptoms does not a trend make.

A lot of the success of a treatment plan relies on you, the patient, being compliant, doing the rehab home work and communicating to me, the clinician, what is going on.

Last big thing to think about is how to train around the injury. Find exercises that work toward the goal without exacerbating the issue.

If you have any questions or problems please don’t hesitate to reach out!

Body Evolution Powell Performance