You don’t need to be a professional athlete to know that it’s important to give your body the rest and recovery it needs after a grueling workout or training session. Some people forget this and push themselves beyond their limit, increasing the risk of sustaining serious injuries. Even those who regularly exercise, no matter the age group, are as susceptible to getting injuries as an elite athlete.

This episode of Back Talk Doc features Dr. Joshua Kollman, chiropractor at Carolina Sports Clinic and physical therapist Bridget Kelly, experts on the topic of recovery from physical exertion. They talk about the different recovery tools and strategies available not only to athletes, but to anyone who is taking up sports casually or exercising regularly. Pain and injuries are typically caused by what you do or don’t do prior to and after a physical activity, rather than the activity itself.

For Dr. Kollman, the best approaches are multidisciplinary and involve not just doing something after a workout, but even before starting. He stresses the importance of doing functional specific warm-up exercises prior and static stretching towards the end of a warm-down. He also talks about what you should do on rest days, which should also involve doing light mobility work.

Both Dr. Kollman and Bridget share the variety of tools and programs that they use in their own practice. These include state-of-the-art machines that conduct cryotherapy and thermogenesis, to simple massage therapies and acupuncture. Additionally, it’s important that you support these tools by giving your body the proper nutrition, hydration and quality sleep it needs.

They also stress the necessity of consulting with an expert team of medical practitioners before trying out any recovery equipment or procedures. Sometimes, they can detect things like movement patterns and behaviors better than any machine could.

• Definition of an athlete 10:44
• What to do before and after exercise 14:08
• What to do on days off 18:35
• Fascial stretch therapy or massage therapy 20:09
• On cryotherapy and thermogenesis as recovery tools 24:39
• Compression therapy 29:36
• New technology as an alternative to manual therapy 32:47
• The importance of personal medical evaluation 35:11
• Using nutritional supplements for recovery 37:27
• Supplement recommendations 40:04
• Protocol to prevent back pain 45:23
• Dr. Kollman's nutrition and exercise strategies 49:00
• Bridget's nutrition and exercise strategies 51:29
• Recommended apps or books 52:22

• Carolina Sports Clinic
• NormaTec
• Marc Pro
• TENS
• Compex
• Game Ready
• Theragun
• Hypervolt by Hyperice
• NAD IV therapy
• Boundless: Upgrade Your Brain, Optimize Your Body & Defy Aging by Ben Greenfield
• The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph by Ryan Holiday

Back Talk Doc is brought to you by Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, with offices in North and South Carolina. To learn more about Dr. Lakhia and treatment options for back and spine issues, go to backtalkdoc.com. To schedule an appointment with Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, you can call us at 1-800-344-6716 or visit our website at carolinaneurosurgery.com.