Let's Get Physical (Therapy)

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Physical therapist, Steve Luca, provides valuable insight into the world of baseball training and injury risk reduction. Steve Luca takes a holistic approach to evaluate athletes, focusing on core stability and spine mobility for optimal performance. He explains his Baseball Screen in detail, which helps identify risk factors among players, primarily pitchers. The information Steve provides here is essential for coaches, athletic trainers, and athletes who are looking to stay healthy while playing baseball or any overhead sport. 

Please be sure to follow us on Instagram @medstarhealthpt and email: [email protected] with any questions or podcast ideas! Thank you for listening!

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This podcast episode is designed for physical therapy students and new physical therapy graduates who are looking for their first job. As a new graduate herself, Haana provides invaluable insight into the process of searching for a job as a PT. Haana discussed what went into her choosing her first position and why it was important to her. Including looking at values and mission statements of companies. We'll learn about the importance of mentorship in this process, being open to learning and taking in all that you can from those around you, networking with colleagues and other professionals in the field to help you grow into your role as a clinician, understanding your own value as a therapist. 

Please be sure to follow us on Instagram @medstarhealthpt and email: [email protected] with any questions or podcast ideas! Thank you for listening!

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McKenzie is a physical therapist and sports medicine specialist who speaks to the neurological impacts of having surgery. He discusses how the brain can be affected by surgery or injuries, as well as what to expect from rehabilitation after surgery. He also touches upon how this affects an athlete's ability to return to their sport or activity and what strategies can be used to help them recover quickly and safely. With McKenzie’s experience in treating athletes, he provides insight into the latest research and strategies that can help athletes get back on their feet faster while reducing the risk of re-injury. Join McKenzie for an exploration of the neuroscience behind postoperative recovery and rehab so you know exactly what the body needs when returning to sport or activity! 

Articles referenced: 

1. Needle AR, Lepley AS, Grooms DR. Central Nervous System Adaptation After Ligamentous Injury: a Summary of Theories, Evidence, and Clinical Interpretation. Sports Med. 2017 Jul;47(7):1271-1288. doi: 10.1007/s40279-016-0666-y. PMID: 28005191. 
2. Lepley AS, Lepley LK. Mechanisms of Arthrogenic Muscle Inhibition. J Sport Rehabil. 2021 Sep 1;31(6):707-716. doi: 10.1123/jsr.2020-0479. PMID: 34470911. 
3. Sherman DA, Baumeister J, Stock MS, Murray AM, Bazett-Jones DM, Norte GE. Brain activation and single-limb balance following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Clin Neurophysiol. 2023 Mar 9;149:88-99. doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2023.02.175. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36933325. 

Please be sure to follow us on Instagram @medstarhealthpt and email: [email protected] with any questions or podcast ideas! Thank you for listening!

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Candidates for ACL reconstruction are typically people who have experienced a tear or rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). This can occur due to trauma or sports injuries. In some cases, it is possible to repair the torn ACL without surgery, but in most cases, surgery is necessary to restore full function and stability. In this BONUS episode, orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Levine, shares with us the “BEAR” technique (Bridge Enhanced ACL Restoration) used for repairing ACL tears.  We talk about who is a candidate for this procedure, how the surgery is performed, and how it affects a patient’s post op recovery. 

Please be sure to follow us on Instagram @medstarhealthpt and email: [email protected] with any questions or podcast ideas! Thank you for listening!

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On this episode of The Let’s Get Physical (Therapy) Podcast, we talk with Sports Psychologist, Dr. Erica Force, about how athletes can develop mental toughness and resilience following an ACL injury or other serious setback in their sports career. Dr. Force discusses how an injury can impact one’s recovery and some red flags PTs can be aware of to help the whole athlete recover optimally.  We discuss the roles of visualization, goal setting, and positive self-talk in the recovery process. Dr. Force gives helpful suggestions for PTs to ask our patients and athletes to get a glimpse into their mental well-being so we can optimize their recovery!

Please be sure to follow us on Instagram @medstarhealthpt and email: [email protected] with any questions or podcast ideas! Thank you for listening!

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On this episode we have Registered Dietitian, Nick Fischer. In this podcast, we'll explore the best recommendations to optimize healing for patients post-op ACL surgery (or any surgery) and how physical therapists can identify athletes at risk. We'll also discuss what to expect during your recovery journey and provide tips on how to make it as successful as possible not allowing nutritional concerns or deficits to impact healing. Our goal is to help inform PTs and athletes how to get back in the game stronger and healthier than ever before! 

Please be sure to follow us on Instagram @medstarhealthpt and email: [email protected] with any questions or podcast ideas! Thank you for listening!

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Bryan Woolson is a strength and conditioning coach with lots of experience in the field. He has specialized knowledge on ACL rehab for athletes and how to optimize treatment to help them get back to sport. Today we discuss the functional tests he has his athletes perform to test their readiness for return–to-play. Bryan also shares his background working with athletes after ACL injury, the various readiness protocols he uses, as well as his strategies for helping athletes reach their full potential after returning from an ACL tear. We will also explore best practices when it comes to pre-injury preparation and injury risk reduction that coaches and PTs can employ with their teams to reduce an athlete’s risk of injury. 

Please be sure to follow us on Instagram @medstarhealthpt and email: [email protected] with any questions or podcast ideas! Thank you for listening!

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BONUS EPISODE!!! March is National Athletic Training month, and we are grateful for all the hard work Athletic Trainers do! In this podcast, we interview Jeremy Dockter, an athletic trainer, to learn more about National Athletic Training Month and how Athletic Trainers serve in many different settings. From working with sports teams, high schools, and physician extenders to helping in physical therapy clinics and even within the community at varying capacities - there is no shortage of ways that Athletic Trainers make a positive impact on our lives. Tune into this episode to hear from Jeremy himself as he shares his story and celebrates National Athletic Training Month! 

Looking for at ATC position with MedStar Health? Please reach out to Craig at [email protected] or visit our webpage at: https://www.medstarhealth.org/services/sports-medicine/athletic-training

Thank you for listening!!!

Please be sure to follow us on Instagram @medstarhealthpt and email: [email protected] with any questions or podcast ideas! Thank you for listening!

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Happy National Athletic Training Month!!!

Amber Radtke is a certified athletic trainer who shares insight on why ACL tears are so devastating for athletes. She tells us about her own personal experience undergoing ACL surgery and how this injury can be emotionally difficult to overcome? Additionally, Amber discusses how she works with athlete's post-op in order to help them get back to their sport safely and effectively. She emphasizes the importance of understanding each individual athlete's needs and pushing them appropriately while also knowing when enough is enough. Finally, Amber stresses the importance of teamwork between coaches, athletic trainers, physical therapists, and other medical professionals in order to ensure the best outcome for an athlete recovering from an ACL tear. 

Please be sure to follow us on Instagram @medstarhealthpt and email: [email protected] with any questions or podcast ideas! Thank you for listening!

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Meet Sam King. She is an experienced physical therapist and is ready to discuss everything copers and non-copers with regards to ACL tears and whether to undergo surgery. A “coper” is an individual who can return to their sport or activity after sustaining an ACL injury without undergoing surgery. This type of individual has a good balance between strength, mobility and stability in the knee joint which allows them to manage the instability associated with this type of injury without surgical intervention. A non-coper is just the opposite. This is someone who cannot return to their sport or activity after sustaining an ACL injury without undergoing surgery. These individuals typically have poor balance between strength, mobility and stability in the knee joint which causes increased instability. Surgery may be necessary for these individuals in order to provide enough support for returning safely back into activities. How do you discern between a coper and a non-coper? Tune in! 

Please be sure to follow us on Instagram @medstarhealthpt and email: [email protected] with any questions or podcast ideas! Thank you for listening!