Volleyball Performance Podcast - Injury Rehab & Sports Performance

Volleyball Performance Podcast - Injury Rehab & Sports Performance

By Dr. HoustonSportsVolleyball
Download on the App Store

Volleyball Performance Podcast - Injury Rehab & Sports Performance episodes

  • Ankle Sprains - Don't Wait

    Send us Fan Mail

    Find us on instagram @andersonperformancerehab

    Ankle sprains are the most common acute injury in volleyball and basketball — and what you do in the first 24–48 hours can completely change your recovery timeline. In this episode, we bust common ankle rehab myths, walk through the Ottawa Ankle Rules, and cover fast, research-backed strategies to get you safely back on the court sooner.

    Whether you’re an athlete, coach, or parent, this episode gives you practical tools for smarter rehab and long-term ankle stability.

    🩹 What You’ll Learn

    • The biggest myths about ankle sprains (and why they delay recovery)
    • Why “RICE” is outdated — and what to do instead
    • The Ottawa Ankle Rules — a simple way to tell if you need an X-ray
    • How to safely walk on a sprained ankle (and why you should)
    • Fast-track recovery strategies: motion, heat compresses, and ice baths
    • How comfrey root can speed up tissue healing
    • Why your sprain likely started with a muscle problem, not just the ligament
    • The key difference between acute and chronic ankle rehab


    23 min
  • Why Ankle Sprains Lead to Chronic Instability (and How to Stop It)

    Send us Fan Mail

    Submit a question...CLICK HERE

    If you need a phone consult or want local care, Find me on Instagram @andersonperformancerehab


    Episode: Chronic Ankle Instability

    What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

    • What chronic ankle instability (CAI) is and why it matters for volleyball players
    • Common changes that occur after repeated ankle sprains (weakness, reduced motion, delayed reaction times)
    • Why “bad ankles” aren’t permanent and how to reset the brain-muscle connection
    • The pros and cons of ankle braces for athletes
    • Why traditional rehab methods (bands, toe alphabet, stretching) often fall short
    • The most effective way to rebuild ankle strength and stability at home (hill training & plyometrics)
    • How to progress from walking → running → multi-directional plyos on hills
    • When to seek professional help if instability doesn’t improve

    Key Takeaway:
    Your ankle doesn’t have to stay weak after a sprain. With the right loading strategies, you can restore stability, improve performance, and stop blaming your body for “bad ankles.”


    19 min
  • Beach Volleyball's #1 Injury - Low Back Pain

    Send us Fan Mail

    Find Us On Instagram @andersonperforamncerehab

    Back pain is the number one injury in beach volleyball—but it’s not really about the back. In this episode of Volleyball Performance, we break down why the hamstrings are the hidden culprit behind so many beach players’ back issues. You’ll learn how the sand changes sprinting mechanics, landing positions, and muscle demands—and why that puts your hamstrings under constant stress. Most importantly, we’ll cover three practical strategies you can start using right away to protect your hamstrings, retrain your nervous system, and keep back pain from cutting into your game. 

    13 min
  • Force Absorption: The Missing Link in Training

    Send us Fan Mail

    📖 Episode Overview

    In this episode of Volleyball RX, we explore the often-overlooked concept of force absorption and its role in both performance and injury resilience. While producing force is central to jumping and hitting, the ability to control, decelerate, and absorb impact is equally important for joint health and long-term athletic development.

    🔎 Topics Covered

    • The biomechanics of force absorption during jumping and landing
    • Why eccentric muscle actions create higher tension and protect joints
    • How deficits in absorption capacity contribute to overuse injuries
    • Practical strategies for integrating absorption-focused training into volleyball preparation
    • Current insights from sports science research on eccentric loading and landing mechanics

    🏐 Relevance to Volleyball

    Volleyball demands repeated high-force landings, rapid changes of direction, and explosive takeoffs. Developing the capacity to manage these forces is critical for reducing injury risk while sustaining performance across practices, matches, and full seasons.

    23 min
  • Stretching Is a Brain Problem, Not a Muscle Problem

    Send us Fan Mail

    In this episode, we’re diving deep into why static stretching isn’t the magic bullet for injury prevention, soreness, or recovery that so many still believe it is. Whether you’re a coach, athlete, or parent, you’ve seen the classic quad stretch or shoulder pull before every practice. But what does the research actually say? 

    Want more? 

    Free volleyball resources...CLICK HERE

    Find me on Instagram @andersonperformancerehab

    26 min
  • Volleyball Injuries — Overuse or Overlooked?

    Send us Fan Mail

    Are you tired of being told to “just rest” every time pain shows up in your shoulder, knee, or Achilles?

    In this episode, Dr. Houston Anderson (@andersonperformancerehab) exposes the myth of overuse injuries and explains why the traditional model of injury rehab is outdated—and often flat-out wrong.

    You'll hear:

    • The real reason rest doesn’t solve chronic pain
    • Why “overuse” is an easy diagnosis but a lazy explanation
    • How Dr. Anderson went from nearly career-ending jumper’s knee to dunking again in just 3 days
    • The neurological and movement-based causes that are often overlooked
    • What every volleyball player and athlete needs to know before they stop training

    Your body isn’t broken—it’s just out of sync.

    8 min

About Volleyball Performance Podcast - Injury Rehab & Sports Performance

From the publisher's feed

If you play volleyball, this is the podcast that will keep you on the court and ahead of the competition. We cut through the noise and give you proven strategies to prevent injuries, recover…