Boston Sports Medicine and Performance Group, LLC Blog

Double Blind Parachute Tests

Posted by Boston Sports Medicine and Performance Group on Wed, Jul 10, 2013 @ 07:07 AM

 

"As with many interventions intended to prevent ill health, the effectiveness of parachutes has not been subjected to rigorous evaluation by using randomised controlled trials.  Advocates of evidence based medicine have criticised the adoptionof interventions evaluated by using only observational data.  We think that everyone might benefit if the most radical protagonists of evidence based medicine organized and participated in a double blind, randomised, placebo controlled, crossover trial of the parachute."

- Smith & Pell, 2003

Parachute use to prevent death and major trauma related to gravitational challenge: systemic review of randomised controlled trials  


BSMPG

 

BSMPG: Where the Leaders Learn

 

Register for  Charlie Weingroff Seminar Oct 25-27, 2013

 

 

 


 

 

 

Topics: Charlie Weingroff, evidence based medicine

Action Steps

Posted by Kate Gillette on Wed, Jul 20, 2011 @ 07:07 AM

athletic training

 

Do your actions steps match your goals?

Lots of people talk the talk, but few walk the walk.

If you want to achieve your goals you’re going to have to understand that there is no escalator or elevator taking you to where you want to go.

Goals require walking the walk, plenty of hard work, and sweat.

Now get out there and take that first step.

 

Art Horne is the Director of Sports Performance at Northeastern University, Boston MA.  He can be reached at a.horne@neu.edu.

Topics: Art Horne, BSMPG, athletic training conference, evidence based medicine

Squatting - An Expression of Health

Posted by Boston Sports Medicine and Performance Group on Mon, Jul 18, 2011 @ 07:07 AM

at


I was recently working with a patient who had injured her hamstring previously and was preparing for her upcoming sport season but just couldn’t seem to get over the hump in terms of running without pain.  I asked to see her squat, (which raised her eyebrows – because what does squatting have to do with running right?) but she appeased my wishes anyways only to fall backwards on her initial try, and then grab a table on her second attempt in order to gain some stability.

“How do you go to the bathroom?” I asked her jokingly to ease her embarrassment.

“I just kinda fall back on to it like everyone else does.”

Needless to say our evaluation really started then (as did a long conversation about sitting, squatting and getting her butt in gear).

As health care professionals we have to stop thinking about squatting as a strength coach’s responsibility, a weight room exercise, or something that causes tall guys knee pain and therefore shouldn’t be done.

Squatting is a movement that we all need for everyday activity and one of the purist expressions of health.  If your patients can’t squat or can’t squat without pain then this MUST be addressed, and addressed just as closely as the primary reason they first presented to you.  To no one’s surprise this particular athlete had difficulty recruiting her glutes and therefore was utilizing her poor hamstrings as the primary mover instead – a recipe for hamstring strains and continued pain.

A closer look into how your patients move might just reveal that their troubling squat pattern is the underlying cause to the problem that brought them in to see you in the first place. 

 

Art Horne is the Director of Sports Performance at Northeastern University, Boston MA.  He can be reached at a.horne@neu.edu.

Topics: Art Horne, BSMPG, athletic training conference, evidence based medicine

Craig Liebenson Releases Three Must Have DVD's

Posted by Boston Sports Medicine and Performance Group on Thu, Jun 23, 2011 @ 19:06 PM

Craig Liebenson

On June 24, Craig Liebenson’s 3 new DVDs will be available on Amazon.

These DVD's are a prelude to his new textbook, in which a number of authors contributed including, Charlie Weingroff, who wrote the chapter on Deadifting (literally and figuratively!).

The Functional Training Handbook mentioned above is set to be released January 15, 2012.

 

 

 

Dr. Liebenson is an Adjunct Professor in the School of Chiropractic, Division of Health Sciences at Murdoch University, Perth Australia and consultant for the Murdoch University and the Anglo-European Chiropratic College M.Sc. program in Chiropractic Rehabilitation. The first ever chiropractic member of the McKenzie Institute (U.S.) Board of Directors, he serves on the editorial boards of numerous journals including the Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation; the PM&R  Journal of Injury, Function and Rehabilitation; the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapy; and Journal of Manual Therapy.

Dr. Liebenson is the first health care provider to receive a Certification of Recognition from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) on Achievement of Recognition for Delivery of Quality Back Pain Care. He is actively engaged in ongoing research on the spinal stabilization system as a Visiting Scholar at Pr. Stuart McGill’s Spine Biomechanics Laboratory at the University of Waterloo. He regularly assists Pavel Kolar in his courses and has worked with both Dr. Karel Lewit and Pr Vladimir Janda beginning in 1987. Dr. Liebenson publishes extensively and is the editor of  the book/DVD Rehabilitation of the Spine: A Practioner's Manual (2nd ed), 2007.

He has had books published into Spanish, Greek, Korean and Japanese. He was the team chiropractor for the N.B.A. Los Angeles Clippers from the 2006-2007 season until 2009-2010 seasons and is currently a consultant for the M.L.B. Arizona Diamondbacks and Athletes Performance International.
http://www.lasportsandspine.com/

Articles:

Q&A

Topics: basketball conference, basketball training programs, athletic training conference, Craig Liebenson, evidence based medicine

The Car(e) Mechanic

Posted by Boston Sports Medicine and Performance Group on Fri, Dec 10, 2010 @ 07:12 AM

BSMPG

 

I was driving to work the other day when the engine heat indicator alarm went off on my dash board.  Not being a car genius, but knowing enough to know I should see an expert that deals with engine problems I promptly pulled over and into the nearest auto garage.  I explained to the mechanic that the engine heat alarm went off and he asked me to pop the hood so he could take a look.

“Wow, this engine is burning up” he explained to me as he held his hand over the engine block.  “Thank goodness you pulled in here. You got here just in time – I can help you.”

He took out his tape measure, and extended it across and over the engine then quickly disappeared into his garage.

A few moments later he returned to my car carrying a huge piece of foam which he placed over the engine block.  He then carefully pushed the edges down so the foam fit snuggly over the entire engine.

Slamming the hood down over the foam he instructed me to start the car up again and give er a try.

I started the car and walked back out to join him at the front of the car.

“See, no more heat” pointing me to place my hand next to his as he held it over the hood.

Sure enough – I didn’t feel any heat. Wow, this guy was good.

I completed my drive to work (for some reason the engine heat indicator was still going off, but I’m sure it will be fine, I mean I saw an expert who took care of the heat) where I told a co-worker of my pit stop at the garage.  He quickly told me that I was an idiot and got ripped off by the mechanic as he never took care of the problem but instead, simply just covered it up.

“What do you mean?”  I asked somewhat angered.

“Hold on one second – let me take care of this athlete and we’ll talk,” he explained pointing to an athlete on a treatment table.

He turned to the athlete and as he began discussing the athlete’s course of treatment I suddenly felt as though I was back at the mechanics…..

“Ok Johnny, so you’ve been really running up the miles and now your knee is hurting, you can tell it’s not doing well by the swelling around your knee cap and how warm it is. Let’s get some ice and e-stim on that right away, thank goodness you came in to see me, any later you could have really been in some trouble. A couple of treatments of ice and e-stim and you’ll be good to go”
____________________________________________________________________________________

I joke about this story with friends now because I was once the car mechanic. Not in a malicious cheating way – I just didn’t know how to solve the PROBLEM so I did my very best to help alleviate the symptoms – NSAIDS, ice, massage – kids felt better and I felt good about helping them. That is until they returned with the same problem again and again. 

Solving problems is tough.  It requires an investment of time and a little bit of extra effort.  The plus side however is that once you’ve solved the problem, you’ll end up actually having more time on your hands because you won’t have patients returning with engine failure time and time again.

 

Art Horne is the Coordinator of Care and Strength & Conditioning Coach for the Men’s Basketball Team at Northeastern University, Boston MA.  He can be reached at a.horne@neu.edu.

Topics: Art Horne, basketball training programs, athletic training conference, boston hockey summit, boston hockey conference, basketball videos, customer service, evidence based medicine

Omelets and Rehab

Posted by Boston Sports Medicine and Performance Group on Mon, Nov 29, 2010 @ 07:11 AM

basketball resources

What do omelets have to do with rehab?

Everything.

Every omelets is made with eggs.

You can add your own mushrooms, peppers and even some cheese on top - but it all starts with the eggs. 

Yes, even all white omelets are made with eggs.

When approaching rehab protocols, say for example, treating an athlete with knee pain, every protocol should include hip strengthening exercises. Yes, every single one.  Hip/Glute med strengthening is an egg in your knee pain omelet.  You may choose to add massage or even Russian e-stim to strengthen the vmo if you’d like, but without exercises that target the hips you simply don’t have an omelet.

I’m still amazed at the number of Sports Medicine departments that have staff members that approach common injuries differently.

“That’s just the way I do it” each one will respond, or “there’s more than one way to skin a cat you know.”

True, there is more than one way to skin a cat, but we’re making omelets.

Rehab eggs don’t have individual preferences or bias. Save that for the type of cheese you want. Eggs are evidence based. Eggs are a must in every omelet – and without them you simply have a pan full of veggies and cheese – and well, that’s stir fry – and nobody wants to eat stir fry for breakfast.

 

Art Horne is the Coordinator of Care and Strength & Conditioning Coach for the Men’s Basketball Team at Northeastern University, Boston MA.  He can be reached at a.horne@neu.edu.

Topics: Art Horne, basketball performance, athletic training conference, boston hockey summit, Good to Great, evidence based medicine

An Ounce Of Prevention Is Worth A Pound Of Cure

Posted by Boston Sports Medicine and Performance Group on Tue, Nov 23, 2010 @ 08:11 AM

prevention

 

My dad used to say this all the time and is probably the one to blame for why I’m so crazy about the things we can do better.

When it comes to Sports Medicine however, this concept of prevention seems to be somewhat fuzzy.

Most athletic trainers do an unbelievable job at promoting the prevention of dehydration, cramping, heat exhaustion and ultimately death during the hot fall pre-season, yet when it comes to prevention in the winter or spring seasons the concept is almost completely forgotten about.  Sure we continue to do a great job at preventing the spread of skin infections, the flu and blood borne pathogens, but how many hours of your day are spent addressing these concerns after they’ve happened?

How come we are never as passionate about preventing ACL tears, ankle sprains, low back pain or stress fractures as we are dehydration?  Isn’t the majority of our day spent dealing with these musculoskeletal injuries?

Even the BOC website places PREVENTION as the first of the five practice domains of Athletic Training and describes Athletic Training as encompassing the PREVENTION, diagnosis and intervention of emergency, acute and chronic medical conditions involving impairment, functional limitations and disabilities.
Yet how many Sports Medicine programs actually have a system in place to evaluate and address for these injuries and illnesses that take up so much of our time? How many programs place athletes with a previous injury on a “pre-hab” program to address this concern? Doesn’t pain alter mechanics?

Movement becomes habit, which becomes posture, which becomes structureTom Myers


Isn’t time that Sports Medicine embrace prevention and intervention of musculoskeletal injuries with the same zealous of other prevention strategies?

My dad also used to tell me to measure twice and cut once.

Sorry dad, but in the case of sports medicine and prevention, I’d rather measure three, four or five times if it means our athletes never have to get cut once.

 

Art Horne is the Coordinator of Care and Strength & Conditioning Coach for the Men’s Basketball Team at Northeastern University, Boston MA.  He can be reached at a.horne@neu.edu.

Topics: Art Horne, basketball performance, basketball resources, basketball training programs, athletic training conference, customer service, evidence based medicine, BSMPG baseball conference

Now or Later

Posted by Boston Sports Medicine and Performance Group on Thu, Oct 21, 2010 @ 07:10 AM

everything basketball

 

I’ve asked a number of friends why they don’t include assessments as part of their screening process.  More often than not the answer is because they are “too busy.”

What takes more time? An initial assessment of your athletes on intake followed by some simple corrective strategies or a 6-month post-surgical ACL rehab?

If you are too busy to change today, how will you have time to fix it later?

 

Art Horne is the Coordinator of Care and Strength & Conditioning Coach for the Men’s Basketball Team at Northeastern University, Boston MA.  He can be reached at a.horne@neu.edu.

Topics: Art Horne, Strength Training, basketball training programs, athletic training conference, boston hockey summit, boston hockey conference, hockey conference, Shirley Sahrmann, Good to Great, female basketball, evidence based medicine, development

Excuse me. That's my daughter you're caring for

Posted by Boston Sports Medicine and Performance Group on Thu, Sep 16, 2010 @ 06:09 AM

everything basketball

Do you treat your each patient as if they were your daughter?

Do you listen attentively while taking an injury/illness history as if you were listening to your grandmother?  Do you welcome each patient into your treatment room with a smile and thank them for stopping in? Do you call your patients after surgery just to make sure they are doing ok – you know, just the way your mother used to with you?

I remember being an athletic training student at Canisius College when I was challenged by my mentor, Pete Koehneke, to treat every patient as if they were his daughter or a family member. 

Boy, did my attention to detail quickly change.

How would the quality of your patient care change if you were treating your daughter/son or better yet your boss’ child?

Would you still be texting on your cell while performing that ultrasound treatment? How about the “advice” of rest and ice you gave the long distance runner without examining them first?

Would that change?

What if that track athlete was a family member? Your sister? Your child?

How would you treat your patient then?

 

Art Horne is the Coordinator of Care and Strength & Conditioning Coach for the Men’s Basketball Team at Northeastern University, Boston MA.  He can be reached at a.horne@neu.edu.

Topics: Ownership, Health, Good to Great, athletic trainer, customer service, evidence based medicine, Leadership

Waiting for inspiration?

Posted by Boston Sports Medicine and Performance Group on Mon, Sep 6, 2010 @ 06:09 AM

everything basketball


In a recent post by Seth Godin he challenges one’s normal approach to problem solving which is usually the “wait to be inspired then act” method and asks us to instead actively seek out inspiration.

Seth states, “Simple example: start a blog and post once a day on how your favorite company can improve its products or its service. Do it every day for a month, one new, actionable idea each and every day. Within a few weeks, you'll notice the change in the way you find, process and ship.”

My challenge to you is to take Seth’s example of blogging, but instead of blogging about your favorite company, write down one new actionable idea each and every day this coming month that will improve your department’s service to your student-athletes. It may be as simple as greeting each athlete or patient with a high five as they enter your office or as complex as a new pre-participation exam that actually screens them for risk factors that matter. Or how about an idea that will provide your staff with more opportunities to ship?

Once you’ve committed to writing down these ideas you’ll not only discover there are a number of easy ways to improve your services, but you’ll actually find yourself leading others to the trough of change.

Warning: you can lead a co-worker to water, but you can’t make them drink. But gosh darn it, seeing you drink first makes it a whole lot easier for others to drink the cool-aid.

 

Art Horne is the Coordinator of Care and Strength & Conditioning Coach for the Men’s Basketball Team at Northeastern University, Boston MA.  He can be reached at a.horne@neu.edu.


 

Topics: athletic training, Strength & Conditioning, motivation, Ownership, Good to Great, discipline, customer service, evidence based medicine, development, Leadership, managing