Boston Sports Medicine and Performance Group, LLC Blog

Boston Welcomes Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Specialists

Posted by Boston Sports Medicine and Performance Group on Thu, Mar 5, 2015 @ 07:03 AM

 

 

sports medicine

 

Attention Rehabilitation Ninjas

 

Join the leaders in Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation this May 15-16th in Boston for a multidisciplinary seminar that features the top performance therapists and rehabilitation specialists from across North America! Your greatest challenge will be deciding which breakout session to attend throughout the two days!

 

Keynote Sessions

Dr. Robert Sapolsky: Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers – Stress, Disease and Coping

James Anderson: Realizing Tri-Planer Performance through the Respiratory Diaphragm

Al Smith: Helping People Be Their Best – A Journey From Specialism To Systems Thinking

Vincent Walsh: Sport – The Brain’s Greatest Challenge?

The Canadian National Basketball Performance Team:  Developing a Performance Team - A Look Behind the Curtain

 

Breakout Sessions

James Anderson: The lateralized Foot and Ankle Pattern and the Pronated Left Chest

Sam Coad: Elite Athlete Monitoring Systems – Methods and Techniques for Assessing Recovery in Athletes

Charlie Weingroff: Utilizing a Movement Profile Into Your Neural Net

Eric Oetter: NeuroImmune Plasicity – The Substrate of Performance

Eric Oetter: Patient Evaluation / Demonstration

Sam Gibbs: TBA (Believe us it will be awesome)

Mike Davis: Bridging the Gap Between Rehab and High Performance

Mike Davis: Using Micro-movements to Manipulate Massive Movements

Alan Gruver: Restoring Recipirocal Performance in the Patterned Baseball Athlete

Alan Gruver: Patient Eval / Demonstration

 

 

Register for the BSMPG  2015 Summer Seminar Today!

Topics: athletic training, sports medicine conference, Sports Medicine Seminar

BSMPG 2012 Summer Seminar a HUGE SUCCESS

Posted by Boston Sports Medicine and Performance Group on Mon, May 21, 2012 @ 07:05 AM

Another year.... Another HUGE success!!

BSMPG would like to thank all the attendees who attended the 2012 BSMPG Summer Seminar.  We wouldn't be able to run the leading Sports Medicine & Performance Seminar in the world without the leading Sports Medicine & Performance Professionals attending each and every year.  And of course a huge thank you and shout out to all of our sponsors and speakers! 

Thank you!

Additional photos and details coming soon. We've already started planning for next year so stay tuned for details coming soon!

 

Here is a little sneak peak from the Photo Gallery that will be up shortly:

GREAT SPEAKERS

Joel Jamieson

 

AMAZING CONTENT

Craig Liebenson

 

INDUSTRY LEADERS ATTENDING

NBA coaches

 

AWESOME NETWORKING & SOCIALS

BSMPG Social

 

PACKED HOUSE

IMG 2385 resized 600 

 Thanks again and it was so great to see everyone!

-BSMPG

 

Topics: Art Horne, Jay DeMayo, athletic training conference, athletic training, Craig Liebenson, Brijesh Patel, Charlie Weingroff, Logan Schwartz, Andrea Hudy, Cal Dietz, Bill Knowles, Alan Grodin, Jeff Cubos, Barefoot in Boston, Dr. DiMuro

BSMPG Summer Seminar, May 19-20 - Early Bird Extended!

Posted by Boston Sports Medicine and Performance Group on Wed, Apr 18, 2012 @ 12:04 PM

Hey BSMPG Friends and Family!

Ever wanted to see Craig Liebenson and Chris Powers speak? Want to enhance your industry knowledge and performance at work? Ready for some serious networking? You are in luck!

The BSMPG Summer Seminar is on May 19-20 in Boston, MA, and…..

Early Bird Registration has been extended for one more week! This discounted price will end at midnight on Sunday April 22nd – don’t miss out!

Be sure to Register for May 19-20, 2012 for the 2012 Summer Seminar in Boston, offering a multi-disciplinary approach to health and human performance. Keynote speakers this year include researchers, therapists, and strength coaches, including Dr. Craig Liebenson and Chris Powers, who have revolutionized our industry and the way we now approach patient care and performance programming. These five keynote presentations will be interspersed alongside breakout sessions with Giants from the fields of Sports Medicine/Rehabilitation, Basketball and Hockey Performance training throughout the weekend. Check out www.bsmpg.com for complete details!

Also, the Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS) Course “B” has been scheduled for April 27-30, 2013 in Boston, MA! Course “A” this past March was SOLD OUT, and this course is sure to do the same! This is the first time course “B” has been offered on the east coast and BSMPG is proud to be part of this educational effort. Details coming soon - check our website for announcements for future DNS events!

SEE YOU SOON!

-BSMPG

Click me

Topics: BSMPG, athletic training conference, athletic training

Christopher McDougall talks Running Barefoot and if we were BORN TO RUN

Posted by Boston Sports Medicine and Performance Group on Sun, Apr 15, 2012 @ 07:04 AM

Christopher McDougall Talks Barefoot and Why Humans Were Born to Run

 
 
Are you wondering why your running shoes resemble high heels? Ever think about why your big toe overlaps your second and why your arch really isn’t an arch anymore and resembles more of a pancake? Thinking about baring your sole? Barefoot training has recently become popularized as a potential benefit in injury prevention and rehabilitation programs. It is also purported to serve as an additional means to enhance athletic performance and running economy. However, limited clinical research is currently available to justify this practice and even less information is available describing how one may go about safely implementing a barefoot training program. This book explores the scientific and theoretical benefits concerning the merits of forgoing the modern running shoe for a simpler approach and offers real life solutions to all the obstacles standing between your feet and mother earth. Although it’s true that Americans love their shoes, what you learn about the merits of stuffing your feet and toes into these modern day casts might just have you singing a different tune – a tune your feet will certainly be much happier moving to. Welcome to Barefoot in Boston!
 
 
Enjoy Born to Run author, Christopher McDougall's TED presentation below!
 
 

 

Learn how you too can enjoy the benefits of being barefoot by reading BAREFOOT IN BOSTON, available now in both paperwork and kindle.

barefoot in boston

Topics: athletic training conference, athletic training, Irene Davis, Christopher McDougall, athletic training books, barefoot strength training, achilles pain, barefoot running, barefoot training

Highlights from Cal Dietz's 2011 BSMPG Summer Seminar Presentation

Posted by Boston Sports Medicine and Performance Group on Fri, Oct 21, 2011 @ 09:10 AM

 

Watch highlights from Cal Dietz's 2011 BSMPG summer seminar presentation.

Cal's entire presentation will be available for purchase shortly on BSMPG.  Stay tuned for details.

 

 

 

To purchase other DVD's from the 2011 Summer Seminar click HERE.

Topics: BSMPG, athletic training conference, boston hockey summit, athletic training, athletic training books, Cal Dietz

Free Online Training for Health Care Professionals - Concussion Management

Posted by Boston Sports Medicine and Performance Group on Mon, Oct 17, 2011 @ 07:10 AM

concussion

 

"Heads Up to Clinicians: Addressing Concussion in Sports among Kids and Teens" is a free, online course, developed by CDC through support from the CDC Foundation and the National Football League, available to health care professionals. It features interviews with leading experts, dynamic graphics, and case studies and provides an overview of what you, as a health care professional, need to know about concussion among young athletes.

 

 


 

Topics: Basketball Related, BSMPG, athletic training conference, athletic training, athletic trainer

Interview with Mark Toomey from Dragondoor.com

Posted by Boston Sports Medicine and Performance Group on Mon, Oct 10, 2011 @ 06:10 AM

 

 

Mark Toomey

 

This past June Mark Toomey and Dr. John DiMuro presented at the BSMPG summer seminar, "Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants."  Below is a small portion of Mark's most recent interview.

 

"We presented a paper together at Boston University and Northeastern University in June on fostering collaborative efforts between medical and exercise professionals. We "knuckle draggers" and I'm proud to call myself that, don’t have to play doctor. There are medical professionals who desire a relationship with us as long as we let them know what we're good at. My swim lane is only this wide but it’s this deep. I don’t want to be a doctor, I don’t want to be a healer - that’s a physician's job. But there is a legitimacy that creating a relationship with the medical community can give us."

Continue to read this interview on Dragondoor.com by clicking HERE

Topics: Art Horne, athletic training conference, athletic training, athletic training books, Mark Toomey, Barefoot in Boston, Dr. DiMuro

Limited Anke Dorsiflexion? Find a Ninja

Posted by Boston Sports Medicine and Performance Group on Thu, Oct 6, 2011 @ 07:10 AM

 

 

By Art Horne

 

ankle dorsiflexion

 

So often ankle dorsiflexion or should I say a lack thereof, is pointed at as the underlying culprit for a variety of movement impairments … and rightfully so. A lack of true talocrural motion can cause havoc up the chain involving itself in a variety of impairments including anterior tibial pain, patellofemoral pain and general low back pain to only name a few.

However, the actual limiting factor causing this lack of osteokinematic motion may be multi-factorial and if clinicians are hoping to address this limitation over the long haul with permanent change the exact location and tissue responsible for this restriction must be clearly identified and addressed with a specific intervention to match the specific tissue.

With regards to soft tissue restrictions there are only 6 possible structures that can limit this motion, and these are:

1. Soleus
2. Posterior Tibialis
3. Flexor Hallucis Longus
4. Flexor Digitorum Longus
5. Posterior Talofibular ligament
6. Posterior Tibiotalar Ligament

The gastrocnemieus, although probably the very first structure that comes to mind, does not limit true dorsiflexion in function (that is unless you participate in ski jumping or speed walking, and then you need to include this in your assessment), since the knee is almost always flexed when the ankle is asked to express dorsiflexion in function, such as walking, running, squatting, lunging, stepping, jumping and landing.

 

racewalking skijumping
 
Now that’s some dorsiflexion!

 

Remember, in order for your tibia to pass over your talus, and your talus to move between the tibia and the calcaneus we need to think of what pathology or dysfunction is not allowing the above mentioned tissues to lengthen.  More often than not, fibrotic adhesions within the muscles or fascial restrictions are to blame, with the filet mignon of tissue treatment choice being an Active Release Technique.  Although lesser cuts of treatment choices allow tissues to mobilize at times, rarely can a foam roller or tennis ball address a specific adhesion like a skilled clinician and the appropriate manual release technique.  That’s not to say one is wasting their time or shouldn’t employ the soft tissue mobilization techniques that they are allowed to use given their credentialing or state laws, but understanding when to refer to a specialist with a very specific skill set is the difference between a butter knife a ninja – both may get the job done but we all know which one we’d rather have on our side.

 

Ninja

 

So how does one differentiate between these tissues?

Because the Soleus and Posterior Tibialis are the two usual suspects and responsible for the majority of problems when it comes to ankle dorsiflexion limitations, these two will usually require the majority of your focus both in evaluation palpation and treatment.

 

posterior tibialis

 

However, both the Flexor Hallucis Longus and the Flexor Digitorum Longus can limit dorsiflexion and should be excluded to be sure that they are not involved.  To exclude these two structures from your list of possible dysfunctional contributors simply ask the patient to maximally dorsiflex their ankle while keeping their heel on the ground.

 
1. Gently pick up the great toe off the ground into extension. If there is slack and the patient does not indicate an increase in symptoms then the FHL is more than likely not involved.
2. Repeat tissue testing by selecting the toes and pulling them into extension.  If there is slack and the patient does not indicate and increase in symptoms then the FDL is more than likely not involved.

 

dorsiflexion  ankle motion

 

To identify the underlying tissue whether it be the soleus or posterior tibialis requires some discernable palpation skills.

 

Did I make a permanent change?


Charlie Weingroff calls it the “Audit Process”  while others such as good friend and colleague Pete Viteritti simply calls it, test-treat-retest.  If the correct treatment choice was matched to the correct tissue choice and location then a marked improvement in range, function and/or pain levels should occur. 

If minimal or no improvements were made than the following may have occurred:

1. You applied the correct treatment to the wrong tissue (tissue adhesion was within the posterior tibialis and you treated the soleus for example), or
2. You applied the incorrect treatment to the correct tissue (pressure was too light and thus was not sufficient to break up the underlying scar tissue), or
3. The limiting factor was not soft tissue but instead an osteokinematic “misalignment” or a position fault as described and made famous by Brian Mulligan (more Mulligan in a future post).

Summary: The most important step in any treatment approach starts with first identifying the correct pain generator or dysfunctional tissue involved.  Without a correct place to start, all treatment options will fail to make a lasting change.

Topics: Art Horne, basketball conference, basketball training programs, athletic training conference, athletic training, boston hockey conference, Barefoot in Boston, Dorsiflexion, ankle problems

Integrated Care - Part VII: Mastering the Hip Hinge

Posted by Boston Sports Medicine and Performance Group on Mon, Oct 3, 2011 @ 07:10 AM

by Art Horne

 

Last week we discussed the importance of bringing all professionals who care for and provide performance services to your student-athletes together to develop a consistent teaching methodology and progression to mastering the squat pattern.  This week we look at the Hip Hinge.

 

hip hinge

 

Deadlift – Hip Hinge

Hip Hinge: all athletes should be able to separate their hips from a back strategy both in 2-legs and single leg stance -whether its knee, hip or other LE injury pain, we should be able to look at this movement pattern and address some overall concerns IN ADDITION to their traditional rehab program.

 
The hip hinge can be easily taught and standardized with our stick series.

Teaching Stick Series:


1. Stick maintains contact with three points (head, back and butt crack) throughout entire movement.
2. Reach butt backwards; knees should have slight bend.
3. Start with two feet on ground and progress to single leg stance.
4. This is not a squat pattern – be sure to hinge at the hips.
5. Maintain a packed neck (c-spine in-line with sternum throughout movement).


Start one foot away from wall (maybe just less) and reach back towards the wall with butt

1. Maintain three points of contact with stick on head, back and butt crack
2. This is not a squat pattern – first motion should be back towards the wall and not downwards.
3. Inch outwards from the wall with each successful repetition and repeat until you have found your end range.
4. ALTERNATIVE: face wall and touch with hands, move away from wall and repeat until you have reached max distance from wall while maintaining perfect form


Progression:


1. Two Leg Stick
2. SL Stick
3. 2-Leg – 2 hand Kettlebell Deadlift
4. SL 2-DB Deadlift
5. SL contralateral 1-DB Deadlift

 

When you finally get strength and sports medicine professionals together in the same room some amazing things begin to happen, especially when you start talking about hinging at the hips including:


1. Agreement to Pack the Neck: Packing the neck and maintaining a neutral cervical spine instead of admiring yourself in the mirror during a hip hinge stick series becomes a universal theme among both groups and taught and coached consistently – whether it’s pulling 300 pounds from the floor during a sumo squat or 4 weeks post ACL surgery during a simple stick series.  Knowing where an athlete is going and where they’ve come from is half the battle in my opinion.

2. Glute activation takes on a whole new meaning to athletic trainers when they see firsthand the work and technical coaching  that strength coaches employ with their athletes.  Sets of 3x10 for glute bridges and then discharge to full participation is no longer acceptable.

3. Bad Hip Hinge means Bad Back: In the same breath, strength coaches are able to discuss challenges with low back pain patients with sports medicine professionals and appreciate how important they are in the rehabilitation and care of those persons as well as how incredibly dangerous a poorly performed lift can be.
 

deadlift


Read article on Hip Hinge by clicking HERE.

Topics: basketball resources, basketball training programs, athletic training conference, athletic training, athletic training books, barefoot strength training, Hip Hinge, deadlift Art Horne

Advocates For Injured Athletes

Posted by Boston Sports Medicine and Performance Group on Fri, Sep 30, 2011 @ 07:09 AM

 

A nice story to share with other health care professionals.  Support great athletic trainers by advocating for more of their time to be dedicated to specialty health care services such as emergency care and musculoskeletal evaluation, treatment and rehabilitation!

Topics: BSMPG, athletic training conference, athletic training, athletic trainer