Loudoun County, Va. — The most common perpetrators of shoulder pain are impingement of the rotator cuff muscles and biceps tendons. They hurt when you lift your arm above shoulder height. This can become a vicious cycle because repetitive motion can cause pain, which stops you from lifting your arm above your head and reaching for your favorite coffee cup out of the cupboard, or putting on your afternoon/evening T-shirt. Common Causes of Shoulder Injury Shoulder injuries are one of the most common injuries. Most shoulder discomfort or pain is caused from an injury itself or from overuse. Some of…

Loudoun County, Va. — Having trouble walking, squatting, or experiencing pain around our knee area is an indicator of a hamstring injury. Where are our hamstrings? Our hamstring muscle group is located on the back side of our thigh and is made up of three muscles. These three muscles originate on the hip bone and attach at the knee joint. When these muscles contract, your knee bends into a flexed position, when they relax, your knee is able to straighten back out. The hamstrings work together with the quadriceps muscles to control and stabilize your knee joint. These two muscle…

Loudoun County, Va. — The body was created to heal itself under the right conditions. With any injury, an inflammatory process begins to help repair and realign tissue that has been disrupted in some way. The body begins this process on its own, but is aided with the help of proper nutrition. What you place in your body can either help or hinder this healing process depending on the vitamins and minerals its made up of, or the “anti-nutrients” it contains that slow down proper nutrition absorption. Healing for concussions is similar. The body is already going to begin a…

Loudoun County, Va. — Hamstring injuries are common amongst athletes, especially with movements involving high-speed running, high kicks, slide tackling, and splits. What are Hamstrings and How are They Injured? The hamstring is a combination of three muscles: Semitendinosus Semimembranosus Biceps femoris Injury is dependent on intensity of sport along with other variables such as duration, frequency and/or body compensations for other lower extremity injuries (such as injury to meniscus). Poor strength, flexibility, improper body mechanics with sport, failure to warm up properly, and poor alignment (via flat feet, leg length discrepancies, and improper knee alignment) can contribute to the…

Loudoun County, Va. — There are many benefits for athletes participating in multiple sports, even beginning at an early age. Recruiters are looking at kids as early as grade school, and they prefer recruiting kids that are involved in multiple sports. Recruiters believe these athletes gain a competitive edge, and are more accessible to recruit. Why Participate in Multiple Sports? Athletes participating in multiple sports have shown many benefits including: Improved overall health and wellness Decreased injury rates Improved athletic performance Improved leadership skills and teamwork Better attendance in school and academic performance Participating in multiple sports can reduce injury…

Loudoun County, Va. — The two most common reasons people sustain injuries when they rush back into a sport or exercise program too quickly, are training errors and technique errors. Rushing into the season or training program without proper progressive training our body will not be ready to endure the stress and we can end up with an injury that could have been prevented. Are you ready to resume practice and competition after an extended break or ramp-up your training routine? You may think so, however, it is important to go into the season or any exercise program with the…