074 Talking About Strength and Conditioning with Claire Minshull
Jul 16, 2024
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Claire Minshull, an expert in Strength and Conditioning specializing in musculoskeletal rehab, shares her insights on integrating strength training into therapy. She discusses the benefits and misconceptions surrounding this approach, emphasizing its potential for older adults and pain management. Claire also touches on her diverse sports background, including the unique sport of Octopush. The conversation highlights the need for tailored exercise prescriptions and the importance of simplicity and innovation in strength training practices.
Strength and conditioning significantly benefits musculoskeletal rehabilitation, improving pain and function through structured exercise programs for diverse populations.
The criticism of strength and conditioning as overly simplistic underscores the need for individualized exercise design tailored to specific patient goals.
Deep dives
Claire Minsholz's Professional Background
Claire Minsholz runs an educational program called Get Back to Sport, focusing on evidence-based strength and conditioning for healthcare professionals. She also serves as a visiting professor at Leeds Beckett University and operates Joints Approach, an online program aimed at managing osteoarthritic knee pain. Her career path includes a PhD in a multidisciplinary setting, where she collaborated with orthopedic surgeons and physiotherapists to address sports injuries. This diverse background contributes to her commitment to bridging gaps between elite sports medicine and broader health challenges in physiotherapy.
The Evolution of Exercise Understanding
Minsholz addresses the evolving definition of strength among physiotherapists, noting a recent shift toward a more unified understanding of maximal muscle strength as a standard across practice. She emphasizes that while knowledge is improving, many professionals still lack the foundational training needed for effective exercise design and prescription. Furthermore, she points out that the organizational constraints of working environments, especially in the NHS, often prevent physiotherapists from applying their skills effectively. This disconnect can lead to frustration among therapists who wish to use strength and conditioning principles in their practice.
Strength and Conditioning Benefits for MSK Conditions
Strength and conditioning can provide substantial benefits for managing musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions such as osteoarthritis, particularly through well-structured exercise programs. In her practice, Minsholz observed significant improvements in pain and functional capabilities among patients subjected to a multidisciplinary program that included progressive strength training. Her research highlighted that patients who engaged in this approach not only reported reduced pain but also enhanced overall quality of life, illustrating the necessity of exercise in rehabilitation. Importantly, those who declined to participate in the program continued to deteriorate, emphasizing the value of proactive exercise engagement.
Addressing Misconceptions in Strength and Conditioning
Minsholz engages with the criticism surrounding strength and conditioning in rehabilitation, asserting that it is not a one-size-fits-all solution but rather a component of a comprehensive treatment package. She argues against the oversimplification of strength training as merely athletic-centric, highlighting its applicability for various populations, including older adults. Furthermore, she suggests that a precise and individualized approach to exercise design is crucial for achieving effective outcomes. By focusing on specific goals and adapting exercises accordingly, therapists can significantly enhance their patients' recovery and overall health.
In this episode of the NAF Adam talks with Claire about what Strength and Conditioning means, some of its benefits and limitations in MSK rehab, and some thoughts on the recent kickback by some therapists against it.
We also find out what Octo-push is and if you can be a basketball player at 5 foot 7
Claire can be found on Twitter/X here and on Instagram here