[Physio Discussed] How to master sports rehab with Dr Teddy Willsey and Dr Travis Pollen
Sep 11, 2024
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Join Dr. Teddy Willsey, a sports rehabilitation expert and private practice owner, alongside Dr. Travis Pollen, a specialist in clinical practice and rehabilitation strategies. They dive into the essential principles of sports rehab, particularly for ACL injuries. Their conversation uncovers the importance of load management and the use of dynamometry in recovery. They also tackle the challenges faced by athletes and the significance of a multidisciplinary approach in rehabilitation, sharing insights on effective communication and personalized programs.
Understanding the athlete's unique condition and sport-specific demands is crucial for tailoring effective rehabilitation and recovery pathways.
Load management during rehabilitation is vital to prevent re-injury and ensure a balanced approach between recovery and skill training, especially in sports like swimming.
Building a strong therapeutic alliance between practitioners and athletes enhances trust, communication, and motivation, significantly influencing rehabilitation outcomes and adherence.
Deep dives
Key Principles of Sports Rehabilitation
The fundamentals of sports rehabilitation revolve around understanding the specific demands of the sport and the athlete’s current condition. Effective rehabilitation requires identifying the starting point and outlining a pathway to recovery tailored to the athlete’s goals. There is a significant focus on integrating strength and conditioning principles into rehab practices, emphasizing the need for thorough education on these aspects within physical therapy programs. By combining rehabilitation with strength training strategies, practitioners can help athletes regain performance levels necessary for their sport, ultimately enhancing their chances of a successful return.
Importance of Load Management
Load management emerges as a critical principle in sports rehabilitation, particularly for athletes recovering from injuries. Maintaining an appropriate training volume and intensity while managing fatigue is essential for preventing re-injury. For sports like swimming, where overtraining and high yardage are common, establishing communication between the athlete and coaches about adjusting training loads is vital. By recognizing the physiological limits and ensuring that athletes balance rehabilitation efforts with skill training, practitioners can support a more effective recovery process.
Testing and Return to Sport Criteria
Implementing objective testing methods is essential in evaluating an athlete’s readiness to return to their sport following an injury. Reliable measurements, such as strength assessments and performance metrics, provide a baseline to compare recovery progress. The conversation around return-to-play decisions should shift from solely time-based criteria to more comprehensive, goal-oriented benchmarks based on individual capabilities and sport-specific demands. This approach not only empowers athletes with agency over their recovery but also helps in creating a safer framework for athletes returning after injuries.
Building Therapeutic Alliance with Athletes
Establishing a strong therapeutic alliance between practitioners and their athletes is crucial for effective rehabilitation outcomes. Open communication fostered through trust allows athletes to share their concerns and emotional states regarding their recovery journey. Practitioners are encouraged to engage with athletes actively and provide them with tools and education, enhancing their confidence in the process and decisions made. A positive relationship underpins adherence to rehabilitation protocols and can significantly influence athletes' motivation and recovery progress.
The Necessity of Multidisciplinary Collaboration
Collaboration among various professionals, including physical therapists, strength coaches, and sport-specific trainers, is essential in managing an athlete's recovery effectively. Engaging a multidisciplinary team allows practitioners to leverage diverse expertise in both rehabilitation and performance training. This approach ensures that athletes receive well-rounded care tailored to their specific recovery needs while maintaining performance standards. By fostering a collective environment aimed at the athlete's best interests, teams can maximize the effectiveness of rehabilitation efforts and facilitate smoother transitions back to sport.
Introducing our new, longer form podcast, Physio Discussed, where 2 expert guests and our host explore everything you need to know about your favourite topics!
In this episode, we discuss:
Key principles of sports rehab
Importance of dynamometry and measurement tools in rehab, and how to implement them in your clinical practice
Potential complications of working with athletes and how to overcome this
Importance of load management in rehab
Sports rehab considerations in ACL rehab; including working with the surgeon & athlete readiness for return to play
Sports rehab considerations for swimmers
Phone applications for use in return to play testing
Want to learn more about sports rehabilitation? Dr Teddy Wilsey recently did a brilliant Masterclass with us called, “Exercise Prescription in Sports Rehab” where he goes into further depth on all the latest research for all things related to sports rehabilitation.
Dr. Teddy Willsey is a Physical therapist and private practice owner in Rockville, Maryland. Teddy is a certified strength and conditioning specialist and sports performance coach. Teddy has an interest in working with high level athletes and specifically in return to sports rehab. Teddy’s expertise lies in the evaluation and diagnosis of orthopaedic musculoskeletal conditions while emphasising exercise and movement as the primary means of recovery.
Dr Travis Pollen is a personal trainer and has completed a PhD in Rehabilitation Sciences (Drexel University). He also holds a master’s degree in Biomechanics and Movement Science (University of Delaware). His research interests focus on movement screening, injury risk appraisal, and return to play testing in athletes. Travis’s expertise lies in bridging the gap between rehabilitation and performance and reducing the chasm between research and practice.
If you like the podcast, it would mean the world if you're happy to leave us a rating or a review. It really helps!
Our host is @James_Armstrong_Physio
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