Elite Baseball Development Podcast 206. Dr. Keith Baar on Bulletproofing Tendons and Ligaments
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Mar 11, 2025 
Dr. Keith Baar, a renowned professor at UC Davis specializing in muscle physiology, shares invaluable insights on tendon and ligament health. He discusses strategies for managing hypermobility in athletes, emphasizing how this can impact injury risk. The conversation highlights the importance of isometric loading for injury prevention and recovery. Baar also dives into the role of biologics like PRP for tendon injuries and the surprising effects of caffeine on collagen synthesis. Finally, he stresses the significance of optimizing off-season training to reduce injuries and enhance performance.
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Origin Story
- Dr. Keith Baar's interest in exercise physiology stemmed from personal experience, starting as a "fat little kid" and later a good, but not great, athlete.
- He wanted to understand the science behind athletic performance and why some athletes "blow up like a balloon" while others don't change size on the same training program.
Isometrics for Tendon Health
- Isometric loading has transformative potential for tendon health, often overlooked in the past.
- Dr. Baar's research suggests isometrics may be superior to eccentric or concentric loading for tendon health.
Alfredson Protocol Origin
- Dr. Baar explains how the Alfredson protocol for eccentric tendon loading originated from a therapist trying to rupture his own Achilles.
- The therapist's slow eccentrics, aimed at rupturing the tendon, unexpectedly improved it, leading to the protocol.