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OrthoRehab - Edina Physical Therapists

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If you’re like most athletes, you probably look to stay active during the offseason. Whether that’s with a basic exercise or gym routine, or you dive into other active hobbies, it’s important to keep challenging your body physically so that it can be ready when the next season rolls around. If you’re looking for a way to stay busy during the offseason, we think you should consider connecting with a physical therapist. In today’s blog, we explain why you should consider offseason training with a physical therapist.

Offseason Training With A Physical Therapist

You may assume that physical therapists only work with athletes who are trying to get back on the field following an injury or surgery, but that’s simply not true. Many of our clients are working with us because they want to fine tune their athleticism and become the best athlete possible. One way they do that is through an offseason training program. Here’s a look at some of the ways connecting with a PT for this program can be so beneficial.

  1. Cross Training Techniques – One of the most common threats to an athlete’s health is repetitive stress and overstress injuries. If you’re only playing one sport year round, or you’re only doing sport-specific exercises during the offseason, certain muscle groups may become overdeveloped while others are ignored. This can leave you susceptible to injury, but it can also serve to hurt your athletic performance. You’ve probably heard stories about college football players taking ballet class or baseball players who take hot yoga, and the biggest reason they dive into these other activities is because it allows them to work on a number of different muscle groups that typically get ignored during their in-season training. Developing these oft-overlooked muscle groups can actually make you faster, jump higher or improve your coordination and balance. Similarly, a physical therapist can set you up with some cross training exercises that serve to strengthen muscle groups that may be underdeveloped. This protects muscles that are stressed during the season and strengthens weaker groups that could still serve to improve your performance. It’s a win-win.
  2. Nutrition – Our physical therapists can also talk with you about an offseason nutritional program. Maybe you want to add some muscle this offseason, or you simply want to avoid gaining weight during a time when you are less active than normal. Your diet plays a big role in achieving these goals, and we can help explain how to make nutritional choices that will keep you on track to hit your goals.
  3. Biomechanical Feedback – We also have a number of different pieces of equipment that can help take your game to the next level. We can analyze your throwing motion or your running stride frame by frame to look for imbalances and abnormalities that can be tweaked through different physical therapy exercises. Sometimes these mechanical issues can’t easily be seen by the naked eye, which is why these technologies can be so helpful.
  4. Keeps You In Game Shape – Finally, working with a physical therapist will help to keep you in game shape throughout the offseason. Unlike a lot of your teammates and competition, your strength and conditioning will be in midseason form at the start of the season. This can give you a major leg up on the competition and reduce your risk of an overstress injury during the early part of the year because your body isn’t used to this type of stress and strain. You’ll have an edge on the competition and be less likely to be sidelined by an early season injury if you connect with a physical therapist during the offseason.

Let us help take your sports performance to the next level with an individualized offseason training program. For more information, or to learn more about how we can help you, reach out to the team at OrthoRehab Specialists today at (612) 339-2041.

Dr. Andy Masis, PT
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