Programs That Can Keep You in the Game!

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Camelback Sports Therapy offers programs that can either combine with physical therapy treatment or stand on their own to help you stay in the game. Here are some of the programs that are making a big difference in the rate of recovery and also keeping our patients from needing additional treatment.

Stretching

You deserve to stay in top working condition. The stretching program can be 15 or 30 minutes of hands-on stretching. We offer a single session or a discount on a package of 6 sessions. Even with a home stretching routine, our patients report that this is a “piece of heaven” with unbelievable results.

Dynamic Stretching

Learn to stretch and warm up like the pros! This form of stretching prepares the body for physical exertion and sports performance. Dynamic stretching increases the range of movement; blood and oxygen flow to soft tissues prior to exertion. Work with our athletic trainer to learn a routine that can be used before any sports activities.

Dry Needling

Also known as intramuscular stimulation, dry needling is a technique in which acupuncture needles are inserted into the skin and muscle directly at a myofascial trigger point. This process activates the healing process and results in pain relief.

Quick Fix

A unique combination of skilled hands-on treatment utilizing manual soft tissue techniques, stretching and joint mobilization to get you back in the game.

Orthotics

Custom temporary orthotics can give you the support your feet and ankles need for weight bearing activities. Come in for a thorough foot evaluation and receive your orthotics that same day.


Injury-Free Vacation…It’s in the Bag

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Going out of town? Tickets? check. Lodging? check. Bags packed? Whoa..hold on a minute.

 Before you pack those bags, it might be a good idea to think about what type of bag you should be packing. Many holiday travelers will turn up injured on their vacations simply because they didn’t pick the right luggage and didn’t have a plan to protect their muscles from the strain of lifting, lugging and pulling their belongings.

Did you know that pulling those heavy roller bags can promote the development of shoulder and neck pain or aggravate an existing problem? Traditional roller bags can increase stress on the rotator cuff, especially if you tend to “shrug” your shoulder when you are tired of pulling. If you are pulling over long distances you are increasing the load to neck muscles and joints as well.

To decrease the risk of shoulder injury while pulling you can exchange your old roller bag for the newer “spinner” bags that allow you to walk while guiding the bag at your side. If a new suitcase is not an option, rotate your palm down with your thumb pointed out while pulling your bag. This creates more space for rotator cuff tendons and discourages shrugging.

Bring only carry-ons that you can safely and easily lift. Be sure to squat down prior to lifting, utilizing the large muscles of your legs to support the load. Consider packing air-inflatable lumbar and neck support or bring a couple of small towels to roll up to support your neck and lower back. Sitting for a long period in a slumped position can increase aches and pains and increases the load on the spine by 48%. If you have a history of back or neck problems, give us a call to ask what would be most appropriate for you. In general, comfort should be your guide and you may notice that your back and neck muscles feel more relaxed when you have the appropriate amount of support.

If you have injured yourself while traveling or aggravated a previous injury, the best course of action is to apply RICE : Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. Limit application of ice to 20 minutes at a time. If necessary seek medical attention. We hope these tips will save you some grief and that you will have a wonderful time on all of your journeys!

ASTYM Can Keep you in the Game

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Scar tissue can be part of your body’s normal healing process, but sometimes scarring gets out of control. In these cases, scar tissue becomes disorganizes and crazy- it looks like steel wool. Healthy tissue lies down in nice tidy organized lines. Scar tissue can restrict the natural movement of soft tissue and those restrictions can cause pain and reduced mobility. ASTYM works to heal the problem of scar tissue. ASTYM is fast; you get to stay active, it’s non-invasive and it really fixes the problem. Watch our video to see how ASTYM Keeps our Patients in the Game.

10,016 Tennis Balls Hit for a Good Cause

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Camelback Sports Therapy was one of the proud sponsors of this great event to raise money for two great charities. Former patients and accomplished tennis pros Brian Cheney and Donna Yuritic teamed up at the Camelback Village on May 11th to raise money for PAC911(Phoenix Animal Care Coalition) and The Children’s Heart Foundation. Their goal was to hit 10,000 tennis balls consecutively back and forth without missing. With the help of sponsors and individual donors, they raised around $6,000 for their charities. The crowd cheered Brian and Donna on as they passed the 10,000 mark and went to 10,016! If you would like more information about these charities please contact Donna or Brian at the Camelback Village (602) 840-6412.

Kinesio Tape

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What’s up with all the colored tape?

The colored tape you have been seeing on athletes such as Serena Williams, Lance Armstrong and Kerri Walsh is called Kinesio Tape. It was developed by Dr. Kenzo Kase over 35 years ago and has taken the rehabilitation and sports world by storm. The Kinesio Taping Method can reduce muscle fatigue, inflammation and pain, correct posture, adjust mal-alignment and protect muscles against further injury. It is also an effective tool for treating chronic pain and inflammation associated with musculoskeletal injuries.

Check out our video below to watch Rose apply Kinesio Tape to Marissa’s ankle to relieve Achilles tendonitis. To read more about Kinesio taping, sign up for our monthly newsletter on this page to have the article sent to your email!

Proper Conditioning Plays a Key Role in Injury Prevention

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Today’s athletes continue to surpass one another, as they get bigger, faster, and stronger.  Often times athletes play with muscle imbalances, poor core strength, and inflexibility. This can increase the risk of injury.

Muscle Imbalance: A muscle imbalance is when there is a strength deficit between the muscles acting on a joint. That muscle may work effectively during a specific movement, but it can fail when doing functional movements like running, Pilates, Strength Training, or even Yoga. It is difficult to determine your own muscular imbalance, but the first sign is usually a troublesome pain or occasional discomfort. By training every muscle group, not just the ones required for your sport, one can avoid muscle imbalance injuries.

Inflexibility: Inflexibility is a decrease in range of motion. This can cause unwanted stresses at certain points throughout the joint, since that body part cannot move through a complete range of motion. Consequently, injuries can arise from those unwanted stresses. A majority of our patients, with back injuries, tend to have tight muscles including hamstrings and quads. Flexibility can be improved through a daily stretching routine. The daily routine should include stretching specific muscles groups, both statically and dynamically.

Poor Core Strength: The core, including the abdominal and lower back muscles, is your body’s pillar of strength. Poor core strength can lead to weakness in any muscle group. It affects your overall body mechanics and how well you can execute a movement. Poor core strength can also affect your power in many sports from tennis to basketball or from running to cycling. Working from a strong core, extremities are able to produce an increase in power.

Proper conditioning plays a key role in injury prevention. You can keep yourself healthy and injury free with a good conditioning routine. If an injury does occur, give us a call for a free assessment so we can get you back in the game.