Specialized Training

Specialized Training

Participation in action sports has grown tremendously since the mainstream media has showcased annual events such as ESPN’s X-Games, NBC’s Gravity Games and CBS’s JEEP King of the Mountain Series. 

It’s no mystery why participation in action sports drops off as we get older; family responsibilities, increased workloads, less tolerance for the risks involved and more significantly, the potential aversion developed after sustaining an injury are influential factors. 

While “Flow and Grace” may sound like two roommates from a sitcom, they are universal characteristics needed to have fun and stay SAFE while taking part in action sports. 

At Action Sports Medicine we are not only experts in physical rehabilitation but also training experts to groom the traits we all have within us – strength, balance & coordination – in order to help you succeed in your respective sport with “flow & grace.”

Strength

The influence of gravitational force on our daily lives is undeniable. The wide array of forces that we encounter on a snowboard descent through the trees, on packed powder with flat light, are capable of laying a rider out. Velocity, the bounce off a hardened snow bank, the unexpected mogul and the last second avoidance of a tree stump are all force vectors a rider must handle in order to stay in control on the run. At Action Sports Medicine, dynamic core strengthening is taken to levels mimicking the gamut of vectors encountered in sports. Our training approach is far removed from traditional strengthening approaches. Targeting the central nervous system and its sub-components is emphasized with Vector Resistance Training and Pilates in order to achieve optimal neuromuscular efficiency.

Dynamic Core Strengthening

Stability and control of movement are critically dependent on the coordination of all the muscles that make up our “core.” The core can be thought of as a box or our natural corset with the abdominals in the front and sides, back extensors and gluteals in the back, the diaphragm as the roof and the pelvic floor & hip musculature as the bottom. Our core is the foundation for all limb movements. A properly developed core allows for improved force output, neuromuscular efficiency and decreased incidence of overuse injury.

Neuromuscular Efficiency

Our Central Nervous System (CNS) is the command center that controls and regulates all of our movements. It directs preprogrammed patterns that can be groomed to react effectively against the forces of momentum, gravity and the numerous vectors encountered in action sports (i.e. moguls). The unconscious reaction & speed of contraction are the most important components of functional stability--not necessarily gross strength.

Video Sport Analysis

When needed, we can utilize video sport analysis to assist us in observing your sport performance and therefore search for irregularities that lead to compensatory patterns or movement dysfunctions. At Action Sports Medicine, no stone is left unturned to help you achieve success.

Cumulative Injury Cycle

This occurs when one segment of the kinetic chain (i.e. foot/ankle alignment) is not functioning efficiently; consequently the other components of the chain must compensate, leading to tissue overload, premature fatigue or faulty movement patterns. For example, a common side-effect of excessive pronation during loading of the foot in running is altered knee cap mechanics, thus changing the normal neural feedback to the central nervous system (CNS). Ultimately, neuromuscular efficiency is compromised, which leads to poor movement patterns, inducing premature fatigue and causing injury at an area besides the foot---i.e. patello-femoral syndrome.