Not too long ago, it seemed that successful athletes were those with the most talent and work ethic. Today, athleticism and dedication are still the cornerstones of top-notch performance. However, what currently seems to be of greater importance is whether or not the athlete can stay healthy. And, if an injury is sustained, success is often measured by a different set of comparable statistics: minutes played vs. minutes lost. With all of the media attention given to sports-related injuries and the enormous concern over ACL tears, especially with female athletes, there has been much focus with prevention and post-surgical therapy. Much research has been devoted to finding a solution, through a better understanding of injury etiology. Most of the data has underlined several factors (knee and hip mechanics, landing forces, strength imbalances, inflexibility, improper warm-up, training volume) as the key culprits. Preventative and rehabilitative strategies have focused on treating these aforementioned influences. As a movement specialist, my philosophy is based on the idea that an efficient athlete has a better opportunity to avoid injury and recover quickly. Movement competency enables athletes to handle the stresses of training and competition, not just for a season but for the duration of his or her competitive life. Only through the careful assessment of selective motor skills (running, jumping, throwing, etc.), can we as professionals specifically address the major causes of this dilemma. Along with Dr. Lee Cohen & Associates, we at TracyPealSpeed help our athletes understand how the body moves and propels itself, developing his or her ability to sustain maximum effort with minimal energy cost and wasted motion. Our coaching service is dedicated to teaching efficient movement, understanding that the first line of defense is well within the athlete's grasp. Athletes who master their own negative tendencies will be taking the biggest step towards becoming more injury resistant. By avoiding a symptomatic approach, we're able to identify specific kinesiological slipups, and guard the body's structures - muscles, joints, ligaments and tendons - within the limits of biological design. Our goal is to protect our athletes. |