Effects of various training interventions on rate of force development Introduction: Athletic success often depends on an individual’s ability to exhibit explosive strength. Explosive strength is the ability to rapidly generate force, often from a state of complete muscle relaxation. One way to analyze an athlete’s explosive strength is to measure their rate of force […]
Author Archive | Brett Holland, PT, DPT, CSCS
Can bracing prevent tommy john surgery?
A new research study done by a group of researchers in Japan was published in The Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine examining the effects of bracing on the ulnar collateral ligament (the tommy john ligament)( Hattori, Akasaka, Otsudo, Takei, & Yamamoto, 2017). Background: It’s fair to assume at this point pretty much everyone knows pitching is […]
Where do strength gains come from? Study
Muscular strength, the maximal force a muscle group can produce, is an important physiological variable for both athletic and daily tasks. In athletic populations, muscular strength has been identified as a key contributor to performance and injury prevention. In nonathletic populations, increasing maximal strength helps improve mobility (gait, stairs, etc.), prevent or reduce the progression […]
Unilateral vs. Bilateral Plyometrics Study
Bogdanis, Tsoukos, Kaloheri, Terzis, Veligekas, & Brown (2017), compared unilateral and bilateral plyometric training on jumping performance and strength. The study consisted of 15 education students (age range: 18.2-25.8 years, 8 male, 7 female). They were randomly assigned to either a unilateral (n=7) or bilateral (n=8) training group. The study design was a repeated measures and […]
Baking Soda (Sodium bicarbonate) Prevents Fatigue
Introduction Many team and individual sports require short bursts of high intensity movements interspersed with periods of reduced intensity or complete rest. These short intense bursts of movement rely mainly on the two anaerobic energy systems: the phosphocreatine system and anaerobic glycolysis. The phosphocreatine system is significantly limited in duration, providing only a few seconds […]
Oral ATP Supplement: effects on performance and repeat sprint ability
Article Review: Oral Adenosine-5′-triphosphate (ATP) Administration Increases Postexercise ATP Levels, Muscle Excitability, and Athletic Performance Following a Repeated Sprint Bout. (see below for full citation) Introduction: Adenosine-5’ -triphosphate (ATP) is best known for its role as an intracellular fuel source. Small amounts of ATP are stored in the muscle and can rapidly be converted into energy by the enzyme ATPase. […]
Applying TENS intraoperatively reduces clot formation
Reference Izumi, M., Ikeuchi, M., Aso, K., Sugimura, N., Kamimoto, Y., Mitani, T., … Tani, T. (2014). Less deep vein thrombosis due to transcutaneous fibular nerve stimulation in total knee arthroplasty: a randomized controlled trial. Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy, 23(11), 3317-3323. doi:10.1007/s00167-014-3141-z Introduction Venous thromboembolism (VTE), which includes deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), are potential life-threatening complications associated with orthopedic […]
Ketogenic Diet Study: Lean mass and better hormonal profile vs western diet
A ketogenic diet has been rapidly gaining traction as a diet which generates significant fat loss. Until recently, it has been thought that ketogenic diets, while great for fat loss, significantly reduced the capacity for performance. Dr. Jacob Wilson has more recently been a proponent of the diet, along with Dr. Jeffrey Volek. Together they […]
How long does strength training last?
Study [1]: The authors took 20 healthy men with at least a year of resistance training and were between the ages of 18-30 and randomly allocated them into two groups: one group receiving whey protein and another receiving a placebo. They both participated in resistance training. The researchers were looking to find a.) if 2 […]
Vertical vs Horizontal Plyometrics: Benefits of each
This is one of my favorite recent publications. In March’s issue of JSCR, a study was published examining the unique benefits provided by vertically oriented plyometric exercises and directly compared them to horizontally oriented plyometrics in elite handball players. Here is the low down on the study [1]. Study: 18 elite level handball players were randomly […]
Baseball: Relationship between upper body strength and bat speed
This study investigated the relationship between upper body strength and bat speed in high school players [1]. Study: The authors set out to examine the relationship between measures of upper body strength and bat speed. They took 30 high school players and split them into the players whom hit for more power (home runs) (n=14) and […]