This week, I would like to follow up on the statement made by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine that stated children need a 2-3 month break from a specific sport to avoid overuse injuries, overtraining, and burnout. Overuse injuries can develop due to the body’s process of remodeling being out of balance, a muscle imbalance of tightness or weakness across a joint, or improper form during an activity. Of course, the therapists at ProActive Physical Therapy are skilled at treating children and teens with these overuse injuries as well as addressing our patients as a whole person to help avoid future exacerbations of symptoms.
ProActive Physical Therapy, Carlsbad also has the unique opportunity of being housed in the same facility as Activ8 Athleticism. Activ8 is a family owned athletic development and sports specific training facility that integrates dynamic and functional training into your lifestyle to maximize athletic potential. They share our passion to help clients be the best they can be. They offer group classes based on age and development. The first group (ages 8-11) focuses on building the foundations of athletic development in a fun and positive environment. The curriculum is centered on developing coordination, balance, and body awareness. These components are vital to establishing athletic development, confidence and long term enjoyment in sports and everyday life.
The next group (ages 12-14) are athletes who have a foundation of athletic skills. The focus is on progressing and maintaining athletic movement while refining and ingraining fundamental skills of speed, power and agility. Strength and power training are introduced with a strong emphasis on proper technique. As an athlete’s body changes, the need for improving joint integrity is vital for reducing the chance of injury.
The next stage of their athletic development program (ages 15-18) is designed as a periodized macrocycle (12 week time period) consisting of 4 different mesocycles (3 week duration). In our mesocycles, we focus on a specific component of strength and movement development; 1. preparatory, 2. extensive, 3. intensive, and 4. power. The reason they do this is to avoid overtraining of certain movements, which leads to injuries, and to see consistent gains. This is a great option for athletes of all ages when they are taking a break from their number 1 sport to gain strength, balance, proprioception, and learn proper movement. ProActive Physical Therapy and Activ8 Athleticism are able to work together to help our injured or postsurgical athlete patients safely progress from physical therapy to high intensity training and to their ultimate goal of return to play status.