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Dr. Zach Baker, DPT, SCS

@zdbaker30

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Chief Performance Officer @rehab2perform
šŸ”¹ACL Specialist
šŸ”¹Educator
šŸ”¹ Helping Athletes/Businesses Excel
šŸ”¹DM for help!
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Behind the scenes look at returning to sport specific movements coming off a lower extremity injury with a D1 Lax Player. Three things we focused on in this session: 1ļøāƒ£ TEMPO-Submax effort for initial reintroduction. Drill the movement first, not the speed. Assess tolerance. 2ļøāƒ£ SKILL-Working on dodging variations. Before we even introduce the stick, letā€™s get the footwork down. Drill the footwork for various dodges and make it automatic. Then add the stick. Then add reactive components. 3ļøāƒ£ CONDITIONING-The goal was to get ready for returning to practices so we need to be working in aerobic and anaerobic methods into sessions. Because this session was lower intensity, we rest breaks minimal and tried to keep a steady elevated heart rate throughout the session. Returning to sport deals with navigating the control-chaos continuum. Focus on things in the clinic that you have complete control over and make sure they are comfortable and competent before going out to a practice environment that becomes less controlled and then eventually a game environment! #lax #lacrosse #injury #pt #physicaltherapist #physicaltherapy by @zdbaker30
8
a year ago
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ACL testing does not take place all at once. Different tests are often introduced throughout the length of the rehab process. Some tests are performed early on and then continued to be monitored as you progress into later phases as well. ā£ ā£ ā£ Anterior Step Down-A simple test that looks at dynamic balance, stability and strength without any impact. Can be performed early on as it mimics the same demands of descending stairs. Easy way to look at quality of movement and also competency with modified single leg squatting. Symmetry and benchmark data utilized.ā£ ā£ Isometric/Isokinetic knee strength-This isolates the quadriceps muscles through the knee extension motion. This will give you the most accurate depiction of how well their quads are developing during the rehab process. Symmetry and benchmark data utilized for successful completion.ā£ ā£ Vertical Hop Testing-We utilize @vald_performance force plates at our clinic for single leg vertical jump analysis. Vertical jumping has been shown to better capture knee extension deficits than horizontal jumping profiles. Symmetry and normative data used for successful completion.ā£ ā£ ā£ #acl #aclrecovery #aclrehab #pt #physicaltherapy #physiotherapy #fisio #fisioterapia by @zdbaker30
4
2 years ago
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VALDCon was a success! A great company who is redefining the sports performance and healthcare space. Honored to be part of a group of speakers that included PTā€™s, strength coaches and various healthcare professionals from all over the world working with athletes ranging from high school to Olympic and pro sports. Could not have asked for a better week from the host company, phenomenal company culture. They also know how to throw one heck of a party!ā£ ā£ Excited to get back and see the family though! by @zdbaker30
6
2 years ago
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There is an abundance of research on ACL injuries and we continue to learn more every year. Everyone's journey is different so do not rely exclusively on these numbers. Listen to your orthopedic surgeon and rehab team to figure out what is most appropriate for you and your own unique situation. Sources: Non-contact Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury Epidemiology in Team-Ball Sports: A Systematic Review with Meta-analysis by Sex, Age, Sport, Participation Level, and Exposure Type. Sports Med. 2022. DOI: 10.1007/s40279-022-01697-w Kay J, Memon M, Marx RG, Peterson D, Simunovic N, Ayeni OR. Over 90% of children and adolescents return to sport after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2018;26:1019-1036. Barber-Westin S, Noyes FR. One in 5 Athletes Sustain Reinjury Upon Return to High-Risk Sports After ACL Reconstruction: A Systematic Review in 1239 Athletes Younger Than 20 Years. Sports Health. 2020. DOI: 10.1177/1941738120912846 Young Athletes Who Return to Sport Before 9 Months After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Have a Rate of New Injury 7 Times That of Those Who Delay Return. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2020. DOI: 10.2519/jospt.2020.9071 The Incidence of Second Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury in Young Athletes is Not Influenced by Time to Return to Sport. PMC7238839 by @zdbaker30
7
6 days ago
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Education is built into how we operate at R2PšŸ“š From hands-on courses to weekly clinical in-services and ongoing professional development, we invest in our clinicians and create opportunities to learn, challenge each other and grow together. Our recent clinician education course was another opportunity to put that commitment into practice. Keep learning. Keep challenging. Keep getting better. taken in Rehab 2 Perform by @zdbaker30
5
12 days ago
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Sprains are so common that most families treat them as minor: wrap it, rest a few days, play when it stops hurting. But in a study of 1,002 adolescent athletes, about 24% of females and 16% of males had chronic ankle instability, an ankle that keeps giving way (Donovan et al., Orthop J Sports Med, 2020). The APTA clinical practice guideline puts the figure near 20% in adolescent athletes (JOSPT, 2021). The strongest risk factor for a sprain is a previous sprain. Players who had a sprain in the past year were 1.41 times more likely to sprain again than those who hadnā€™t (JOSPT, 2021). Pain tends to fade before balance and control around the ankle catch up. Thatā€™s why best practice pairs early guided exercise to restore motion and strength with balance training, which the NATA position statement calls a near-mandatory intervention after a sprain. For athletes with a history of sprains, bracing or taping is also supported for reducing recurrence (NATA, J Athl Train, 2013). Severe sprains can need a short period of immobilization first, so a proper evaluation matters. A sprain isnā€™t over when the swelling is. Itā€™s over when the ankle can be trusted. Save this if your athlete has ever walked off an ankle sprain and kept playing. Sources: Donovan L, Hetzel S, Laufenberg CR, McGuine TA. Prevalence and Impact of Chronic Ankle Instability in Adolescent Athletes. Orthop J Sports Med. 2020. Academy of Orthopaedic Physical Therapy, APTA. Ankle Stability and Movement Coordination Impairments: Lateral Ankle Ligament Sprains Revision. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2021;51(4). Kaminski TW, et al. National Athletic Trainersā€™ Association Position Statement: Conservative Management and Prevention of Ankle Sprains in Athletes. J Athl Train. 2013;48(4):528-545. by @zdbaker30
2
12 days ago
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Feeling better matters. But pain-free doesnā€™t always mean ready to return. The HUMAC NORM gives our clinicians objective strength data across a full range of motion, helping us better understand whether an athlete is ready to run, sprint, or return to unrestricted sport. Itā€™s a level of testing you wonā€™t find in many physical therapy clinics, and another tool we use to answer the bigger question: Are you Ready 2 Perform? Curious about the HUMAC? Ask us about it belowšŸ‘‡ taken in Rehab 2 Perform by @zdbaker30
3
19 days ago
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If your young athlete has ever pointed to a tender bump just below the kneecap, thereā€™s a good chance you already know the name: Osgood-Schlatter. Itā€™s one of the most common causes of knee pain in adolescent athletes. In sports-active adolescents, it shows up in roughly 1 in 5, compared to about 12% of adolescents overall (van Leeuwen et al., British Journal of General Practice, 2022). A separate systematic review pooling 4,814 participants across twelve studies found the condition consistently more common in young athletes than non-athletes, with football and basketball carrying the highest links to it (StankovicĢ et al., Gymnasium: Scientific Journal of Education, Sports, and Health, 2024). Although painful and inconvenient, it can often be managed well with simple stretches, strength exercises and activity modification. Individuals have also had success with icing or other analgesic measures, experimenting with straps/braces/sleeves or using medication under the guidance of a physician recommendation. Don't be alarmed if your child has dealt with this injury, but make sure you have a game plan! by @zdbaker30
2
20 days ago
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Pain has a way of slowly changing what you do. You skip the run. Modify the workout. Sit out the pick-up game. But getting older doesnā€™t mean youā€™re done running, lifting, playing or competing. Stay in the game. Stay Ready 2 Perform. Experience performance-based physical therapy at Rehab 2 Perform. taken in Rehab 2 Perform by @zdbaker30
2
21 days ago
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Happy National Daughter's Day to these two girls! We love watching you two grow up and seeing you develop right before our eyes! by @zdbaker30
0
23 days ago
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ā€œHow does it feel?ā€ is the question most people get asked before they return from an injuryā€¦ This isnā€™t nearly enough. Itā€™s important that you have a physical therapist that not only challenges you through the injury rehabilitation process but tests you before you go back to the field, the gym, or chasing their kids. After an injury, your body can sometimes find ways to compensate. It can shift muscle strain, joint stress and strength development to the other side. You feel fine but that doesnā€™t mean you are ready. That gap is where people get hurt twice. So we test it. The HUMAC NORM measures your strength side to side at a controlled speed and shows you exactly where the gap is. Going back becomes an informed decision, not a guess. The test is a part of the process, that eventually becomes a distant memory. After allā€¦ Youā€™re not here 2 test. Youā€™re here 2 perform. Want to learn more? Comment ā€˜HUMACā€™ ! taken in Rehab 2 Perform by @zdbaker30
4
23 days ago
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Nearly 1 in 3 young athletes with persistent low back pain has the same specific diagnosis, and itā€™s not a strain. Itā€™s called spondylolysis, a stress fracture in a small bridge of bone in the spine called the pars interarticularis (PRiSM Spine/Spondylolysis Research Interest Group, systematic review and meta-analysis, 2024). A separate chart review of 363 adolescent athletes found nearly the same rate, 28% (Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 2024). The purpose of this post is not to cause fear or catastrophize all low back pain. It's meant to bring awareness that persistent back pain in youth/adolescents when coupled with other risk factors is worth taking a formal lack at. Be sure to consult with your physician when appropriate and avoid prolonging care. Sources: PRiSM Spine/Spondylolysis Research Interest Group. The Prevalence of Isthmic Spondylolysis in Young Athletes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. 2024. Adolescent athlete low back pain diagnoses, characteristics, and management: A retrospective chart review. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 2024. Incidence and risk factors of spondylolysis in youth football: a longitudinal study among male Norwegian players. 2026. by @zdbaker30
23
25 days ago
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