One of the more difficult, but important keys to understanding the human body and it’s various functions, is understanding that all muscles interact with eachother. As we discussed in the Muscle Function section, all muscles serve a number of different roles. We have to keep in mind that each muscle in the body has an […]
Muscle Function
So, we talk about functional anatomy, but what is the “Functional” part, and why is is so important. Here at MTS, we are the first to acknowledge that the term “Functional” has become a huge buzz word in the fitness and sports training world and is so over the top, that we now have a […]
Grip Strength-Rotator Cuff Interaction
As a clinician, you may have been taught to evaluate grip strength following a shoulder injury. If you are a coach or athlete, you may have seen an at hletic trainer or physician do the same, and wonder ‘what does grip strength have to do with a shoulder injury?’ The truth is, A LOT. The […]
Hip Flexor – Hamstring Interaction
From an injury treatment perspective, the tradtional approach to treating hamstring injuries has been to decrease inflammation in the muscle, stretch the hamstrings, and to work on strengthening them. The problem with that method is, if you aren’t addressing issues with the hip flexors, you are missing the boat and the athlete will never fully […]
Hamstring-ACL Interaction
The Hamstrings and Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) are extensively intertwined and very dependent upon each other, when the body is functioning correctly. Research has demonstrated that athletes who are quad dominant are at much higher risk for an ACL rupture. This leads us to training the hamstrings to unload the ACL and protect it from […]
Glute-Hamstring Interaction
The Glutes are likely the most explosive muscle in the lower body. Unfortunately, they are also the one of the most underused. An inactive and underused Gluteus Maximus muscle means that an athlete is unable to push their hip into full extension. Lack of hip extension means poor speed during sprinting movements and/or hamstring injury. […]
Gluteus Medius-Hip Adductor Interaction
Have you ever been on a teeter totter? When one person is larger than the other, it just doesn’t work very well. One side is always sinking to the ground, while the other person is left hanging. It isn’t nearly as fun as being able to balance each other out and sooner or later, one […]
Functional Anatomy
Understanding anatomy is the first step in understanding function. Why is it so important? The human body is this incredible machine that relies on muscles to perform everything from moving joints to breathing to seeing. Moving joints is how the body moves from point A to point B. The nervous system within our body relies […]
Evaluating Thoracic Spine Mobility
Once we understand the importance of the Thoracic Spine on our athlete’s health, biomechanics, and performance, we have to understand how to evaluate it and then finally, treat it. There are a variety of ways that you can go about evaluating the Thoracic Spine. At MTS, we try hard to keep it simple and straight […]
Functional Leg Length Inequality
Functional Leg Length Inequality (LLI) is very common among athletes. Simply put, it is when one leg is longer than the other due to any number of reasons. The one reason that isn’t included in this category is an Anatomical Leg Length Inequality. Anatomical Leg Length Inequality is when one leg is actually longer than […]
Dorsiflexion Solutions
Ankle Dorsiflexion: There are a number of techniques which can be used effectively to improve an athlete’s dorsiflexion. It can be as simple as stretching the calves or it may be more complicated and require very involved hands-on manual therapy techniques. Are They Restricted? The first and most important step for treating a dorsiflexion restriction […]
EXSpeed Certification Course
Check out these pictures of a recent certification course:
Core-Hip Flexor Interaction
The “core” has become one of the hottest topics in the fitness and sports medicine world over the past decade. It is often an overused term that actually causes more confusion than clarity in a lot of situations. The term is usually intended to describe the area in the center of the body which encompasses […]
Solve Lateral Knee Pain
Lateral Knee Pain: So, we’ve covered the typical treatments that don’t work. We’ve also reviewed the anatomy of the Proximal Tibiofibular joint. We have also discussed the primary function of the Proximal Tibiofibular joint. In addition to that, we have gone over the cause of the problem. Now is the time for the best part: […]
Cause of Lateral Knee Pain
Lateral Knee Pain: So, we’ve covered the typical treatments that don’t work. We’ve also reviewed the anatomy of the Proximal Tibiofibular joint. We have also discussed the primary function of the Proximal Tibiofibular joint. So now we are getting to the real meat and potatoes of the issue. What is the real cause? I’m sure […]
Barefoot Training
Ankle Dorsiflexion: It doesn’t take much searching the internet to figure out that barefoot training is one of the hottest topics in fitness and sports performance. The theory that most people are working under is that by training barefoot, you strengthen the muscles of the foot by not allowing the athlete to rely on shoes […]
Anterior Rotation
An anterior rotation of half of the pelvis is an extremely common injury for athletes. It involves half of the pelvis (usually the right side) rotating forward relative to the opposing side. This has a ripple effect on the rest of the lower body. It can change leg length, place a stretch on specific muscles, […]
Ankle Dorsiflexion-Glute Interaction
It has been said that there is a “Direct Correlation Between the Athlete’s Ability to Fire their Glutes and Dorsiflex their Ankle.” The science hasn’t completely caught up with the neurological firing sequences that take place, but the clinical and biomechanical components are undeniable. To first review what we’re talking about, ankle dorsiflexion is an […]
Anatomical Leg Length Inequality
Anatomical Leg Length Inequality is more common than you think, and plays a large role in the function of the entire body. It can be defined as “A structural difference in limb length in either the left or right legs.” Meaning that there is an actual difference in length of the bones or structure of […]
Shipping Policy
We ship most items via UPS, Fed Ex, or USPS. Rates are based on their current charges based on package weight, size, and distance shipped. Larger items will be shipped via freight carrier. Freight charges will be quoted on a case-by-case basis. Under normal circumstances, most orders ship out within 24-72 hours. However, due to large order […]
Specific Injuries
We all know that injuries can be physically and mentally draining for an athlete. Here is a list of some of the most common injuries in sports. Click on what ails you to learn more and get back to what you love…SPORTS! Common Injuries – A basic explanation of general sports injuries ranging from muscle […]
Increasing Stride Length
Increasing stride length is achieved by increasing speed strength, which is defined as “the ability to exert maximal force during high-speed movement” (Essentials of S & C p. 315). Simply put, to increase stride length, one must increase power output of the lower body. “It’s About Power” This can be accomplished using a variety of […]
Preventing Hamstring Injuries
Mitch Hauschildt, MA, ATC, CSCS Hamstring injuries have long been feared by athletes and coaches alike. The sight of an athlete dropping to the ground as if hit by a sniper bullet is disturbing to anyone who witnesses it. Months of speed training and conditioning can be quickly negated with one hard sprint. To make […]
Medical Approach Part II
To view this article in PDF Format, Click here A Medical Approach to Sports Performance Enhancement Part II: The Program Mitch Hauschildt, MA, ATC, CSCS Maximum Training Solutions, LLC Springfield, Missouri Part I of the 2 part series on a “Medical Approach to Sports Performance Enhancement” focused on the thorough evaluation process of an athlete. […]
Medical Approach Part I
To view this article in PDF Format, Click here A Medical Approach to Sports Performance Enhancement Part I: The Evaluation Mitch Hauschildt, MA, ATC, CSCS Maximum Training Solutions, LLC Springfield, Missouri In recent years, much has been made of special programs to reduce injury rates for soccer athletes, with good reason. Injuries such as […]
Landing Mechanics What, Why, and When
Mitch Hauschildt, MA, ATC, CSCS For the published version of this article in PDF format, click here Over the years, athletes have learned to jump higher with the help of plyometrics and strength training for the lower body. However, we have fallen behind in teaching the landing portion of the jumping movement. Of course, working […]
Increasing Stride Frequency
Increasing stride frequency is performed by moving the ground leg through the same range of motion faster than normal (coaches roundtable). This is the basis of overspeed training. Overspeed training can be performed in a variety of manners including assisted running on a treadmill, downhill running, or towing (Essentials of S & C p. 403-415). […]