Category: Health & Wellness

Recommended Resources

I oftentimes get asked what resources I recommend. The resources listed below have been essential at putting me down the path that I am currently going, and have shaped how I practice today. The cool thing about this list? None of these are set in stone. If I find a better resource, or one of the blogs I recommend starts to resonate with me less, it leaves the list (no pressure). I want to give you guys the most up-to-date resources as humanly possible, so please check back here frequently. If you’d like articles and such that are tripping my trigger as of late, you may want to sign up for my newsletter. You’ll also get some access to almost 3 hours and 40+ pages worth of exclusive content on pain and breathing. [yikes-mailchimp form=”1″ submit=”Oh wow, free stuff? Absolutely!”] Here are my resources: Foundational Sciences Video series Makemegenius – A youtube page dedicated to explaining scientific concepts that a kid could understand. Crashcourse – Another series of short videos explaining complex scientific topics and more in 15 minutes or less. I wish I had this in undergrad. Books Gilroy Atlas of Anatomy – Easily the best paper anatomy atlas you can find in the land. The angles drawn, the clarity of pictures, this atlas has it all. Wait until you see the subocciptals from the side. #mindblown Guyton and Hall Textbook of Medical Physiology – Easily the best and most comprehensive physiology textbook in the land, the depth at

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September in Review

Every week, my newsletter subscribers get links to some of the goodies that I’ve come across on the internets. Here were the goodies that my peeps got their learn on from this past August. If you want to get a copy of my weekend learning goodies every Friday, fill out the form below.  That way you can brag to all your friends about the cool things you’ve learned over the weekend. [yikes-mailchimp form=”1″ submit=”Hell yes I want weekend learning goodies every Friday!”] Biggest Lesson of the Month Much of our successes and failures can be linked back to the habits we have. I noticed many times this past month that ineffective habits I had picked up were hampering my progress and productivity. One simple change (eliminating a to-do list, blocking out time to do things) was a complete game changer for me. If you are doing something you don’t like, how do your habits keep you falling into that trap? Quote of the Month “Quality is not an act. It is a habit.” ~ Aristotle Very much linked to the above lesson. We need quality to become automatic, and who better to illustrate this than an O.G. like Aristotle. Hike of the Month This was a tough decision to make on multiple fronts. This month I hiked four National Parks, saw a National Monument, and did all types of ill stuff. Though Sequoia National Park will forever hold a dear place in my heart, Yosemite was hands down one of

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D League Readiness Measures, Navigating Flare-ups, and Should I get the OCS? – Movement Debrief Episode 16

Just in case you missed last night’s Movement Debrief Episode 16, here is a copy of the video and audio for your listening pleasure. Here’s what we talked about: What readiness and performance measures I used in the NBA D League What I would’ve done differently? How to navigate a pain flare-up What are the pro’s and con’s of becoming a clinical specialist If you want to watch these live, add me on Facebook, Instagram, or Youtube. They air every Wednesday at 8:30pm CST. Enjoy.   Here were some of the links I mentioned in this Debrief. How to Design a Comprehensive Rehab Program How to Treat Pain with Sitting – A Case Study Services sign-up Here’s a signup for my newsletter to get a free acute:chronic workload calculator, basketball conditioning program, podcasts, and weekend learning goodies: [yikes-mailchimp form=”1″ submit=”Get learning goodies and more”] D League Readiness Measures Navigating Flare-ups Should I get the OCS?  

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July 2017 in Review

Every week, my newsletter subscribers get links to some of the goodies that I’ve come across on the internets. Here were the goodies that my peeps got their learn on from this past July. If you want to get a copy of my weekend learning goodies every Friday, fill out the form below.  That way you can brag to all your friends about the cool things you’ve learned over the weekend. [yikes-mailchimp form=”1″ submit=”Hell yes I want weekend learning goodies every Friday!”] Biggest Lesson of the Month Maximize proximal before spending time distal. I’ve just seen too many patients where we applied some type of axial intervention, which led to profound changes distally. Position governs all. Thank you for making me realize this daddy-o. Quote of the Month Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly. ~Robert Kennedy Rehabilitation Blog: What is the Best Test to Discern an ACL Tear? My boy Scott Gray put together a rock solid post on diagnosing an ACL tear. I’ve been very big as of late on filling the differential diagnosis hole in my game, and this one was beyond helpful. I wish I had heard of the lever test last year when I had a guy pop his ACL in-game. Blog: The Quadruped Rockback Test: RIP My buddy Doug Kechijian ever so succinctly puts this dated test to rest. There is so much more that goes into deciding squat depth than can be accurately accounted for with this test. Performance Research: The effects of two

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Stress Response, Proximal First, Sensation Loss, and Your Health – Movement Debrief Episode 12

Let me guess, you are devastated you missed last night’s Movement Debrief. You should be. It was by far the most interactive debrief we had yet. Loved how active everyone was, and definitely some people help me get better. Kudos to Steve, Jo, Yonnie-Pooh, and the many others who commented on today’s Debrief. Here’s what we talked about: How the stress response impacts many areas Treatment hierarchies How to restore sensation loss post-surgery Functional Medicine Why taking care of your health helps others If you want to watch these live, add me on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. (occasionally) They air every Wednesday at 8:30pm CST. Enjoy. Stress Response Proximal First Sensation Loss Your Health

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How Sleep Saved the D-League – Resilient Podcast

Sleep is a big deal. Not only has a lack of sleep been linked to many big bad diseases, it also contributes to poor performance. Behavior change through education and persuasion is hard enough as is. We are all resistant to change, namely because our current habits and routines require Herculean willpower efforts to break. This problem  is especially true in non-conducive environments. It’s hard to eat healthy when your family cooks fried foods and orders pizza for dinner every night. It is these situations where we just have to make the most with what we have, and that’s exactly what I spoke about on one of my best friend’s podcasts, Doug Kechijian. Before we go into the content, let me tell you a bit about Douglas, my younger-older brother. Doug and I first met way back in 2013 at a PRI course in Phoenix.  I was the first person who arrived in town, and it was up to me to take care of the rental car. We had five bros to get to the class, so I needed to find something cozy that could fit everyone and their luggage to and from the class and Phoenix airport. So I’m looking at some midsize SUVs, a couple sedans, trying to find the right car that I could fit everyone in. Then I saw this: Doug and I had never met before, and he was the first person I had to pick up. He asked “what will you be driving?” I

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Sleeping Tips for New Parents & Patients Owning Their Care – Movement Debrief Episode 6

If you missed yesterday’s Movement Debrief live, you missed a doozy.  We discussed the following topics: What strategies new parents can use to maximize the little sleep they get Ways to give patients ownership in their care There are a few products I mentioned or are relevant that you may want to check out: Recommended Relevant Resources Take a Nap, Change Your Life Metashred Diet Found My Fitness Podcast by Rhonda Patrick Tim Ferriss Podcast featuring Rhonda Patrick Meditation Apps Headspace Calm Insight Timer (free) Nootropic Supplements for Alertness Foursigmatic Mushroom Coffee Teacrine – Shoot for 150mg/day Blue Light Blocking Systems blue light blocking glasses f.lux – a blue light blocking app for your computer. Syncs with sunrise and sunset Circadian Rhythm Devices NatureBright Sunlight Plus Light and Ion Therapy Lamp – For use when you live in an area with poor sunlight. Helps stimulate alertness. Also shoots negative ions, which has a bit of research, at least with earthing, to favorably impact heart rate variability. Zero (free) – An app that promotes circadian fasting. Ensures you stop eating before sunset. Sleeping Tips for New Parents Patients Owning Their Care  

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He Sleeps He Scores: Playing Better Basketball by Conquering Sleep Deprivation

A 16 game losing streak. Worst record in the league. 8 rookies. We were in dire straights. Could we fix it in 2 hours?!? The NBA travel schedule is one of the hardest in pro sports. 82 games in a season plus playoffs. Several back-to-back games that require time zone changes, late nights, early mornings, and playing nightly at a high level. And a high level of sleep deprivation. Fortunately, many NBA teams, including the one I worked for, take whatever measures possible to ensure our guys get enough sleep. They modulate flight times, stay in the best hotels, and use their unlimited budgets to improve sleep quality. We call that soft where I come from. My domain—the NBA D-league. Home of the worst schedule in professional sports. I can’t even call it a nightmare because you don’t sleep enough to hit your REM cycle. Let’s take a look at this disastrous schedule.

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Continuing Education: The Complete Guide to Mastery

75 That’s my number. No, not that number.   75 is the number of continuing education classes, conferences, home studies, etc that I’ve completed since physical therapy school. Though the courses are many, it was probably too much in a short period of time. When quantity is pursued, quality suffers. Sadly, I didn’t figure out how to get the most out of each class until the latter end of my career. Two classes in particular stand out: Mobilisation of the Nervous System by the NOI Group, and ART lower extremity. Yes, the content was great, but these classes stood out for a different reason. You see, instead of just doing a little bit of prep work, I kicked it up a notch. I extensively reviewed supportive material, took impeccable notes, and hit all the other essentials needed to effectively learn. I was prepared, and because I was prepared I got so much more out of these classes than my typical fair.  The lessons learned in those courses stick with me to this day. For the stuff you really want to learn, I’ll encourage you to do the same. Here is the way to get the most out of your continuing education. By the time you are done reading this post, you’ll understand why I now recommend a more focused learning approach and fewer courses. Let’s see how to do it.  

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How to Approach Learning

It’s Been Awhile Hasn’t it? I was in a place where I couldn’t get much writing done. I got out of the groove, out of taking one too many con ed courses. It’s times like this where you have to look somewhere for inspiration. For me, I looked toward Arnold Schwarzenegger. I was watching “The Terminator” the other day with my aunt; an incredibly good movie, as all Arnold movie are.   Picture the iconic scene where the T-800 is looking for Sarah Connor in the police station, but the officer refuses to let him in. It is then when he drops that iconic line:

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