The Secret to Rehab No One Talks About
As athletes look to get back on the mountain, ice rinks, or playing field after an injury there has always been a void between “cleared to play” and pre-injury performance. Injuries cost me my competitive edge and are the reason I’m so passionate about helping athletes regain and protect their competitive edge, unique athletic abilities, and professional careers after injury. If you haven’t been feeling the “same”, at your best, or are missing that extra “pop” in your athletic performance, chances are you need to improve your rate of force development. Many athletic rehabilitation programs focus on regaining strength, but rate of force development allows you to express that strength quickly and often without thinking. Here’s how rate of force development helps athletes recover and maintain their competitive edge.
What is rate of force development:
Rate of force development is specialized training for the muscles most important to your athletic performance. Rate of force development looks to make certain muscular responses an automatic default reaction instead of a movement that requires thought. As an athlete, if you have to think about firing a muscle, or you hesitate because you’re not sure if you can trust a muscle, the play before you has come and gone. Rate of force development practices building strength and lightning fast response in the muscles most critical to your athletic performance so you never miss a pass, hit, kick, or jump during play.
Return to sport requires personalization of treatment:
Athletic rehabilitation after an injury is not a one-size fits all approach. The variability that exists between injuries, players, and competitive demands means that each athlete needs a personalized treatment plan. Recovering from an ankle injury is not the same process for a soccer player versus a hockey player. Just as recovering from a hip injury is not the same from one football player to the next. Evaluating the rate of force development with a professional sports oriented chiropractor will help identify specifically what needs to occur for your own athletic recovery.
Developing Reliable Muscle Firing from Chaos:
For the most part, the movements of a specialized athlete can be considered controlled chaos. Muscle movements and reactions are highly variable, spontaneous, and unanticipated movements reflecting the unpredictable nature of the sport. Studies suggest a treatment approach that moves from “high control” to “high chaos” with moderate control and moderate chaos in between. Rate of force development occurs during the control phases to ensure an athlete's muscles are strengthened and prepared to return to sport with as much stamina and ability as possible. Working with a professional high performance chiropractor to develop a specialized training and recovery program will ensure that you return to your sport with all of the same gusto and ability you had pre-injury. Don’t lose your competitive edge or sacrifice your athletic career because of an injury. Make an appointment with Werner Athletics today for a comprehensive evaluation and development of a personalized rehabilitation program including rate of force development.