SPOONER BLOG
How Athletes Should Fuel Before Practice and Games
By Abe Hurtado, CSCS, USSF D, FRCms, Spooner Performance and Personal Trainer
If your athlete is balancing a packed schedule between sports and school, it can be hard to stay on top of their habits. But how an athlete fuels, hydrates, and rests is going to make or break not only how they feel and perform on the field, but[…]
Female Athletes: 3 Weight Lifting Myths
Should female athletes lift weights? For most athletes, resistance training can be an important part of developing strength, improving athletic performance, and preparing the body for the demands of sport. Yet myths about weightlifting still cause some female athletes—particularly middle school and high school athletes—to avoid strength training or approach it differently than their male counterparts.[…]
World Physical Therapy Day: 5 Real Recovery Stories From Spooner Patients
September 8th is World PT Day, a day dedicated to recognizing the work physical therapists do and the difference physical therapy can make in people’s lives.
When most people think about physical therapy, they think about recovering from surgery or an injury. And while physical therapy plays an important role in both, it can help with much more.
What Can Physical Therapy[…]
How Force Plate Testing Can Change How You Train
By: AJ Leonard, CSCS, Spooner Performance and Personal Trainer, and Derrick DeBenedetto, PT, DPT, CAFS, Clinic Director
You’re stronger. You’re moving better. So why doesn’t it feel that way?
When you first start physical therapy or a new training program, progress can be easy to notice. You move better. You lift more. Things that were difficult start getting easier.
But as[…]
Could Your Performing Arts Athlete’s Pain Actually Be a Pelvic Floor Issue?
By: Sara Gagliano, PT, DPT, CLT-UE, Sydney Stevens, PT, DPT, PRPC, and Rebekah Hibbert, MS, ATC
August is Pelvic Floor Dysfunction (PFD) Awareness Month, but when most people hear pelvic floor they tend to think of pregnancy or postpartum recovery. They don’t necessarily think of a dancer, gymnast, musical theater performer, or other artists.
What people may not know[…]
Postpartum Doesn’t End at Six Months: What Your Body Is Still Telling You a Year (or Two) Later
When people think about postpartum recovery, most of the information and conversations focus on the first six months after delivery. That makes sense. It’s when follow-up appointments are typically scheduled, questions are fresh, and most of the resources you find online or in your provider’s office are focused.
But what happens after six months? I see[…]
What Is Pelvic Floor Therapy, and What Does a Session Actually Look Like?
By Alexis VanFleet, PT, DPT, LAT, ATC
Maybe your doctor handed you a referral note after years of waiting for a way to manage your pain. Maybe a friend told you how pelvic floor therapy changed her pregnancy and her life. Maybe you’re an athlete who couldn’t figure out why you were having pain during practice, or a man who didn’t know pelvic floor therapy is for everyone too. So you start[…]
Why You Should See a Physical Therapist Before Surgery (Yes, Even Before!)
If you have surgery coming up, you’ve probably already thought about pre-op appointments, lab work, arranging help at home, and maybe even a few nervous Google searches at 2 a.m. the night before. But there’s one important step many people overlook, and it can make a significant difference in your recovery: seeing a physical or[…]
Hamstring Strains In Athletes 101
By: Robert Prince, PT, DPT, ATC/L, CSCS
You’re sprinting on your typical route, and everything feels great. Then suddenly, you feel a grab at the back of your thigh that makes you drop mid-stride. What do you do next?
This exact scenario happens often, and hamstring strains are one of the most common injuries I treat as a sports physical therapist.[…]
How Providers Avoid Burnout: A Preview from The Virtual Huddle
By Rebekah Hibbert, Spooner Director of Sports Medicine
The following is an excerpt from a lecture by Rebekah Hibbert, Director of Sports Medicine at Spooner, presented at The Huddle 2026 Online. Access the full session by purchasing The Virtual Huddle on our website to earn 14 CEUs.
What Can Burnout Look Like?
Let me take you back to where I was.[…]
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