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Why Lactate Threshold Matters Even More as You Age As athletes get older, one of the biggest challenges isn’t motivation—it’s physiology. Beginning in midlife, several systems that support endurance performance start to decline: • mitochondrial efficiency • insulin sensitivity • muscle oxidative capacity • aerobic fitness But one type of training can help slow many of these changes: improving lactate threshold and lactate clearance . Lactate: A Key Part of Your Body’s Energy

Key Takeaways: 1. Lactate is a valuable energy source and you can train your body to better transport, reuse, and buffer it effectively. 2. A strong aerobic system, lactate tolerance training, active recovery, cool down, proper fuel & hydration, and sleep are all important components to optimize efficient lactate use.

Key Takeaways: 1. Quads are 4 muscles on the front of the thigh that extend the knee and flex the hip. 2. If quads are weak it often leans to anterior knee pain. 3. If quads are over-dominant it places athletes at risk of ACL injuries.

Key Takeaways 1. Triceps extend the elbow, which is essential for throwing, hitting, and pulling (swimming freestyle & butterfly) sports skills. 2. Triceps exercises include close-grip push ups, dips, and theraband triceps press downs.

Key Takeaways 1. Tummy time can be challenging due to limited head and neck control, unfamiliar positioning, reflux or gas, sensory overload, or muscle imbalances (such as with torticollis). 2. Alternatives include chest-to-chest positioning, tummy time on a lap, side-lying play, tummy time with props (towels, nursing pillows), baby wearing, and upright holding/burping positions. 3. Don't forget to start early and often! And don't practice tummy time during sleep and

Key Takeaways: 1. Leg braces, orthoses, can be helpful to assist with mobility, correct a deformity, or prevent pain and injury. 2. Different trims and components are available to tailor braces to the need of the user, best determined with the assistance of a Physical Therapist, Orthotist, and/or Physiatrist. 3. There are many brace-friendly shoe options to make brace wear easier and more convenient.

Key Takeaways: 1. Muscles are made of muscle fibers containing myofibrils. Myofibrils have actin and myosin which contract the muscles. 2. ATP powers the muscles and is only stored in small amounts, which is why rest between sets, plays, or sprints is important. 3. Muscle strength and growth is seen after 4-6 weeks, when increasing intensity is indicated. 4. A muscle strain is when muscle fibers are stretched or torn too much. Strains get better with R.I.C.E.

Key Takeaways Weight lifting helps build bone mass, which is essential for optimizing bone density in youth and maintaining bone density as we age. Women experience a larger drop in bone density due to menopause. Falls and fractures are significant cause of morbidity (disability) and mortality (death) in older age, especially among older women.

Key Takeaways 1. Listen to your body before it forces you to. 2. More isn’t always better — smarter is better. 3. Recovery is training.

Key Takeaways: 1. Aerobic and strength training exercise help boost brain performance. 2. Exercise has both immediate and long term effects on the brain including memory, attention, and "executive function" (including critical thinking).

Key Takeaways 1. Free movement is key for development in the first year, but can be difficult when juggling multiple kids or tasks. 2. Prolonged time in bouncers, swings, or walkers can be harmful for you child's development. 3. Play yards, gated space, large play mats, baby-wearing, and crib play are some alternative options that allow movement.

Key Takeaways: 1. Baseball has high repetition and asymmetrical movement patterns that place young athletes at risk for overuse injuries. 2. When a child throws repeatedly the muscles pull on bones that are still developing, the joints absorb high rotational and valgus forces, and growth plates experience stress they are not designed to handle. 3. Common injuries include: little league elbow, growth plate widening, tendon & ligament strains, labral injuries, loss o

Key Takeaways: 1. Strengthening core muscles improves posture, prevents injury, improves breathing, maintains pelvic floor function (bowel and bladder control), and reduces pain. 2. Core muscles include the transverse abdominis (deep abdominal muscles), diaphragm (breathing muscle), pelvic floor muscles, multifidus & back muscles in addition to the well-known rectus abdominis (6-pack). 3. Core strength exercises include: "bird dog," planks, and diaphragmatic breath

Key Takeaways: 1. The IT band is a thick band of connective tissue that helps stabilize the hip and knee, assists with side-to-side control during running, cutting, and jumping, and works with the glute max and TFL. 2. The IT band cannot be stretched. Pain develops with excessive tension or compression due to muscle imbalances, faulty movement patterns, and restricted flexibility. 3. The cure lies in balancing muscle strength, restoring flexibility, and correcting

Key Takeaways: 1. Maladaptive ("bad") behaviors can interfere with play, limiting development of motor and social skills, communication, and emotional regulation. 2. Maladaptive behaviors occur when a child has limited motor skills, sensory overload, low frustration tolerance, fatigue or hunger, difficulty with transitions, and small communication skills. 3. PT, Speech Therapy, OT, and/or ABA can help. Early intervention is essential!

Key Takeaways 1. Balloons move slowly and stay in the air longer than balls, which allow toddlers more time to motor plan and make them less intimidating when practicing throwing, catching, and hitting skills. 2. Catching, "Keepy Uppy," Hanging Balloon Hit, Balloon Over Tennis Net, and Hitting with Object are great options to work on these skills. 3. Balloons add a fun aspect to sports play!

Key Takeaways 1. The "core" includes deep and surface muscles of the abdomen, back, hips, and pelvis. 2. Core muscles work together to stabilize the spine and pelvis, allowing the arms and legs to move efficiently and safely. 3. Many common sports injuries are linked to poor core stability including low back pain, knee pain, non-traumatic ACL tears, ankle sprains, and shoulder injuries.

Key Takeaways: 1. Plagiocephaly is a flat spot on the head that can occur from positioning in womb or repeated pressure on same spot of the head after birth. 2. Torticollis occurs when a muscle is tight in the neck causing infants to tilt their head to one side and rotate (usually the opposite side). Torticollis can cause plagiocephaly. 3. After birth, torticollis and plagiocephaly can be prevented with tummy time during awake periods, floor time, and frequent pos

Key Takeaways 1. Aerobic exercise improves cardiovascular & respiratory fitness as well as metabolic, immune, cognitive, and mental health. 2. Strength training exercise improves bone & joint health in addition to benefits of aerobic exercise. 3. Aerobic exercise should be done at least 150 minutes per week at moderate intensity. Strength training should be done at least 2 days per week with 8-10 exercises per session.

Key Takeaways 1. DOMS is Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness that occurs 12-48 hours after exercise. 2. DOMS is normal and can last 2-3 days. If it's longer, your workout was probably too intense. 3. You can lessen the feeling of DOMS with warm ups and cool downs, stretching, drinking water, good sleep, and doing light activity (walking, easy biking) between workouts.