Dry Needling for Sports Performance

With IronMan Wisconsin on the horizon (September 14, 2021), you, like I have probably noticed the influx of runners and cyclists on the bike paths all over Madison. An article on active.com reports an average requirement of 13 hours of training PER WEEK to prepare for a full length IronMan. That’s 2.4 miles of swimming in Lake Monona, a 112 …

But why are my muscles still so tight?

This might be you, be it your low back, hamstrings, upper traps… You name it, you stretch all the time, but you’re still feeling tight. So what gives? And is stretching really all it’s cracked up to be? First of all, a true lack of range of motion that causes dysfunction is a good reason to stretch. Maybe your lats …

Stretching: Clear as mud.

Stretching is a complicated topic. And like many things, what we know about stretching has changed (and will continue to do so) with time. There is a ton of research that’s been done, and often the result will leave readers with more questions than answers. Should I stretch? When should I stretch? Does stretching make me prone to injury or …

May is a time for growth

Spring is in the air. I’ve mowed my yard a few times already, planted (and maybe accidentally killed off) some seedlings, and enjoyed watching the trees get greener by the minute. With all this, I want to share with you a little more about my own personal growth as a physical therapist. I always knew I wanted to help other …

Common Swimming Injuries and How to Avoid Them

The sun is shining, it’s getting warmer outside and people are starting to emerge from hibernation. While it’s still a little too cold in the midwest, we’re starting to think about opening up our pools and returning to lakes and beaches for the spring and summer months. Now is the perfect time to focus on perfecting your swimming technique as …

[The Return to] Spring Running and the Ankle

Here in the Midwest (Wisconsin), the temperatures are finally creeping above zero. And as the sun comes out and consecutive days above freezing get strung together, people emerge, blinking, from their hibernation caves, breathing the fresh air. After months of (at worst) lying dormant under layers of blankets, or (at best) logging stuffy miles on the treadmill inside.* *Side note: …

4 Exercises to Prevent Shoulder Pain

Whether you’re an athlete or not, shoulder pain is a common occurrence, and it can take a long time to rehab from. Shoulder pain can interrupt the obvious sports participation, but also sleep, getting dressed, driving comfortably and reaching up in your cupboards. We ask a lot of our shoulders – we need full range of motion in all directions, …

4 things that you can start doing today to improve your flutter kick

Flutter kick is the motor that drives a swimmer’s freestyle, but outside of moving the legs up and down, swimmers and (sadly) coaches often ignore the leg component of the stroke. A little attention to detail and some specific mobility and strengthening work will make you a better swimmer over all. If you feel like you have pain or difficulty …

What can you expect from physical therapy (at Streamline PT)?

By definition, ‘Physical therapy is a non-invasive discipline that helps individuals develop, maintain and restore maximal body movement and physical function. Physical therapy can help clients recover from an injury, relieve pain, prevent future injury or deal with a chronic issue.’ What does this mean for you? Being able to continue to do what you love: swim, run, hike, lift …

What is Functional Dry Needling? What it does and how it can help you.

You’ve probably heard of it by now, this magical treatment that uses needles (eek!) to do… What? According to EvidenceInMotion (formerly KinetaCore, with whom I trained) Functional Dry Needling, or FDN, is the ‘insertion of fine filament needles into neuromuscular junctions or motor points, stimulating the muscle and bringing unbelievable pain relief and significantly improved function to athletes and patients …