By Dr. John R. Mishock, PT, DPT, DC The baseball pitcher is the most vital position in baseball. The success of the baseball pitcher not only requires high-level ability but also requires durability and prevention of injury. Science has also shown that in elite baseball pitchers, 85% of throwing velocity comes from leg drive (push-off […]
By Dr. John R. Mishock, PT, DPT, DC Growth-plate injuries of the shoulder and elbow are common injuries in youth and adolescent baseball players. The growth-plate (epiphyseal plate or physis) is an area of cartilage at the end of a bone that is responsible for the bones growth. The growth plates close at the completion […]
By Dr. John R. Mishock There is a belief that resistance exercises or weightlifting create muscle damage, leading to tightness and limiting function in sports such as baseball, basketball, golf, and others. Does resistance exercise damage muscle? Can the muscle damage be helpful? When exercising, there is micro-damage or small amounts of physiological tissue change […]
By Dr. John R. Mishock, PT, DPT, DC Golf is a popular sport in the US, with over 32 million participants annually (National Golf Foundation, 2020). The most critical determinant of golf performance is the resulting combination of ball accuracy and driving distance. A significant amount of skill and deliberate practice is needed to hit […]
By Dr. John R. Mishock Today’s elite-level basketball player needs high-level athleticism with elite-level skills in shooting, ball handling, and passing. When I was growing up, it was a common belief that lifting weights would make you too bulky and tight, negatively impacting your shooting form and accuracy. Some basketball coaches and trainers still hold […]
By. Dr. John R. Mishock, PT, DPT, DC Each year, two million Americans suffer from whiplash-associated disorders (WAD) secondary to motor vehicle accidents. Studies using high-speed cameras and sophisticated crash dummies have determined that rear-impact car accidents cause the lower cervical vertebrae (lower bones in the neck) to be forced into a position of hyperextension […]
By Dr. John R. Mishock, PT, DPT, DC Overuse injuries in the shoulder and elbow are the most common problems in baseball players. Injuries of the shoulder account for 14-21%, whereas the elbow account for 16%-22% of all baseball-related injuries. (Agresta et al. Orthop. J Sports Med, 2019, Posner et al. Am J Sorts Med, […]
By Dr. John R. Mishock, PT, DPT, DC Resistance training is an essential tool to optimize an individual’s athletic potential. To optimize the effects of resistance training, the manipulation of volume (total amount of reps or sets), load (amount of weight), frequency (training sessions of a body part per week), and intensity (effort per rep) […]
By Dr. John R. Mishock, PT, DPT, DC In sports, most high-level athletes (70-90%) and elite sports coaches (94%) report using motor imagery (mental or kinesthetic imagery) to enhance sports performance. (Ridderinkhof et al. J Physiol, 2015) There have been over 122 studies demonstrating the effectiveness of motor imagery in basketball, baseball, soccer, volleyball, […]
By Dr. John R. Mishock, PT, DPT, DC Coaches, trainers, and athletes are often looking for the “next thing” that will allow them to reach the highest level of sports performance. One training technique to optimize sports performance is motor imagery, also known as mental imagery or visualization. Motor imagery is defined as the mental […]
