063: Most Common Baseball & Softball Injuries Beyond the Arm: Low Back Pain, Pars Defects, and Core Training

064: What Words to Use When Coaching

In this episode of the Athletic Potential Podcast, we break down the coaching cues that actually help athletes perform better in sport. From youth athletes learning movement patterns to advanced athletes trying to maximize performance, we discuss how the right cue at the right time can improve coordination, power, confidence, and overall athletic development. We dive into the research behind external vs. internal cues, motor learning principles, communication strategies, and practical coaching methods that can immediately transfer to the field, court, or weight room. We also share real-world best practices we use every day with athletes at Athletic Potential [https://athletic-potential.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com] to help them move better, compete harder, and stay healthy. Want to WATCH [https://youtu.be/52DJ4_28l2g] this episode? Click HERE [https://youtu.be/52DJ4_28l2g]! Have a question for the podcast? Go HERE [https://www.athletic-potential.com/podcast/] to get it answered!!!

063: Most Common Baseball & Softball Injuries Beyond the Arm: Low Back Pain, Pars Defects, and Core Training

In this Athletic Potential Podcast episode, a physical therapist answers a listener’s question about the most common baseball and softball injuries outside the shoulder and elbow, explaining that low back pain is a major issue (with hamstrings also common in baseball) and highlighting adolescent pars stress fractures caused by repetitive high-speed lumbar extension and rotation. The episode reviews basic lumbar motion limits to show why the low back is poorly suited for rotation, describes typical symptom progression, notes that imaging can help determine status, and outlines common management including activity restriction for roughly 2–5 months, with many returning to play (about 80%) though overall return may take 6–8 months. Prevention focuses on adequate seasonal downtime, a gradual ramp-up of volume and intensity, improved mechanics, and core control using planks, side planks, and bird dogs/dead bugs rather than crunches or sit-ups. 00:00 Welcome and Setup 01:17 Listener Question 01:53 Common Non Arm Injuries 02:38 Why Throwers Get Back Pain 03:33 Pars Defects Explained 07:49 Diagnosis Imaging and Timeline 11:18 Prevention Through Ramp Up 14:56 Skip Crunches Build Core 16:21 Plank Bird Dog Routine 21:17 Wrap Up and Next Steps Want to WATCH [https://youtu.be/S8Xq3P7_pPQ] this episode? Click HERE [https://youtu.be/S8Xq3P7_pPQ]! Have a question for the podcast? Go HERE [https://www.athletic-potential.com/podcast/] to get it answered!!!

062: Athlete Recovery After Pitching & How to Handle a Shoulder Injury

This Athletic Potential Podcast episode answers two questions about recovery and injury. For a softball pitcher who isn’t recovering well, the host recommends prioritizing hydration and real food within 30–45 minutes post-outing, then maximizing sleep, using light movement like walking to promote blood flow, limiting passive sitting, avoiding post-game ice because it decreases blood flow, and being cautious with hot tubs due to dehydration risk (10 minutes max if used, then rehydrate). He suggests non-fatiguing electrical muscle stimulation for 45 minutes to two hours (e.g., Marc Pro or Compex recovery settings) to aid recovery, especially when time is short. For handling a shoulder injury, he emphasizes understanding how it happened and what structures are involved, maximizing blood flow (movement, heat if aching, e-stim), avoiding anti-inflammatories and RICE, keeping pain at 3/10 or less, then gradually reloading and field-testing until fully returned. Marc Pro Promo Code: POTENTIAL 00:00 Healing And Recovery Intro 01:00 Listener Question Setup 02:43 Pitching Recovery Context 03:57 Hydration And Food First 05:52 Sleep And Phone Habits 06:54 Blood Flow Recovery Basics 08:42 Walks Hot Tubs And Rest 11:06 Why Ice Slows Healing 12:29 RICE Protocol Critique 14:47 Recovery Tech And E Stim 17:18 Compex Vs Mark Pro 18:26 Mark Pro vs Budget Units 18:58 Affiliate Code and Savings 19:52 Tournament Recovery Checklist 22:21 Switching to Injury Q&A 22:50 Injury Basics Blood Flow 23:59 Pain Rules and Movement 26:03 Inflammation Not Ibuprofen 27:38 Loading and Wolff Law 29:44 Progression and Field Tests 34:16 No RICE for Shoulders 35:46 Wrap Up and Submit Questions Want to WATCH [https://youtu.be/EIGq8cK0bcc] this episode? Click HERE [https://youtu.be/EIGq8cK0bcc]!!! Have a question for the podcast? Go HERE [https://www.athletic-potential.com/podcast/] to get it answered!!!

061: Knee Pain and How We Get Rid of It!

In this episode, we’re talking about one of the most common complaints we see in athletes of all ages — knee pain. Whether it’s a baseball player dealing with pain during squats, a soccer player struggling after a hard season, or a young athlete trying to push through discomfort during growth spurts, knee pain can quickly limit performance and confidence. At Athletic Potential, we don’t just treat the knee. We look at the entire system. Using a joint-by-joint approach, strength testing, movement analysis, and sport-specific loading, we work to understand why the knee is hurting in the first place. Often the issue isn’t the knee itself, but problems with the hip, ankle, strength, or how an athlete is managing workload. In this episode, we’ll talk about the most common causes of knee pain in athletes, how we evaluate it, and the strategies we use to help athletes get back to training and competition stronger than before. Let’s get into Episode 61 of the Athletic Potential Podcast. Want to WATCH [https://youtu.be/H7Rn8stziV4] this episode. Click HERE [https://youtu.be/H7Rn8stziV4]! Have a question for the podcast? Go HERE [https://www.athletic-potential.com/podcast/] to get it answered!!!

060: Youth Sports Training- What the Research Actually Says!

In this episode of the Athletic Potential Podcast, Dr. Mike Mathews breaks down what the research actually says about youth strength training, sport specialization, injury risk, and long-term athletic development. If you’re a parent, coach, or athlete who wants to build performance without increasing injury risk, this episode gives you clear, evidence-based guidelines you can apply immediately. Want to WATCH this episode? Click HERE [https://youtu.be/8zg-u72ajjY]! Have a question for the podcast? Go HERE [https://www.athletic-potential.com/podcast/] to get it answered!!!