Dr. Mark Jason S. Mendoza - Sports Medicine

04/08/2025

⚠️ Struggling to manage patients with low back pain? 🙋‍♀️ 🙋‍♂️

📣 Introducing the BacKS: a survey to measure your patients’ knowledge and beliefs about low back pain 📄

A valid and reliable questionnaire that will aid targeted pain education and low back pain management based on current guidelines ✅

NEW 👉 https://bit.ly/3DHSNS6

02/08/2025

"The good news is you can turn any walk into a full-body tune-up by becoming more intentional about your movement, breathing and alignment."

You can turn any walk into a full-body tune-up by becoming more intentional about your movement, breathing and alignment. Here’s how to make every step count.

02/08/2025

Today, I had the privilege of working with the athletes of Cadiz City. Our session went beyond sport‑specific skills — we focused on building proper movement patterns, form and actions, the foundation that allows them to unlock their full athletic potential.

Reminded them that success in sports is never a quick fix; it’s going to be a journey of consistent effort, discipline, and passion. This is just the beginning of a process that, with time and commitment, will not only make them better athletes but also stronger, healthier, and more resilient individuals.

I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Coach Pio Manlangit of the Dreamers Sports Academy for trusting me with the opportunity to work with his athletes. His dedication to nurturing young talents and his belief in the importance of proper training and sports medicine is truly inspiring. It is through partnerships like this — where coaches, athletes, and sports medicine professionals work hand in hand — that we can build a stronger foundation for athletic development in our community.

We are always open to working with individuals and organizations who share the same belief that proper training, guided by sports medicine, is key to unlocking an athlete’s true potential.

01/08/2025

📣 NEW Consensus 📄

International Olympic Committee consensus-driven guidelines for athlete mental health support at sporting events 🧠 🏃‍♀️

See below the Emergency Action Plan to support the recognition, management and disposition of an athlete presenting with signs and symptoms of mental distress ✅

Full article ➡️ https://bit.ly/4f90Khu

©️ British Journal of Sports Medicine

31/07/2025

🏆 The Win That Lasts

Winning is sweet — but it’s temporary. The scoreboard clears, the medals fade, and the crowd moves on.

What lasts is who you became in the process.
Did you play for yourself, or for everyone who stood beside you?
Were you willing to sacrifice comfort, ego, and even personal glory so the whole team — the whole community — could share in the victory?

True greatness isn’t about holding the trophy.
It’s about lifting everyone with you.

Because when the game ends, the legacy you leave is the real championship.

30/07/2025

Tight Hamstrings? Achy Back? 🤕
The problem might actually be… under your foot. 👣

Grab a tennis ball 🎾 and roll it under your arch for 1–2 minutes.
You’ll be stimulating your plantar fascia — a thick band of tissue that’s connected to your hamstrings and lower back.

This simple myofascial release trick:
✅ Loosens tight tissues from the ground up
✅ Improves posture
✅ Relieves tension you didn’t know was connected

Perfect if you sit or stand all day.
Small move. Big results. 🙌

27/07/2025

I came across this metaphor and it really struck a chord:

Two meals…
One burnt after an hour at 900°F.
The other — tender, flavorful, perfect — after three hours at 300°F.
Same ingredients.
Different results.

It reminded me of something we often forget — especially in sports, medicine, and life:

THE BEST THINGS TAKE TIME.

In our pursuit of strength, recovery, success, or mastery, it's easy to feel frustrated when progress feels slow.
But not everything great comes in a rush.
Some of the most powerful growth happens in silence, in struggle, and in stillness.

Healing isn’t always quick — but it’s deeper when it’s deliberate.

Progress isn’t always loud — but it’s lasting when it’s steady.

Development isn’t always obvious — but it’s transformative when it’s consistent.

So if your journey feels like it’s moving in inches instead of miles…
If you're rebuilding, relearning, or restarting…

Don’t lose hope.
You’re not behind.
You’re just slow-cooking something exceptional.

Trust the process.
Stay patient.
You’re becoming.

📸 CTTO

18/07/2025

Today, I had the privilege of talking with Dr. Josefina Isidro-Lapeña, the current National President of the Philippine Academy of Family Physicians (PAFP) to discuss a vision close to my heart — the possible affiliation of Sports Medicine under PAFP, and the dream of building a dedicated training program in the future.

No promises were made, but a path has been opened — and sometimes, that's all you need to begin. The journey ahead will be long and challenging, but every great endeavor starts with a conversation, a question, a vision.

This is just the beginning. And beginnings, no matter how small, carry the power to reshape the future.

Let’s keep pushing boundaries. Let’s build what doesn’t exist yet.

29/06/2025

The inaugural FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup is set to take place in the Philippines from November 21 to December 7!

Pasig City and Victorias City, Negros Occidental have been selected as the host cities for this groundbreaking event.

Sixteen nations will compete for the title, including our very own Philippines!
Joining the lineup are:
Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Iran, Italy, Japan, Morocco, New Zealand, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Tanzania, and Thailand.

📸 CTTO

28/06/2025

REMEMBERING ASHLYN ABONG: A REFLECTION ON ATHLETE CARE AND WELLNESS

The basketball community is in mourning over the sudden passing of Ashlyn Abong, a basketball standout and a member of the national youth team. At just 18 years old, Ashlyn had already become a rising force in girls’ basketball, known for her athleticism, rebounding prowess, and quiet leadership on the court.

Her death leaves behind more than grief—it leaves behind an urgent call to reflect on the systems that care for our athletes. In particular, it underscores the vital role of sports medicine in the lives of student-athletes.

EVEN TOP ATHLETES NEED PROTECTION

Ashlyn was part of one of the most elite programs in the country, a school that not only dominates girls’ basketball, but also boasts an experienced and highly capable medical and performance team. These are professionals trained to monitor athlete health, manage injuries, and support performance and recovery.

And yet, even with these safeguards in place, tragedy still struck. This reinforces an essential truth: sports medicine is not just about treating injuries—it’s about prevention, early detection, and comprehensive care that addresses all aspects of an athlete’s health, including unseen risks.

BUILDING SYSTEMS THAT PROTECT, NOT JUST PERFORM

Ashlyn's death is a heartbreaking reminder that youth, fitness, and elite performance do not guarantee immunity from health emergencies. Even with top-tier medical support, athletes remain vulnerable if risks go undetected—or if systems don’t go deep enough.

This is why we must push for stronger, more inclusive sports medicine systems across all levels of play:

1. Pre-participation screening (especially cardiac, respiratory, and metabolic).

2. Mental health support for athletes under high pressure.

3. Injury prevention protocols tailored for youth athletes.

4. Emergency action plans for sudden medical incidents.

5. Education for coaches, athletes, and parents on red flags and first response.

HONORING ASHLYN WITH ACTION

Ashlyn inspired a generation of young athletes. Let her legacy go beyond her highlight reels. Let it push us toward building a culture of care around athletes—one where every young person chasing a dream is surrounded not just by coaches and teammates, but also by a medical system designed to protect that dream.

To truly honor Ashlyn, let’s advocate for:

1. School-based sports medicine teams across all divisions.

2. Integrated health monitoring systems in elite youth sports programs.

3. Support for mental and emotional wellness, especially in high-stress environments.

4. Greater public awareness about the role of sports medicine in preventing tragic outcomes.

FROM TRIBUTE TO COMMITMENT

Ashlyn Abong’s passing is a tragic loss. But her story also serves as a powerful wake-up call—not just to celebrate our athletes when they win, but to care for them while they grow. She was surrounded by experts, supported by one of the best teams in the country, and yet the unexpected still happened.

Let us build a future where no young athlete’s life or potential is lost to what could be detected, prevented, or treated.

Because sports medicine isn’t optional—it’s essential.

📸©️ SEAG Network page

24/06/2025

🏅📘 Sports & Academics: Proven Synergy

Recent researchs from reputable journals shows a clear academic edge for active students:

1. Elwenspoek et al. (2024) conducted a meta-analysis in Health Technology Assessment showing that moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) boosts academic performance in children and teens, especially in math (SMD = 0.24), with optimal effects from 30–60 min sessions twice per week.

2. Beaudoin et al. (2023) in Sports Medicine reviewed resistance training's impact on school-aged youth and found a small but meaningful improvement (SMD = 0.19) in cognition, grades, and classroom behavior.

3. Wang et al. (2023) in JAMA Pediatrics executed a 1-year RCT in China showing that just 2 hours/day of after-school physical activity didn’t hinder academics—and likely reduced screen time and improved fitness.

Studies prove what student-athletes—and educators—feel every day: staying active isn’t just good for the body—it’s fuel for the brain. It affirms that smart sports programs don’t distract students—they expand brains, sharpen focus, and elevate performance.

So let’s break the myth: Sports don’t distract from academics—they support it. 👌

Train the body. Sharpen the mind. Aim for excellence in both.

06/04/2025

Wrapping up an Incredible Journey at the IOC Diploma in Sports Medicine Residential Workshop at Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea! 🇰🇷

What a phenomenal experience this has been! The last day of the workshop was an absolute highlight, with a deep dive into Ultrasound Evaluation of the Musculoskeletal System—one of the most cutting-edge tools in sports medicine today. We spent hours mastering how to accurately assess injuries and conditions in athletes, which will undoubtedly make a huge difference in how we diagnose and treat musculoskeletal issues moving forward.

The experience was capped off with an inspiring certificate-awarding ceremony, where we celebrated all our hard work and achievements over the course of the workshop. It felt amazing to be part of such an accomplished group of individuals who are committed to advancing sports medicine.

Of course, no memorable experience is complete without capturing the moments, so we snapped some photos to remember the amazing friendships and memories we've made along the way.

A huge thank you to the organizers, instructors, and fellow participants for making this workshop so enriching and memorable. I’m excited to take all that I’ve learned back with me and continue this incredible journey in sports medicine. The road ahead is even more exciting, and I can’t wait to see where it leads!

Here’s to learning, growing, and making a real impact in the world of sports medicine!