Starting Block Physical Therapy

Starting Block Physical Therapy Sports, Orthopedic, & Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy for Kids
Empowering kids to be strong & confident

Starting Block Physical Therapy is a physical therapy practice in Bend, Oregon specializing in both pediatric sports & orthopedic physical therapy and pelvic floor physical therapy. Our goal is to help young athletes and women achieve their goals so they can participate in the activities they love. We offer pediatric sports & orthopedic physical therapy, pelvic floor physical therapy, return to sport assessments, and injury & movement screens.

What is Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport, or RED-S?Simply put, it occurs when athletes don't get enough fuel through ...
07/29/2024

What is Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport, or RED-S?

Simply put, it occurs when athletes don't get enough fuel through food to support their energy needs. Their intake does not equal how much energy they are expending, and many times this is not intentional.

This may sound similar to the Female Athlete Triad, and it is. However, this newer terminology is broader and more comprehensive to include a wider range of body systems and include athletes of all ages and abilities (not just females).

Signs of RED-S include:
-increased frequency of injury (especially bone stress injuries)
-decreased muscle strength
-decreased endurance
-impaired judgement, decreased concentration, or irritability
-decreased coordination
-depression
-missed periods or a change in periods for female athletes (can also look like a young female athlete not beginning her menstrual cycle)

Why should you care? Because RED-S can not only impact a young athlete's performance in the short-term, but also impact their overall and long-term health into adulthood.

If you suspect your athlete is experiencing RED-S, reach out to your primary care physician/pediatrician or a sports medicine physician who has experience working with RED-S.

RED-S often requires a multi-disciplinary treatment team, and a sports physical therapist may be an important member of that team especially if your athlete has been dealing with repeat injuries or pain.

Don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or need help connecting with professionals experienced in working with RED-S.

Disclaimer: The information provided is for educational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical care. Please seek the care of a qualified medical professional if you are concerned.

SEVER'S DISEASE (or Calcaneal Apophysitis) Read on to learn more about this common cause of heel pain in kids.Physical t...
07/29/2024

SEVER'S DISEASE (or Calcaneal Apophysitis)

Read on to learn more about this common cause of heel pain in kids.

Physical therapy can be a great resource to help decrease pain and help kids return to their activities. Physical therapy may help by:
-improving flexibility and strength of the lower extremity, especially the calf muscles
-improving balance
-addressing any changes in squatting, jumping, or running form
-education of proper warm-up and prevention exercises
-education and instruction on other pain-relieving methods

OSGOOD-SCHLATTER DISEASESwipe to learn more about what this common growth plate injury at the knee is and how physical t...
07/29/2024

OSGOOD-SCHLATTER DISEASE

Swipe to learn more about what this common growth plate injury at the knee is and how physical therapy can help.

Disclaimer: this post is provided for educational purposes and does not substitute for professional medical care and advice.

Little League Shoulder (or Proximal Humeral Epiphysitis)Swipe through to learn more about this growth plate injury at th...
07/29/2024

Little League Shoulder (or Proximal Humeral Epiphysitis)

Swipe through to learn more about this growth plate injury at the shoulder.

While it is common in pitchers and baseball players, it can also occur in other overhead athletes.

Rest is often recommended initially, but physical therapy can help by:
-Restoring and/or improving strength, range of motion, flexibility, and balance
-Providing guidance on return to throwing
-Helping preventing re-injury or future pain while keeping you healthy while playing

Share with someone you know who has a young athlete who is dealing with shoulder pain.

*Disclaimer: this post is provided for educational purposes and does not substitute for professional medical care

8 Ways You Can Help Prevent Injury1. Proper warm-up2. Focus on technique3. Cross-train4. Eat a well balanced diet5. Stay...
07/29/2024

8 Ways You Can Help Prevent Injury

1. Proper warm-up
2. Focus on technique
3. Cross-train
4. Eat a well balanced diet
5. Stay hydrated
6. Get enough rest
7. Ensure equipment fits properly
8. Seek help early if you experience pain or injury

We know specializing in a single sport at a young age can increase risk of injury, but did you also know that NOT partic...
07/29/2024

We know specializing in a single sport at a young age can increase risk of injury, but did you also know that NOT participating in any activity or very little activity can also increase injury risk in kids?

It is important that we promote a well balanced and varied approach to physical activity in kids to keep them healthy and promote movement for life!

While growth spurts are normal and expected throughout childhood and adolescence, they also may put kids at increased ri...
07/29/2024

While growth spurts are normal and expected throughout childhood and adolescence, they also may put kids at increased risk of injury (especially during times of rapid growth).

If your child is experiencing an injury or pain related to growing, physical therapy can help!

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It's officially spring and that means it's baseball season!Little League Elbow (or medial epicondyle apophysitis) is a c...
04/09/2024

It's officially spring and that means it's baseball season!

Little League Elbow (or medial epicondyle apophysitis) is a common injury in young baseball players, especially those who do a lot of throwing like pitchers. However, it is not exclusive to baseball pitchers and can occur in any overhead athlete or young athlete participating in repetitive throwing motions.

Little league elbow is an overuse injury to the growth plate at the inside of the elbow and can occur at any time during pre-adolescence or adolescence when the growth plate is open (typically between the ages of 8-15 years of age). During this time, the growth plate is the weakest link among the other structures such as bone, ligaments, and tendons so is often what is injured in this population.

Most of the time a period of rest is recommended to decrease swelling and pain, but physical therapy can help speed up a player's return to throwing and provide essential education and guidance on things like return to throwing and proper warm-up. Additionally, PT can help restore and improve the following to help a player return to playing pain-free and minimize the risk of re-injury:

-Elbow mobility and strength
-Range of motion, flexibility, and strength of other key areas of the body that help with throwing (shoulder, back, core, hips, and legs)
-Single leg balance needed for efficient throwing mechanics
-Throwing mechanics in collaboration with coaches

If you found this post helpful, please like, comment, share, and save!

*Disclaimer: this post is provided for educational purposes and does not substitute for professional medical care.

Attention all parents of dancers and young athletes! Check out this new FREE resource to help you determine whether you ...
04/04/2024

Attention all parents of dancers and young athletes!

Check out this new FREE resource to help you determine whether you need to be concerned about any discomfort your child may be experiencing.

You can download the Pain vs Soreness Self-Checklist Tool for free at: https://www.startingblockpt.com/resources

My goal is to keep your child dancing and participating in their sport pain-free and injury-free. My hope is that this resource will help you both better decide when they can push through any discomfort or when they need to seek help from a medical professional.

Please feel free to share with any friends and teammates!

Here's to staying strong, healthy, and injury-free!

How does fatigue or overuse contribute to pain?This doesn't happen overnight, but can happen slowly over time without ad...
04/03/2024

How does fatigue or overuse contribute to pain?

This doesn't happen overnight, but can happen slowly over time without adequate recovery.

What happens?

Often overuse or fatigue can contribute to altered technique or mechanics (either within a training session or over a season). With the repetition required in many activities, this change in technique can lead to a change in load to (or the force exerted onto) certain areas of the body. In kids, this is often the growth plates but pain can also occur anywhere in the body.

If we can break this process early on, the pain or injury experienced is often minimal (or never occurs)!

Listening to your body and seeking advice EARLY and when soreness or pain first occurs often leads to decreased time off or less modifications. Rarely does pushing through the pain lead to anything position in the long run.

If your child is experiencing consistent soreness or pain with activity, we can help and would be honored to get them back participating pain-free.

Contact us to learn more!

🔔 New Blog Post! This time geared for physical therapists! Featuring some of my thoughts on utilizing outcome measures a...
03/01/2024

🔔 New Blog Post! This time geared for physical therapists!

Featuring some of my thoughts on utilizing outcome measures and includes some information on our new FREE online outcomes calculator, the Odyssey Assessment Calculator.

Check it out at https://www.startingblockpt.com/blog!

I get so many athletes (especially swimmers and dancers) asking how they can tell whether the discomfort they are feelin...
02/01/2024

I get so many athletes (especially swimmers and dancers) asking how they can tell whether the discomfort they are feeling is just "soreness" that is normal or "pain" that requires modification, rest, and/or a consult with a sports medicine provider (side note: physical therapists are great for consulting on this topic and can help point you in the right direction).

-Soreness is often an expected part of training - especially at the start of a season, during intense periods of training, or after a break from training. It's often generalized in location, improves within 24-72 hours, and improves with movement. IT IS GENERALLY OK TO CONTINUE TRAINING THROUGH THIS SORENESS.

-Pain on the other hand should not be expected. It is generally located in a specific area, lasts longer than 24-72 hours, and does not improve with rest. IT IS LIKLEY BEST FOR YOU TO MODIFY YOUR ACTIVITIES OR REST FROM YOUR ACTIVITIES AND SEEK A CONSULTATION WITH A SPORTS MED PROVIDER.

If you have any questions on the discomfort you're experiencing, don't hesitate to reach out.

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Bend, OR

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