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The Basketball Doctors

We are a team of physical therapists who aim to provide evidence-based rehabilitation to optimize mo

09/03/2025

Caffeine can boost your basketball performance — but only if you use it right.
📚 A 2022 systematic review¹ found:
✅ Likely improves vertical jump & some agility/sprint metrics
❌ Little effect on shooting accuracy or dribbling speed
⚠️ Common side effects: insomnia, jitters, GI discomfort — especially with evening use
💡 Pro tips:
Start with 3 mg/kg, ~60 min before practice or games
Trial it in training before competition
Skip for late games to protect recovery
Pair with proper fueling & hydration
Would you try caffeine before your next game? Let us know ⬇️
📚 Reference:
¹ Tan ZS, Sim A, Kawabata M, Burns SF. A systematic review of the effects of caffeine on basketball performance outcomes. Biology. 2022;11(1):17. doi:10.3390/biology11010017

08/29/2025

🔥 Jumper’s Knee (Patellar Tendinopathy) is one of the most common and frustrating injuries in basketball.
👇 Comment “Jumper’s Knee” we’ll DM you an exclusive discount code for our program
🔗 Link in Bio for our Online Jumper’s Knee Rehab Program
📚 A 2021–2022 evidence review¹² shows: ✅ Eccentric & heavy slow resistance training = best treatment ✅ Isometrics = short-term pain relief ❌ Ultrasound, ESWT alone, or prolonged rest = not effective ⚠️ Adjuncts (GTN, PRP, HA injections) may help if rehab stalls ⏳ Surgery offers no clear advantage over sham and requires long recovery
💡 Best Practice: Load it, don’t just rest it. Progress from isometrics → heavy slow resistance → energy-storage drills → sport-specific return.
📚 References: ¹ Challoumas D, et al. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med. 2021;7:e001110. ² Rosen AB, et al. J Athl Train. 2022;57(7):621–631.
Would you try isometric holds or heavy slow squats for jumper’s knee? ⬇️

08/19/2025

⚠️ Jumper’s Knee is one of the most common injuries in basketball — affecting up to 1 in 3 elite players.
📚 Research shows it’s caused by repetitive jump loads, poor landing mechanics, and inadequate recovery. Early warning signs include pain under the kneecap, pain with jumps/stairs, and “warm-up pain” that worsens later.
💡 Catch it early, treat it smart.
👇 Comment “Jumper’s Knee” Below if you need help rehabbing your Jumper’s Knee
🔗 Link in Bio for our Online Jumper’s Knee Rehab Program
📥 Send Us a DM

Stay tuned for Part 2: How to Rehab Jumper’s Knee.

08/14/2025

Your core is more than just abs — it’s your foundation.
Basketball players with stronger, more stable cores jump higher, move quicker, and control their body better under pressure.
📚 Research shows core training improves:
✅ Strength, balance, agility & vertical jump
✅ Shooting, dribbling & rebounding
✅ Injury prevention & power transfer
Best approach? Combine static & dynamic exercises on stable & unstable surfaces — at least 2–3x/week for 4–8 weeks¹.
💡 What’s your favorite core exercise? Drop it below 👇
📚 Reference:
¹ Luo S, et al. PLoS One. 2023;18(6):e0287379. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0287379.

08/05/2025

🚀 Youth players: want to jump higher, sprint faster, and move like a pro?
📚 A 2024 meta-analysis² shows that plyometric training (PT) significantly improves:
✅ Vertical jump (SMD ~0.68)
✅ Sprint speed (SMD ~0.59)
✅ Change of direction (SMD ~0.67)
✅ Balance (SMD ~1.50)
…but not maximal strength — pair plyometric training with resistance training for strength gains.
💡 Best results: Start early (11–14), use mixed drills, keep frequency low & volume high for ≥6 weeks.
📚 Reference:
Zhou J-Y, et al. Meta-analysis of the effect of plyometric training on the athletic performance of youth basketball players. Front Physiol. 2024;15:1427291. doi:10.3389/fphys.2024.1427291
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💬 Comment your favorite plyo drill 👇

07/24/2025

🧠 Mental fatigue: the hidden opponent.
It’s not just your body that gets tired — your brain does too.
Prolonged cognitive load (film, meetings, stress) impairs your shooting, decision-making, and focus.
✅ Research shows MF ↓ free-throw & 3PT accuracy, ↑ turnovers & slows decisions¹.
✅ Use sleep, mindfulness & smart scheduling to recover your mind.
📚 Reference:
Cao S, et al. Front Psychol. 2022;12:819081. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.819081.
💬 How do YOU reset your mind after a tough practice or game? Comment below 👇

07/17/2025

🏀 Is your body ready to perform? Or asking for rest?
Heart Rate Variability (HRV) helps basketball athletes, coaches, and clinicians monitor recovery, stress, and readiness to train or compete. 📈
✅ Higher HRV → more parasympathetic (rest & recover) activity
✅ Lower HRV → more sympathetic (stress & fatigue) activity
📚 Research shows:
Elite players tend to have lnRMSSD ~4.3–4.6 (RMSSD ~50–100ms)¹
Drops >1 standard deviation below baseline for 2+ days signal the need to lower training intensity or focus on recovery²
HRV biofeedback & recovery strategies can improve readiness & reduce anxiety³
Track your trends over time — don’t chase “perfect” numbers. Use HRV alongside sleep, mood, and performance data for smarter decisions.
💡 Save & share this post with a teammate who wants to train smarter, not just harder!
📚 References:
Sánchez RP, et al. Heart rate variability in basketball: the golden nugget of holistic adaptation? Appl Sci. 2024;14(21):10013. doi:10.3390/app142110013
Buchheit M. Monitoring training status with HRV. Sports Med. 2014;44(9):969–988. doi:10.1007/s40279-014-0212-2
Esco MR, Flatt AA. Ultra-short-term HRV and its relation to training load. Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2014;9(6):852–857. doi:10.1123/ijspp.2013-0456

07/04/2025

Basketball Nutrition!
Fueling for basketball should be a top priority along with training!
Basketball is demanding and we need precise nutrition to sustain energy, better recovery and fewer injuries!
We collaborated with on our latest YouTube video talking all things basketball nutrition.
Here we have a summary of key things we talked about in our YouTube video and check it out to learn more.
Big take away is to fuel before and post game with both carbs and protein!
Hydration is key and that means not just drinking water but also electrolytes!

06/19/2025

🏀 RECOVERY = PERFORMANCE 🛌
Basketball players change direction ~997 times per game.
Recovery isn’t a luxury — it’s a necessity. Here’s a breakdown of 11 science-backed recovery strategies to help you stay sharp, avoid burnout, and optimize performance. 🧠💥
From proper sleep and hydration to compression and red light therapy, this post covers it all 🔬.
✅ Save this post 📩 Share with a teammate 💬 Comment your go-to recovery tool!
📚 Reference: Mihajlovic M, et al. Sports. 2023;11(11):230. doi:10.3390/sports11110230

06/12/2025

🧠💥 Training Load vs. Injury Risk in Basketball — What the Research Says
Whether you’re an athlete, coach, or rehab professional, understanding how to balance training and recovery is critical for performance and longevity.
A 2024 systematic review of 14 basketball studies confirmed:
✅ Rapid spikes in training load = higher injury risk
✅ Low load or inconsistent exposure = also risky
✅ Sleep quality and playing time matter more than you think
✅ Monitoring internal + external loads = essential for staying healthy
If you’re not tracking your sRPE, ACWR, or sleep… you’re leaving performance (and durability) on the table. 🗂️
Swipe through this post to learn what the science actually says — and how to apply it in real life. 📊
📚 Source: Chan C-C et al. Healthcare (Basel). 2024;12(18):1829. doi:10.3390/healthcare12181829
👇 Drop a 🏀 if you’re focused on staying healthy this season
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The Basketball Doctor’s Story

Our names are Gabe Ignacio and Marco Lopez, and we are a team of physical therapists who aim to provide evidence-based rehabilitation to optimize movement for basketball players of all skill levels. We will empower the community by presenting fundamental knowledge relevant to injury prevention and performance enhancement, as well as, training for athletes with the goal of enjoying basketball for life. As avid basketball players as children, the love for the game continued to grow throughout our lives from watching the game being played at all levels to attending basketball camps to going through the ups and down of our own basketball journey. We each experienced numerous injuries and set-backs, which exposed us to the realization that our childhood dreams of playing in the NBA was not a realistic goal, among other key factors. As a result, we re-evaluated our goals and focused on our education, which led us to becoming Doctors of Physical Therapy at the University of Southern California. We noticed that there was not a big presence of a place for people to access information on basketball specific injuries and recovery. Equipped with our attained knowledge throughout our educational careers, we wanted to combine our passions for healthcare, movement, biomechanics, and basketball to provide a platform of information and care. Although playing basketball for a career is no longer the driving force of staying connected to basketball, we hope to make a positive impact on the game we love by helping and collaborating with anyone involved in the basketball community to meet a common goal; whether it be making the high school/collegiate team, playing in weekly recreational leagues for life, or optimizing movement and skills to play recreationally and professionally.