In this episode of KIMEcast, Tony Mikla, DPT and Russ Dunning, MPT dive into the ever-popular world of recovery—separating hype from science on cold plunges, saunas, red-light therapy, shockwave treatments, orthotics, and more. They unpack recent research showing how post-workout cold exposure may actually blunt muscle growth and protein absorption, discuss when cold therapy is useful (hint: short-term recovery for competition, not long-term adaptation), and explore the nuances of light therapy and sauna use.

The conversation then shifts to training fundamentals, with a deep dive into KIME’s Kettlebell Resilience Certification. Tony and Russ highlight why kettlebell work bridges the gap between rehab and performance, share the origins of their certification standards, and explain how resilience training builds true strength, conditioning, and long-term durability.

This episode blends research, clinical insight, and practical tools for athletes, clinicians, and anyone serious about high-performance health.

In Episode 55 of KIMEcast, Russ Dunning, MPT and Evan Hauger, DPT take you inside the real-life process of injury, recovery, and performance evolution. When Evan suffers a back injury playing pickleball, it sparks a powerful and honest discussion about how clinicians navigate their own rehab and what it teaches them.

They break down:

• The healing timeline from acute inflammation to tissue regeneration

• Supplements that actually help (collagen, vitamin C, magnesium, fish oil, peptides)

• Why blunting inflammation with Advil may delay recovery

• Dynamic stability and why it’s the missing link in injury prevention

• How real-life injuries fuel clinical learning and innovation

• Lessons from kettlebell training, peptide injections, and blood flow restriction

Plus, Russ shares a compelling case of a young athlete with elite strength and power—who still suffered a preventable ACL tear due to a stability deficit.

This episode is packed with practical insights, personal stories, and game-changing concepts for clinicians, athletes, and anyone navigating pain or performance.

🎧 Whether you’re a rehab professional, coach, or simply curious about what really works—you don’t want to miss this one.

AI is changing everything—even sports medicine. In this episode, Tony Mikla, DPT and Russ Dunning, MPT dive into how artificial intelligence is influencing the future of physical therapy, performance training, and patient care.

From ChatGPT to custom-built AI agents, patients are showing up more informed (and sometimes misinformed) than ever. So what’s the real role of a PT in an AI-enhanced world? The KIME team breaks it all down—from the power of expert movement analysis to the importance of intelligent prompting and the future of personalized rehab protocols.

You’ll learn:
✅ Why AI can't replace movement experts—yet
✅ How KIME is training its own AI agent
✅ What makes a great PT irreplaceable
✅ The soft science of motor control and biomechanics
✅ Why nutrition, sleep, and stress matter more than you think

👉 Don’t miss this forward-looking episode about tech-enhanced care, professional evolution, and what every clinician needs to stay ahead.

Why do some D1 athletes come back slower and weaker after a season? In this episode, Dr. Tony Mikla and Russ Dunning break down the critical trade-offs between human performance metrics (like strength, speed, and power) and sport-specific performance (like IQ, conditioning, and durability).

They discuss:

• The “performance seesaw” between raw athleticism and game readiness

• How youth sports development often sacrifices long-term gains for short-term wins

• The importance of multi-sport participation vs. early specialization

• Why strength declines in-season—and what to do about it

• KIME’s philosophy on balancing protocols with principle-based coaching

Whether you’re a coach, clinician, parent, or athlete, this episode challenges how we define success in training and competition.

📌 Subscribe for more insights on performance, rehab, and movement science.

In Episode 51 of KIMEcast, Tony Mikla, DPT, and Nikos Contos, DPT, welcome special guest Dr. Brian Gilmer, a leading orthopedic surgeon based in Reno, NV and Mammoth, CA. This insightful conversation dives deep into ACL reconstruction techniques, surgical decision-making, and modern rehabilitation strategies. Dr. Gilmer shares candid thoughts on meniscal root tears, the evolution of ACL repair protocols, and his experience with the Bridge-Enhanced ACL Repair (BEAR) technique.

The episode challenges conventional post-op care models, advocating for earlier mobilization and individualized protocols. The trio also discusses patient psychology, biologic augmentations, and how surgical innovation and rehabilitation need to evolve together. With analogies like “Porsche vs. Camry” and “wine barrel hoops,” Dr. Gilmer brings both humor and clarity to complex concepts in sports medicine.

🎧 Key Topics:

• Surgical strategies for ACL reconstruction vs. BEAR

• Meniscus root tears and rehab challenges

• Advances in biologics and graft selection (e.g., quad allografts)

• The power of accelerated protocols and patient engagement

• Building trust through shared decision-making and rehab collaboration

In this episode of KIMecast, we sit down with Chris Rounds, Associate Director of Performance Enhancement for Arizona Men’s Basketball, to explore his philosophy behind athlete durability, return-to-play protocols, and building elite basketball players from the inside out. Chris shares insights from over two decades in elite collegiate programs—from his early days at Kentucky to leading performance in the Pac-12 and Big 12. With a focus on injury prevention, load management, and smart strength programming, Chris challenges conventional lifting norms and emphasizes the value of consistency, simplicity, and relationship-based coaching. A must-listen for anyone working in high-performance sport.

Tony Mikla and Russ Dunning use a return-to-sprint case to do more than coach movement—they deliver a powerful critique of both the performance industry and the healthcare system that supports (and often limits) it.

In this episode, they cover:

• Real-time coaching breakdowns for athletes returning to sprinting

• Why so much current rehab misses the mark on real-world performance

• What separates a great coach from a technician

• The failure of overused protocols and systems that lack context

• The real consequences of Medicare cuts and outdated insurance models

• How clinicians can lead change instead of waiting on it

It’s part sprint mechanics, part coaching masterclass, and part wake-up call to a healthcare and performance system that desperately needs to evolve.

In this episode, Tony Mikla and Russ Dunning tackle one of the most important challenges in physical therapy and sports performance: the disconnect between academic research and what actually works in the clinic.

They break down:

• Why research can feel outdated or irrelevant by the time it reaches clinical practice

• The challenges of applying rigid protocols to highly variable human bodies

• How real-world testing, athlete feedback, and pattern recognition fill the gaps

• The role of AI and data in customizing care and predicting adaptation

• The importance of identifying limiting factors and training the athlete in front of you—not the one in a textbook

Plus, they explore how PTs and coaches can work with universities (instead of waiting on them) and why the future of rehab may depend on clinician-led research rooted in real movement.

Whether you're a clinician, student, or coach, this episode will challenge how you think about evidence, testing, and what truly drives better outcomes.