Quadriceps shutdown after ACL reconstruction is one of the biggest barriers we see in the clinic. Even with modern surgical techniques and “aggressive” rehab, too many athletes struggle to get their quad strength back, and that deficit shows up later in gait, loading, and confidence on the field.

A new systematic review and meta-analysis just took a fresh look at neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) as an adjunct to ACL rehab. Does adding NMES actually move the needle on quad strength? Does timing matter? And does any of this translate into better knee function where it counts?

In this week’s podcast, we break down what the authors found, how strong the evidence really is, and how we’re thinking about NMES programming in our own ACL protocols. If you’re working with post-op knees, you’ll want to hear this before you set up your next rehab plan.

To see full show notes and more, head to: https://mikereinold.com/should-every-acl-get-e-stim-what-the-new-nmes-meta-analysis-really-shows/

Join us on Tuesday night, February 3rd, at 8:00 PM EST to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of our podcast!

We’ll be recording an episode where you can ask us questions live, plus special discounts on our courses, and over $2500 in free giveaways from Ancore, SmartCuffs, Suji, mTrigger, and Sport Grips!

Click here to register for the event - spaces are limited

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There is substantial variability in rehabilitation protocols following PCL and meniscus repair surgery. There is often a conservative period where we minimize or avoid hamstring activity.

Biomechanical studies show that hamstring activity can increase posterior translation of the tibiofemoral joint and potentially put stress on a healing meniscus repair.

In this episode, we discuss the science behind this and how we integrate hamstring exercises into our rehabilitation protocols for these patients.

To see full show notes and more, head to: https://mikereinold.com/hamstring-exercises-after-pcl-and-meniscus-surgery/

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Baseball injuries continue to rise at an alarming rate. Over the years, we have seen the development of more advanced training velocity programs and pitchers that are focused on enhancing their performance during the offseason.

This has led to a variety of development programs being performed over the offseason, which takes away from downtime and allows the body to heal after a long competitive season.

In this episode, we talk about some of the science behind why you should take time off from throwing, and perhaps how long you should take off during the offseason.

To see full show notes and more, head to: https://mikereinold.com/how-much-time-off-should-you-take-from-throwing-after-the-baseball-season/

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Blood flow restriction training is gaining popularity, and new research continues to show benefits and potential new uses.

We review a brand-new randomized trial examining a brief BFR session before exercise in patients with knee pain. The question: Can a quick change before you even start your main work meaningfully alter pain during the session that follows? The results nudged us to rethink how we open visits for athletes with anterior knee pain. Want the exact setup—and when it’s worth trying?

Check out this week’s podcast for details on how we’re applying this paper to what we do at Champion.

To see full show notes and more, head to: https://mikereinold.com/using-blood-flow-restriction-to-neuromodulate-pain-during-exercise/

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If you treat a lot of knee pain, this week’s episode is for you.

We review a new best-practice guide for patellofemoral pain that pulls together research, patient voices, and expert reasoning into one playbook. But here’s the twist: when you blend the data with what patients actually want and what clinicians really do, one deceptively simple priority rises to the top - something many of us already use, but probably not the way this paper suggests.

I know we are changing what we do at Champion. Curious what it is and how to sequence everything else around it? Check out this week’s podcast episode.

Show Notes:

• Evaluation and Treatment of the Knee
• Best practice guide for patellofemoral pain based on synthesis of a systematic review, the patient voice and expert clinical reasoning

To see full show notes and more, head to: https://mikereinold.com/practice-guidelines-for-patellofemoral-pain/

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Returning to sport after an injury is always a challenge. In the profession, a lot of attention has been given to objective testing to determine when and how to progress athletes. This has been a significant evolution that will definitely improve outcomes.

But what do you do when an athlete passes objective testing but not psychological readiness testing?

We talk about what we do in this week’s podcast episode.

To see full show notes and more, head to: https://mikereinold.com/what-to-do-when-an-athlete-passes-objective-testing-but-not-psychological-readiness/

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There is no doubt that back and hip pain are often linked and sometimes confusing to diagnose. But sometimes it's hard to differentiate the two, and what may be the underlying cause versus the symptoms.

We discuss in this week’s podcast episode.

To see full show notes and more, head to: https://mikereinold.com/how-to-differentiate-between-hip-and-low-back-pain/

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A meta-analysis was recently published, suggesting that outcomes may be the same between nonoperative and surgical reconstruction after ACL injury.

Clearly, social media has been buzzing.

But are outcomes really the same?

We discuss this in this episode.

To see full show notes and more, head to: https://mikereinold.com/are-the-outcomes-really-the-same-between-nonoperative-and-surgical-treatment-of-acl-injuries/

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Want to learn more? Check out my blog, podcasts, and online courses
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