This October, Rapids Youth Soccer’s Marketing & Communications team sat down with CRYSC Head Athletic Trainer and Director of Sports Medicine, Julie Graves to discuss Preventative Care and Regeneration for our teams that frequently travel in and out of state. In this blog, you will find a preventative care program that should be done at the hotel as well as a pool regeneration run-through that will help with sore muscles and aid in recovery!
Step 1: Foam Rolling
Foam rolling is key to muscle recovery and rejuvenation. Foam roll the whole lower body (quads, hamstrings, IT Band, and calves) before and after games to increase performance and decrease injury. A lacrosse ball, baseball, or softball is better for the calves and hamstrings as it is a smaller surface area.
It is very important when foam rolling to go slow and controlled. This should not be a quick, rushed motion. There are trigger points/knots/pain points in every muscle in our body and so when you go over one of these knots/pain points, stop on them for at least 30 seconds to allow it to release. Then slowly roll down the muscle until the next one is found. This can be fairly uncomfortable/painful but it is GOOD pain!
Step 2: Stretching 3×30”
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Hamstring Stretch: Bend over and touch your toes and keep your knees straight.
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Calf Stretch: lean up against a wall and keep get your toes on the wall and lean towards the wall with your heel on the ground.
Step 3: Preventative Ankle Exercises
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2×10 in each direction
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Slow and controlled is the key here! Only move the ankle, not the hips.
Step 4: Preventative Shin Splints Exercise
Toe Raises 2×20
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Lean up against a wall and in a slow and controlled manner, lift up your toes so that you are on your heels.
Step 5: Glute Strengthening
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Clam shell exercise
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Progression with bands
Step 6: Pool Regeneration
Begin on the side of the pool:
- Forward leg swings 20x each leg
- Sideways leg swings 20x each leg
After forward and sideways leg swings:
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Forward jog down, backpedal back x2
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High knees down, Carioca back
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Butt kicks down, forward skip back
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High knees down, Carioca back (other direction)
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Freestyle swim down, side shuffle back x2 both directions
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Breast stroke down, side skip back x2 both directions
Find out more about the CRYSC Sports Medicine Program by visiting our website. If you would like more information on natural solutions and the athlete, please don’t hesitate to reach out to CRYSC’s Head Athletic Trainer, Julie Graves, at [email protected].
