WEIGHT ROOM REHABILITATION PHILOSOPHY 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Do not diagnose an injury Refer all cases to a medical expert for diagnosis.

Do not exercise an injury that results in acute pain. Use high repetitions for the first week of rehabilitation. Go directly at the injured area. Exercise the injured area every day during rehabilitation. The injured area should receive exercise priority. Progressively lower the repetitions and increase the weight. 9. Emphasize nutrition during the recovery period. 10. Keep in constant contact with the medical expert.
The purpose of rehab is to make attachments stronger. Making a joint stable is key to keeping the body all in one piece.

1. Do not diagnose an injury.

The strength coach is not a doctor. Refer all injuries to a medical professional for diagnosis.

2. Consult a medical authority to set-up an approved program of corrective exercises for an injured player. 3. Do not perform exercises on an injury that results in acute pain.

The strength coach must be able to differentiate between ACUTE pain and CHRONIC pain. Acute pain is the sharp, stabbing kind and it does not subside during exercise. Chronic pain is more of a dull, throbbing pain that subsides after 5-6 reps. Chronic pain can be dealt with through exercise, acute pain cannot. When starting rehab exercise, do the first set of each movement slowly and deliberately to ensure that there is no acute pain.

4. Use high reps the first 7 days.

High reps are therapeutic. They force large volumes of blood into the damaged area. This blood brings tissue-building nutrients to muscles, tendons, and ligaments. For high reps, use 25 or more for 3 sets, with as much resistance as possible being used on the final set. Guideline for weight used is 1x25(40%), 1x25(50%), 1x25(55-60%).

5. Go directly at the injured area.

The injured area should NOT be exercised at all as long as there is excessive swelling or sharp pain present. Once these subside, however, the injury responds best to exercise therapy if it is attacked head on. For example, if the low back is injured, all pulling moves may have to be discontinued. Under such circumstances, exercises such as hyperextensions, good mornings and reverse hypers are substituted to keep a constant blood flow to the injured area and to keep surrounding muscles strong. As soon as possible, direct pulling exercises are filtered into the rehab program. Here, light, high rep deadlifts, cleans and high pulls will be used. This method can work for all bodyparts.

6. Exercise the injured area every day during rehab.

This principle ensures adequate blood supply to the damaged area, thereby permitting the reconstruction process to occur more rapidly.

7. The injured area should receive exercise priority.

Rehab exercises should be done first in the program so that maximum attention and energy can be delegated to the injury. After warmup, go directly to rehab movements.

8. Progressively lower the reps and increase the weight used.

In attempting to rebuild a damaged area, the muscles, tendons and ligaments must be progressively overloaded. *As a general rule of thumb, keep the injured player on 25 reps for 3 sets for 5-7 days, attempting to increase the top weight each day. Following this, start a period of training performing 5 sets of 5 reps alternating with a 5x10 rep scheme, taking a rest day in between.

9. Emphasize nutrition during the recovery period.

Upgrade the intake of all nutrients, especially those necessary for tissue building. Specifically, more protein, B-vitamins, minerals, Vitamin C and Vitamin E are needed.

10.

DO NOT PLAY DOCTOR. Keep the medical expert informed as to what you plan to do each day and inform him of the results from each phase of your rebuilding program. Constant communication is critical. To attempt to treat an injury in a manner which is not approved by the medical expert is both dangerous and foolish.

Keep in constant contact with the medical expert.

Credit to: Bill Starr, "Only The Strong Survive"