has provided physical, occupational, and speech therapy since 1978. With twelve locations in the Sacramento area, they've been voted "Best in the Business - Service Company" by the Sacramental Business Journal.

They have also partnered with the NBA's Sacramento Kings basketball team. That's why when the King's furry and ferocious mascot, Slamson, gets injured he heads straight to Burger Rehab.

Burger uses the Shuttle 2000-1 to help all of it's patients - human and mammal - get back in the game (you can catch a glimpse of the 2000-1 at about the 5 second mark in the video - gotta watch fast).

You can connect with the good folks at Burger on Facebook and Twitter.

Thanks Burger Rehabilitation Systems, Inc.!

1. Thirteen year old breaks world weightlifting records and she loves bacon... which can be a healthy part of a Paleo diet.

2. Physical Therapists: I Like to Move It or Cruel to be Kind?

Bill Ervolino writes a wonderfully humorous piece on his experience in physical therapy while rehabbing his shoulder. He starts his article:

You know the old doctor joke: Man goes to a doctor's office, lifts his arm and says, "It hurts when I do this." Doc nods and says, "Then don't do that."

Which brings us to the wonderful world of physical therapy.

ME: "It hurts when I do this."

THERAPIST: "Good! Keep doing it!"

The healthcare field is full of professionals that live to make you feel better. Physical therapists do that, too. But, sometimes they gotta make you feel bad to help you feel good. It's painful to get injured joints and muscles moving again. But a physical therapist - overflowing with vim, vigor, enthusiasm and encouragment - will help you "enjoy the pain" and get you back to better than you used to be.

In short, they're some of the nicest, most pleasant and cheerful masochists you'll ever want to meet!

So, I began to wonder, If there were a theme song for physical therapists, what would it be?

Well, you decide. Vote by adding your comments below.

And thanks, physical therapists - it Hurts So Good!

     vs.     

3. Athletic Trainers Against The World

Was a tad surprised to see where an athletic trainer was instrumental in getting a high school football coach investigated, and more than a tad surprised to see what he said about the offending coach:

"The most deplorable, disrespectful and disgraceful behavior from a head coach in any sport I have ever seen."

Um, tell us how you really feel....

Coaches and athletic trainers don't always see eye to eye. The trainer can be under significant pressure to release an athlete to play before they are fully ready. But, sometimes it's hard to appreciate just how much pressure an athletic trainer faces until you consider all the influences that combine against them.

Athletic Greed is Good

Sports is big business. We see it in the pros and we see it in college. Now, we're seeing it in high school athletics, as well. A high school in north Texas is building a $60 million football stadium. You better believe there's gonna be some serious pressure on that coach (from administrators and the community) to fill that stadium by putting a winning team on the field. That pressure will be passed right long when an athletic trainer has to make a ready-to-play decision on a star athlete.    

Meet the Parents

Most top athletes have aspirations to play at the next level. Quite often those aspirations are backed up by a firm resolve, a do-whatever-it-takes-to-achieve-my-goals mentality. And, quite often those aspiring athletes will have equally aspiring parents. By the time little Johnny has reached high school graduation, those same parents have shelled out a small fortune in year-round sports play, summer camps, training specialists, recruiting videos, etc.

An injury threatens all of that. There's a lot at stake - both financially and aspirationally - and an injury is an obstacle that must be overcome. You can bet the athletic trainer, who provides some much-needed perspective, will be under pressure to help the family get around that obstacle.  

Unnecessary Toughness

Finally, the athletic trainer has years of tradition working against them. The essence of sports is blood, sweat, and tears. So, if an athlete gets their "bell rung", it's simply one more way to prove their mettle. Coaches expect an athlete's full commitment. Teammates may not expect quite as much, but they most definitely want their friend beside them in the game - whether they're hurting or not. In short, you've got an athlete who, despite the pain, wants to be in the game - and the rest of society expects them to be out there, as well.

Sometimes an athletic trainer has to stand in the way of all that.

4. Wes Welker's Mini Romance

Even with the frenzy leading up to this Sunday's Super Bowl, New England Patriot's Wes Welker still found the time to get engaged to model Anna Burns.

(And, yes, that little gray thing you see in the bottom right hand corner of the picture is a crutch. But, don't worry Pats fans, this particular photo was taken two years ago when Welker was rehabbing his knee - and launching a new relationship with the lovely Miss Burns.)

The media reports that when Welker suffered his MCL/ACL tear back in 2009:

 "Anna was by her beau's side for his surgery and rehab, and the two have been living together ever since." 

Which leads us to our little story.... 

We have it - on innuendo and inference - that Welker used one of our machines to rehab his knee. We can't prove it, but we think the circumstantial evidence is overwhelming.  

Well, here, you decide....

1. She probably burned more calories playing than she did doing her regular workout. Nice!

2. The Key to Life is One Simple Thing

Each season, legendary Green Bay Packer coach Vince Lombardi would begin his training camp by calling a team meeting. With all assembled, Lombardi would stride to the front of the room, football in hand, pausing briefly to survey his players, then hold the pigskin aloft...

3. The pay isn't that good... but at least the hours are long.

I was pretty hesitant to write that sentence.

But the contrast between the importance of a Certified Athletic Trainer and how they are compensated can be too stark not to use some irony. They are responsible for keeping athletes healthy - and sometimes find themselves thrust into situations where they are called upon to keep someone alive.

That's why I was a little bit disconcerted when I read that Passion Keeps Athletic Trainer Working Long Hours.

Photo by: BetterThanBacon

4. We who are buried under snow find solace in watching warm weather wipeouts....

The Northwest got dumped on this week. Glacier, Washington - where we manufacture our Shuttle products - got upwards of two and a half feet of the white stuff!

Please forgive us if we find a measure of pleasure in somebody else's hardship as they play in the warmer climes....

5. Is there anything a Physical Therapist can't do?

Photo by: Digital_Rampage

The world seemed to be abuzz this week with all the ways a physical therapist can help you:

FLASH!   Physical Therapy Determined Most Effective Option to Relieve the “Pain in Your Neck”

BANG!   Physical Therapy and Exercise Can Help Eliminate Joint Pain and Avoid Surgery 

POW!   How a Physical Therapist Can Fast Track Your Recovery from an Ankle Sprain 

And when a physical therapist is not helping you with your neck, joints, or ankles, where can you find them? Off helping the less fortunate in Guatemala! The Arcadia University Physical Therapy program took five physical therapists and fifteen PT students to Guatemala as part of the Hearts In Motion program.

Students were able to "practice their skills with real patients and actively engage in diagnosing and problem-solving" in clinics, communities, and rehab centers throughout Guatemala. Truly a great way to learn and serve. 

WOW!    Physical Therapy Students Provide Traveling Therapy Clinic To People Of Guatemala

Photo by: Arcadia University

1. For those who missed the "Mile High Miracle" this past week....

2. What is it with ankle instability?

Photo by: Foxtongue

It was a delightful morning....

I was peacefully immersing myself in a quiet pool of intellectual discovery - soaking up the vagaries of how a famous basketball player overcomes chronic ankle instability - when somebody threw a live wire in the water in the form of a tweet:

Cold, wet, and covered in only a thin layer of protective skull, my mind stood there naked and in shock, racing as to how to respond.

My article had been filled with kindly words such as "ankle sprain", "fix the problem", and "avoid further injury". Now, I had research hurled at me with word daggers like "neuromuscular control", "supination", and "peroneal activation". While I may rub shoulders, legs, and lower backs with PT's, ATC's, and S&C coaches on a daily basis, this fact is very clear: I am not a lower extremity rocket scientist!

How was I to respond to @TherapyGirl5, a goddess (one who enjoys a measure of omniscience/omnipotence in a particular field and should be followed rather than worshipped) in the Twitterverse?

I turned to a power beyond my own... our Shuttle owners. 

Here is how the Shuttle products can help with ankle instability:

Advanced proprioceptive exercises on the Shuttle Balance 

@JeffCubos - another Twitter god whom one should reverence, er... follow!

Unilateral jumping onto Shuttle Balance and jumping off to proprioceptive disk

Thanks everyone!

3. Neither injury, nor heart attack, nor death shall keep a runner from their appointed run:

How to prevent and treat every runner’s nemesis

What is the second most common injury among runners?

MARATHONS: 1 cardiac arrest per 184,000 runners and 1 death per 259,000 runners

4. How to improve cervical stabilization using feed-forward perturbation 

Kenji Carp PT, OCS, ATC...

is a competency certified vestibular therapist. He also is the founder of Cooperative Performance and Rehabilitation located in Eugene, Oregon. 

Kenji uses our Shuttle Recovery, Balance, and MiniPress and has developed a variety of innovative protocols for each. But perhaps the most intriguing work he has done is in regards to perturbation therapy using our Shuttle Balance.

Kenji has worked in the area of fall prevention and vertigo extensively. He has taken the approach that one of the best ways to prevent a fall is to first simulate a fall. And he can simulate that fall through perturbation therapy. This allows a patient to develop the sensory perception and neuromuscular capabilities to help prevent a fall in the future.

Kenji has also incorporated perturbation therapy in working on both injury prevention and rehabilitation. He uses the Balance extensively to strengthen and stabilize ankles, knees, and hips. But, he has also applied that same perturbation therapy to neck and cervical stabilization. Kenji incorporates a feed-forward approach to develop rapid neuromuscular control in the neck and spine.

Photo by: Nivet Dilmen 

THIS WEEK'S WILD, WEIRD, AND WONDERFUL....

1. This is a great PSA! Learn the simple steps to CPR... and you'll never hear "Stayin' Alive" the same way again.

2. Dr. Matthew Matava describes his responsibilities as the Head Team Physician for the St. Louis Rams. (And, if you look real close, you'll spot our Shuttle Balance around the 15 and 32 sec. mark - sweeeet!)

3. Nancy Clark, MS, RD, CSSD writes a great article on Winter Nutrition: How to Fuel for Cold Weather Exercise. If you plan on running or skiing this winter, this is a good read. 

4. The New York Times set part of the world abuzz with their recent article: For Neck Pain, Chiropractic and Exercise Are Better Than Drugs. But before everybody goes ga-ga, Dr. Jeff Cubos takes a objective approach recommending that we atleast "be a little more responsible when drinking the kool-aid". Hooray for calm, cool, and collected - good stuff, Jeff!

Photo by: Fokkets 

5. Move Forward just published a Physical Therapist’s Guide to Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Tear - a very thorough treatment of all things ACL (and well worth your review). Here, Kent Bond of Impact Physical Therapy shows how he uses his Shuttle Balance to treat the ACL patient.

6. Travel back in time with photographs.... Check out this interesting picture website called Dear Photograph!

7. A recent study showed that hip replacement patients can benefit from physical therapy-assisted training and strengthening of the hip - both before and after replacement surgery. Here, Dr. Kate Mangione of Arcadia University demonstrates how to use the Shuttle MiniPress to strengthen the hips. 

8. Finally, since we need all the motivation we can muster to stick with our New Year's Resolutions for at least a few more days, we thought we better share something to inspire you.

Shuttle Systems wishes you a glorious weekend!

you know there's gotta be some end-of-the-year bias. Much of what we remember is due to proximity.

Well, at Shuttle Systems, we're no different. It's been a great year - chuck full of fun and excitement. But, what sticks in our minds is what's happening lately. So, in sharing our Fab Five for 2011, we've been a tad influenced by what's in the latest news.

And it seems to be basketball....

To all the Shuttle owners - and those wanting to own a Shuttle product - here are some fabulous Shuttle owners that you ought to get to know. Here's our Fab Five for 2011:

Alex McKechnie

The LA Lakers did some housecleaning in the off-season. And, while most people question their sending Lamar Odom to the world champion Dallas Mavericks, we wonder what they were thinking when they let athletic coordinator Alex McKechnie get away from them.

Alex was brought on by the Lakers back in 1997-98 to help Shaquille O'Neal recover from his abdominal tear. In the process, Alex helped Shaq rebuild his body sufficient to extend his career for another decade.

Well, the Toronto Rapters wasted no time in snatching up Alex and putting him in charge of everything: athletic training, rehabilitation, and strength and conditioning. His title is Director of Sports Science.

Considered a leader in core training and movement integration, Alex is the creator of the Core X System. He has used the Core X to work with all types of world class athletes and he uses it with the Shuttle MVP as well. 

We think Alex McKechnie is a man to watch and a wonderful man to get to know. We're thrilled to call him friend!

Charlie Melton

Great head coaches know how to give credit where credit is due. Scott Drew, head basketball coach at Baylor University, has had quite a run. He's built the Baylor basketball program into one of national prominence. And he gives at least part of the credit to his strength coach Charlie Melton.

Charlie is a creative guy. When we first got to know him, he was working on a concept he called Force Velocity. He has incorporated this concept on his three Shuttle MVPs. Charlie has also tweeked his MVPs to incorporate some very basketball-specific workouts:

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Our new year's wish is to tap into his Charlie's creativity a little bit more. The only problem is, like the rest of this year's Fab Five - he's so stinking busy!

With his Baylor Bears currently undefeated and ranked sixth in the nation, we figure Charlie Melton's got a reasonable excuse.

Larry Kaplan

It's always nice to meet someone who has the confidence to put their money where their mouth is. It's even nicer when their confidence extends to your product....

Larry Kaplan is the owner of Varsity Fitness in Philadelphia. While he works with all types of athletes, Larry's real expertise lies in tennis. He's worked with some of the best in the business.

So, why are we talking basketball with Larry?

We've always felt the Shuttle MVP - among its other rehab and performance-enhancing qualities - excels in helping an athlete increase their vertical jump. Well, Larry believes it too. So much so, that he's created a vertical jump challenge. Larry will guarantee anybody that he can increase their vertical by 3 inches in just nine sessions at his gym. And he has no problem guaranteeing it cuz he's been able to do it everytime. 

We like that. We think it's smart marketing on Larry's part. We think it could be smart marketing for anybody that owns a Shuttle and wants to find a way to bring in some clients. We'll let Larry tell you about it.

Happy marketing! 

Bill & Eric Foran

Bill Foran has been a strength and conditioning coach with the Miami Heat for 23 years... long before the "LeBron-Wade-Bosch" show came to town. Bill started with the Heat when Glen Rice and Rony Seikaly were their feature stars.

Who?

In addition to authoring "High Performance Sports Conditioning" and being named the 2009 Co-NBA Strength Coach of the Year, Bill is the proud father of Eric Foran. Eric was a member of the University of Florida's 2010 National Championship track team and is now following in his father's strength and conditioning footsteps.

Together, they own and operate the new Foran Strength & Conditioning. They have a new website and are ramping up their social media marketing with Facebook and Twitter. They have also come out with their very own "How to Jump Higher" DVD & eBook.

Bill and Eric shared with us some of the unique things they are doing on their Shuttle MVP. One of the interesting exercises that Bill & Eric shared with us is their kneeling externally-rotated leg press - a subtle twist on what we call "donkey kicks" - and we love it!     

This is a great father and son team, and we look forward to following their success throughout the years.

Mark McKown

Mark McKown has also been around the NBA for awhile and was the Utah Jazz’s first full-time strength and conditioning coach. This good ol' boy (he's really not that old) hails from South Carolina and has now made a home for his family in Salt Lake City. 

The first thing that strikes you in meeting Mark is his wonderful kindness - he's one of the most pleasant men you'll ever meet. 

Mark has been a Shuttle fan for quite some time - and he's got the MVP to prove it. The Jazz have an MVP Classic purchased years ago, and Mark keeps it in excellent condition. Mark uses it in a variety of different capacities, whether it be for recovery from injury or helping his players improve their overall athleticism.

One of the ways Mark is able to do this is with his "Twenty Series" workout. Mark combines stretching, strength, and plyometric exercises in workouts for both the upper and lower body to help the Jazz players perform at their best. 

And he was kind enough to share it with us... and you!

We express our heartfelt gratitude to Alex McKechnie, Charlie Melton, Larry Kaplan, Bill and Eric Foran, and Mark McKown for using our Shuttle machines. We appreciate your willingness to share your expertise with us and your fellow Shuttle owners. You're great coaches, great trainers, and great people! Thanks for being our Fab Five for 2011.

And, we want to say "Thank You" to all our Shuttle owners. We appreciate your patronage, your hard work, and your creativity. Thank you for a wonderful year!

We sincerely hope 2012 is a great year for all of you!!

And because of this wonderful time of year, we've decided to do things a little bit different in this post.

Christmas is the season of perpetual hope. It is the time of dreams dreamed and wishes wished. The following are some of the wishes we wish for you this holiday season:

1. The caregiver below whistles while he works - and in the process heals bodies and gladdens hearts. Our wish is that each of you - physical therapists, athletic trainers, and strength and conditioning coaches - will have a renewed understanding of the great work that you do.

To all who assist the patient or athlete in coming back from injury, we say, "Thank you!"

2. In wouldn't be the holiday season without all the football bowl games. And since everything is riding on these games, athletes and teams can play with complete abandon. Consequently, the spectators get to see some of the greatest games ever played. 

Our wish is that you get to see at least one game this holiday season that causes you to spontaneously bust out laughing. 

3. We know that sometimes you deal with very difficult cases, some very severe injuries - and the work you do in rehabilitating those patients can be, at times, truly miraculous. But, we also understand that sometimes the work you do may seem a little mundane.

Well, we want to say "thanks" for helping us with the mundane - you know, when you teach us a strategy for standing at the kitchen sink or how to vacuum properly. Our wish is that you'll keep teaching us the simple, everyday stuff - how to live life without killing ourselves. 

4. Is there anything exercise CAN'T do? We know it can help you lose weight. It can help you gain weight (if you want). It can strengthen your heart, your lungs, your joints, and your muscles. It can cause your spirits to rise and your blood pressure to fall. It's arguably the greatest miracle drug known to man. (And do I need to mention that it also single handedly keeps thousands of coaches, personal trainers, and other fitness fanatics gainfully employed each year? OK, and it also helps us sell our Shuttle MVP, 2000-1, Recovery, Balance and MiniPress!)

Our wish is that you never stop preaching the virtues of exercise!

Photo by: Andres Rueda

5. Finally, we wish you all good things this holiday season: love, joy, laughter, good will towards men and women, and on earth peace... and QUIET!!!!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

1. Are the animals just humoring us humans?

2. Doctors seem to be giving the wrong prescription when it comes to our aching joints. Sounds like we should be taking that miracle drug called exercise instead.

Photo by: Sailor Coruscant

3. Becoming an Ironman has to be one of life's greatest challenges. Doing it with a fractured pelvis... well, that’s inspiring!

4. A few weeks back, we shared with you Mark McKown's "Twenty Series" workout for the upper body using the Shuttle MVP. Below, he teaches his Twenty Series for the lower body - complete with dynamic warm-up, stretching, eccentric strengthening, and explosive plyometrics.

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5. One of the best compound exercises out there is the humble chin-up. Charles Poliquin teaches you twelve ways to do it better.

6. Research shows that Tai Chi can help visually impaired geriatrics improve their balance. We like to help all sorts of people improve their balance; and, while nobody has yet tried Tai Chi on our Shuttle Balance, they have done quite nicely performing yoga.

Mark McKown, and the rest of the NBA strength & conditioning coaches, are frantically getting their players in top flight form for the shortened season.

A few weeks ago we shared with you Mark's "Twenty Series" workout program - all based on twenty reps of different exercises using the Shuttle MVP. With an emphasis on developing strength, endurance, power, and joint stability, the Twenty Series is a great way to improve athleticism as well as help players recover from injury.

We shared with you his upper body MVP workout. Now, we'll share his lower body Twenty Series workout. It comes complete with dynamic warm-up, stretching, eccentric strengthening, and explosive plyometrics.

Excellent stuff!

Thanks again Mark!!

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