Client Spotlight: Ken Dewhirst

Posted on April 20, 2015October 3, 2024 by rauschpt

Rausch Physical Therapy & Sports Performance client Ken Dewhirst is gearing up for the comeback of his life. But to be the best, he needs to feel his best first.

“I need to be faster, stronger to be number one.” – Ken Dewhirst

Ken Dewhirst wants you to know that he can get around just fine, thank you very much. At 83 years old, Ken’s here at physical therapy for one reason only: so he can be number one.

Laguna Niguel-resident Ken is currently ranked in the Top 20 in the USA Table Tennis (USATT) Ratings for Men 80+. Ken was rated number four in the country but was sidelined by injury last year. However, Ken has recently made moves to start his climb back to the top, and his first stop? Rausch PT.

“I’m here because I want to up my level and get better so I can be the best in my age group,” Ken said. “I need to be faster, stronger to be number one.”

Ken grew up playing tennis, excelling in high school but eventually gave it up to focus on his college education. He and Rosemarie, his wife of 57 years, spent their days working, raising their children, and traveling the world. But when Ken retired at the age of 60, he knew he had to find something new to keep his mind and body active.

After doing a little research, Ken came across table tennis. He decided to give it a shot… and ranked in his very first tournament. Ever since then, Ken has been working with famous coaches and beating opponents half his age, all the while moving up the ranks.

WAYNE MAH, FOR THE REGISTER — Ken Dewhirst in 2009 moving at the speed of players half his age. (WAYNE MAH, FOR THE OC REGISTER.)

“His goal was to reach the middle of the rankings of all age groups,” biggest fan/critic Rosemarie said. “Well, he did that. So now we need a new goal.”

So what’s next on the list for this octogenarian? Dethrone the new kid on the block. At a spry 80 years old, George Braithwaite recently moved into the 80+ group, which has Ken chomping at the bit for a chance to prove himself. Ken says that while George plays at a higher level than him, he has to try.

“[George] is good. I’ll need to play a faster game against him.”

To get there, Ken knows he has to strengthen his knee to have any chance of beating the champ. He’s only visited Rausch Physical Therapy & Sports Performance a couple times so far, but he says he’s confident that his physical therapist Dustin is going to get him off the table so he can get back to the tables.

Visualizing Your Way to a Quicker Recovery

Posted on April 15, 2015October 3, 2024 by rauschpt

If you are an athlete, odds are you have at one time or another been sidelined by an injury. The frustration that comes with being unable to train and compete can lead to a loss in motivation and a longer recovery process. To combat this, athletes should learn to use visual relaxation and performance techniques and practice them diligently.

There are many forms of relaxation training that athletes can use to help accelerate rehabilitation after injury, including kinesthetic (progressive muscle relaxation), mindfulness (breathing techniques), auditory (listening to calming voices), hypno-relaxation (using hypnosis to induce relaxation, and visual methods (including imagery).

Visual relaxation methods to speed up recovery

Remembered imagery. Remember a pleasant and relaxing time in your life. Re-experience it. Become fully absorbed, focusing on what you see, smell, hear and feel against your skin as you visualize that calming scene.
Constructed imagery. Imagine a pleasant or relaxing scene in your mind. Step into the picture and experience the scene fully.
Hypnotherapy using imagery. Make up a recording or listen to one by a professional hypnotherapist, that includes visualizing healing red blood cells surrounding the injured muscle, tendon, bone, etc. with nutrients, directed at rapid reduction of inflammation and total healing.

Injured athletes should experiment with all available relaxation methods to find the ones that are most comfortable and beneficial. A combination of methods can be used; it’s up to athletes to decide which ones are best suited for them. Once the athlete has become comfortable with a specific technique, it then must be practiced for maximum results.

Three steps to visualize sport performance while injured

If you’re injured, you can still visualize championship-level performance and begin to lay hypnotic tracks in your subconscious mind that will carry over once you’re physically able to perform. Here are some easy steps for visual performance training while you’re still injured:

Watch videos of yourself performing, especially ones highlighting best previous performances. If a personal highlight reel isn’t available, watch training videos of other great athletes in action.
Close your eyes and imagine your ideal performance. Really get a good sense of what you look like and feel like when you perform.
Practice this imagery using the actual time sequence of your average performance. For example, if you’re a track athlete, “run a race” on a stationary bike. If the race is for 400 meters, “race” on a bike for 50 seconds and at the same time visualize your performance.

You may feel a little silly at first, but trust me, this works.

Staying motivated during rehabilitation

After being injured, athletes can lose a sense of identity and become depressed from not being able to compete. That’s why constant feedback and support from coaches and teammates is so crucial to helping an injured athlete stay motivated. Coaches should encourage injured players to make appearances at practices, and athletes need to be proactive about remaining involved in the team and its progress. Coaches can assign certain duties at practice, involve them in strategy sessions, or let them assist in keeping stats. If an athlete has an upper body injury, they can jump on an exercise bike at practice sites to both maintain endurance and still be a part of the team.

If you stay motivated, practice your visual relaxation and performance techniques, and keep up with your physical therapy treatment, you will be ready to physically compete again before you know it.

Jack N. Singer, Ph.D. is a licensed and certified Clinical/Sport Psychologist and Performance Success Coach, based in Mission Viejo, CA. For more information and a FREE 15 minute consultation for all Rausch PT clients and family, contact Jack at 949-481-5660. www.drjacksinger.com

April Event of the Month: Adventure Run

Posted on April 14, 2015October 3, 2024 by rauschpt

Image by Laguna Hills Adventure Run. — Source: Laguna Hills Adventure Run

Come scavenge with the Rausch Physical Therapy & Sports Performance team! Laguna Hills Road Runner Sports Adventure Run is a fun, 60-minute scavenger run that draws hundreds of awesome friends of all ages and running levels. Make sure you stop by the Rehabulance, which will be featured as a remote checkpoint! But, to get your raffle tickets from us, you’re going to have to complete the FITNESS GAUNTLET (dun dun dunn…)

It’s totally FREE to run, all you gotta do is sign up! Click here to pre-register and get a complimentary beer ticket, or register before the run as early as 5:30 PM.

P.S. Don’t forget to wear your Rausch PT gear! Want a Rehabulance T-Shirt to rock? Stop by the clinic before April 23 and let the front desk know!

Event Details

What
Laguna Hills Road Runner Sports Adventure Run
(Click here for more event info)When
April 23, 2015 (Run starts at 6:30 PM)

Theme
Crazy Pants Make Me Dance

Why
Run to fun checkpoints nearby to grab as many free raffle tickets as you can. The more checkpoints you get to, the more chances you’ll have to win over $3,000 in gift certificates and prizes!

Hundreds of new, crazy friends
Free giveaways and raffle prizes
Music and BEER GARDEN

Where
Laguna Hills Road Runner Sports Store
24291 Avenida De La Carlota
Laguna Hills, CA 92653

Are Breaking Pitches Age Dependent?

Posted on April 14, 2015October 3, 2024 by rauschpt

It’s said that Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers wasn’t initially a valid prospect as a Major League Baseball pitcher. That is until one spring training game in 2008, when he sent Boston Red Sox heavy hitter Sean Casey back to the dugout shaking his head, leading Vin Scully to exclaim, “Ohhh, what a curveball! Holy mackerel! He just broke off Public Enemy No. 1.” Most Dodgers fans will remember March 9, 2008 as the day of the breakout breaking pitch that started Kershaw’s legendary career.

Image by Rausch Physical Therapy & Sports Performance.

Kershaw was just 19 years old when he showed the world he had mastered his 12-6 curveball in that storied spring training game. However, it’s been long proposed that allowing young pitchers to throw breaking pitches, such as curveballs and sliders, has created more injuries in youth baseball. So just how much truth is there to that old adage?

The best pitches for young baseball players

Research highlights the importance of factoring in the age and physical maturity of a player before teaching certain breaking pitches. Several recent studies claim that most throwing injuries that develop later on in a baseball player’s career can be traced back to throwing breaking pitches incorrectly or at too young of an age.

Due to the immaturity of a young pitcher’s body and the lack of strength throughout his/her shoulder and forearm, the best pitches for young ballplayers to learn are the fastball and change up. These two pitches create the least amount of strain and torque on the shoulder and elbow.

The worst pitches for young baseball players

While there is no definitive proof that throwing curveballs directly causes injury, this pitch does place increased strain on the shoulder when thrown incorrectly. With this in mind, coaches and parents should hold off on teaching their players how to throw a curve until s/he is at least 15 years old. What about the slider? While the angle of release makes the slider easier on the shoulder than the curveball, due to the increased torque on the elbow compared to other pitches it should still not be initiated until a pitcher is at least 16 years old. Other pitches, such as the sinker, knuckleball and screwball, also put significant strain on the shoulder and elbow and are therefore not advisable until a pitcher is much older.

Age (in Years) Recommendation For Learning Various Pitches

This chart explains the appropriate age to start teaching ballplayers certain pitches:

Fastball: 8 ± 2	Slider: 16 ± 2
Change-up: 10 ± 3	Forkball: 16 ± 2
Curveball: 14 ± 2	Screwball: 17 ± 2
Knuckleball: 15 ± 3

Even once a ball player is determined mature enough to learn breaking pitches, there still needs to be proper instruction to safely execute these pitches and minimize a player’s injury potential. Breaking pitches are age dependent, and coaches and parents must adhere to this guideline or they’ll increase the risk of injury in their child or players.

[framedbox]References and Further Reading:

“How Many Pitches Should I Allow My Child to Throw?” James R. Andrews, M.D. and Glenn Fleisig, Ph.D. American Sports Medicine Institute (1996)
“Longitudinal study of elbow and shoulder pain in youth baseball pitchers.” Stephen Lyman, GLenn. S. Fleisig, John W. Waterbor, Ellen M. Funkhouser, Leavonne Pulley, James R. Andrews, E. David Osinski, and Jeffrey M. Roseman. American Sports Medicine Institute (2001)
“Relationships between Throwing Mechanics and Shoulder Distraction in Professional Baseball Pitchers.” Sherry L. Werner, PhD, Thomas J. Gill, MD, Tricia A. Murray, Timothy D. Cook, MS and Richard J. Hawkins, MD. The American Journal of Sports Medicine (2001)[/framedbox]

Jonathan Meltzer graduated from the University of Redlands with a bachelor of arts in biology and a minor in physical education. Following graduation, Jonathan discovered his passion for physical therapy while working as a Physical Therapy Aide. After graduating top of his class from Loma Linda University in 2012 with a Doctorate in Physical Therapy, Jonathan began his career at Rausch Physical Therapy and Sports Performance. Jonathan’s goals are to identify limitations and treat his patients with the most recent and innovative techniques in order to maximize functional independence and obtain his patients’ individual goals.

How to Prevent Postural Pain in Cyclists

Posted on April 13, 2015October 3, 2024 by rauschpt

Remember the days when you could turn your neck to look behind you as you backed out of a parking space? Or when you could look down and actually see your feet without bending forward? Your inability to make simple movements now-a-days may be a symptom of “Pedal Pushers Postural Pain Syndrome.” It’s what happens when you ride a bike for eight hours per week while also working 55 hours in an office chair. You know the feeling—that lovely stiffness, neck pain, and burning between your shoulder blades that’s oh-so magical.[one_half]Let’s do some quick math to determine how much time the average cyclist spends sitting every day. As an example, let’s use Ted; Ted sells insurance by day and loves to ride his mountain bike in the evenings… and binge watch Real Housewives of Orange County. (No judgement, here.) So, Ted’s daily sitting time looks something like this:

Drive to work = 1 hour
Work = 8 hours
Drive home = 1 hour
Bike ride = 2 hours
TV time = 2 hours
Daily total = 14 hours! In just one day!

[/one_half][one_half_last][/one_half_last]If this sounds eerily familiar, (except maybe you prefer Keeping up with the Kardashians over Real Housewives) consider this: the human body was never designed to sit in a chair for extended periods of time. In fact, our bodies were designed to stand or squat, but not sit.

Sitting for a long time can lead to tight hip flexors, weak butt muscles, and a stiff spine. Ouch. However, I have great news! This stuff is easily fixable; you just have to be diligent and willing to make a few small changes that will significantly improve your quality of life.

Kevin’s Seven Tips for Phasing Out Pedal Pushers Postural Pain:

Get UP! Walk, move, and stretch every 30 minutes throughout your work day.
Take conference calls standing up. Get a wireless headset and pace your office while listening to your boss ramble. Just make sure to put it on mute and watch where you’re going!
Do Yoga or Pilates during your lunch break. Many studios offer abbreviated lunch-time classes for just this reason. I cannot tell you how nice it is to walk on over to ABC Pilates at noon and stretch out my stress.
Learn to love your foam roll. Stretch and foam roll every night. You can buy one for cheap and work out that tension while you’re on your fourth episode of the night.
Get massages frequently. Tissue work helps to clean up the bogginess in your fascia (the connective tissue fibers that surround your muscles) and will have immediate pain relieving effects.
Stretch your hip flexors and strengthen your butt.
Get a great Bike Fit! A proper Bike Fit is a valuable service. These pros can make the necessary adjustments to your machine that will help with comfort, injuries and power output. You can google around for local bike shop that does Bike Fits, or if you’re in South Orange County check out Rausch PT’s tried and true favorites:

Yes, new bikes are pretty, but spend some time on the motor that pushes your bike along: YOU! The more dedicated you are to making these simple changes, the better you’ll feel and the faster, better and longer you’ll ride. To get you started, I’ve made a free cycling-specific exercise program to help with postural pain. Go to www.homeprograms.net, and the login information is:

Your Email Address: bikerider@bike.com

Your Clinic ID: 1006

So get on it and start taking care of your motor today. It totally deserves it.

All the best to your health,

As the president and founder of Rausch Physical Therapy & Sports Performance, Kevin Rausch, PT, MPT takes great pride in the care of every single patient he treats. Kevin specializes in sacroiliac joint dysfunctions, running and cycling injuries, and return-to-sport planning for athletes. Since the first day he opened his clinic in 2006, Kevin has strived to provide the best in care, service and technology so as to strengthen his patients’ total body health and get them back to doing what they love.

Find Kevin on Google+

The Doctor Will See You Now

Posted on March 16, 2015October 3, 2024 by rauschpt

Professional triathlete “Doc” Amanda Stevens visits Rausch PT

Amanda Stevens—professional triathlete/medical doctor/multiple-time IRONMAN champion/all-the-time rockstar—traveled from Arizona to Laguna Niguel, Calif. for recovery treatment and performance services at Rausch PT on Friday. After spending some time on the table for a little TLC from our A.R.T. expert Lawrence Van Lingen, Amanda hopped on two wheels for a “Bike Right” Advanced Bike Analysis session. Thanks for visiting us, Doc! Good luck this upcoming season, and we’ll see you at your next checkup!

Lawrence analyzing Amanda Stevens on the Bike Right system to check her form to avoid injuries and maximize performance.

Bike Right uses video and audio analysis to find cycling form flaws that lead to power leaks and injuries.

Lawrence analyzing Amanda Stevens’ shoes to determine if they’re a perfect fit to avoid injuries.

Amanda Stevens and Lawrence Van Lingen — Amanda Stevens with Lawrence, Rausch PT’s sports chiropractor and manual soft tissue therapist.

What to expect from your Rausch physical therapist

Posted on February 24, 2015October 3, 2024 by rauschpt

“So, what can I expect from a physical therapist?” I get this question a lot these days, sometimes it’s from a new patient who’s just starting a rehab program, other times it’s a coach looking for more ways to take care of her athletes’ wellness, and sometimes it’s from doctors wanting to know what goes on in our clinic. It’s a complicated but necessary question to answer… after all you should know just who that person is fixing that aching back of yours, right?

Physical therapist 101

First, you need to know what a physical therapist is and what it takes to become one. Physical therapists have undergraduate degrees in exercise physiology or pre-physical therapy. After we’ve graduated from a four-year college, then comes the fun of “PT school.” This physical therapy clinical doctorate degree program is the real deal: three straight years of intensive and clinical education specifically in the field of physical therapy. It’s where you gain the clinical relevance and assertion to examine what’s ailing patients and figure out the best way to treat it—without medication and without surgery. But physical therapy isn’t all athletes and ankle sprains, physical therapists also learn about Burn Unit-wound care, Assisted Living Facility balance training, Trauma ER fracture positioning, and ICU post-stroke care… just to name a few.

Once we’ve graduated from our 7+ years of schooling, we have to take national and state licensing exams. Always make sure your physical therapist has these licenses to ensure that s/he really knows what s/he is doing before s/he looks at your painfully stiff shoulder and tries to tell you exactly what’s wrong.

#FastPassPT

Rausch Physical Therapy offers #FastPassPT, meaning you do not need a doctor’s referral to receive immediate treatment.

So now you know about it takes for your physical therapist to be able to work in the clinic, but what does it take to get you in here? Well, that’s the easiest part! In 2014, California enacted a law that allows full Direct Access to Physical Therapy, an idea we in the office lovingly call #FastPassPT. Basically, in the past you needed a doctor’s prescription before you could even come into a physical therapy clinic for treatment. However, thanks to the passing of this bill, you can now come directly into Rausch Physical Therapy at any time for any aches, pains, sprains, etc. Well, at least any time we’re open… and you better call first so the front desk staff doesn’t yell at me! That’s why we call it #FastPassPT! It’s just as quick and convenient as those passes that allow you to jump to the front of the line at Disneyland. Of course, there are some injuries that do require a doctor’s exam and treatment (and sometimes even surgery,) which is why we work closely with the absolute best physicians in our area. You can ask us at any time for our short-yet-detailed list of doctors who are specialists in their fields.

Clinic culture

What can you expect when you walk in the doors? Will you get better, or will you just get an awkward massage and a few complicated exercises that are impossible to replicate at home? Well, we work hard here at Rausch PT to make sure it’s the former.

Rausch physical therapist working with a patient.Your experience will go a little something like this: First, we’ll start with a detailed exam of whatever’s ailing you. We look at the injury, the surrounding tissue, and even the faulty biomechanics that caused the injury in the first place. Then, once we’ve identified the specific problematic tissue, we’ll begin treatment. Treatment at Rausch PT looks like a specific and deep tissue rejuvenation treatment to get rid of your restrictions and scar tissue. Then we mobilize your stiff joints and tissues, and follow that up with a personal therapeutic exercise program. This program is built just for you, your specific injury, and your specific goals. It’s not just the blanket “shoulder program” everyone gets—it’s your shoulder program, which includes a personal login for our unique home exercise site, www.homeprograms.net. Finally, we typically end sessions with healing modalities such as ice, stim, laser and taping to help take the pressure off.

Your follow up visits will be directly scheduled with your physical therapist. We don’t dig the traditional “bouncing around” PT thing. In fact, we know that it’s been proven that you get the best and most specific treatment when you see the same physical therapist every visit. All of our physical therapists have unique clinical specialties to ensure we can help you get back to doing what you love. Each treatment week will be filled with progressive tissue work and exercises to push you and get you back in the game as soon as possible.

So, that’s a little glimpse into what we call Rausch PT. But don’t just take my word for it, read some of our Yelp reviews, or better yet, come in and try it for yourself and feel the difference in your overall health and wellness.

Share your best physical therapist experience with us on Yelp, Facebook or Twitter #FastPassPT #GetPT #RauschPT

All the best to your health,

A lesson in mental toughness from Russell Wilson

Posted on February 24, 2015October 3, 2024 by rauschpt

I don’t know Russell Wilson personally, but in my practice as a Professional Sport Psychologist for the past 33 years, I know a thing or two about what it takes to become a champion, about mental toughness and resilience to adversity, all of which Russell and the Seahawks displayed so beautifully in the NFC Championship game on Sunday.

Like NFL quarterbacks, all athletes have to deal with obstacles, challenges and setbacks. Will they fold under such circumstances, believing that they cannot succeed and wait for the next opportunity to prove themselves?

Or…like Russell Wilson, will they embrace the mindset of a champion, by maintaining supreme confidence in the face of adversity and bounce back from setbacks? Do you have a game plan on the back burner to deal with unforeseen setbacks in your sport? Do you have the confidence and mental toughness to be resilient in the face of adversity?

One important lesson to be learned from Russell Wilson is that we all have choices regarding how to assess a really devastating situation. During the first half of his game against Green Bay, his performance was so poor that he had a zero quarterback rating, and he was playing the worst game of his NFL career. With his team down by a score of 16-0, one choice Russell had was to admit to himself that it wasn’t his or the Seahawks’ day, lose the belief that a victory was possible, and just try to get through the second half without more embarrassment. In other words, play it safe, while expecting to lose.

But neither Russell Wilson nor the Seahawks think that way. Even with only a few minutes left in the game, with his team still trailing by 12 points, he trusted his ability to bring victory to the Seahawks. Mental toughness is the ability to sustain your intensity and bounce back, despite setbacks, adversity, and unexpected obstacles. And that kind of mental toughness paid off.

Mental toughness skills include confidence building, resiliency, and developing an “identity statement” that an athlete can repeat, along with other positive affirmations each day.

An “identity statement” is a realistic reminder (no room for modesty here) of the real qualities you possess as an elite athlete and the vision you have of your future performance. The purpose of such a statement is to enhance your self-esteem and confidence, especially when you begin to doubt yourself. Here is an example:

“I am intelligent and I know my sport better than anyone on my team. I have the greatest work ethic and I will eventually be an all-star.”

Combining such a statement with relaxing breathing and visualizing past successes builds the mental toughness necessary for bouncing back from setbacks. Certainly Russell Wilson, the Seattle Seahawks and the coaching all practice mental toughness and it really paid off big time in the NFC championship game!

How to Prevent Throwing Injuries in Youth Baseball

Posted on February 24, 2015October 3, 2024 by rauschpt

Jonathan Little League — Start ’em young! Jonathan in the community educating little leaguers and their parents about youth baseball injury prevention.

Around the office, they call me “The Baseball Guy.” My years of clinical treatment of ballplayers at Rausch Physical Therapy and Sports Performance, coupled with my interest in biomechanical research, has motivated me to find new ways to reverse the alarming increase in youth baseball arm injuries. In fact, for the past two years I have been developing injury prevention programs for southern Orange County baseball leagues to help protect our youth’s elbows and shoulders.

And it looks like I am not the only one getting on base with this initiative. Major League Baseball and USA Baseball recently teamed up to launch their Pitch Smart program, which is designed to educate parents, coaches and young athletes about how to avoid overuse injuries. It includes information on pitching guidelines, injury risk factors, Tommy John surgery and more.

I have found that out of all the risk factors that can cause injury, the number one is pitching too much, both in a game and in any given year. New research is coming out every month about the correlation of throwing too much and arm injuries in little league athletes. Did you know:

If you pitch more than 100 innings in a year, whether little league, club or showcase, it will increase your risk of injury by 3.5x
If you pitch greater than 8 months in a year, it will increase risk of surgery by 5x
Kids should take off about 2-3 months of competitive pitching in a year and engage in other sports or active rest where they are still using their arms, just not in a pitching motion

Jonathan taking a patient through Rausch Physical Therapy Throw Right program.

We as medical professionals need to transfer this information to the public so that change can occur in the traditions and schedules of little league baseball. The Pitch Smart initiative proves to me—and hopefully to parents and coaches—how crucial injury awareness and prevention is. I want to take this information and use my skill to prevent, rehabilitate and treat the youth of little league baseball. At Rausch PT, we offer our Throw Right program, which is designed to improve throwing mechanics and decrease risk of injury by evaluating strength, balance and range of motion. It’s a great way for throwing athletes of any age and experience to stay healthy and in the game for many, many years.

If you have any questions about throwing injury prevention or rehabilitation, please send me an email and I will be happy to answer them. For now, take care of those elbows and shoulders!

Sincerely, The Baseball Guy

Jonathan Meltzer, D.P.T.

jonathan@rauschpt.net

Feburary Events 2015

Posted on February 21, 2015October 3, 2024 by rauschpt

Keep in touch with the events at Rausch PT and Sports Performance. Here’s some dates to save this month! If you have a question about any of the events listed, please contact us! (949) 276-5401 or info@rauschpt.net.

Train Like You Mean It Triathlon & Run Training
TLYMI will meet on Saturday Feb 21 and Mar 21st at 7:30am in San Clemente for a technique inspired run from coach Jessica Snyder of Rausch PT. The group has been working with Jessica on Tuesday mornings @9am and will test their knowledis a process of learning and practice. Train Like You Mean It is an endurance team based out of the Mission Viejo YMCA and is preparing for the OC ½ Marathon May 3rd in Newport Beach. For more information contact Tracy White at twhite@ymcaoc.org.

SBR Triathlon Training Events
12-Week Beginner/Intermediate Training Program
LA Tri Series and Orange County Triathlon
Begins February 28, 2015
WHO: Beginner/Intermediate Level Triathletes – Ages 12-70 years old of all athletic abilities
WHEN: February 28 – June 7th, 2015 – Wed 6:00-7:30 p.m. and Saturdays 8:00-10:30 a.m..
WHERE: The training will be centered at Irvine Racquet Club, the Back Bay, Corona Del Mar Beach , Newport Dunes, Crystal Cove and the extensive cycling and running trails throughout the Newport, Irvine and Tustin areas. Location schedule provided when training starts. Eight Open Water Swim Sessions to prepare for our goal races.
COST: $375 – $25 Discount for OC Triathlon Club Members


		Coaster Run at Knott’s Berry Farm Sunday, March 8th 10K Run \| 5K Run & Walk 1K Kids Run/Walk in Camp Snoopy
____________________________________________________

		Leprechaun Leap 5K Sunday, March 15, Tustin Rare opportunity to run through the Tustin Hangar!
____________________________________________________

		Reaching for the Cure Run & Ride Reaching for the Cure Run & Ride March 28-29, Irvine Bike Tour \| 1/2 Marathon \| 10K 5K Run \| 5K Walk \| 1K Kids Run
____________________________________________________

		Winter Trail Running  Join TriLaVie as they mix up your training by getting you on the trails. 10k, ½ or full marathon training. Open to men and women. Hit the dirt this winter. Nov 9th – March 5th  Various locations

Triumph this Year!

Posted on January 22, 2015October 3, 2024 by rauschpt

If you’re reading this, then you’re like most of us. You made an awesome resolution for 2015, and have probably already failed at it. Take it easy. You’re amongst good company. We’ve already done the same thing. As I prepared to write this #2015 Leading Off section, I spent some time on one of my favorite websites, TedX.com. This site if full of interesting ideas, out of the box thinkers, and challenging viewpoints. Check it out.

I was intrigued by this talk “Quit Trying and Triumph” by Clare Barcus. Its a must see! In her presentation she speaks about her own hurdles in life and how she used to “try” to overcome them. The difficulties she has are real, they can and did negatively affect her life, work, school, and social well being. Throughout most of her life she “tried” to overcome her hurdles, until in one certain situation, she realized that she needed to deal with, accept, and triumph over her hurdle. It’s an amazing story!

This year, I challenge all of you to TRIUMPH. Be victorious in your journey and concer. Triumph does not come easily. It is not a “try” type of an effort, and it is not a weak-sauced “resolution” that you will forget about in a month. Triumph, is a supreme process of achievement through specific and hard work. Through struggle and strive. Despite your hurdles, physical challenges, and above the ever present negativity. It takes commitment and self introspection on a daily basis.

So what will you be triumphant with this year?

Will you be a better dad – Will you make the team – Will you get a promotion at work – Will you commit to helping a charity – Will you get into college – Will you start a new adventure – Will you fix that nagging leg injury – Will you do an Ironman – Will you get in shape – Will you deal with a personal issue – Will you spend more time with a friend in need – WILL YOU____________________________________?

“Do or do not. There is no try” – Yoda

#TRIUMPH this year!

Swim For Your Life

Posted on January 22, 2015October 3, 2024 by rauschpt

When I first moved to California, I lived a brief stint with an amazing family in Thousand Oaks who I affectionately refer to as my California family. They are a great group of people and I got to be real close with them as well as do a lot of activities with them. One of my favorite activities was Master’s swimming with the Dad of the family, Steve. He was swimming to stay in shape but also for a more serious (and somewhat comical) reason. He was practicing his swimming so that if he ever was stranded in the ocean and needed to swim to shore to survive, he would be able to do so. Not a bad reason if you think about it.

This past week, I stumbled across an article on ESPN titled something along the lines of “Ex-Dolphins Fullback Swims for Life”. This obviously piqued my interest, so I clicked on it. The focal point of the story, Rob Konrad, recently found himself in a “boaters nightmare” off the coast of Florida. He was fishing when his boat was hit by a wave and threw him overboard. His boat was on autopilot and sailed itself off into the distance as he was stranded without a life jacket.

Konrad realized very quickly that his only option was to swim for it. He had a wife and two kids waiting for him at home and there was not another boat in sight. So, he set off to swim back to shore. During his trek, a boat came within 50 yards and the coast guard unknowingly had a spotlight on him, but neither of them saw him. He was on his own. He washed up on shore at 4:30am after a 16 hour, 27 mile swim filled with chilly waters, bites from sea life, and circling sharks.

The biggest takeaway I got from the story is that we are training not only for our events, but also for our lives. You never know when extreme endurance and athletic ability will come in handy on a day to day basis. Letting yourself go isn’t an option.

Link to Story: http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/12155533/rob-konrad-recounts-16-hour-swim-survival

Questions? email jack@rauschpt.net
Jack McPheron, Performance Lab Director

Rausch Physical Therapy & Sports Performance client Ken Dewhirst is gearing up for the comeback of his life. But to be the best, he needs to feel his best first.

Visual relaxation methods to speed up recovery

Three steps to visualize sport performance while injured

Staying motivated during rehabilitation

Event Details

The best pitches for young baseball players

The worst pitches for young baseball players

Age (in Years) Recommendation For Learning Various Pitches

Kevin’s Seven Tips for Phasing Out Pedal Pushers Postural Pain:

Professional triathlete “Doc” Amanda Stevens visits Rausch PT

Physical therapist 101

#FastPassPT

Clinic culture

What our patients are saying

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Lynne B.

Allison B.

Michael M.

Vincent M.

Deborah R.

Robert V

Valeria R.

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