Physical Therapy for CrossFit Athletes: A Guide to Recovery and Performance Improvement

As the weather warms up and fields start to fill again, spring sports season is an exciting time for athletes of all ages. Whether you’re returning to running, baseball, lacrosse, tennis, or weekend pickup games, it’s important to remember: your body may not be as ready as your mindset. Every year, I see a surge in injuries this time of year. Not because people are doing something wrong, but because they’re doing too much, too soon. Every year we hear how athletes did nothing to train or prepare for the upcoming season, go 110% in pre-season to impress the coach, then injuries set in those first few weeks of practice. These pre-season injuries can be decreased significantly with a better approach, which we'll dive into next. 1. Respect the “Ramp-Up” Period Your body adapts to stress over time. If you’ve been less active during the winter months, jumping straight into high-intensity practices or games can overload muscles, tendons, and joints. IDEALLY, you should be training and ramping up for pre-season. If you decided to coast through the offseason, you'll be in for a rude awakening come pre-season. As general guidance to all sport, we recommend: Gradually increase activity over 4–6 weeks Follow the “10% rule” (don’t increase volume or intensity by more than 10% per week) Alternate hard and easy days to allow recovery. Going hard everyday is a recipe for disaster. 2. Prioritize a Proper Warm-Up Cold muscles are more prone to strains and tears. Lacing up your shoes, a couple stretches and a quick jog aren't enough. Try this instead: 5 minutes of light cardio to increase heart rate in blood flow to tissues (jogging, biking) Dynamic movements to hit bigger ranges of motion (air squat, lunge matrix, mach drills, plyometrics) Sport-specific drills (cutting, sprinting, throwing) Think of your warm-up as preparing your nervous system to move, not just your muscles. 3. Build Strength Where It Matters Spring sports often involve sprinting, cutting, jumping, and rapid changes in direction. Weakness in key areas, like the hips, core, and shoulders can increase injury risk. During the off-season (AND MAINTAINING THROUGH IN-SEASON) focus on: Building strength through hip and leg musculature (squatting and deadlifting variations) Building tendon resilience (holding and pushing isometrics) Addressing assymetries (staggers, split and single leg exercise) Strength training 2–3 times per week can significantly reduce injury risk and improve performance. 4. Don’t Ignore Mobility Limited mobility can alter your strategy on the task given, placing extra stress on joints and soft tissues. Each sport as their own "common" areas of injury, but as a general recommendation we prioritize demonstrating appropriate: Hip extension/flexion Ankle mobility Thoracic and hip rotation Incorporating mobility work into your warm-up, even 5–10 minutes a day, can make a big difference in your longevity and the performance in a training session. 5. Listen to Early Warning Signs Pain is not normal. It's not something you “push through,” especially early in the season. It's also NOT the same thing as soreness. Many injuries start as mild discomfort that gets ignored and worst case scenario turns into a chronic or recurring issue for athletes. Some red flags to be on the look for would be: Persistent soreness that doesn’t improve with rest (greater than 4 days) Sharp or localized pain Swelling or stiffness Changes in performance or movement patterns Addressing these symptoms early can prevent weeks (or months) on the sidelines. 6. Recovery Is Part of Training Recovery isn’t optional. It’s essential and should be a part of every athletes training. The MOST IMPORTANT part of recovery is: Getting adequate sleep (7–9 hours) Staying hydrated Fueling your body properly Taking at least 1–2 rest days per week No magic pill or device is going to trump these recovery tools. These are FREE tools that are apart of your everyday life. Most athletes overlook these things and think turning to supplements or tools will allow them to recover quicker. Your body gets stronger during recovery, not just during training. 7. When to See a PT If you’re dealing with nagging pain, recurring injuries, or uncertainty about how to safely return to sport, a physical therapist can help guide you. We assess movement patterns, identify weaknesses or imbalances, and create individualized plans to keep you active and performing at your best. At Rebound, we especially prioritize our athletes being ready to compete at the highest level. We take the guesswork out of what you should be doing and create an actionable game plan together. Spring sports should be fun, energizing, and rewarding. Not cut short by preventable injuries. Taking a proactive approach now can set the tone for a healthy, successful season. Key takeaways: Build into your season, move well (and often), and don’t ignore what your body is telling you.

If you’re serious about improving your golf game, you’ve probably watched your swing on video, had a lesson with a teaching pro, or even upgraded your equipment. But have you ever assessed how your body moves? Before you can fix a swing flaw, you need to know whether your body can physically do what your swing coach is asking for. That’s where a golf mobility and performance screen comes in. What Is a Golf Mobility & Performance Screen? A golf screen is a series of simple, targeted movement tests that evaluate how well your body moves in ways that directly affect your golf swing. It’s a functional assessment designed to find the physical strengths and limitations that either help or hurt your swing. As a Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) certified clinician, I use this screening process to identify: Mobility restrictions that limit rotation or posture Stability issues that affect sequencing and control Asymmetries that lead to inconsistency or pain Movement patterns that may cause swing faults The TPI Philosophy: There’s No One Perfect Swing At the Titleist Performance Institute (TPI), the philosophy is simple: “There’s no one way to swing a golf club, but there is one efficient way for every player to swing — based on what they can physically do.” Your swing should match your body, not the other way around. Trying to copy a tour player’s swing without the same mobility or strength often leads to compensation, inconsistency and potentially injury. What Does the Screen Include A comprehensive golf mobility and performance screen typically includes: Testing hip, thoracic spine, and shoulder mobility Stability and postural control Core and lower body function Coordination and sequencing of your movement Why Every Golfer Should Be Screened A TPI screen can reveal why certain swing positions feel difficult or inconsistent, reduce your risk of overuse injuries, guide smarter individualized training and improve consistency and power. Every great performance program starts with an assessment . Without a proper understanding of your baseline, how do we decide where you need to start? A golf mobility and performance screen bridges the gap between how your body moves and your swing. Once you understand your movement limitations, every drill, stretch, and strength session becomes more purposeful and your results on the course will follow.

Watching the CrossFit Open always fires people up. Seeing athletes like Colten Mertens fly through workout reminds everyone what’s possible when movement, strength, and conditioning line up perfectly. This year’s Open starting with CrossFit Open 26.1, brought something familiar back into the spotlight: the box jump. It looks simple. Jump on a box. Step down. Repeat. But here’s what most people don’t realize: There are two very different kinds of box jumps — and they train two very different things. We see the confusion around this every week in the clinic, and actually spoke with a few different athletes about this very thing recently. Buckle up and let's dive in. Efficient Box Jumps vs. Box Jumps for power In CrossFit workouts, box jumps are usually there to test your engine. You’re trying to get through reps efficiently. That means shorter dips, quicker repetitions, and just enough jump to clear the box. The goal isn’t to jump higher, it’s to maintain your performance the workout. That’s totally fine, as long as you understand what you’re training.

Why Golf Is More Physical Than You Think