Westfield State Sports Medicine Blog

   How Do Menstrual Cycles Effect Exercise Performance?       Menstrual Cycles are different for every individual but the typical cycle lasts between 24 to 38 days. Throughout these days there are four different cycles that occur, these include the follicular phase, ovulation phase, luteal phase and menstrual phase. During these phases hormone and energy level fluctuations occur which can have an effect on exercise performance. The goal is to discover what can be done about these fluctuations during different cycles.  Important Phases   Follicular phase which starts on the first day of menstruation and ends during the ovulation phase. It typically lasts around 16 days but can range from 11 to 27 days depending of individuals specific cycle.    Luteal phase is the ending of the cycle after ovulation and it lasts around 14 days. This phase is right before menstr uation where premenstrual syndrome takes place.  What Did Research F...

  Is Exercise Therapy an Effective Alternative  to Surgery for Meniscal Tears?   Did you know that physical therapy can often produce the same results as surgery for meniscus tears? For millions of people facing this injury, choosing the right treatment is a crucial decision that impacts their mobility and quality of life. What is the Meniscus? The meniscus is a crescent-shaped cartilage in the knee joint, sandwiched between the femur (thigh bone) and tibia (shin bone). Each knee has two menisci—one on the inner side (medial) and one on the outer side (lateral). Their primary roles are to: Act as shock absorbers, distributing weight across the knee joint. Stabilize the knee by keeping it aligned during movement. Protect the cartilage from wear and tear. A damaged meniscus disrupts these functions, leading to pain, swelling, and difficulty in everyday activities like walking or climbing stairs. How Many People Are Affected by Meniscal Tears? Meniscal tears are one of the m...

Imagine a future where individuals battling with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) can embrace a life of mobility and reduced pain through treatments tailored to their unique needs. For those who are suffering, therapeutic modalities like cryotherapy and aquatic therapy are typically painless forms of muscular and bone strengthening that can greatly increase the quality of life of distressed patients. We will dive into four different therapeutic modalities and the features that each can provide when searching for the most proactive strategies that empower patients to regain control of their health and well-being. Understanding Ankylosing Spondylitis Ankylosing spondylitis is a chronic inflammatory disease that primarily affects the spine and sacroiliac joints which leads to pain, stiffness, and eventual fusion of the spinal vertebrae in severe cases. As a debilitating and progressive form of spinal arthritis, this disease has no known cure. Among 3.4 million cases in the United States, thera...

Across all demographics of soccer athletes, there is an ongoing perception that artificial turf imposes a greater injury risk when compared to natural grass. But is there truly a difference between the two surface types? What do the players think? There is one key factor that may not be considered when looking at soccer injuries: the mental aspect.  One study  asked athletes their opinions on surface types and injury rates. A majority of the players agreed, holding the perception that turf is more likely to increase injury risk. Reasons why included: Artificial turf fields have a higher surface hardness, impact, and surface friction. Players have received a higher rate of traumatic injuries on turf Players feel as if they will get "stuck" in the turf as it cannot dig up like grass can.  The mental aspects of injury can have a major effect on how a player chooses to play on different surface types. For the reasons listed above, players mentioned that they feel "mentally s...