Micronutrients, vitamins and minerals, are required nutrients the body requires in very small amounts to help regulate, control, or enhance various physiological functions. The body needs inorganic minerals and organic vitamins to run optimally. Micronutrients can typically be obtained through a balanced diet, but the multibillion dollar supplement industry would have consumers believe that supplements are the only way to achieve ideal health. Low intake of micronutrients can

Muscle balance assessment and testing is important as it gives the clinician valuable information about the balance, timing, recruitment, and coordination about the client’s musculature. No one test can give the clinician all necessary information about a client’s dysfunctional movement or muscular impairments, but the overhead squat assessment does provide a larger amount of information than most assessments and is included in the Functional Movement Screen (FMS) and the Sel

Resistance training for youth athletes has previously been discouraged. In the 1970’s and 1980’s retrospective studies showed that resistance training was unsafe due to potential injury to growth cartilage (Faigenbaum, Myer, Naclerio, & Casas, 2011). However, injuries in these studies were due to unqualified supervision, and improper technique. Later research has shown that resistance training is generally safe for youth under qualified supervision, and has been shown to i

Obesity has recently been declared a disease by the American Medical Association, and there is robust debate whether that classification is accurate. Obesity can be defined as having a BMI over 30 (Wright & Arrone, 2012). Obesity meets some definitions of a disease as it is a disorder in that inhibits a person’s cardiovascular, cardiopulmonary, metabolic, endocrine, and skeletomuscular system, that is characterized by disordered energy intake/output, and increases incidence

Protein consumption after an intense exercise session is commonly practiced by recreational exercisers and elite athletes. The theory of nutrient timing states that there is a limited period following an exercise session, an anabolic window, to maximize the rebuilding of tissue and restore energy stores in an enhanced manner to improve performance and body composition (Aragon & Schoenfeld, 2013). This is a widely followed theory in the exercise community, but there is conflic

Muscle balance, or the relative equality of muscle length or strength between an agonist and its respective antagonist, as well as contralateral sides, is necessary for normal movement. This is due to the reciprocal nature of movement, which requires the muscles to be coordinated. Muscles can become unbalanced due to either adaptation, through improper training or a movement dysfunction, like over-eversion of the foot. The major difference between a functional muscular imbala

Plantar fasciitis is a painful condition of the foot and can inhibit function. Clients need to know what exactly is plantar fasciitis, what causes it to develop, and possible non-medical treatment options. Plantar fasciitis obviously affects the plantar fascia of the foot. The plantar fascia is a specialized structure, made of connective tissue, that absorbs impact to the heel and supports the arch of the foot. It runs predominantly longitudinally and originates from the ant