How Coaches and Medical Providers Can Have Competitive Season Success – An Interview with Dr. Mike Reinold

I’ve been lucky to spend time learning from some of the worlds best medical providers, strength coaches, and sports coaches in the last 10 years. One of those people who has not only been enormously helpful in my education but also still provides me wisdom every day, is my friend and mentor Mike Reinold.

For anyone not familiar with Mike, he has quite an epic resume in sports medicine and sports performance. His experience starts from his time working with Dr. James Andrews and Kevin Wilk in Alabama, and moves through his time working as the heat AT/PT for the Boston Red Sox, to where he is now working as the co-founder of the facility I work at Champion Physical Therapy.

Mike is best known for his extensive research and knowledge of shoulder and knee joint, as well as the integration of strength and conditioning into Sports Physical Therapy. When we lined up some time to sit down and talk for SHIFT’s Expert of  The Month series, I didn’t want to revisit the same topics we always talk about in this area.

Instead, I wanted to talk to Mike about something I learned exclusively from him and feel is a central pillar of our work at Champion, as well as my work in gymnastics. This would be the concept of in-season vs out of season management of athletes.

From a medical point of view, this is a huge distinguishing factor to the way we work with athletes at Champion. We have completely different approaches to the off season, pre season, in season, and championship season. At the same time, the way we teach coaches and strength and conditioning professionals to help these athletes mirrors this same periodized though process.

I think people will find the information this discussion really valuable. We cover everything from out of season strength training how to handle growth in youth athletes, working with different disciplines for the athlete, talking with parents, medical management of youth and overuse injuries, and how to approach injuries in season with athletes.

You can find it below in video format, or also listen to the audio podcast version through the link below. I hope you find it useful!