Episodes

  • Today we are joined by local college pitcher Eli Hoyt. Eli grew up in Waukesha, playing for STiKS academy, and just finished his career at Madison College. Eli will have the opportunity to play for USA Baseball and the Madison Mallards this summer.

    In addition to being a high level pitcher, Eli has overcome numerous injuries over the course of his career. Most recently, Eli just returned to competition following Tommy John Surgery on his throwing elbow.

    Eli and I discuss:

    Eli’s baseball story and how he ended up at Madison CollegeHow is perspective has changed on college baseballThe difference between conservative elbow rehab and rehab after Tommy John surgeryWhy he got multiple opinions before undergoing Tommy John surgeryWhat he learned throughout the Tommy John rehab processHow he approached his throwing programHow his arm felt during his return to throwing programDifference between his ACL rehab and Tommy John rehabThe lessons from tommy john rehab he will take with him going forward

    Eli has a very unique perspective on baseball and took a lot of time to reflect and prepare for this conversation. He gives a lot of great advice that anyone going through an injury recovery can learn from.

    You can see Eli play this summer for the Madison Mallards and follow his journey on socials @hoyster22

    At Kinetic Sports Medicine, we help baseball players recover from injuries, stay healthy and maximize their performance. If you have questions about your injury rehab or recovery, schedule a free 15-minute discovery call with one of our baseball experts.

  • In this episode on Milwaukee Sports Performance Podcast, I (Dr. Lauren here!) am joined by Dr. Sydney and her running coach, Jack Hackett. Coach Jack is the owner and head coach of Infinity Running Company. Jack coached Dr. Sydney for a half marathon, and now her first full marathon!

    In this episode, we break down Dr. Sydney’s experience training for and running her first marathon. Coach Jack reflects on her training and race experience, and we use this opportunity to look at Dr. Sydney’s goals for the off season.

    In this episode we also discuss:

    Pre-race preparation tipsRace nutrition to keep your energy up throughout your race and keep your stomach happy!Common off-season training goals and plansSome recent research about ways to train smarter for your raceThe benefits of using a coach to train for a race

    Dr Sydney has learned a lot from her running experiences and is excited to address her unfinished business and tackle another marathon soon! Coach Jack is an amazing resource for our patients working to return-to-running as well as those who are working to achieve their performance goals!

    You can find this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, or listen above.

    You can learn more about Jack, or work with him online at:

    Instagram: @infinityrunco

    Online: www.infinityrunco.com

    Are you a runner that is training for a race or dealing with injury? Do you want to work with an expert that fully understands the unique needs of runners? Learn about our 4 step process to helping runners heal from injury as well identify their training needs to improve their performance and run pain free!

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  • One of the most important decisions to make as an injured athlete is to choose your “team”, including choosing your physical therapist. This team can include many different people from skill coaches, to doctors, to physical therapists and sports psychologists. Many times within the medical field you are referred to a provider because it is convenient or there is a marketing agreement in place.

    For example, a large health system or orthopedic group “sponsors” a high school or club team and provides an athletic trainer. That athletic trainer is often encouraged or required to refer athletes to that hospital’s orthopedic physicians with any injury. That doctor is typically then encouraged or required to refer out to that hospital’s physical therapy group.

    But, as an athlete, is this in your best interest? Are you required to go to a physical therapist because you were referred there by a doctor?

    Maybe, maybe not. There are 8 questions that will greatly help you in deciding how to choose your physical therapist and see if they are the right fit for you and your needs. I expand on these questions in much more detail in the podcast.

    If you are an athlete or a parent of an athlete that is dealing with an injury, hopefully you find this information helpful! And you can use it to be an advocate for your own health and performance!

    At Kinetic Sports Medicine and Performance we specialize in helping athletes return to play and maximize their performance. Learn more about our philosophy or schedule a free consult today.

  • On this episode, we are joined by Keith Kahlfeldt, a basketball performance coach at the Prolane in Waukesha, WI. Keith focuses on tailoring performance training in the weight room to improve performance on the basketball court.

    Keith is local to the Milwaukee area, having played basketball at New Berlin Eisenhower and then continuing on to play at Concordia University. He uses his knowledge and experience as a basketball player to help guide his programs to help other local high school, college and professional basketball players stay healthy and perform at a high level.

    Specifically, Keith and I discuss:How he evaluates a new athletes’ movements in the gym & on the courtDifferences in movement abilities based on a players’ positionWhy the foot and ankle are so important to train in basketball playersCommon mistakes high school basketball players make with performance trainingHow to integrate performance training in a very busy basketball schedule
and much more!

    Keith has a great philosophy towards training athletes and I really enjoyed the conversation. He is definitely approaching training athletes from a progressive view and incorporating some of the newest techniques and philosophies with his players.

    You can learn more about Keith at his website and on Instagram @keithkahlfeldt

  • Late stage ACL rehab and the return-to-play process from ACL rehab takes a team effort. The player and medical staff have been working together for 8-9 months, and the athlete is ready to start to be reintegrated into practice and game activities. At that point, the coach starts to play a key role in helping the athlete reintegrate into the team environment and prepare to return to game action.

    However, coaches aren’t medical professionals, especially at the high school level. Coaches have many other responsibilities, and often, other full time jobs. So how would you, as their coach, know what to do with a player that is “cleared” to return to play following an ACL injury?

    This podcast will help by discussing:

    What the stages of return-to-play areWhy an athlete telling you they have been “cleared” is insufficient information (and what follow up questions you should ask)How you can help an athlete during this late stage of their ACL rehabilitationWhy an athlete needs a gradual reintegration into practice and gamesConcepts surrounding the medical and performance teamResources for coaches

    This is a great podcast for any coach that has an athlete coming back from an ACL injury (or another major injury). This is also a great listen if you are an athlete (or parent of an athlete) coming back from ACL surgery so that you can optimize your own rehab experience by knowing what to expect, how hard to be pushed, and when to scale it back.

  • In this episode, we are joined by Brian Keller, a professional baseball player who has pitched for the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox organizations, and now the Hanshin Tigers in Japan. Brian has one of the best development stories going from a lightly recruited high school baseball player, to a late round draft pick, and now he is entering his eighth season as a professional baseball player.

    Brian and I specifically cover:

    What he has learned about developing as a pitcher from high school and into professional baseballAdvanced pitch data: What makes a good pitch?How he learned to use Trackman and Rapsodo to evaluate his pitching performance and aid his developmentHow he has utilizes the gym to aid his development and prepare for the seasonThe benefits of playing multiple sports for developing as a pitcherThe correlation between his golf swing and pitchingThe one thing he would do differently when he was in high school to help him develop quicker

    Brian is one of the smartest pitchers that I have ever talked to. I always learn something new about pitching mechanics, gripping pitchers, or pitch design when I talk to him. If you are at all interested in baseball development, this is a can’t-miss podcast.

    You can follow along with Brian on Instagram or Twitter @bkell721

  • In this episode, Lauren and Michael talk about whether you should wear a brace after injury. Lately, this has been a very common question in our office. Many athletes and families wonder if they should wear a brace after a injury, whether a minor sprain or when returning from surgery. As with most things, there is no one right answer for everyone, but there are considerations for each specific case.

    Lauren and Michael cover:

    The difference between taping and bracing after an ankle sprainDo knee sleeves help?Should you wear a brace after ACL surgery?What does rolled up pre-wrap around your knee actually do?Should you wear a harness after a shoulder dislocation?Can bracing or taping prevent injuries?And much more

    This episode is designed to be very practical and we cover specifics on the ankle, knee and shoulder taping and bracing. So if you’ve wondered whether a brace will help you, give it a listen!

  • Today I talk with Jason Tipton, director of instruction at Chenequa Country Club. We discuss high school golf development, and specifically about how high school players with specific goals to make their high school golf team should utilize the upcoming winter “off-season” for golf development.

    In detail, Jason and I discuss:

    Why junior golfers should play multiple sportsWhen a player should start to specialize in golfCommon mistakes that hold high school golfers back from shooting lower scoresWhat it really takes to make your high school varsity teamWhat college coaches at D1, D2 and D3 level are looking for when recruitingHow to use your winter off-season to meet your golf development goals next year

    This is a great episode for any high school golfer (or parent of a high school golfer) that is looking for a plan to develop their game next year.

    You can find this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, or listen below.

    Kinetic Sports Medicine and Jason are teaming up for a high school golf development program this winter. It will be an all-inclusive monthly program that addresses a golfers physical deficits, swing changes, short game skills and course management to set players up for high school tryouts or their competitive junior season.

    We are hosting a parents meeting at Kinetic Sports Medicine and Performance (Delafield location) on Tuesday, November 15th at 6pm. You can learn more and register here.

    At Kinetic Sports Medicine and Performance, we have helped golfers of all ages and skill sets, ranging from high school players, to recreational golfers, to two world long drive competitors. We have the skills and tools to help them each reach their goals and develop. If you would like to learn more about our philosophy or how we can help you, contact us today!

  • Dr. Sydney just finished her first marathon! On this episode of Milwaukee Sports Performance Podcast, Sydney and I sit down to debrief and share some of her marathon training lessons with you.

    All of us at Kinetic have watched Sydney train for this marathon over the last 4+ months and we couldn’t be more excited for her & proud of her. Sydney learned a lot about running, about the human body, and about training going through this training process, so today Sydney shares some of her biggest lessons.

    Specifically we discuss:How her race wentWhat a typical marathon training week looked likeHow she balanced strength training with runningHow she differentiated between normal training soreness and injuryHow she managed to keep training despite a foot injuryHow she recovered from her long training runs

    This is a can’t miss episode if you are a runner, specifically a runner that is training for an event. Make sure to listen to some of Sydney’s lessons so you can incorporate them into your own training!

    Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

    Follow Sydney on Instagram: @drsydcope

    Are you a runner that is training for a race or dealing with an injury? Do you want to work with an expert that fully understands the unique needs of runners? Check out our 4-step process to helping runners heal from injury and stay in their training routines.

  • In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Sam Steiner of Orthopedic Associates of Wisconsin. Dr. Steiner is a local orthopedic surgeon that specializes in caring for athletes and athletic injuries. He has a history as a local star athlete, even going on to play football in the BIG 10. We ask Dr. Steiner some of the post common post-operative questions we get from athletes in our office, including:

    When should you get an MRIHow long should you wear a brace after ACL surgery?Do you need to wear a brace when you return-to-sport after ACL surgery?Which graft is best to reconstruct your ACL?When can you drive after knee surgery?Why do some surgeries require a lot of restrictions and precautions after surgery?Should I get a PRP injection or a stem cell injection?

    Dr. Steiner was a great guest and did really dove in deep on many of these questions. However, we do want to give the disclaimer that every surgery, patient and case is different, so use this as general information, but make sure you ask your surgeon for specific advice about your unique situation.

    To work with Dr. Steiner find him online at:

    www.orthowisconsin.com

    Or on Instagram: @orthowisconsin

    At Kinetic Sports Medicine, we Specialize in helping athlete recover from surgery and not only return to sport, but return safely and performing at a high level. You can learn more about our post-operative programs, specifically our ACL recovery program, in all of our athlete services. Contact us today to find out how we can help you!

  • On today’s podcast, we talk about how to improve your pitching performance and keep your arm healthy with Carter Hohn. Carter is the throwing coordinator at BRX performance in Milwaukee, WI. He also has years of experience as a pitcher in college that dealt with numerous injuries.

    Today, Carter and I discuss:What he learned about his body by going through rehabHow his own injuries have impacting his pitching instructionWhat workload is and why it mattersDo poor pitching mechanics cause injuriesWhy chasing improved arm efficiency can be crucial for long term pitching developmentThe most common mechanical mistakes Carter sees in young throwingAnd much more!

    Carter is a young, up and coming pitching coach in the baseball industry. He has extensive first-hand experience as both a player and coach, as well as extensive continuing education to enhance his skill set. Any baseball player that wants to improve their performance and stay healthy will learn a lot from this episode.

    Work with Carter: www.brxperformance.com @brxperformance

    Follow Carter: IG @carterhohn14 Twitter: prescarter14

  • In this episode, Dr. Brett Ferstl, PT and Dr. Michael Falk, PT discuss the dos and don’ts of early stage ACL rehab. While not super exciting, the early stage is critical for a successful long term outcome.

    How do we define the early stage of ACL rehab?

    Everything from immediately after surgery all the way through a full return to normal walking with a normal stride and no pain.

    How long does this early stage take?

    It depends on the person! In this episode we share why we don’t like to use time to define the stages of rehab.

    We specifically cover:

    How to manage swelling after surgeryOur favorite ways to regain knee range of motionWhy getting your knee straight is crucial after ACL SurgeryTips to restore your quad muscleThe best way to work on walking after ACL surgeryOur criteria to progress through the early stage of ACL rehab

    This is a very practical podcast that gives a lot of specific information and advice on how to nail the early stage of your ACL rehab and set the stage for a solid outcome and return to sport.

    At Kinetic Sports Medicine and Performance, we specialize in helping athletes return-to-sport after ACL injury. We have helped high school, college and professional athletes get back on the field, performing at a high level again. Learn more about our approach to ACL rehab.

    No matter where you’re at in your ACL rehab, you can see us for a free consultation to help you determine if you’re on the best path to return you safely and strongly to your sport!

  • In this episode, we discuss sports mental performance with Joana Bromley. Joana is a certified mental performance consultant that owns JCB Mental Performance. She specializes in helping youth athletes learn mental skills and develop mental tools that will help them in on field performance.

    Today Joana and I discuss:

    What mental skills and mental tools are and why they are important for athletesMental tools she used as a D1 Soccer player for the Wisconsin BadgersWhy players and coaches need an interdisciplinary team to help them achieve peak performanceTrends she is seeing that are contributing to burnout in youth sportsTechniques that parents and athletes can use to deal with stress and anxietySome of the most common mental skills she works on in athletes recovering from injury

    Mental performance is becoming a more and more important aspects of sports at the professional, college and youth levels, Joana has a lot of first hand experience as both a player, coach and mental performance consultant and shares a lot of great insights today. Whether you are an athlete, a coach or a parent of an athlete you will learn a lot from this episode.

    Learn more about Joana:

    Instagram: @jcb_mental_performance

    Website: https://jcbmentalperformance.consulting/

  • Low back pain
 It’s annoying. It’s scary. It’s common. It comes back a lot.

    Almost everyone has dealt with a tight, sore or painful low back at some point. Whether it is a competitive athlete, or a recreational athlete, this injury is very common.

    Today we share insights on:

    Who can get low back pain?What causes low back pain?If your back hurts, can something serious be wrong?When should you look to get help for low back pain?Should you get an MRI of my back?What are some of the biggest myths surrounding low back pain?What are the keys to treating low back pain?Can it come back?

    This is a great episode that covers a lot of information on low back pain. If you, a friend, a teammate or a family member has ever dealt with a painful low back, you will learn a lot from this episode.

  • On the podcast today we speak with Dr. Brett Ferstl, PT at Kinetic Sports Medicine and performance on how to treat tendon pain.

    Tendon pain has been called many things over the years, tendonitis, tendonosis and more recently tendinopathy. For all athletes, from the competitive team sport athlete, to the recreational runner to the weekend warriors, tendon pain is very common and can be a nuisance that affects your performance for an extended period of time.

    We discuss:

    Common areas of tendon painWhat tendon pain feels likeWhen you should seek professional guidance on your tendon painMyths around treating tendon painHow to effectively treat tendon painWhy you need a maintenance program after you return to your sport or activities

    If you have ever dealt with tendon pain in your knee, achilles, hip, elbow or shoulder you will learn a lot from this episode!

    If you are currently dealing with tendon pain we would love to help! We offer a free consult at our office where you can meet with one of our therapists and get a clear understanding of exactly what is going on and what you need to do about it going forward.

  • Today I am joined by Conor Fisk, a professional baseball pitcher who has played for the Toronto Blue Jays and Colorado Rockies organizations. Currently, Conor is rehabilitating his arm following Tommy John Surgery 10 months ago.

  • Dr. Sydney Cope, PT, DPT joins the podcast today to discuss how to heal shin splints. At Kinetic Sports Medicine and Performance we commonly see athletes that deal with chronic shin pain that affects their performance and their ability to enjoy their sport.

  • Today I am joined by Erick Martinez, who is the Director of Junior, College and Professional Tennis Development at Western Racquet Club in Elm Grove, WI. Erick has a deep background in tennis from developing himself as a player, playing Division 1 Men’s Tennis, to coaching tennis on the private and collegiate level. Erick offers a great perspective on developing a player's game from a young age on.


  • Kinetic Sports Medicine and Performance Turned 4!

    Lauren and Michael sit down today to reflect on what they’ve learned in the last four years owning and operating a sports medicine and performance practice. They started with a simple goal of helping athletes in the Milwaukee area return-to-play and maximize their performance. But Kinetic has grown well beyond their initial goals with two locations, multiple talented physical therapists and helping athletes from well outside the Milwaukee area.