Is Your Young Athlete Ready for Fall Sports?
A Statin Update: Are Muscle Aches Really From the Medication?
New research challenges the common belief that statins are a major cause of muscle aches. In the SAMSON trial, 60 people who had previously stopped taking statins because of side effects rotated between atorvastatin, a placebo, and no pill.
Symptoms were nearly identical during the statin and placebo months, but much lower when participants took no pill. Researchers found that 90% of the symptoms attributed to the statin were also experienced with the placebo. After reviewing their personal results, half of the participants restarted statin therapy.
The NEJM report and the JACC article cover the same trial, so they are not two separate studies. Still, the findings suggest that while muscle symptoms are real, they are often influenced by the expectation of side effects rather than the medication itself. Statins can cause muscle problems in a small number of people, but for appropriate patients, their proven ability to reduce heart attacks and strokes generally far outweighs that relatively small risk. As always, any concerns or medication changes should be discussed with your physician.
Fall Sports Are Back. Is Your Kid’s Body Ready? - 4 minute read
Every fall, we see some version of the same story.
A young athlete comes in with heel pain, knee pain, shin pain, or an ankle that just keeps bothering them. Mom or Dad usually says the same thing: “Nothing really happened.”
No big collision. No awkward fall. No obvious injury. And a lot of the time, they’re right.
The pain may have just started, but the things contributing to it have often been building for a while.
Kids are playing more sports. But are they moving better? Youth sports have changed.
A lot of kids pick a sport at 9 or 10 years old and spend most of the year playing it. Then comes the club team, the school team, private lessons, tournaments, showcases, and offseason training.
They get really good at the movements their sport demands.
But there can be a downside.
Doing the same types of movements over and over gives kids fewer chances to run, jump, land, climb, throw, cut, balance, and move in completely different ways. In other words, they can become really good at their sport without becoming well-rounded athletes.
That matters. The basics aren’t always so basic.
Here’s something we see all the time.
Take a 12 or 13 year old who plays competitive sports and ask them to do a bodyweight squat. Then a lunge. Hop on one leg and stick the landing. Skip. Plant and change direction.
You might be surprised by what you see.
The squat is stiff. They lose their balance in the lunge. They land hard from the hop. Their knee collapses inward when they cut. Or they simply can’t skip smoothly.
That doesn’t mean anything is “wrong” with them.
It usually means there are basic athletic skills they haven’t spent enough time developing.
And the good news is those skills can be trained.
Try the 5 Movement Check at home
Before fall sports really get rolling, take two minutes and watch your kid do these five things:
- Squat: Can they squat comfortably with their heels down and knees staying in line with their feet?
- Lunge: Can they step into a lunge and hold their balance for two seconds?
- Hop + Stick: Can they hop forward on one leg, land softly on that same leg, and freeze?
- Skip: Can they skip naturally with a smooth rhythm and opposite arm and leg working together?
- Change Direction: Can they plant, lower their body, and change direction without the knee collapsing inward?
You’re not looking for perfection.
You’re looking for control, balance, symmetry, and confidence.
If a couple of these look awkward or noticeably different from side to side, you’ve probably found something worth working on.
So what should kids actually be doing?
It doesn’t need to be complicated.
A couple of short sessions each week that include squatting, hinging, lunging, jumping, landing, balancing, sprinting, and changing direction can go a long way.
And don’t underestimate good old-fashioned play.
Ride bikes. Play basketball in the driveway. Throw a football. Climb things. Play tag. Try another sport.
Kids don’t need every minute of their athletic development programmed. Sometimes they just need more ways to move.
We also want to pay attention to how much they’re doing. A kid playing for two teams plus private training isn’t just practicing “three times a week.” Add up all of their practices, games, tournaments, lessons, and training.
Their body doesn’t care which team the hours came from.
Build the athlete, not just the sport.
Of course we want kids to get better at soccer, football, hockey, lacrosse, field hockey, or whatever sport they love.
But there’s a bigger goal.
We want them to become strong, confident athletes who can move well in lots of different ways.
Because treating knee pain might help a kid finish this season.
Teaching them how to move, get stronger, land, balance, and control their body can help them for a whole lot longer.
Thanks for reading!
-Shawn
We Are Hiring!
PT Progression continues to grow, and we’re looking for a motivated Physical Therapist who wants to be part of something different.
Our model is simple: one-on-one care and the freedom to truly focus on helping people move and perform better. We work with active adults, athletes, and people who want to stay strong for life.
This is a great opportunity for someone who values clinical autonomy, building real relationships with patients, and being part of a positive, team-oriented environment.
If you or someone you know might be a good fit, we’d love to connect.
Reach out to Shawn to learn more: ptprogressionma@gmail.com
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