Allies in the Trenches: Strength and Rehab on the Same Team

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Rachael Lacey a tactical physical therapist whose path has taken her from athletic training at NAIA and Division II athletics to working on the front lines of soldier health. Over coffee in the early hours, we swap stories about the most common injuries we see, how logical periodization can be a game-changer for prevention, and why the tactical setting demands more than just good programming—it requires trust. We dig into the shifting demographics since the GWOT era, the socioeconomic hurdles to getting soldiers to seek care, and how strength coaches and rehab professionals can work side-by-side to keep the force ready.