Stop Treating the MRI and Start Treating the Athlete

Every sports physical therapist remembers the first time they handed a young, anxious athlete an MRI report filled with terms like "partial-thickness tear," "labral fraying," or "degenerative changes." It is a defining moment in a clinician's career. Instantly, the psychological landscape of the rehab process shifts. The athlete, who might only have mild, intermittent symptoms, suddenly views their joint as a ticking time bomb. As a clinician, it is incredibly easy to let that piece of paper dictate your entire treatment plan, leading to over-protection and a fear-avoidant rehab environment.The reality of dealing with overhead athletes—especially baseball pitchers—is that structural abnormalities on an image are often just the cost of doing business. If you scan enough high-level shoulders, you are going to find fraying and partial tears in completely asymptomatic arms. The real skill lies in balancing those structural findings with the actual human being sitting on your treatment table. How do you maintain clinical objectivity when the scan says one thing but your manual muscle testing and special tests say another?On this episode of the podcast, we answer a great question from a listener struggling to navigate this exact scenario with a collegiate pitcher. We discuss how to educate a freaked-out athlete, when to respect the structural pathology, and how to ensure you are treating the functional deficits rather than just chasing a clean image. Check out this week’s episode for our full breakdown and clinical pearls on mastering the physical exam.To see full show notes and more, head to: https://mikereinold.com/stop-treating-the-mri-and-start-treating-the-athlete/----------Want to learn a complete system to help people restore, optimize, and enhance their performance?Enrollment in my Champion Performance Specialist program is opening soon.   We only open the doors to new cohorts twice per year.  Click here to learn how to join the pre-sale VIP list to save $300 and enroll a week early to secure your spot. Click Here to View My Online CoursesWant to learn more from me? I have a variety of online courses on my website!Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show_____Want to learn more?  Check out my blog, podcasts, and online coursesFollow me:  Instagram  |  Twitter  |  Facebook  |  Youtube