This is the time of year when athletes, recreational and elite, plan for the upcoming competition season(s). In this episode, Dr. Sprouse and Patrick discuss how to address this topic as an athlete, with a goal of happy and healthy performance. Season Six Sponsor: Klean Athlete Check us out at: Podium Sports Medicine Website | Instagram Dr. Sprouse on Instagram Patrick on Instagram Subscribe: Apple Podcast | Spotify Show Produced by Palm Tree Pod Co....
Mar 07, 2022•46 min•Season 6Ep. 3
We often overlook the unconscious act of breathing, yet mounting evidence points to the significant effect this activity has on our health and performance. I have wanted to delve into this on the podcast for some time, but we needed to find the right expert to interview. I am thrilled to have Mike Watts on the podcast for this episode! Mike is an Oxygen Advantage Master Instructor and serves as the Director of Global Athlete Performance at Under Armour. He has worked in the English Premier Leagu...
Feb 28, 2022•1 hr 14 min•Season 6Ep. 2
For many athletes, the winter months represent the “off season”. It’s also cold and flu season! In this episode, Dr. Sprouse and Patrick talk about ways to boost your likelihood of staying healthy through these cold, indoor months. Thanks to Klean Athlete for being our season six sponsor! In This Episode: Antibiotics and Athletes - Blog Post Check us out at: Podium Sports Medicine Website | Instagram Dr. Sprouse on Instagram Patrick on Instagram Subscribe: Apple Podcast | Spotify Show Produced b...
Feb 21, 2022•48 min•Season 6Ep. 1
Dr. Sprouse, Patrick and the Podium Podcast are back! Season Six kicks off on Monday, February 21st. We've got new show music, a new sponsor for the season, six new episodes featuring conversations on injury recovery, breathing, golf fitness, annual training plans, winter immunity, and a listener Q&A! We look forward to you joining us for another great season! Season Six Sponsor: Klean Athlete Check us out at: Podium Sports Medicine Website | Instagram Dr. Sprouse on Instagram Patrick on Ins...
Feb 14, 2022•3 min
Trying to figure out what to buy that athlete or performance-focused person on your list this year? Looking to get yourself a little gift this season? Dr. Sprouse and Patrick have you covered. In this episode, they sit down and talk about their favorite gift ideas, from inexpensive to big-ticket items. There are no affiliate links or sponsored items in this list. It’s all just genuine advice for your stocking stuffing this season. Enjoy! In This Episode: Less than $100 Rollga Plantronics Backbea...
Nov 22, 2021•45 min
For the Season 5 finale, we share a panel discussion on which Dr. Sprouse joined George Hincapie , Bobby Julich , and Dr. Matt Tyska for the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Basic Sciences monthly Lab-to-Table Conversation. Biomedical science has made huge strides to understand how the human body works over the past few decades. New scientific understandings have drastically impacted how endurance sports athletes train and eat. The panel will discuss their personal experiences with train...
Nov 01, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Season 5Ep. 7
This episode was not planned, but neither was my COVID diagnosis! After I was able to leave isolation, Patrick and I got together to discuss vaccine breakthrough, thoughts on treatment options, and the latest evidence on boosters. These are the questions that so many patients are asking, so we sat down to delve into each of them, now with a touch of personal experience thrown in. Subscribe: Apple Podcast | Spotify Check us out at: Podium Sports Medicine Website | Instagram...
Oct 27, 2021•1 hr 15 min•Season 5Ep. 6
Concussions and head injuries are unfortunately common in sport. In our practice, we deal with concussed athletes and frequently get questions about this topic. In this episode, we discuss the current state of medicine and science when it comes to concussions, their diagnosis, and their management. Subscribe: Apple Podcast | Spotify Check us out at: Podium Sports Medicine Website | Instagram...
Oct 25, 2021•48 min•Season 5Ep. 5
I sat down with Robbie Ventura to discuss what happens when you “bonk”, the complicated variables that impact it, and how you can prevent it. This episode was recorded for The Velocity Cycling Podcast , part of the educational component of Robbie’s newest venture, VQ Velocity . Robbie Ventura is the founder and owner of Vision Quest Coaching . Robbie was a professional cyclist for 12 years. A competitive racer on the dirt, road and track since the age of 7, Ventura amassed over 70 victories duri...
Oct 18, 2021•1 hr 16 min•Season 5Ep. 4
We’ve finally done it! Dr. Sprouse and Patrick sat down to answer questions submitted by you, our listeners. We talk about continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), cardiac arrhythmias in athletes, blood testing, and more. Subscribe: Apple Podcast | Spotify Check us out at: Podium Sports Medicine Website | Instagram...
Oct 11, 2021•52 min•Season 5Ep. 3
For part two of our series, we are joined by Jay Dicharry to discuss the benefits of strength training for endurance athletes. Jay is a physical therapist, teacher, biomechanics researcher, + author in Bend, Oregon, USA. Jay built his international reputation as an expert in biomechanical analysis as Director of the SPEED Clinic at the University of Virginia, and as Director of an independent lab in Oregon. Jay blurs the lines between clinical practice, coaching, and engineering to solve injury ...
Oct 04, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Season 5Ep. 2
We sat down with Chris Hinshaw and Adam Kerley to discuss the benefits of endurance training for athletes who focus on strength-based sports. This is the first in a two-episode series looking at the importance of a well-rounded training program. Chris Hinshaw is a former professional triathlete and founder of aerobiccapacity.com . He is widely considered one of the top endurance coaches in the world. As a successful business owner and veteran performance coach, Chris has spent his career working...
Sep 27, 2021•1 hr 14 min•Season 5Ep. 1
Season 5 of The Podium is about to launch! In this quick trailer, we’ll let you know what topics we cover this season and who joins us as a guest. You will also learn about the new schedule on which we will be releasing episodes. Subscribe: Apple Podcast | Spotify Check us out at: Podium Sports Medicine Website | Instagram...
Sep 21, 2021•3 min
We use numerous wearables and connected devices when working with our patients at Podium. The science and technology in this space is rapidly evolving. To dig into this evolution, I am joined by Chuck Hazzard. Chuck is an entrepreneur and technology expert. He is currently working with Heads Up Health, the leading digital health analytics platform that is being used for remote patient monitoring, precision medicine, and individuals seeking to achieve peak performance. In the past, Chuck has desi...
Apr 02, 2021•50 min•Season 4Ep. 6
Sodium bicarbonate ( or "bicarb") is a well-researched and proven supplement when it comes to promoting athletic performance. It is often used by the highest performing athletes, but there are barriers that keep others from trying this supplement. Its safety is well established. (Bicarb is just baking soda!) However, ingesting bicarb can lead to unpleasant gastric side effects. In this episode, I am joined by Jeff Byers, the CEO of Amp Human. We discuss the history of bicarb in sports and the wa...
Apr 02, 2021•55 min•Season 4Ep. 5
Supplement quality and safety is an area of considerable concern in our practice. Due to the structure of laws in the US, there is very little oversight when it comes to supplement production. In fact, it is probably the case that much (if not most) of the products on the market are worthless or even dangerous. In this episode, we talk about this very problem, but we also discuss how we navigate this market with our patients. There are safe options out there, but it is up to the consumer be educ...
Apr 02, 2021•45 min•Season 4Ep. 4
Continuous Glucose Monitoring (or CGM) is a tool that we use with all of our patients at Podium, most of whom are not diabetic. This has proven to be a very powerful means of providing instant feedback into the body's response to certain variables. Food obviously plays a very important role in one's glucose response and metabolism, but the context around that diet is key as well. Exercise, sleep, and stress all impact glucose response. In this episode we review some general use cases for CGM and...
Apr 02, 2021•54 min•Season 4Ep. 3
This time of year, a large portion of our population ends up on antibiotics. For those of us that are athletes or inclined to maintain a high level of activity, that can be detrimental. Indeed, antibiotics can cause as many problems as they can cure. In the US, medical practitioners are notorious for prescribing antibiotics when there is clearly no indication to do so. Head colds and bronchitis are almost uniformly caused by viruses. Viruses are not the same as bacteria. Antibiotics treat bacter...
Apr 02, 2021•48 min•Season 4Ep. 2
COVID has dominated our lives for the past year, and now there are vaccines which are becoming widely available in the US. Many of my patients have had questions about the vaccines and whether they should be vaccinated. In this podcast, Patrick and I discuss thoughts on the vaccines and how individuals should approach this decision.
Mar 30, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Season 4Ep. 1
One of the most frequent questions I receive from patients is, "How much exercise is too much?" We have all seen the stories or personally known someone who suffered a cardiac condition despite being extremely fit. Yet, it is well established that exercise is ultimately good for the heart. This raises the question of whether you can get too much of a good thing. No one is more qualified to address this topic than Dr. Aaron Baggish, and he joins us on this episode of The Podium. Dr. Baggish, an a...
Nov 17, 2020•43 min•Season 3Ep. 6
Cheri Mah, MD, MS, is a world-renowned expert when it comes to the relationship between sleep and performance in elite athletes. In addition to performing some of the most important research on this topic, Dr. Mah serves as the sleep expert for the Nike Performance Council. She has worked with the Golden State Warriors, San Francisco Giants, San Jose Sharks, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, Toronto Blue Jays, and other teams, as well as being a consultant for numerous international spor...
Nov 17, 2020•1 hr 7 min•Season 3Ep. 5
No person can sustain a "pedal to the metal" pace of training for 52 weeks per year. An effective training plan allows for times of increased load, as well as for recovery. A given year or season must incorporate encouragement of varying physiologic processes, some of which should not be trained concurrently with others. The concept of "Periodization" is what allows for a training plan which is complete and goal-oriented. In this episode, we discuss the rationale behind Periodization and the var...
Nov 17, 2020•50 min•Season 3Ep. 4
Athletes rely on a sharp mind and disciplined focus in order to perform at their best. These attributes are crucial to the execution of a game plan. For those of us who don't make a living competing in professional sports, these are also necessary tools. We all benefit when our mind is clear and our focus is unshakable. In this episode, we look at how we can train and support mental Focus and Cognition every day.
Nov 17, 2020•1 hr 4 min•Season 3Ep. 3
The term "Overtraining" gets thrown around a lot, often inappropriately. There seems to be a good deal of confusion around this issue and the associated physiologic processes. In this episode, we dig into the continuum of Overtraining Syndrome (OTS)...Functional Overreaching, Non-Functional Overreaching, Overtraining. What are the symptoms of each stage along this continuum? How is this diagnosed? How do you treat an athlete with OTS, and more importantly, how can an athlete avoid a state where ...
Nov 17, 2020•1 hr 1 min•Season 3Ep. 2
Morning Routines have become the subject of many articles and discussions in the popular media of late, and for good reason. Having a routine can ensure that you start each day on the right foot. However, such practices risk becoming overly complicated and counterproductive in some instances. In this episode, we look at Morning Routines and how they can be beneficial. In order to explore the topic and examine the vast differences among successful individuals, we gathered input from some very suc...
Nov 17, 2020•44 min•Season 3Ep. 1
Dr. Aaron Baggish joins us to talk about the cardiac complications and evaluation of athletes who have had COVID. Aaron is the Director of the Cardiac Performance Program at Massachusetts General Hospital, and is a globally-recognized expert on all aspects of sports cardiology. The international guidelines around COVID and heart evaluations have been written and revised by Dr. Baggish and his colleagues, so in my desire to dig into this topic more deeply, it only made sense to go straight to Aar...
Nov 02, 2020•25 min
On this episode, I share with you a recording of the Par Four Performance podcast on which I was a guest. I spoke with Joe Gambino, physical therapist in New York City, to discuss how the tenets of physiologic performance play out across multiple sports, from triathlon to golf. Even if you are not a golfer, there is good info in here for you. https://joegambinodpt.com/par-four-performance/
Sep 11, 2020•53 min•Season 2Ep. 6
While at the PGA's Memorial Tournament in Dublin, OH, I got to sit down with two of the top trainers and physios in professional sports. Adam Kerley, Nic Catterall, and I sat down with tacos and bourbon to talk through all aspects of high performance. These two are a wealth of knowledge, and their insight is valuable to athletes competing in any sport or discipline. Adam Kerley is a physical therapist, athletic trainer, and certified strength and conditioning specialist who has worked with colle...
Sep 11, 2020•1 hr 26 min•Season 2Ep. 5
Caffeine is the most frequently consumed psycho-active substance in the world. It has been studied for decades, and it's benefit for sports performance is well-documented. Even so, few understand the pros and cons of using caffeine for performance. We'll dig into the science and help you understand how your cup of coffee may positively impact your next 5K.
Sep 11, 2020•59 min•Season 2Ep. 4
Sleep. It seems so simple, but sleep is often an overlooked determinant of health and performance. The recognition of this importance is growing, and for some, the pendulum may have even swung too far the other way. In episode 3 of this season on The Podium, we dig into the science of sleep, how it affects us, and what we can do to ensure we have the best plan for optimizing our daily sleep and recovery.
Sep 11, 2020•1 hr 3 min•Season 2Ep. 3
