Your vestibular system senses acceleration/deceleration movements. The vestibulo-spinal reflex (VSR) is the reflex that keeps your trunk positioning relative to gravity. The vestibular system will sense an acceleration/deceleration movement and send a signal to your trunk muscles to contract via the VSR. The VSR is vital for performing at a high level and for injury… Continue reading The Vestibulo-Spinal Reflex
Author: Dani Fennerty
Speed in Every Plane
Have you ever watched a movie where they are filming from the perspective of a person running and the camera is shaking all over the place and you can’t keep the scene in focus? But then when they slow down it becomes clear again. Why is that? It’s because when they are moving slowly, your… Continue reading Speed in Every Plane
Beyond Muscle Fatigue
One way we slow down is through muscle fatigue. But muscle fatigue isn’t the only cause of slowing down. Our sensory systems fatigue as well. When in a highly stimulating environment, our sensory systems are working overtime sending signals to our brain. Our brain then needs to interpret these signals and send information to our… Continue reading Beyond Muscle Fatigue
Real Life is Chaos
The work you put in at the gym sets your ceiling of potential in the field. Unfortunately, deadlifting 500 pounds in the gym doesn’t translate directly to the capability of lifting 500 pounds in the field. Why? Because the gym is an extremely controlled environment. You grab your favorite bar, have the weights evenly distributed… Continue reading Real Life is Chaos
What Your Hearing Protection Doesn’t Shield
Wearing hearing protection does not shield a vital situational awareness system called your vestibular system. [1] Your vestibular system is in your inner ear, just deeper than your hearing system. If you can move and keep a target in focus, if you have fast reactions and the ability to move with your head on a… Continue reading What Your Hearing Protection Doesn’t Shield
What are Low Level Blasts?
Low level blasts (LLB) are created by weapons whose blasts create an overpressure wave, but a single exposure is not enough to create any obvious brain damage or cause symptoms. Examples of LLB are firing a 0.50 caliber sniper rifle, Howitzers, Carl Gustaf rifles, rocket-propelled grenades, light anti-tank weapons, shotgun door-breaching rounds, mortars, M4 Carbine… Continue reading What are Low Level Blasts?
Keep Your Head on a Swivel
The ability to move with speed and precision when your head is on a swivel is a skill. This skill can be broken down into specific components. Most individuals focus on the speed of their footwork, which is extremely important, but they neglect training of the speed of their head movements and integrations of these… Continue reading Keep Your Head on a Swivel
An Intangible Slowing Down
A 37-year-old male active-duty special operator was referred to me a few years ago who described an intangible feeling of slowing down, particularly in more visually stimulating environments. He was preparing for his retirement, and finally had time to start addressing some issues he ignored or “rubbed dirt on” throughout his career. There was no… Continue reading An Intangible Slowing Down
Blast Exposures and Young Onset Parkinson’s Disease
Subconcussive head trauma are sufficient in increasing vulnerability to developing young onset Parkinson’s Disease. [1] This includes subconcussive blast exposures. [2] There is currently no cure for Parkinson’s Disease. Current medical strategy is to decrease the impact it has on quality of life. As a Physical Therapist I’ve been part of healthcare teams doing that… Continue reading Blast Exposures and Young Onset Parkinson’s Disease
How to Own Chaos
A distinct characteristic of the tactical athlete is the ability to perform in extreme and unpredictable environments. The job demands the ability to maintain speed and precision of execution under conditions of chaos. One component vital for this capability is processing speed. I think of required processing speed as the change in sensory stimulus divided… Continue reading How to Own Chaos