Hey PS+R Crew!
If there’s one type of injury that shows up in our clinic more often than people think: it’s tendon injuries.
Athletes, active adults, weekend warriors – it doesn’t matter the sport or the fitness level. Tendons are involved in nearly every movement your body makes, and when they’re not functioning the way they should, everything else suffers. This newsletter, we’re going deep on tendons: what they do, how they get hurt, and what you can do about it.
But first, a big PS+R update:
Our performance therapist Trent Salo has been at the forefront of tendon research for a while now, and this month, that work is getting recognized on a global stage. Trent is heading to the 1st Annual Transverse City Tendon Summit today April 24th–26th, where world leaders in research, clinical practice, and performance science are gathering specifically to advance the understanding of the achilles tendon. These are the people pushing the field forward, and Trent is right there in the room. We couldn’t be more proud to have him representing PS+R on that stage.
And while Trent is making waves in the tendon world, Steve is deep in World Cup preparation mode. The US Men’s National Team has two exhibition matches left before their opening match against Paraguay on June 15th.. One against Senegal in Charlotte and Germany in Chicago. The team will be based in Laguna Beach for a full month of preparation ahead of matches against Paraguay, Australia, and Turkey. It’s an exciting time to be in the PS+R world, and the connections between elite sport and the work we do every day for our community here in St. Augustine couldn’t be more direct.
All of this is a good reminder of why we do what we do. The research Trent is presenting, the work Steve is doing at the highest level of sport – it all flows back into how we treat and train the people who walk through our doors every day.
🦶 Your Achilles Tendon Is Smarter Than You Think
Most people think of the foot as something that just sits at the bottom of your leg.
But the way the foot and achilles tendon work together during running, jumping, and everyday movement is genuinely fascinating – and traditional rehab approach of ice and rest to treat achilles or any tendon pain get it wrong.
This post dives into new research showing that the extrinsic foot muscles do the heavy lifting during locomotion, and that training the foot–ankle complex as a spring system, not just strengthening it in isolation, changes everything for performance and injury prevention.
🦵 The Science Behind Why Tendon Stiffness Isn’t What You Think
Most people hear “tendon stiffness” and think rest, stretch, and ice until it feels better. But that’s actually the opposite of what tendons need. Tendons are force transmitters: when your muscle pulls, the tendon transfers that force to the bone to create movement.
Think about your achilles when you’re running: it stretches like a rubber band when your foot hits the ground, then snaps back to give you free energy for your next step.
That’s not something you fix by resting it. That’s something you train. Heavy slow resistance training is one of the most evidence-backed ways to reduce stiffness and build a more stable, efficient tendon system – and that goes for your achilles, your patellar tendon, and your plantar fascia. Load them. Don’t just rest them them.
🏆 CLIENT WIN
“Steve is the best PT I have worked with. He’s absolutely fantastic at his job and understands all of my issues and provides great insight on how to help resolve them. His experience working with high level athletes is another bonus, and on top of all of that he’s an all around great person. Would recommend to anyone looking for top quality rehab.” — Keegan Lynch
When Keegan says Steve is the best PT he’s ever worked with, that means something. What comes through in his review isn’t just the clinical skill — it’s the combination of genuine understanding, real insight, and experience that only comes from working with high-level athletes. That’s a rare package to find in one person.
And here’s the thing – that level of care isn’t reserved for professional athletes. The same expertise Steve brings to the US Men’s National Team is the same expertise he brings to you.
If you’ve been dealing with something that hasn’t responded to treatment elsewhere, this is the place. Click the button below to schedule your free phone consultation. Let’s get you the kind of result Keegan is talking about.
