PSR June and July 2025

Hey PS+R Crew!

PS+R is excited to launch our new websitewith full explanations of services, testimonials, and evolution over the past 3-years. 

Be sure to check it out!

Share the love! 

2024 finally brought us a google business page- we’d love for you to leave a review: https://g.page/r/CXZ2JA04uELUEAE/review

Recovery

You’ve probably heard the phrase “stress plus rest equals growth.” This simple yet powerful formula applies across many areas of life—but it’s especially relevant when it comes to performance gains and injury recovery.

In training and rehab, we often focus on applying the right kind of stress—appropriate loading, intensity, and timing. But what about the other half of the equation? What does rest really mean? When is it enough, and when does it become too much? How do we measure or apply recovery to actually move the needle on our performance goals?

This month, we’re taking a closer look at the science (and art) of recovery—and why optimizing this overlooked piece might be the key to your next breakthrough.

What is recovery?

Recovery is the process through which the body restores physical, physiological, and psychological function after stress—whether from training, competition, or injury.

In sport training, recovery allows the body to repair micro-damage from exercise, restore energy stores, rebalance the nervous system, and adapt to physical demands—ultimately leading to improved performance.

In rehabilitation, recovery includes tissue healing, pain modulation, neuromuscular re-education, and progressive reloading—guiding the body back to full function and resilience without re-injury.

Effective recovery isn’t just passive rest—it includes active strategies like sleep, nutrition, hydration, mobility work, load management, mental recovery, and tailored progression.

Adjunctive Therapies: Are They Worth It? Start with the Big Rocks First.

We often get questions about the value of adjunctive therapies during injury recovery or post-surgery. From ice and compression machines to e-stim units, hyperbaric oxygen chambers, and devices like Firefly, there’s no shortage of tools marketed to “speed up” recovery.

But before diving into these extras, we always ask one key question:

How are you doing with the big rocks?

The “big rocks” form the foundation of the recovery pyramid—things like sleep, nutrition, stress management, and adherence to your rehab plan. These are the core drivers of healing and performance gains. Without them in place, the fancier tools won’t deliver much return on investment.

Let’s talk sleep.

Sleep is one of the most undervalued aspects of both athletic performance and injury recovery. It’s when tissue repair, hormonal regulation, and memory consolidation occur—all essential for healing and adaptation.

Here’s what the research tells us:

• Athletes sleeping less than 8 hours per night have 1.7x greater risk of injurythan those who sleep 8+ hours (Milewski et al., 2014).
• Sleeping less than 7 hours per night is consistently linked with higher injury rates (Rygielski et al., 2024).
• On the flip side, getting more than 8 hours of sleep can reduce injury risk by up to 61% (Huang & Ihm, 2021).

Before investing time and money in adjunctive tools, make sure your recovery foundation—especially your sleep and stress levels—is solid. You’ll be surprised how much progress comes from doing the simple things really well.

What do we know about nutrition and recovery?

Recent research highlights the essential role of energy balance and macronutrient intake in recovering from musculoskeletal injuries:

• Energy availability matters. Eating too few calories can slow healing, impair muscle recovery, and prolong inflammation. On the other hand, excessive intake can lead to unnecessary fat gain and may contribute to low-grade inflammation—both of which can hinder recovery.
• Prioritize protein and carbohydrates. Protein helps rebuild muscle and connective tissue, while carbohydrates replenish glycogen stores and reduce muscle breakdown during periods of rehab.
• Supplement smartly. There’s growing evidence to support:
  • Collagen + Vitamin C (especially when taken before loading exercises) to support soft tissue healing
  • Creatine to maintain muscle mass and strength during periods of reduced activity
  • Omega-3 fatty acids for inflammation control
  • Vitamin D for bone health, immune function, and overall tissue repair

While supplements can be helpful, they should complement—not replace—solid sleep, smart training, and a well-balanced diet.

Mental Recovery: The Hidden Foundation

Mental recovery and relaxation are essential pillars of the healing process. Whether through meditation, breathing exercises, or practices like non-sleep deep rest, don’t underestimate the powerful impact your mental state has on physical recovery.

For many balancing work, training, or injury rehab, this often means taking a hard look at life’s demands to determine if your plate is simply too full. Chronic stress not only accelerates inflammation but also slows physical healing and diminishes training adaptations. Prioritizing mental recovery is just as important as rest and nutrition in optimizing your overall recovery.

Nailing the foundations of recovery? Great! Now you can add on devices and technology to accelerate recovery.

Some of our favorite recovery tools are linked below- (we have no financial relationship with any of these companies, but have found them to be valuable for our athletes and clients!)

1. Normatec 3 Legs
2. Firefly
3. Pro-Tec Athletics Orb Massage Ball
4. Oura Ring
5. Hammer Nutrition Tissue Rejuvenator
6. Hammer CBD Balm

PS+R In The News | June and July 2025

Where in the world is Steve and the USMNT?

The USMNT ended their 40-day tournament with a loss 2-1 loss to Mexico in the Gold Cup final.  Over the course of the tournament the team played in 9-different cities to reach the final in Houston.  Following the defeat Steve wasted no time getting back on the pitch as he began his first pre-season as Performance Director with the newly founded local professional team Sporting Club Jacksonville.  Be sure to check your local outlets for upcoming preseason matches.  

PS+R Client Spotlight | Colin Golisch

PSR is proud to spotlight Collin Golisch.  Collin recently was cleared to begin pitch based training following a 5-month post-operative knee condition.  His diligence and attention to detail throughout his rehab process has been exceptional!  PS+R is excited to watch your continued growth on and off the pitch!

Thanks for staying connected with us! See you around!!