- June 30, 2026 | 1:15 PM - 3:15 PM
- PCC, 120A
Enhancing Athletic Recovery: Practical Applications of Olympic Lifts in Rehabilitation
Moderator: Kelly Pagnotta, PhD, LAT, ATC, Thomas Jefferson University
Despite the expertise of athletic trainers in early-stage rehabilitation, a significant challenge is the limited time athletes commit to this phase. Often, athletes leave rehabilitation prematurely, resulting in restored local tissue capacity but insufficient sport-specific capacity. This gap increases the risk of re-injury due to the lack of a structured reconditioning phase. Bridging this gap requires additional programming skills in strength and conditioning. By integrating these skills, athletic trainers can enhance global capacity, ensuring athletes receive comprehensive rehabilitation and training needed to return to peak performance, ultimately improving outcomes and reducing injury rates.
Learning Objectives - Identify the limitations of traditional rehabilitation methods in addressing neuromuscular deficits, power and coordination in athletes recovering from injury.
- Explain the benefits of incorporating Olympic lifts into rehabilitation programs to enhance neuromuscular re-education, power, coordination and functional strength.
- Design a comprehensive rehabilitation program that integrates sport-specific training, including Olympic lifts, tailored to the specific needs of athletes recovering from various injuries.
Lab Objectives
- Show proper techniques for performing Olympic lifts, including the snatch and clean & jerk, using alternative equipment such as PVC pipes.
Keywords: reconditioning; power; performance
