Description

Travis Pollen, PhD, is an author, personal trainer, and Assistant Professor of Exercise Science at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. His research focuses on athletic injury etiology and risk reduction. He’s particularly interested in pre-participation movement screening, return-to-sport testing, and training load and the roles these factors play in injury risk appraisal. In addition to his PhD in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Travis holds a master’s in Biomechanics and Movement Science. Outside academia, he's been personal training since 2013 and has worked with a variety of clientele, from an Olympic hopeful to post-rehabilitation and older adults. He’s also the co-founder of two companies, Strength for Yoga and ACL Care Pro. Athletically, he previously held two American records in Paralympic swimming and recently returned to competitive swimming after a decade-long hiatus.

In this episode, Travis Pollen and Brendan Aylward discuss the limitations of movement screening and the importance of the social model of exercise, exploring the need to individualize assessments and exercise programs based on each person's unique movement patterns and goals. Travis also debunks the myth that movement screens can prevent injuries and highlights the complex nature of injury risk. He explores the role of flexibility in injury prevention and challenges the belief that more flexibility is always better. Throughout their conversation, Travis Pollen and Brendan Aylward explore the relationship between stiffness and stretching, the best forms of exercise for people with hypermobility, and how yoga can bias strength instead of flexibility. They also touch on the misconceptions of hard workouts, the evolution of core training, and the importance of making fitness more accessible. Additionally, they discuss training recommendations for unilateral amputees and the role of lived experience in training amputees.

Episode 47 Takeaways

• Movement screens should be individualized and take into account each person's unique movement patterns and goals.
• The Social Model of Disability emphasizes the need for societal accountability, inclusion, and accessibility, recognizing that disability presents differently in all individuals.
• Movement screens cannot predict individual injury risk, as there are many factors that contribute to injuries.
• Flexibility is not the sole determinant of injury prevention, and excessive flexibility may not always be beneficial.

Episode 47 Chapters

00:00 - Introduction

01:21 - The Limitations of Movement Screening

09:51 - Effective Assessment Process

23:18 - The Relationship Between Flexibility and Injury

30:40 - The Role of Flexibility in Injury Prevention

37:34 - The Relationship Between Stiffness and Stretching

40:03 - Exercise Recommendations for People with Hypermobility

40:46 - How Yoga Can Bias Strength Instead of Flexibility

43:40 - The Misconception of Hard Workouts

45:13 - The Evolution of Core Training

46:22 - Static vs. Dynamic Core Training

49:38 - Making Fitness More Accessible

55:21 - Training Recommendations for Unilateral Amputees

58:50 - The Role of Lived Experience in Training Amputees

01:05:04 - The Glorified Inspiration Narrative

01:07:50 - Treating Adaptive Athletes Similarly