You shouldn’t have to choose between training hard in pain or stopping altogether. At /Ascent, we believe it’s possible to address pain and improve performance at the same time, so athletes can keep training and competing with confidence.“
Dr. Justin Hodinsky – Ascent Chiropractor
Recently our /Ascent clinic team spent the day supporting athletes on the sidelines of Battle of the Barracks – a competitive CrossFit competition. What stood out wasn’t just the intensity of the competition, but a common theme we kept hearing from athletes. Many were pushing through familiar, recurring pains from old injuries.
Shoulders flared up during the snatch ladder.
Knees started aching after farmer’s carries.
Low backs tightened during thrusters.
Most of these athletes had the same comment: “This is normal when I compete”.
But should you be ok with “normal pain” when it is impacting your performance?
At /Ascent, we believe the answer is NO. There is a better option (keep reading).
While any physical activity carries some risk, especially high-intensity sport, experiencing the same injury over and over again isn’t just an inconvenience. It is a sign that your body is being asked to do more than it can currently handle, and that there may be an underlying issue that is going unnoticed.
Our Mission: Build Resilient Athletes
We want to help build resilient athletes and we encourage our patients to lift heavier, run faster, jump higher, and confidently attack new challenges. But chasing performance shouldn’t come at the cost of feeling broken. Our priority is to reduce the risk of both acute and overuse injuries while keeping you performing at your best.
That’s where our Sport Science Assessment comes in. Through specific testing of how your body moves, compensates, produces force, and absorbs load, we can take a deep dive into the underlying factors contributing to recurring pain.
What to Expect in a Sport Science Assessment:
Our assessment breaks down your movement and performance capacity piece by piece. Here’s what’s included:
1. Comprehensive Health & Injury Review
We look at your past health history, training history, injuries (both chronic and acute), current workload, and your goals for future training or competition.
2. Full-Body Stability & Mobility Testing
We evaluate range of motion, movement quality, and functional stability at a joint by joint level.
3. Biomechanical Analysis Using Plantiga Insoles
These advanced insoles track how your lower body moves during dynamic tasks, giving us insight into impact patterns, gait mechanics, loading symmetry, and more.
4. Targeted Strength Testing with a Dynamometer
We assess force production and identify muscular imbalances or asymmetries that may increase your risk of injury.
Turning Data Into an Actionable Game Plan:
Once all your testing is complete, we build a sport-specific, individualized treatment and training plan that addresses the imbalances uncovered during the assessment.
The goals?
Enhance performance
Improve mobility
Better biomechanics
Stronger, more symmetrical movement patterns
A reduced risk of overuse injury
Who Is This For?
A Sport Science Assessment benefits athletes at every level:
– Anyone wanting to train smarter, not just harder
– Newer athletes who want to move safely and build a strong foundation
– Weekend warriors tired of battling the same aches and pain
– Competitive athletes seeking an edge in performance and recovery
Ready for Insights?
Whether you’re brand-new to training, a dedicated weekend warrior, or competing at a high level, a Sport Science Assessment is one of the most effective ways to understand your body and elevate your performance. Clarity leads to confidence, and confidence leads to better outcomes—both in training and competition.
Written by Dr. Justin Hodinsky (DC)