No Pain All Gain: Hockey Player Trial Results and Feedback

Picture Courtesy of Benchmark Physical Therapy

In a trial involving veteran female hockey players at a Somerset West biokinetics practice, all four participants reported pre-existing injuries. One participant had shoulder bursitis, while the other three experienced significant to severe hamstring issues. 

After completing six 25-minute sessions on the KineDek over three weeks, they reported notable improvements, typically by the third session. 

Here are their responses to anonymous feedback regarding physical improvement after the sessions: 

  1. Shoulder issues: Yes, noticed harder hitting.
  2. Hamstring issue: Difficult to assess, but my injury didn't bother me.
  3. Hamstring issue: Boosted my confidence as the hamstring wasn't a concern.
  4. Severe Hamstring Injury: N/A as I'm currently not playing.

Despite not being able to comment on how the exercise impacted her hockey due to incapacitation, the player with the severe hamstring injury was particularly enthusiastic about the experience. Even though she only performed Knee Extensions as advised by the conducting biokineticist, she noted a tangible positive effect on her hamstring tendonitis solely from the exercise.

Some participants expressed hesitancy about how effective they found the session, particularly regarding the painless nature of the exercise. Here are some typical comments: 

  1. Not feeling any stiffness made me doubt the benefits.
  2. I didn't tire out. I prefer to feel the burn and sweat during a workout.
  3. While I think it's a great concept, I'm unsure if I should feel muscle fatigue afterward. I never felt sore; it didn't feel like a workout.

It's clear that the traditional belief of "No pain, no gain" appears to shape their outlook, even though they were able to push themselves to their limits. Importantly, none of the participants had seen their improvement data yet, which demonstrated significant (over 100%) strength improvements in specific areas. Intriguingly, these were the same participants who noticed enhanced sporting performance after the machine sessions, yet they couldn't correlate this increased capacity with their perception of improved performance as a result of the KineDek, given the notable absence of pain and discomfort. 

In a short period of directed sessions, their underlying conditions significantly improved or reversed, leading to meaningful enhancements in sporting performance and overall well-being. Remarkably, this progress was achieved without experiencing pain, despite their prior injuries or discomfort. 

And no sweat, for that matter. That, in our view, is best saved for the hockey pitch.

Additional Note 

It's essential to highlight that discomfort during exercise is not entirely eliminated, particularly with the KineDek's capacity to enable higher intensity levels, leading to a more pronounced lactate burn. However, what truly stands out is the recovery process: despite the intensity, discomfort typically dissipates immediately or within 30 seconds post-session, with no lingering pain or discomfort afterward. Remarkably, there's no need for a warm-up or cool-down period. Surprisingly, participants don't sweat profusely, or at least not as much as would be expected. This intriguing phenomenon is further explored in "The IL-6 Enigma: Highlighting the Complex Relationship between Exercise and Health." Essentially, it's attributed to the KineDek's unique ability to bypass triggering the immune system, unlike conventional forms of exercise, which often lead to inflammation, resulting in pain, stiffness, and excessive sweating.

Also read ChatGPT: An Unbiased View on High Performance Sport 

 PEAK PERFORMANCE & RAPID RECOVERY cases 

[CASE 1] [CASE 2] [CASE 3] [CASE 4] [CASE 5] [CASE 6] [CASE 7] 



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