Duncan Koehn, MS 11/15/25 I recently had the privilege of serving as a guest coach with the National Training Group for the U.S. Ski Team. This camp brings together the nation’s top athletes aged 16 to 22 to gain experience, refine their skills, and learn from both peers and seasoned coaches. This year’s camp coincided with the National Team Training Camp, creating a unique opportunity for collaboration and knowledge sharing among athletes and coaches at the highest levels of

Dr. Cindy Dallow PhD, RD 11/3/2025 One of the most common questions I get as a dietitian is, “How can I prevent gaining weight during the holidays?” Let’s be honest, the stretch between Halloween and New Year’s can be tough, even for the most dedicated fitness enthusiasts. Candy bowls at work, big family dinners, endless parties, and travel all make it easy to consume extra calories and skip workouts. Research shows that the average adult gains about two pounds during this ti

By: Duncan Koehn MS Ski mountaineering (AKA Skimo) is one of the fastest growing winter sports in the world. With more resorts opening their slopes for uphill access and its official inclusion in the 2026 Olympics, participation is skyrocketing.  But with growth comes a sobering reality: Skimo athletes face high rates of injury, often tied to training behaviors, equipment choices, and resilience. As Aaron highlighted in last month’s blog post, preparation can make the differe

By Dr. Cindy Dallow PhD, RD Living in the mountains means you’re probably not sitting still very often. Whether you’re out on the trails, skiing fresh powder, or putting in miles on your bike, protein is one nutrient you don’t want to overlook. It’s not just for bodybuilders—it’s essential for anyone who wants to stay strong, recover well, and keep doing the activities they love. Here are three things about protein that every active person should know: 1. Active People Need M

By Aaron Castonguay PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS | September 2025 Ski season is around the corner. The excitement of that first powder day is real, but so is the risk of showing up unprepared. Whether you’re eyeing Opening Day laps at Keystone or back bowls at Vail, the difference between a fun season and an injury-shortened one comes down to how well your body is prepared. At Summit Sports Lab, we think about this prep in two ways: Injury Prevention  – building durability so your join

Let’s get a few of the major questions out of the way right off the bat: What is VO₂? • VO₂ is the volume of oxygen consumption. VO₂ max = your aerobic engine size. Bigger engine, bigger buffer for stress, sport, and life. Why is VO₂ important? • Higher VO₂ max = longer, healthier life, independent of other risk factors. The least-fit group has ~4× higher mortality risk than the fittest peers.   What does a VO₂ test provide you with? • A number that is comparable to others wi

Chronic muscle pain, mobility issues, and unexplained aches often trace back to one common source: myofascial trigger points. These hyperirritable spots in skeletal muscle are notorious for referring pain in predictable patterns, frustrating patients and practitioners alike. Enter dry needling: a targeted, evidence-based intervention that’s rapidly becoming a mainstay in sports rehab and physical therapy. Recent studies from 2021 to 2023 have not only reaffirmed dry needling’

The Hidden Cost of Saddle Discomfort Saddle discomfort isn’t just a mild annoyance, it can be a limiting factor in performance, consistency, and even long-term health. Discomfort is one of the most commonly cited reasons cyclists reduce their riding frequency or stop altogether. And in some cases, it becomes more than uncomfortable, it becomes medically serious with long term implications. A 2024 Bicycling  article revealed an increasing number of women experiencing significa

Let’s get one thing straight: if you’ve been told that chronic spine pain means you need  an injection, a nerve burn, or a steroid cocktail to “get your life back,” you’ve been sold a shortcut with no finish line. The 2025 BMJ Clinical Practice Guideline  just dropped a bombshell on the spine world, and it’s one we’ve been preaching at Summit Sports Lab for years: Most commonly used interventional procedures for chronic axial and radicular spine pain have little to no lasting

Let’s be real for a second, if you’re logging miles, you’re loading joints. And if you’re loading joints with imperfect mechanics, you’re playing the long game of Russian roulette with your knees, ankles, hips, and everything in between. If your mechanics suck, you're headed for injury. Overuse injuries plague 30–80% of distance runners annually. That’s right. Even the weekend warriors who just “jog for fun” aren’t immune. If you’re running without understanding how your body