Welcome to another episode of Finding Small Wins Podcast, a space for conversations that pull back the curtain on sports, where to learn how to upgrade health & performance, and shed some light on how some of the best at what they do are finding the small wins that help them along the way.

Adam Loiacono, your host, is a physical therapist in the NBA & a former performance coach in Major League Soccer and the National Women’s Soccer League. 

In this episode, Adam is joined by Ben Hagar in today’s episode. Ben is a physical therapist in Major League Baseball, who shares stories and professional insight on what it takes to develop a strong culture for medical and performance staff.

Key Takeaways:

[1:55] Ben answers rapid-fire questions.

[4:10] Ben describes a day in professional baseball for a PT.

[9:58] Ben highlights the importance of teamwork: “You always know somebody else will have your back.”

[12:14] Ben explains his work beyond pitching and hitting.

[19:56] Clinicians want to find things to fix, but it is necessary to remember that there is no ideal movement; performance is what matters most.

[24:22] Sometimes, doing PT’s job is doing nothing.

[26:24] Treat the brain, not just the injury.

[26:58] Ben talks about some clinicians’ common mistakes.

[31:54]  Ben explains why Pt’s don’t need to have all the answers anymore.

[34:50] How does Ben deal with the social media comments?

[38:50] Ben shares how his work is affected by an athlete seeking outside medical assistance.

[45:05] Ben shares one key experience with his group that helped them move toward better team dynamics.

[52:02] The Team values more than the sum of its parts.

[55:58] Ben talks about how he deals with judgment.

[1:01:04] How does Ben find the small wins to keep him going?

[1:07:08] In the context of baseball, how do athletes endure rehab times?

[1:09:30] Ben shares a superstitious story.

[1:12:12] Ben advises anyone wanting to practice physical therapy in pro sports.

[1:17:15] Ben shares his perspective on  health and performance

Mentioned in this episode: 

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