Pretty Huge Obstacles is not just an obstacle training facility. It also offers world class services to make sure that the members’ health are at their best. So aside from newbie profiling, members can also access physical therapy for:

-Injury reduction

-Acute Intervention

-Rehabilitation

-Performance Enhancement

An active lifestyle is proven to minimize a variety of health risks like heart disease, diabetes, depression, and cancer. It is also proven that regular participation in physical activity has a positive effect on our mental health (World Health Organisation (WHO), 2003a). While involvement in sports and other physical activities has undeniable benefits, it is important to highlight safe progression in the level of activity, more so in preparing for competitions.

Journey to active lifestyle

Former wall climber, Anjo Sarmiento, and running enthusiast, Koobie Aniban discovered OCR and got hooked to it after experiencing how much of a "total sport" it is. They organized a group of OCR enthusiasts and started working as a team. They also encouraged friends from different sporting events to join by developing training schedules that include obstacle courses and running.

As more OCR events emerged, some of them started to feel limitations during their training that affected their performance during race days.

Anjo started to feel pain on his foot when he ran on a treadmill regularly.

“It (pain) persisted for a month hence I decided to (get checked and) undergo physical therapy (PT) sessions. The relief was superficial. The pain would return after a run. I stuck to it because i thought that was the best form of treatment for it.”

Meanwhile, Koobie experienced knee pain when he did sprints which prompted him to seek medical advice. After getting an X-Ray, he was advised to get three weeks rest, do a set of exercises for the knee, and take collagen supplements. After the rest period, “my knee got better but the pain went back again whenever i did sprints but would subside after a day. I decided that I would need to see a physical therapist to treat this because i want to understand my body better.”

To perform better in OCR, they decided to give physical therapy another try, seeking someone who specialized in sports. “It turned out better for me) I can run longer and faster, pain free,” Anjo shared. “I realized that the PT I needed was someone who had direct involvement with athletes; someone that had experience with various types of athletes and could make diagnoses of what s/he thought was wrong.” Koobie confirmed.

Getting the right partner for your journey

Pretty Huge Obstacles (PHO) is more than a training facility for individuals interested in getting active in OCR as their sport of choice. It also aims to provide an environment to hone their physical and mental toughness while keeping them healthy and comfortable while having fun. True to its vision, sports injury specialists, who are licensed physical therapists (PTs), are readily available at PHO.

When you join PHO, you are entitled to avail of the free member profiling offer, where physical therapists can run a series of tests to know your biomechanics and reduce any chances of injury once you go full on OCR. A movement screening will be conducted with the aim of exploring each member’s baseline in reference to the programs provided in the facility. Results of the screening will be forwarded to the team of in-house coaches, along with the team of physical therapists, to design a more targeted training session for the screened members. Alongside the screening, injury reduction, performance enhancement, acute intervention and rehabilitation programs - are all within access for members aiming to go from developing an active lifestyle to transitioning into a competitive OCR athlete.

Injury reduction

Assess the risks of injury associated with an athlete’s participation in a specific sport or physical activity context; they inform and train athletes and other professionals in a way that reduces the occurrence and recurrence of injuries.

Acute Intervention

Respond appropriately to acute injury or illness in both training and competition contexts. 

Rehabilitation

Use clinical reasoning and therapeutic skills to assess and diagnose sports-related injuries, and to design, implement, evaluate and modify evidence-based interventions that aim for a safe return to the athlete’s optimal level of performance in their specific sport or physical activity.

Performance Enhancement

Contribute to the enhancement of an athlete’s performance by evaluating their physical and performance-related profile and advising or intervening to optimize conditions for maximal performance in a specific sport, within a multidisciplinary team approach.

Step up to reach the bar

Anjo, Koobie, and their teammates (who underwent pre-competition intervention) were able to finish the Spartan Beast held in Subic last September safely. Being able to finish the race motivated them to try out a tougher challenge – Spartan Ultrabeast, in Malaysia by December, which is 26+ miles with 60+ obstacles (twice the Beast mileage). To prepare,- they have consulted their physical therapists to ensure safe progression, and to monitor adaptation of their body with the workload appropriately.  

When asked about the importance of having a sports physical therapist as part of their OCR journey, they agreed that being with one lessens their worries of being injured.This gives them more focus on progressing towards their goals for their health. They have also mentioned that after working with a sports physical therapist they noted criteria that they believe are important for physical therapists dealing with athletes.  They are as follows:

• Has thorough knowledge of the sports and be able to connect it with the mechanics undergone by the body (and corresponding reaction of individuals)
• Knowledge on sports related injuries to assess accurately to provide targeted intervention
• Acknowledging differences of every athlete and their response (to therapy, training and competition) to provide specific treatment approach
• Be able to guide athletes on how to maintain pain-free status that s/he can train (and compete) efficiently
• Be informed on the latest studies (on assessment and intervention for sports) done globally

“I think these can bring Filipino OCR athletes to another level.”  Koobie concluded.

Mark Grey had it right when he said that "A team is as strong as its weakest link." Behind every race and training session, whether it is an individual or a team-based competition, it is important to have professionals that will guide the athlete throughout his/her journey. Having the right people alongside you can improve your physical performance and can change your mindset to, “Yes, I can do this!” from “I am afraid to do this because I am in pain.” or “I am afraid to get injured.” - As OCR heightens its competitive level in the country, through the spearheading of Philippine Obstacle Sports Federation (POSF), a podium finish has never been and will never be sweeter.

References:

Bulley, C., Donaghy, M., Coppoolse, R., Bizzini, M., van Cingel, R., DeCarlo, M., Dekker, L., Grant, M., Meeusen, R., Phillips, N., & Risberg, M. (2004) Sports Physiotherapy Competencies and Standards. Sports Physiotherapy For All Project. [online] Available at: www.SportsPhysiotherapyForAll.org/publications/ [accessed 01/10/2018].

World Health Organisation: Non-communicable Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (2003a) Physical activity: direct and indirect health benefits [online]. WHO. Available at: http://www.who.int/hpr/physact... [accessed 07/10/2018].

World Health Organisation (2004) Global strategy on diet, physical activity and health [online]. WHO: 57th World Health Assembly, WHA57.17. Available at: http://www.who.int/gb/ebwha/pd... [accessed 07/10/2018].

World Health Organisation: World Health Day (2018) Health for All [online]. WHO. Available at: http://www.who.int/campaigns/w... [accessed 07/10/2018].