Why I Told @strong_by_science NOT to Rest His Heel Injury [video]
When one of the most respected names in sports performance — Max Schmarzo, better known online as @strong_by_science — reached out for injury advice, it wasn’t a small ask.
Max (Iowa’s most famous dad) had hurt his heel landing from a jump during a basketball game — and with a TBT tryout on the horizon, he needed a game plan fast.
He didn’t just want textbook rehab advice. He needed advice that made sense for his body, his goals, and his sport.
And that's exactly why I told him: “Don’t just rest it.”
What Happened to Max?
Nine days before our FaceTime call, Max landed from a jump and immediately felt a sharp pain in his heel. The first two days were rough - 9/10 pain. But the pain had gradually improved by the time we talked.
At that point:
It still hurt a lot when he walked or heel-struck.
But it didn’t hurt when he ran, likely due to his forefoot/midfoot strike pattern during basketball.
He had no prior history of a major foot or heel pain.
He also began experiencing lateral arch soreness, which I explained was likely referred pain from the heel itself or the result of subtle muscle activation changes due to compensation in his gait.
What type of Injury did Max Have?
After hearing Max's full history, here’s what I suspected:
Most Likely:
✔️ Calcaneal bruise (aka a bruised heel bone)
Less Likely but Possible:
Fat pad syndrome (there is a pad of fat near the heel bone that helps protect the bone)
Plantar fasciopathy that was “awakened” by the impactful landing
Calcaneal (heel bone) stress fracture (unlikely, but still worth keeping on the radar)
Why I Told Max Not to Fully Rest
Let’s be clear: a period of rest is sometimes necessary and can be helpful in the healing process, but in the right context.
In Max’s case — he’s got strong tissues with a high capacity and red flags for a fracture were ruled out. Therefore, simply resting from ALL basketball-related activity was not at all necessary.
Plus, he’s a motivated, high-level athlete about to tryout for the TBT and planning to host (and play in) his own tournament in early August— resting would have caused him to miss his tryout and would have drastically decreased his chronic workload and tissue capacity, hindering his ability to effectively compete in 6-7 games in a 2 day tournament in August.
Here's why resting is not the best solution for “non-red flag” injuries:
1. Rest Doesn’t Address the Root
Passive rest doesn’t solve compensatory movement patterns, neuromuscular imbalances, or gait dysfunction. It might help reduce symptoms — but it doesn't fix the mechanical load issue.
2. Deconditioning Increases Risk
Unnecessarily lowering training volume and load — especially in-season — can actually set an athlete up for future injury once they return to normal intensity.
3. Most Providers Don’t Understand Basketball
Max wasn’t dealing with a general fitness injury. He was dealing with a basketball-specific landing injury. To clear Max to be able to continue playing we needed to think about how he could handle:
High jump counts
Hard lateral movements
Fast transitions
Rapid Decelerations
He checked these boxes just fine.
Unfortunately, many general orthopedic providers or even some rehab specialists would say something like:
“Take 3 weeks off and come back slowly.”
Good intentions, sure. But for basketball players, that kind of blanket advice can be dangerous.
My Plan for Max
Instead of over-cautious rest, I advised a targeted, sport-smart plan:
✅ Local Tissue Care
Light toe, foot, and ankle isometrics
Gradual tissue loading around the calcaneus
Avoid unnecessary heel-strike patterns
✅ Global Pattern Work
Hip and pelvis mobility & stability
(to offset gait changes and prevent compensations)Integration of movement variability to prevent overloading new tissues
✅ Smart Load Management
Modify activities without full rest
Maintain conditioning and neuromuscular stimulus
Monitor pain, not just volume
Why This Matters for Every Athlete
What happened with Max is a perfect example of why working with someone who understands your sport is non-negotiable.
Basketball isn’t just “jump and run.” It’s multi-planar, high-load, high-repetition movement under fatigue.
If your provider doesn’t understand that, they might unintentionally give you rehab advice that delays your progress — or even increases injury risk down the line.
At Basketball Movement Lab, we help hoopers:
Navigate injuries
Improve movement patterns
And stay on the court — not stuck in rehab purgatory
Final Thoughts
Huge shoutout to Max Schmarzo for trusting me for advice with his injury and even encouraging me to share this story publicly.
If someone like Max — with all of his knowledge, experience, and access to training resources — can still benefit from a basketball-specific injury strategy…imagine what it could do for the average hooper.
If you're a basketball player dealing with a nagging injury or trying to get ahead of one — let's talk.
We’ll get you a smart, sport-specific plan that fits your body and your goals.
Watch the full video breakdown here!
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