Cleats to Coats translates peer-reviewed orthopedic and sports medicine research into clear, practical guidance — written by former athletes now in medicine, for the athletes who need it most.
Sports medicine research rarely reaches the athletes it's written for. Studies are locked behind paywalls, buried in clinical jargon, or summarized by sources with no accountability to the science.
Cleats to Coats was built to change that. We are assembling a national network of former athletes turned medical students, residents, and physicians — united by one belief:
"We built this because we lived it — the uncertainty of an injury, the absence of clear answers, the gap between what the research says and what athletes are actually told."
The Cleats to Coats Founding TeamPeer-reviewed orthopedic and sport science findings, rendered in plain language any athlete can act on.
A national coalition of athlete-physicians mentoring the next generation across medical school, residency, and practice.
Raising expectations for what athletes can know, demand, and receive from sports medicine care.
Each section houses evidence-based articles, research breakdowns, and practical guides — all written and reviewed by our network.
What athletes face most — what they are, how they happen, and what evidence-based recovery looks like.
Read more →Evidence-based warm-ups, load management strategies, and habits that reduce injury risk before it happens.
Read more →What the research actually says about timelines, benchmarks, and the decision to get back on the field.
Read more →Cutting through the noise — what's supported by evidence on fueling, recovery, and body composition.
Read more →How the athlete's body responds to training stress, fatigue, and adaptation at a cellular level.
Read more →How movement quality and joint mechanics connect to performance, injury risk, and long-term joint health.
Read more →The psychological weight of injury, performance anxiety, and the mental side of competing and recovering.
Read more →Separating evidence from marketing — what the science says when evaluating ergogenic aids and performance claims.
Read more →This section will host plain-language articles on the injuries athletes face most — ACL tears, rotator cuff pathology, stress fractures, ankle sprains, and more — each grounded in current orthopedic literature.
Back to TopicsEvidence-based warm-up protocols, load monitoring frameworks, and structural habit changes that reduce risk before an injury ever occurs.
Back to TopicsResearch-backed timelines, physiological readiness benchmarks, and the decision framework behind getting an athlete safely back on the field.
Back to TopicsWhat the evidence actually supports on macronutrient timing, recovery nutrition, body composition, and the science behind fueling performance.
Back to TopicsTraining adaptation, fatigue mechanisms, VO₂ max, lactate threshold, and the cellular science underpinning athletic performance and recovery.
Back to TopicsMovement analysis, joint loading patterns, kinetic chain fundamentals, and how movement quality links directly to injury risk and longevity.
Back to TopicsThe psychological reality of injury — fear of re-injury, identity disruption, performance anxiety — and the evidence-based strategies to navigate it.
Back to TopicsAn honest look at creatine, collagen, omega-3s, and the rest — evaluated against the peer-reviewed literature, not the marketing.
Back to TopicsWe are assembling a coalition of medical students, residents, and attending physicians who share an athletic background. This is a ground-floor opportunity to shape a platform that will reach athletes everywhere.
Build meaningful connections within the sports medicine community and connect with established physicians and peers across the country.
Access exclusive mentorship and get involved in translating high-impact, peer-reviewed orthopedic and sport science research.
Be featured on our platforms presenting peer-reviewed research — building an educational portfolio visible to athletes, coaches, and the medical community.
Joining Cleats to Coats means building something from the ground up. Take on leadership roles, advocate for better athlete education, and make a tangible impact.
Research, write, and review evidence-based articles and breakdowns for our growing athlete audience.
Serve as a mentor or mentee within our national cross-institutional network of athlete-physicians.
Present published research and translate clinical insights to our social audience as a featured voice.
Help establish and lead local chapters within medical schools and residency programs nationwide.
Submit your information and we'll follow up to discuss next steps.
