Welcome back to Squat University. Last week I introduced a blog series on improving shoulder stability by addressing a weak serratus anterior muscle. This week we’re going to move on and discuss a few other important muscles: the rotator cuff, rhomboids and trapezius. Today I want to share with you a few exercises that willContinue reading Stabilizing the Shoulder Blade & Joint
Strengthening The Serratus Anterior
Welcome back to Squat University. Today we’re going to discuss how to improve the strength and endurance of a very important muscle of your upper body, the serratus anterior. As you raise your arm overhead (whether your performing a push press, jerk or even reaching for something on a shelf) this muscle kicks on andContinue reading Strengthening The Serratus Anterior
How To Screen Your Shoulder Pain
Welcome back to Squat University. Last week I began writing on the topic of shoulder pain. Today I want to take our next step in the journey to fix those achy and painful shoulders by learning how to properly screen your body to uncover why your symptoms started. The way we’re going to go aboutContinue reading How To Screen Your Shoulder Pain
Why We Develop Shoulder Pain
The shoulder joint is one of the most dynamic and intricate joints in the entire body. Every time you pick up a barbell from the ground or drive one overhead a complex network of muscles, ligaments, and bones must work perfectly in sync with each other to keep the joint safe. A healthy shoulder isContinue reading Why We Develop Shoulder Pain
Does Stretching The Hamstrings Fix Low Back Pain?
I’ve heard it time and time again like a record on repeat from patients, “My doctor told me I need to stretch my hamstrings because they’re causing my low back pain.” The idea that low back pain is caused by tight hamstrings and stretching them is the solution to fixing the injury is one heldContinue reading Does Stretching The Hamstrings Fix Low Back Pain?
The Hip Airplane
Hip injuries are very common in the sports of weightlifting, powerlifting and CrossFit. However, what most people don’t realize is that the cause of the pain was often there long before the symptoms started. A great exercise that I’ve been using recently during the rehab process of patients dealing with hip injuries is the “airplane”Continue reading The Hip Airplane
How To Screen Your Low Back Pain
There is always a reason for back pain. It doesn’t just appear out of thin air and it’s not “all in your head.” In order to fix and remove the pain, we need to find out why it started in the first place. In my career as a physical therapist, I have spent countless hoursContinue reading How To Screen Your Low Back Pain
Fixing Lateral Hip Pain
Welcome back to Squat University! Today we’re going to discuss the topic of lateral hip pain. This injury is commonly associated with a slow-onset of dull and achy pain centered over your greater trochanter (the most prominent bone of your lateral thigh). You can typically pin-point a painful area when pushing just under this bone.Continue reading Fixing Lateral Hip Pain
Fixing Patellar & Quad Tendon Pain
How does someone develop patellar or quad tendon tendon pain? To answer this question, we first have to discuss a little anatomy. A tendon is essentially a fibrous band of tissue that connects muscle to bone. The patellar tendon runs from your kneecap (patella) to the tibial tuberosity (the prominent bony part of your shinContinue reading Fixing Patellar & Quad Tendon Pain
How to Correctly Treat Piriformis Syndrome
Welcome back to Squat University! For the past few weeks we’ve been discussing a range of injuries that can take place around the hip. Now that we’ve wrapped up our discussion on groin pain, it’s time to move on to the piriformis syndrome! Piriformis syndrome is an injury that creates pain deep in the glutesContinue reading How to Correctly Treat Piriformis Syndrome