Most Popular Articles on this site

Joe Heiler PT, CSCS
I recently took the Pelvic Restoration home study course from the Postural Restoration Institute, and came away with some great ideas on breathing and repositioning the pelvis. In this episode I'm featuring the 'Belly Lift', one of the big three PRI repositioning exercises for the PEC patterned patient....keep reading

In this one hour seminar, we will explore how foot mechanics, the most complex joint system of the body, relates to injuries in team sports. In a clear and concise presentation, Dr. Bruce Williams will address very demanding subject matter such as pathomechanics of injury and how performance is compromised by joint and muscle dysfunction. With topics covering a wide range of subjects such as kinetics and foot anatomy, coaches and therapists can learn to create connections between popular movement screens and foot architecture and functional tests. Practitioners and clinicians will love the evidence based medicine approach to treating underly problems with a holistic approach to treating injury and maximizing performance....keep reading

Eric Cressey MA, CSCS
In Part I, I told you my life story, reflecting on my favorite color and the fact that I was raised by wolves. Eventually, I got around to my first eight tips on how to keep your shoulders healthy. My creativity is a little lacking, so I haven't got any more stories to tell you, but I can at least offer eight more shoulder savers. Enjoy....keep reading

Joe Heiler PT
I recently interviewed Tim Anderson from Original Strength about the 5 basic resets for the movement system. One of those resets is the 'head nod' featured in this article. I've long been a fan of the neurodevelopmental positions for working on cervical patterns so I've done some similar types of things in the past emphasizing cervical extension which I'll cover as well....keep reading

Robert Panariello MS, PT, ATC, CSCS
Strength training is an important component in the overall performance training of an athlete. With both technique and skill being equal, a stronger athlete has a definitive advantage over their weaker opponent. Often associated with the training of the overhead performance athlete, (i.e. baseball players/throwers, tennis/racquet players, etc…) there is a concern by many coaches and athletes with the incorporation of overhead strength training as part of their athletic performance training program. These coaches and athletes fear that this type of strength training may be detrimental to the athlete, causing possible injury to the shoulder and more specifically to the rotator cuff, thus prohibiting optimal athletic performance....keep reading

Brian LeRiche CSCS
Push ups are observed in a variety of gym settings. Performance can range from being beneficial towards strength, rehabilitation, and conditioning. Conversely, they can be degenerative, painful, and contribute to injury if not done correctly. As a result of the variance observed, numerous coaching techniques are tested to try to find the best approach....keep reading

Eric Cressey
They say that nothing in the fitness industry is really "new" nowadays. Rather, new concepts usually originate with things that are already out there simply being "spun" in different ways. Maybe it's a different cue, or a new way to program an old exercise. Today's post is a great example. Gray Cook has put out some outstanding stuff with respect to improving the toe touch pattern (and outlining why a toe touch is an essential movement skill in the first place). And, Ron Hruska of the Postural Restoration Institute (PRI) has brought to light how asymmetry is normal and somewhat predictable (based on our anatomy), but must be managed within acceptable limits. A central focus of both these approaches is that we have to get closer to neutral before we try to perform, especially if that performance includes strength training that will further solidify neural patterns....keep reading

Jason Glass will be coming up soon on the teleseminar series so I wanted to introduce a bit of his work (and enthusiasm). Jason is well known for his work with golfers, but has also been using his explosive rotational training methods with athletes from other sports with great success as well. This video is the first in a series of videos he created with Titleist Performance Institute so check that out for some great ideas plus I've linked to the rest of the series...keep reading

Ben's system for training rotational athletes is based on the mobile - stable segment continuum, a.k.a. the Joint by Joint Approach, and he does a great job explaining the system in a way that is easy enough to understand for the athlete and coach, but with enough science behind it for the strength and conditioning professional and clinician. He puts a lot of emphasis on mobility through the thoracic spine and hips while maintaining a stable lumbar spine for optimum energy transfer....keep reading

In the clinic I am constantly using theses exercises to help solve common diagnosis such as FAI, Piriformis Syndrome, Glute Med Tendinopathy, Hip Bursitis, Hip OA. Depending on the problem, certain aspects are quicker to progress than others. But that is the beauty of the game plan! It teaches and shows you principals and concepts to make better decisions in your program....keep reading

I find this cue unique because it will help the client better understand position of their spine and pelvis through both an internal and external cue....keep reading

I posted this article on my PT clinic blog recently and thought I would re-post since I get asked about how I measure closed chain dorsiflexion quite often. Also have a short video showing how you can quickly increase ROM with a little foam rolling in just the right spot! As always, feel free to use the content from my blog for your own sites. Many of my patients find me through an internet search so it pays to be at the top of the page. A blog is the easiest way to get there....keep reading

Michael Boyle MA, ATC
A big key in prevention of any injury is to use appropriate screening techniques. For screening athletes I am a proponent of Gray Cook's Functional Movement Screen ( www.functionalmovement.com) The FMS is a seven part screen designed to predict risk of injury and should be done in it's entirety on every athlete at least once. Of particular interest in the sports hernia area is the FMS- Hurdle Step (a test of the hip flexion pattern). An impaired hip flexion pattern usually demonstrates a lateral shift of the pelvis when attempting to flex the hip. This would indicate an impaired hip flexion pattern. In the impaired hip flexion pattern it is theorized that the deep flexors (psoas and iliacus) are weak or inhibited. This forces the athlete to use quadratus lumborum to hip hike to create the illusion of hip flexion. In essence, lateral flexion of the pelvis on the spine raises the hip. Cook advocates not focusing on individual muscles but rather on fixing the pa...keep reading

Joe Heiler PT, CSCS
If you haven't noticed lately I've been looking at ways to tweak some of my favorite exercises now that I've been working through the PRI courses. In some cases, such as this one, it's not just about perfecting the movement but it's also knowing how to be in the right place at the right time. A place I haven't always been with these two......keep reading

Keith Thornhill PT
In my experience the foot and ankle are almost as forgotten as the wrist and hand when it comes to physiotherapy assessment and treatment. However, in my opinion unlike in the wrist, any deficit in function of the foot/ankle can have a greater impact on any individual. For instance, limited ankle dorsiflexion will have a much larger and more detrimental impact on the individual than the same issues would typically have when occurring on the wrist/hand....keep reading

Joe Heiler PT, CSCS
I wish I had a better name for this but basically what I have found is that by combining two of my favorite moves I've gotten some great results. The 'belly press' exercise was featured on here a few weeks back as a way to reposition the pelvis, teach breathing, and inhibit the low back. Hip rocking into a stability ball has been featured on this site a number of times in different articles as a great way to activate the inner core and improve the hip flexion pattern. Today I want to show you how I combine the two movements and talk about some of the results I've seen so far......keep reading

Building Your Engine! This workout helps build strength, size, and capacity. Great workout to build the foundation of getting more horsepower under the hood....keep reading

The Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) - An Evidence Based Clinical Model to Address Regional Interdependence (updated version). I've never been a 'pain chaser', but I didn't really have an organized way of looking at the entire body either. The SFMA model has streamlined my evaluation and focused my treatment approach with great results. Highly recommended, especially if you have a background in the FMS. - Joe Heiler...keep reading

Joe Heiler PT
The Assisted Curl Up is one of those correctives I've come back to as a way to establish lumbar flexion motor control when lacking within the MS Flexion pattern. In this month's commentary I'll discuss why its critical to have full lumbar excursion with control, how to coach the exercise, how this fits into our typical flexion progression, how the curl up compares to rolling, and more......keep reading