I see people in my practice all the time who tell me they’re always getting injured and feel trapped in a revolving door of injury after injury after injury. They usually feel hopeless that they’ll ever break free of this vicious cycle. Understandably, this is an immensely frustrating experience. It is often helpful to know …
The diaphragm is an under-appreciated muscle that influences many aspects of our physical and mental health. While the diaphragm’s main role is in respiration (breathing), it also plays a part in a wide range of body processes including nerve function, lower back health, stress vs. relaxation, digestion, and more. In this article, I’ll go over …
We all breathe constantly throughout the day. Our bodies breathe almost automatically, with no thought at all unless something brings it into our conscious awareness. On the other hand, when we exercise hard, experience pollution, or get sick, breathing can suddenly consume our full attention. Throughout history, various cultures have engaged in breathwork practices involving …
The psoas muscle comes up frequently with my clients. It may not be as well known as some other muscles like the pecs or hamstrings, but this low key muscle plays an essential role in movement and stability. Due to its attachment points, it can be involved in issues involving the hip, pelvis, and lower …
Now that you’re an expert on how knee mobility affects squat form (you did read this already, right?), let’s dig into stability at the knee joint. Since the muscles that cross the knee joint primarily exert force in only one plane of motion (the sagittal plane), the side-to-side (a.k.a. medial/lateral) stability must come from the …
Squat Form Deconstructed Part 4 – Knee Stability Read More »
This installment in the Squat Form Series will focus on mobility at the knee joint. Squatting with good form requires mobility into both flexion (bending) and extension (straightening) at the knee joint. In this article, I will describe the anatomy of the knee joint, the biomechanics as they relate to squat form, common limitations to …
Starting from the ground up, this installment in the Squat Form series will focus on the ankle. In order to squat well, you must have adequate mobility and stability at the ankle to create a stable base to work from. Lots of people I see who have trouble squatting lack these necessary prerequisites at the …
Squat Form Deconstructed Part 2 – Ankle Mobility Read More »
Most people have at least heard the term “rotator cuff” at some point. If you’ve ever rehabbed from a shoulder injury, there’s a good chance you’ve even done exercises targeting it. Despite this general familiarity, most people don’t have a good understanding of what the rotator cuff actually is OR what purpose it truly serves …