By: Mary Pezzella, DPT If your shoulder has started complaining during muscle-up transitions or deep hangs, you’re not alone, and there’s still time to do something about it before the 2026 Koda Iron Games. Event 1, “Running From the Law,” pairs three 800-meter runs with gymnastics that gets harder as it goes: synchro pull-ups building...
The Musician-Athlete: Why Musicians Should Think Like Athletes By: Mary Pezzella, PT, DPT Whether you play violin, drums, piano, guitar, trumpet, or sing, you are asking your body to perform a highly skilled physical task, often for hours at a time, under pressure, and with little room for error. The repetitive movements, sustained positions, and...
By: Mary Pezzella, PT, DPT Musicians spend hours asking their bodies to perform precise, repetitive movements while often holding the same position for long periods of time. Just like an athlete warms up before practice or competition, musicians can benefit from preparing their bodies before they start playing. A physical warm-up doesn’t need to be...
How many times have you seen someone whose posture looks like this while belaying? Neck pain is a common in rock climbers. Although climbing itself can lead to neck pain, the most common cause is spending prolonged periods belaying. We refer to this as “belayer’s neck”. Belayer’s neck is a colloquial term to describe a...
Shoulder and elbow injuries are on the rise among youth and professional baseball players. Our previous post on baseball injuries detailed the risk of future injury if an athlete has lost range of motion in his shoulder prior to the season. In particular, emphasis has been placed on the amount of internal rotation (hand behind lower...
Ehlers‑Danlos Syndrome (EDS) is a group of genetic connective tissue disorders that affect collagen formation—the protein that helps provide the structure to skin, joints, and organs. This condition can lead to joint hypermobility, frequent dislocations, and persistent pain. Because EDS affects the connective tissue throughout the body, it often requires a multidisciplinary management approach focused...
By: Kristin Carpenter, PT, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT If you’re a woman in your 40s or 50s and suddenly experiencing more joint pain, muscle aches, or back pain, you’re not imagining it. Many women notice new or worsening musculoskeletal pain during perimenopause, the hormonal transition leading up to menopause. These symptoms can feel confusing especially if...
By: Ian Nay, PT, DPT, OCS If you’re struggling with knee pain—especially related to issues like patellar tendinopathy (jumper’s knee), patellofemoral pain syndrome, or general weakness around the joint—the Spanish Squat might be a game-changer for your rehab routine. Unlike traditional squats, the Spanish Squat uses a resistance band looped behind the knees and anchored...
Patellofemoral pain (PFP) is characterized by diffuse pain behind or around the patella or knee cap. It occurs when the knee is loaded and bent with activities such as: running, jumping, squatting or ascending/descending stairs. The prevalence of PFP is 22.7% in both adults and adolescents, and with the inherit link between PFP and Knee...
By: Erica Tran, PT, DPT, OCS Ever feel your chest collapsing forward in the bottom of a front squat? I put together a quick self-exam so you can test your ankles, hips, thoracic spine, wrists, elbows, and shoulders to find what’s holding you back. Even better, I’ve added simple treatment ideas for each area so...
