The majority of people with lower quarter pain or symptoms will demonstrate altered coordination and communication between the nervous system and muscles. This leads to altered movement patterns which may perpetuate symptoms and lead to more chronic pain and muscle imbalances. Primary movers for our movement patterns (example: gluts) may be substituted for weaker, less...
The functional movement screen was designed to screen athletes and individuals on both upper and lower body movement tasks in order to identify those at risk for future injury. As participants move through the 7 movement tasks, Physical Therapists are able to identify areas of weakness, tightness, or decreased coordination. Based on these results exercises...
Our brains can be our best or worst training partner. In our previous blogs we have written about how our brains stop our workouts or sets short to conserve energy. As part of our nervous system, our brains are actively involved in building strength with exercise. In fact, in the first 6 weeks of training...
By: Rani Helvey-Byers, PT, DPT, OCS When it comes to exercise, the way you train matters as much as what you train. The same movement — be it a squat or a row — can achieve different results depending on the sets, reps, load, and the length of the rest breaks you use. Understanding these...
By: Ian Nay, PT, DPT, OCS Mobility work is often emphasized for pain relief, injury prevention, and performance, but how much is truly necessary? Recent research suggests that strength training performed through full ranges of motion may provide many of the mobility benefits people seek, with targeted mobility work serving as a valuable supplement rather...
If you are wondering whether physical therapy actually works, you are not alone. Many people in Boulder ask this after experiencing rushed visits or generic care that did not solve the real problem. At Mend Colorado, we see this question every day. The short answer is yes, physical therapy works when it is delivered with...
Whether you want to increase your back squat, shave some time off your Fran score, or take fewer breaks on your uphill skin, you will need to focus on glute strength. The gluteus maximus is the largest and most powerful muscle in the human body, and is responsible for hip extension, lateral rotation, and abduction...
We have previously written about the functional movement screen (FMS) and its’ ability to predict injury although more recent research has called its’ predictive ability into question. The highest quality research on the FMS has occurred in NFL athletes or those training for the NFL combine. The research demonstrates the predictive value of these tests may...
Background Hamstring injuries are one of the most common injuries in athletics accounting for up to 20% of all sports injuries (Wing et al. 2020). Injuries can be both acute due to a traumatic injury or overuse in nature due to exposure to higher training volumes over time. Both types of injuries can lead to...
And Why They Work Dr. Rani Helvey-Byers, PT, DPT, OCS, RYT-500 Low back pain can be a debilitating condition that affects upwards of 619 million people globally, making it the leading cause of musculoskeletal disability worldwide [1]. Further, treating low back pain is expensive. Studies show the annual average cost spent on treating low back...
