The trapezius is a large muscle that extends from the base of the skull, down to the T12 vertebra, and out to the scapula and clavicle. This muscle plays a crucial role in performance and injury prevention for rock climbers. Its function is to stabilize the scapula during shoulder movements such as the pull up,...
The overhead squat is challenging, to put it lightly. It requires both strength and mobility in abundance. It is essential to the sport of weightlifting as the receiving position for the snatch and is commonly seen as a workout element in CrossFit boxes. It is an excellent tool for developing a multitude of physical skills...
Rock climbing requires extensive strength of the shoulder and scapular stabilizer muscles. Having good strength to these muscles not only helps with climbing performance but also with injury prevention. During arm movements, a relative ratio of degree measurements occurs between the ball and socket of the shoulder and the shoulder blade on the rib cage....
When you see a CrossFit, weight training, or gym workout posted with overhead press, push press or jerks, and your first thought is that you are concerned about how your back will fair, then this post is for you. When pressing a barbell (or any object) directly overhead it is necessary to have a strong,...
Headaches can be driven by a variety of sources and often are multifactorial in nature. Common headache types treated by our Physical Therapists in our Boulder and Lafayette offices include tension, migraine, and cervicogenic headache. This final type of headache is driven from the joints and musculature of the neck as it meets the base...
A number of studies have shown a relationship between ankle mobility and lower quarter injuries. In our Boulder and Lafayette Physical Therapy clinics we often identify these impairments during our Physical Therapy examination. A loss of mobility in one area of the body can lead to overuse of an adjacent area. Examples include a loss...
This guest blog was written by our good friends at CrossFit Sanitas. When we think about what it takes to stay healthy and strong, many of us visualize all the work we do in class to lift, pull, push, roll, or otherwise move our own weight and/or the weight in front of us. It’s easy...
The World of Hangboard Somewhere along your jaunt down the nice wandering cobble set path of life you were unexpectedly jabbed by the climbing bug, its infectious poison penetrating all the way into your soul, leaving your mind consumed with the indomitable desire to get vertical. The only way you have found to cull the...
Overhead athletes rely on their thoracic spine’s mobility and stability to generate power and prevent injury. In our Boulder Physical Therapy and Lafayette Physical Therapy clinics we examine the spine’s biomechanics and influence on patients with shoulder pain. Ruiz et al. (2020) reviewed the biomechanics of the thoracic spine in overhead sports and highlighted the...
By Dr. Ian Nay, PT DPT OCS Getting a barbell into a proper overhead position for movements such as the snatch and overhead squat can be difficult for many athletes; I know I personally struggled with this early on in my CrossFit career. The techniques described here are some of the best and proven methods...
