Kinetic Potential Physical Therapy

Ironically it’s been about three years since I used anything from the bottom (e-stim) on a patient, and about 0 minutes since I talked to a patient about all three in the top. PT schools need to wake up. Also, can we start to be honest with our patients and people on social about the actual reasons people have pain. I posted a whole series last summer about why you really have back pain and it’s not because you sit a lot, or have weak glutes. @adammekins had a fantastic post ...this week about it to. Anyways, if you’re going to a PT that exclusively uses those bottom modalities and doesn’t address the top issues of sleep, food, and exercise, run to someone who does. #getmoving #physicaltherapy #treatyoself

It takes effort to stay neutral - Dr. Mike T. Nelson If you’re not working on at least maintaining then you’re breaking down. There is this term - entropy- which basically describes the eventual breakdown of all systems. The stressors of life are always working against us and our homeostasis. These are things like chemicals in the products we use, consume, and wear, sedentarianism, byproducts of normal metabolism in the body, and so on. These forces will work and break dow...n the body down faster if we are not working against them. If you just abandoned a house it would begin to breakdown and fall apart faster than if someone is living in it. Using the systems actually helps maintain the systems. This is a rough metaphor for our bodies, but the gist of it is that if we are not using our body’s systems then they are just going to go through entropy and breakdown faster. I bring all this up because I am frequently thinking about why I treat so many people who could have avoided seeing me if they moved just a little bit more throughout their daily life, drank more water, ate more fruits and veggies and less shit out of bags, and slept a little. These people are not utilizing their bodies and they are breaking down physically. We are intended to move. I recently wrote a post after reading Daniel Lieberman’s Exercised that says we cannot be our best physiologically if we are not active. This idea is the same as saying that we need to use our bodies to simply prevent or delay breakdown. We need to get on the right side of healthcare - which is getting ahead of people suffering from preventable/mismatch orthopedic conditions and metabolic conditions. This starts with just using our bodies and maximizing our physiology. #treatyoself #physicaltherapy #homeostasis #entropy #lowbackpain #kneepain #healthcare #sickcare #shoulderpain : Ben Cliff

Yes, size matters. We’re talking about disc herniations here, right? If someone’s imaging comes up and we get to talking about the size of their disc herniation/bulge/protrusion the I often hear but the doc said it’s a big herniation! And I often respond with that’s great!... Why do I respond this way? Because it has been shown that bigger disc herniations and desiccations will spontaneously resolve quicker and more often than smaller ones. That’s right, the bigger the herniation the faster and more likely it is to resolve. This is just my somewhat regular reminder that you are not defined by your imaging. Size of tears, herniations, etc rarely correlate, if at all, with how much pain you will experience. I always encourage people to go as long as they can without imagining unless I see a clear need for it, because it cuts down healthcare costs dramatically, leads to fewer surgeries, and usually leads to the same of not better outcomes. #physicaltherapy #rant #getmoving #treatyoself #discherniations #lowbackpain #training #deadlift #squat #press #push #carry Be sure to check out: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25009200/

The mental demons are real. This week was really difficult. Sleep is a precious commodity again, my nutrition has been poor, and I’m really having to fight with my own mind on my long runs. I’ve really begun to question my abilities as the runs are getting harder. It’s not the length though, it’s the pace. I’m running faster for longer than I have ever tried to. And because of this I am failing (sometimes). It’s humbling but it’s also a mindfuck. It’s like every run over 10 m...iles or so I start to question of I can do this. Can I run fast enough to qualify? Can I get all the training in? Why am I doing this? It’s predictable at this point. It’s actually mile 11 when it starts. The suck begins at this point and it cracks open the door for self doubt to creep in. I’m sure this is all part of the process though. Have you encountered these feelings with your training? It doesn’t have to be for a marathon, it could be anything. Also, head over to my YouTube for the full breakdown of how week 4 went. #marathontraining #bostonMarathon #lululemonambassador #thesweatlife #treatyoself #getmoving #running #training

When I started my business 7 years ago I was initially embarrassed when I got ?’s like these. Now I see it’s a point of pride that I rarely wear shoes, have people lift heavy shit, and help people improve, maintain, or get back to health. It’s been a weird year in my new space, having gotten the keys and basically locking the doors for 4 months before ever working with a client in there. However, these 1000 sq feet have transformed people’s outlook on rehab and physical therapy but there is still much work to be done. #physicaltherapy #getmoving #treatyoself #thislookslikeagym #whydontyouhaveshoeson #liftheavythings #feelbetter #deadlift #squat #press #pull #carry #thesweatlife @ Kinetic Potential Physical Therapy

Exercised - By Daniel E. Lieberman This book didn’t shed much new light on what I already new about exercise (hint: it’s good for us). But this book does a wonderful job of explaining why, how much, and really why something we never evolved to do is so damn good for us. My biggest take away from this was the fact that to function at our best physiologically we HAVE to move. Your body literally cannot works it’s best without moving. This includes your nervous system, musculosk...eletal system, respiratory, hormonal, etc. We literally are intended to move. It is almost as vital as eating or breathing. Another interesting point that I took away from Exercised was that calories are a zero sum game in the body. There are 5 major competitors for every calorie you consume. 1Reproduction 2Kidney/liver function 3Brain function 4Digestion 5Maintaining/growing muscles What’s fascinating about this is that when we limit our calories, our bodies will then lower our metabolisms in response, literally spending less energy on reproduction/libido and muscle maintenance, and spending them on the other three for survival. There’s a lot of talk about the mismatch diseases such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes, but one thing that I think also needs to belong in this category that was not addressed much was chronic pain. There is a little discussion on it at the beginning of the book, but it kind of fades away as discussion of the mismatch diseases increases. I truly feel that most of the pains that bring people into my office are a function of a mismatch between the person and their environments. Osteoarthritis is showing more and more to be an inflammatory condition not determined by wear and tear on a joint, but rather low grade systemic inflammation (think of it more as a response to food and stress). Don’t believe me? Well then why is it that as we have become more sedentary rates of osteoarthritis have increased? All in all this book was a fantastic listen/read. If you are interested in learning why we should exercise beyond the obvious it’s good for you arguments, then be sure to pick it up. #getmoving #physicaltherapy #losangeles #thesweatlife #l

Three weeks in already and so much has changed! This week was full of new gear, my yearly physical (which was slightly eye opening), and plenty of miles. Surprisingly I was able to hit all my runs this week at the paces I needed so I’m happy about that. This week I also talk about overall training strategy, and recap a nice convo I had with my running coach Blake about my timeline for getting to the Boston Marathon. #marathon #bostonmarathon #running #training #garmin #getmoving #treatyoself

As my training is picking up and I’ve added volume to my running, I also need to start maintaining my mobility and flexibility. I ended up spending 12 minutes doing this to address my toes, ankles, calves, hips, and thoracic spine. These 12 minutes are extremely valuable like taking vitamins when you k ow you have deficiencies in your diet. Because running is such a repetitive activity, the body is not exposed to many different ranges of motion and therefore will start to ad...apt. To counter act this I will be sprinkling in more movement vitamins throughout my day to ensure my body remains resilient, and capable to accepting whatever stresses I throw at it. It doesn’t need to be complicated or take a ton of time in your day. You just need to be explore your ranges of motion and be consistent with it. #physicaltherapy #getmoving #treatyoself #running #rinningexercises #stretching #mobilityforunners #consistencyisking #footpain #plantarfasciitis #achillespain #mobility

Ever have a tough week? Yeah me too. But how do we adapt to these hard times and overcome them? As @ryanholiday would tell you, The Obstacle is the Way (check out this book if you haven’t already). I had two major obstacles show up this week after having an amazing first week of training. Was I bummed about them? Absolutely. I gave myself some time to process what had happened, but then it was time to plan. I’m still excited to see where this journey takes me. I knew the pa...th to this marathon was not going to be straight but these curves in the road were quite unseen! Get out there and keep working towards whatever goals you’re going for. Whether it’s overcoming an injury or hitting training goals, the only way to get there is to put in the work! #physicaltherapy #training #marathontraining #running #runninginjuries #bostonmarathon #getmoving #treatyoself #lululemonambassador #thesweatlife

Low hand windmills are a great way to stretch your inner thighs, hamstrings, and low back while reinforcing thoracic spine mobility and posterior hip mobility. What’s all that crap mean? You move better and feel better. A traditional windmill has the weight overhead and requires subsequent shoulder mobility to get there which is often a limitation I see. But if you place the weight in the low hand, you can still get all the other benefits of a windmill while also making it ...easier for most people to understand the hinge movement of the hips. Some key steps in the low hand windmill are: 1. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart 2. Turn your front foot out 3. Keep your back leg straight. A slight bend in the front leg is okay 4. Keep your the back of your low arm against your inner thigh 5. Point your top shoulder towards the ceiling on the way down 6. Push your butt back (hip hinge) as your go down 7. Lock your hips out at the top. This movement can be helpful as a mobility drill for your hips and spine, or used as a dynamic stretch to your adductors/inner thighs, hamstrings, and low back. Give it a go and let me know how it went in the comments below! And be sure to share with a friend! #getmoving #treatyoself #lowbackstretch #lowbackpain #hipstretch #hippain #golfexercise #spinalmobility #strerching #fitspo #kettlebells #kettlebellexercises #thesweatlife #lululemonambassador

What the hell am I up to now that I hit my sub 5:50 mile and deadlifted 400+lbs on the same day? Head over to YouTube to find out. The link is in my bio. #getmoving #treatyoself #running #training #thesweatlife #lululemonambassador

http://ordinary// What happens when you wander outside your ordinary? Anxiety, fear, or even pain? The body is amazing at sensing changes beyond the ordinary, like too much training volume, or doing too much, too soon, or too often and telling us to stop or change what we are doing and go back to our safe and comfortable ordinary. But what also happens when we go outside our ordinary? ... G r o w t h. Usually this happens through learning about ourselves, but it could be physically as well. We can become more emotionally and physically resilient to what the world is throwing at us. We can reduce our likelihood of fragility or injury. But it takes testing the waters, and getting outside our ordinary to do this. If 2020 taught us anything, it’s that we cannot fear the unordinary, but rather we need to accept it, learn about it, and try to do the best with the situation we’ve been given. #physicaltherapy #recovery #training #resilient #getmoving #pain #lowbackpain #fitness

This unicorn of an exercise is one of those that you should file under what isn’t it good for? The hack squat is a deceptively difficult drill primarily because of the balance requirements needed to keep you from falling over. Fortunately you can practice at first using a post, door jam, or one of those poles you might find at a late night establishment (no judgement). Let’s start at the bottom. If you’ve followed me for any length of time you know I think the big ...toe holds the answers to the deepest mysteries in the universe, so it’s no surprise I love the loaded first toe extension the hack squat reinforces. You can combine this with large amounts of foot intrinsic muscle use, as well as an isometric heel raise (good for those nagging Achilles’ tendon issues) to basically bulletproof your foot and ankle. The knee is essentially required to go through massive amounts of flexion, and can do so more easily for most people because your tight ankles with not be limiting your knees. It’s a heel of a lot easier to squat with your heels elevated than flat for lost people (go ahead I’ll wait while you try it). Now that your knees can do their thing, you can load those patellar tendons through their full range! If you load up the hack squat enough you can also strengthening the quads and glutes through huge ranges of motion, and because the heels are elevated it can be easier to maintain an upright torso, allowing for less stress on the low back. However, it is very difficult to load these because of the balance requirements, and the posterior loading is hard to offset when you go very heavy. Lastly, the positioning of the hands behind your back will help mobilize your thoracic spine and stretch your ever shortening pec muscles that just shorten all day while you sit or stand in front of your screens. What’s this mean for you? Easier time maintaining an upright posture, easier breathing, and a better mood. So give the hack squat a try and leave a comment on how it went! #physicaltherapy #treatyoself #getmoving #hacksquats #squats #plantarfasciitis #achillestendonitis #kneepain #hippain #posture #exercises #thesweatlife #lululemonambassador

http://Mindset// Mindset is a muscle. Like all other muscles it needs training. ... I wake up between 5-5:30 almost every single day. Most days it’s to work, and on my off days it’s to workout so I have more time with @deans_list and E. But I am a night person when left to my own devices. People often shutter when they hear this, but with training, my mindset changed. Waking up early is no longer a burden, but an opportunity to get done what needs to be done without distraction, and ultimately spend more time with my family. Often times with injuries and rehab, it’s hard to see the light through the darkness. I have been there. I had to miss my senior year of varsity basketball because of a broken bone in my foot. But often times these injuries can be viewed as a time to reflect on training gaps, or to emphasize other aspects of your health. It takes a skilled PT or healthcare professional to do this, so be sure to find someone who listens and hears your story. Sometimes a little reframing is all it takes to shift your mindset and send you down a path of recovery. FYI - because of that broken bone, I ended up in PT (again), fell in love with the profession even more, and solidified my choice to make a career out of it. #physicaltherapy #growthmindset #getmoving #recovery #stretching #mobility #running #powerlifting #deadlift #squat #carry #push #pull

This is your occasional reminder that imaging does not dictate your pain. In fact there is little correlation with osteoarthritic changes on MRI and pain level. It has been shown that more likely synovitis (inflammation of the internal covering of a joint) is the culprit in generating your joint pain. Know what else is crazy? If you’re overweight and suffering from osteoarthritis knee pain, losing 10% of your body weight has shown to not only reduce knee pain, but also hand ...pain associated with OA by 50%. How can that be? Well, if inflammation of the covering of a joint is likely the pain generating tissue, if you reduce your systemic inflammation by cleaning up your diet you could possibly reduce your pain all over! Just remember that you are much more than your MRI, X-RAY, ultrasound. You are a resilient, capable, and strong human with the ability to modulate your pain! #physicaltherapy #getmoving #treatyoself #arthritis #osteoarthritis #kneepain #handpain #getstrong

I’ve been through a lot in 36 years and I feel like 2020 was just another punch to the gut to remind me of what really matters in this life. #family #love #thelittlethings #findjoy

I messed up Worse mistakes have been made than me adding an extra day to #movemas. Somehow I added a day, giving you 13 days of Movemas. Like I said, worse things have happened. I hope you find a way to get up, move your body in any capacity you can today, and get ahead of your pain.... #physicaltherapy #getmoving #lowbackpain #hippain #kneepain #shoulderpain #neckpain #kettlebellworkout #kettlebells #dumbbells #fitness #fitspo

On to the next one... #getmoving #treatyoself #runfastliftheavy #running #lifting #powerlifting #getstrong #deadlift #barbell #1milepr #goals #goalsetting #dothework

#movemas Day 12 For a lot of us it’s a holiday today, Merry Christmas! Instead of laying on the pressure of feeling like you need to workout why not relax, dial up FaceTime, zoom, or whatever other service allows you to see your loved ones if you can’t be with them, and smile, laugh, and relax. The health benefits of resting, eating some good food, and spending time with loved ones is just as important as moving your body. Besides, if you’ve been following along with Movem...as, you e worked out 10/12 days, which is outstanding! The goal has been to introduce you to various styles of workouts and programming that you may or may not find interesting so you can get more movement into your life. Most of the conditions I see are because people don’t move enough, not too much. I know this isn’t the case for all PTs but I definitely feel that underuse injuries are just as much of a problem as overuse. I hope you’ve enjoyed these past 12 days and if you want to know anything else about any of these workouts or programming, please reach out! #movemas #restsay #recovery #physicaltherapy

Happy birthday #isabellemargaretscott! It has been an absolute joy to watch you grow right before our eyes. Your aunt and I are overjoyed that Emerson has a big cousin’s path to follow! Keep smiling! We love you! #family #birthday #terrifictwos #cousins

#wcw Working from home has been a breeze with this little rascal around. I’ve found it hard to complain about all the changes 2020 brought to my life when I got another person who I get to love and spoil so much! #girldad #family #love #alittletired #worthit

Progress isn’t always forward. But you definitely can’t progress with stagnation. Yesterday morning I wanted to test my deadlift max so I could put together a program with accurate intensity for myself. Now, 3 years ago, I lifted 452lbs at a meet, walked off the platform happy that I set my PR. Fast forward three years - my clinic was shut down for 4 months so I didn’t have access to a barbell, I sleep maybe 2-3 hours at a time unbroken and maybe 6 hours total on a great nigh...t, and I’ve been running like a mad man because I currently have a goal to run 700 miles in 6 months (I hit mile 400 today). So I set the bar up with 155lbs as a warm up for 5 reps, then 245lbs for 5 reps and now I’m thinking hmm that was a little heavy. Then 315lbs for 3 as a warm up. Then I put on 365lbs for 1 rep. Felt veeeery heavy but usually when things feel very heavy there still much more in the tank. So I put on 385lbs and set up for my lift and ..... nothing. The bar wouldn’t move. It was as if it has been magnetized to the ground. How the hell could this be? 365lbs is my working max? That’s a 20% drop from my PR! That’s an insane drop. I broke down the bar, made myself some coffee and thought about things for a minute. Deadlifting heavy hasn’t been my goal since I stepped off that platform years ago. Recently my goal has been to run far and fast - which is contradictory to deadlifting max weights. I did not regress, it was PROGRESS! I had been making progress towards a different goal and it does not mean I was going backwards with my deadlifting, I was just at a different place in time. If I were to set my compass towards deadlifting heavy again (which I likely will) then I will progress in that direction. It’s hard not to look at scenarios like this and see failure, regression, and defeat, but when you set goals of one thing, you can’t be bummed when other aspects of training or life kinda take a back seat. I did gain a huge hunger to build my deadlift strength back up in the future when my distance running challenge is over. I texted a friend that I might wanna try for a 400lb deadlift and a sub 5:50 mile on the same day. I won’t know though until I set it as a goal.

This was like my 5x5 program on steroids. Once again, 20 minutes is all you need to get stronger, maintain or improve mobility, and up your cardio game. If my typical 5x5 program feels like a moderate run, this felt like 20 minutes of sprinting. You’re doing 5 rounds of a circuit with 75% of your 1RM. You do each exercise every minute on the minute (EMOM). ABCD X5... A. Bench or overhead press x 5 immediately into 10 kettlebell or dumbbell swings. B. Sumo or conventional deadlift x 5 immediately into 10 swings. If you don’t have enough weight do single led deadlifts. C. Pull ups x 5 immediately into 10 swings D. Split Squats x 5 each side then rest for the remainder of the minute. By the end of this you will have done all your strength work for the day, PLUS thrown in 150 swings. A definite win win. If you’ve allotted 30 to your workout you can still stretch and cool down. When I did this workout my average heart rate was about 70% max and I was able to use 75% for all my lifts. You’re gonna be moving fast but move smart first. If any of these things disagree with your body or an injury, substitute for something you know works for you. Remember, the goal is resiliency and longevity! #training #physicaltherapy #trainingisrehab #getmoving #getstrong #getmobile #lowbackpainexercises #kneepainexercises #workcapacity #dpt

3pm PST we are going to kick it old school, as in bringing back a little bit of stretching and mobility to the mix. Join me with one medium to heavy weight (bring some lighter ones too if you can) and join me for 30 minutes of hip and spine health work, followed by some foundational strength training to help improve the way you feel. My hope is that Incan show you that an all inclusive training session doesn’t need to take hours, and can leave you feeling better, not wiped out. #physicaltherapy #strongaintwrong #stayoutofmyoffice #resiliency #strongmind #strongbody #mobility #stretching #flexibility #lowbackpainexercises #hippain #kneepain #backpain #shoulderpain #exercises

In my opinion the hardest step isn’t the first one, or the last one- it’s the one right before the halfway point. The one that makes you say I want to stop. It’s the one that hits hardest after the motivation has worn off to get you making the first step. You know you’re not half way there but you just keep putting one foot in front of the other - you keep waking up early to meditate, you stay up late to study or take care of your family. These middle steps, when there is no ...crowd are the hardest, but truly prove to you who you are. It’s the boring stretches and modified workouts getting you back to health, it’s the salads over fried chicken, it’s the water over wine (okay maybe some wine). The point is, that it’s these middle steps, regardless of what you’re doing that prove how strong you are, not the first, not the last. - Stay strong. #getmoving #getstrong #physicaltherapy #resiliency #strongaintwrong #squat #deadlift #push #pull #carry #stretch #mobility #fitness #fitspo #workouts #PTschool See more

We have a knack for over complicating things when it comes to injuries. Overwhelmingly, the evidence supports pain management through stress reduction/ice/heat/pharma (only on rare occasions), respecting pain levels with activity, continued exercise through injuries even if it’s for the remaining parts of your body, and gradual progression back into activities of fulfillment. In my opinion we are over-complicating rehab with overly complex exercises and concepts but not nece...ssarily getting better results than the basic principles above. Thoughts? #physicaltherapy #resiliency #strength #flexibility #mobility #getmoving #staymoving #gethealthy #stayhealthy

And now that the click bait is over, we can get to this magical exercise that myself and others have held under lock and key, preventing you and the masses from reaching your physical and financial potential! Well okay maybe it’s not the end all be all of core exercises, but it sure is useful. Depending on your definition of core, this covers all your bases. Personally, I say the core is from your neck to you knee, which is broad, but if you’re talking about the spine and c...ontrolling it I can easily justify my definition. Anywho, unilateral farmer’s carries can strengthen your low back, your hips, your obliques, abs, rotator cuff, and lats just to name a few muscles. They will improve your grip strength, challenge your balance, and burn a hell of a lot of calories (if that’s what your looking for). There is tons of rehab and training potential with this drill. So how do you do it? Pick up a heavy weight and walk with it! Jk, but that’s close. First, start with a weight that is 1/4 your body weight. Stand tall with it, trying not to have the weight rest on your body (you can see the kettlebell isn’t resting on my side as I walk). As you walk, you have to make it look like you have one weight in each hand. This will make your opposite side core work like nuts to keep you upright. If you can’t stand up straight or you feel like you’re limping, lower the weight. How much should you do? I personally think some variation of heavy carries should be done every training day, but minimum effective dose is likely around 3x/week. You can perform them for time or for distance as long as your form is good! I start my clients off with 2-4 sets of 100ft with 1/4 body weight and always increase the weight to 1/3 body weight before touching the distance or time they carry for. It may not seem like this is core training, but to improve your spinal, hip, and shoulder resiliency, there are few exercises that can match the unilateral farmer’s carry. #lowbackpainexercise #lowbackpain #rotstorcuffexercise #shoulderpain #abs #core #farmerscarry #kettlebells #balancetraining #physicaltherapy #getmoving #resiliency #thesweatlife

Knee pain can really stop you in your tracks. There are many reasons why your knees might start hurting you. The usual culprits are doing too much, too soon, too fast. Basically your body can’t respond fast enough to the changes in demands that you are putting on it. After you adjust your activity, and while you are recovering working on the physical (biological) contributors to your pain sounds like a good idea. When the knee hurts, we have to look above or below... the knee to start. What’s your ankle mobility and range of motion look like? How strong are your hips? There are other things like running form to take into account but that’s beyond the scope of this video. If you or someone you know are experiencing anterior knee pain, watch this video and let me know what you think. #kneepain #getmoving #physicaltherapy #getstrong #runnersknee #jumpersknee #kneerehab #stretching #knee #mobility #ankle #stiffness

Gyms are still closed but you can still deadlift. The #deadlift is my favorite exercise to do (but Get Ups are the most useful). The problem is that not everyone has a #barbell laying around right now. That’s where bands come in. How on earth can a band provide enough resistance to replicate a deadlift? I’m venturing a guess that most people reading this aren’t pulling 300+ pounds very often, and therefore could actually get a great deadlifting session in with some bands.... Here I am showing a #sumodeadlift which theoretically lowers me to the ground a little, making the lift a little easier on my hips and back. Bands are a great supplement to traditional deadlifting because they will be most difficult at the strongest point in your hip hinging movement, meaning than when you are close to the top of your lift, you will be able to challenge your hip extension appropriately and not be limited by the weight you can lift at the bottom, where the deadlift is most difficult. This resembles something more like a rack pull - which allows you to lift more weight than you could typically in a deadlift. The band I’m using in the video only has 85lbs of resistance but there are bands that go over 100lbs, and they can be doubled and tripled up, making some serious work happen. So go get your bands and start gettin the ass stronger. - #deadlift #healthlift #stronghips #strongback #bandcamp #liftheavy #strongaintwrong #strengthhappens #strong #physicaltherapyshouldbephysical

Why do your neck and shoulders hurt when you do push-ups? - Unfortunately we live in a world that is chair bound. We sit in our cars, at our desks, on our couches, and kitchen chairs. The compounding negative factor here is gravity. It’s always working against you pulling you into a forward flexed position. As a result your hip flexors shorten, your neck weakness, and your chest gets tight. Because of this chest tightness your shoulders may be lacking an ability to get into e...xternal rotation. As the video above shows, if you are lacking the ability to get into and maintain shoulder external rotation, your shoulders and neck will likely pay the price when doing push ups. - This simple assessment allows you to see if you need the required pec stretching to help gain or maintain good shoulder external rotation. But Mike, won’t doing push-ups make my chest tighter? Good question, but this is unlikely. You may perceive tightness in your chest from muscle soreness, but because you will be keeping your shoulders externally rotated and will be going through ranges of motion that actually STRETCH your pecs, properly done push-ups will really help improve the tightness in your chest. - #pushups #shoulderpain #neckpain #shouldermobility #shoulderassessment #physicaltherapy #getmoving #sitless #movemore