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Exercise of the Month: Band Wide Pull

November 5, 2015 · by Garrett McLaughlin

| Article written on November 5th, 2015 at 10:19am | Follow Garrett on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram |

Posture is important. And, in the human race it is declining rapidly. Not only is gravity one of our best friends and worst enemies, but technology is playing a huge role as well. Most of what we do on a daily basis is in front of us. We type on the computer (like I am now), we sit in the car, and we overall endure postures that are pretty lousy. So, having a go-to exercise to combat forward shoulder posture is essential.

The band wide pull is basic. But, while being basic, it is very easily done incorrectly. It’s primary goal is to strengthen the muscles between the shoulder blades, which promotes good posture and optimal shoulder health.

The muscles between the shoulder blades and the spine include the rhomboids and trapezius. When we are in a position where our shoulders round forward, we place these muscles in a lengthened/stretched position.

As you read this, what position are your shoulders in?

Constant tension is a gateway into the cumulative injury cycle. We need balance between musculature tension and relaxation. In the case of good posture, our soft-tissue is held in a balanced position where it is in optimal length. Here, blood flow is restricted within the tension positioned, but restored with relaxation. Therefore, muscles are able to be fueled with oxygen and function optimally.

When we adapt to the everyday postural stresses and now maintain a forward shoulder posture, tension in this musculature is constant. Constant tension means limited blood flow and lack of oxygen. Our tissues become fibrotic and lose their supple and elastic properties. This often exhibits as pain or “tightness” between the shoulder blades.

What I’m trying to say is that you should do the band wide pull to offset this problem. Some stretching will also be a good supplement to open up the tight pec major.

How to properly execute this exercise

Hold a very light/light resistance band in your hands
Start with your elbows by your side and palms up, facing the ceiling
Ensure the upper trapezius/shoulders are relaxed and without shrugging
Squeeze the shoulder blades together and stretch the band in opposite directions
As the arms straighten next to the body, make sure the pinch between the shoulder blades is the focus
Relax and return to the starting position
Repeat for the desired repetitions

Note: The focus of this exercise is motion at the scapulothoracic joint and not at the shoulder. This means that we don’t want to excessively extend the shoulder, but focus on squeezing the shoulder blades together. Begin with a light band, anything too challenging will cause compensation and limited success.

By: Garrett McLaughlin, MS, ATC, CSCS, ART

10 Exercises to Offset the Negative Effects of Sitting

October 18, 2015 · by Garrett McLaughlin

| Article written on October 18th, 2015 at 7:15pm | Follow Garrett on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram |

We have all heard the claim, “sitting is the new smoking of this generation.” That definitely rings true and hits close to home.

We have already seen the damaging effects of smoking, but are only in the midst of the sitting epidemic.

Hindset is 20/20, and many people won’t understand it’s impact until it’s too late. This holds true for office workers, truck drivers, and those who sit for extended periods of time.

And, that is just from an occupational standpoint. Studies show an increased number of people are sitting for extended periods at home as well, while also living sedentary lifestyles.

This is a problem.

What can YOU do to offset the negative effects of sitting?

Making movement a priority is in the forefront of fixing this epidemic.

That doesn’t mean we need to spend countless hours in the gym each and every day to see a benefit. Try standing up and moving your joints 2-3 times every hour. That’s a good place to start.

If you want to get more specific and your workplace provides ample space to move, below is a guide to overcoming the negative effects of sitting. Take just 5 minutes every hour and complete the following list of stretches, mobility drills, and strengthening exercises.

Pelvic Tilts x10
Dead Bug x10 each
Brettzel 2.0 x 5 breaths each
Quadruped Thoracic Spine Rotation x10 each
Bird Dog x10 each
1/2 Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch x30 seconds each
Wall Pec Stretch x30 seconds each
Bent Over T x10
Wall Ankle Mobility x10 each
Squats x10

How do you feel?

The list of exercises above are designed to accomplish the following:

Mobilize joints restricted from being in the seated position
Stretch tight/shortened muscles
Strengthen weak/lengthened muscles
Increase joint lubrication
Get you out of your chair and utilize the body’s range of motion
Provide a positive stimulus to prevent postural decline

Try incorporating those exercises into your daily routine. Whether you are sitting at work, or sitting at home, they can be invaluable in providing your body the movement needed to offset the negative effects of sitting.

By: Garrett McLaughlin, MS, ATC, CSCS, ART

The Habits that Make or Break Movement

August 18, 2015 · by Garrett McLaughlin

| Article written on August 18th, 2015 at 12:30pm | Follow Garrett on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram |

“It took a habit to make that pattern, and it’s going to take a habit to break that pattern.” – Gray Cook

Habits form so much within our lives. The things we do on a daily basis, repetitively, over and over again become ingrained in us.

When it comes to movement, habits can either make us stronger, more resilient, and efficient. Or, habits can cause us to breakdown, hurt, and need fixing. The habits we practice in terms of movement will ultimately decide which path we travel down.

The good thing is, we can change or alter our outcome. This doesn’t always mean we can reverse what has been done for years and not need the surgery our doctor recommended. But, if we change our intent, and modify our habits to those that build us up instead of break us down, we can improve the quality of our movement.

What people need to realize is that there is often no quick fix. Most of the problems that cause injury or dysfunctional movement have been plaguing our bodies for years. That means even before we have pain, we often have dysfunction that isn’t yet apparent. This is where I feel many fitness professionals fall short. Before a new client or member begins training with you, it is essential that they complete a movement screen to hopefully uncover problematic “habits” on the front end. Compounding dysfunction with strength training and conditioning can be disastrous.

What can you do about this?

The first step is to seek out a healthcare/fitness professional who is trained in assessing movement. Ask them where you need to focus your attention, and what you need to stop doing in terms of exercise that will make things worse. Before you leave, schedule a follow-up session in 4-6 weeks. The initial assessment is only as good as the intervention and follow-up session to check progress.

Next, and the most important part… You need to start doing something about it. Remember, it’s all about habits. On a daily basis you need to practice proper movement. More often than not, this doesn’t mean getting stronger but becoming more efficient. So, don’t be embarrassed to start at bodyweight, foam rolling, and mobility work. Use the assessment to guide your new habits on where you need to focus your attention. And, stay away from things that will continue to exacerbate the problem. If your thoracic spine is immobile, you may want to stay away from overhead exercises and improve mobility in that area first. And on top of that, implement some exercises to be completed every hour while taking a break from your desk.

Remember, habits can either build you up or break you down. You chose the path you wish to travel.

By: Garrett McLaughlin, MS, ATC, CSCS, ART

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ART for the Everyday Athlete

August 14, 2015 · by Garrett McLaughlin

| Article written on August 14th, 2015 at 2:10pm | Follow Garrett on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram |

Active Release Techniques (ART) has become a staple in the maintenance programs of distance athletes to ensure optimal performance and a reduced likelihood of injury. But, more often than not, ART is an effective treatment and maintenance therapy for the everyday person. Pain and dysfunction as a result of soft-tissue injury or nerve entrapment are the only requirements to be successfully treated with ART. These types of injuries are common in people who perform repetitive tasks in their everyday lives and in the workplace. Some professionals who may not realize their pain and discomfort can be significantly decreased and/or eliminated using ART are: office workers, hair stylists, construction workers and other laborers, journalists and musicians.

The start of the repetitive injury cycle requires some type of stress or insult to the soft-tissue, whether big or small. We tend to think people need to be working out, or competing in athletics to be at risk of injury. These are obviously situations that may predispose someone to an increased injury risk, but what about those who complete thousands of repetitions of a task each and everyday? One big stress vs. thousands of small, repetitive stresses can cause similar outcomes.

In the case of those who work at desks and type on the computer for 8-hours each day. It doesn’t look too harmful to the normal observer. But, the repetitive typing motion on a keyboard can cause significant overuse injuries in the long run, like golfer’s elbow, tennis elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome, dequervain’s tendonitis, and much more. For soft-tissue to stay healthy, we need constant, re-circulated blood flow, oxygen, and nutrients to be sent to the muscles, tendons, and ligaments. When we are in a state of low-level muscular contraction, like the muscles of the forearms when typing on the computer, blood flow is unable to re-circulate to these tissues. Lack of blood flow causes cell hypoxia and we actually see fibrotic changes within the tissue. As we continue along this route for days, months, or even years, the tissues texture, density, and function can change dramatically. Instead of being supple, and elastic, they become more dense and shortened. This eventually leads to pain and dysfunction.

ART allows us to examine the function of specific tissues and nerves through advanced palpation and movement techniques. It’s not just about one specific tissue, but how adjacent muscles and nerves glide past each other. Once a specific problem is located, it is treated using specific protocols that restore that areas natural, pain-free function. This technique allows office workers, contractors, musicians, athletes, and anyone suffering from soft-tissue injury to continue doing their job and enjoying life, pain-free.

By: Garrett McLaughlin, MS, ATC, CSCS, ART

| Sign-up for Garrett’s monthly newsletter here |

4 Things I Learned from the Active Release Techniques (ART) Spine Course

July 29, 2015 · by Garrett McLaughlin

| Article written on July 29th, 2015 at 9:35am | Follow Garrett on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram |

Just last weekend, I had the opportunity to take my third Active Release Techniques (ART) course which focused specifically on the spine. As an Athletic Trainer, the spine has always been an area that I would recognize as a weak point. AT’s are typically very good at evaluating and treating injuries in the extremities, because this is what we see most within the younger (high school and collegiate), athletic population. With that being said, the spine is often overlooked while treating injuries at the extremity because issues can be traced not to where the pain is, but to the actual source of the dysfunction. The ART spine course allowed me to re-visit such an important inner working of anatomy and biomechanics that are easy to overlook in human function. But, to also recognize the connectedness and relationship of one structure to another.

Here are 4 things I learned from the ART spine course:

The superficial back line (SBL) can become problematic and often overlooked at the sacrotuberous and long dorsal sacral ligaments. Often we see poor posture and increased kyphosis at the thoracic spine, as well as increased tension and tightness in the hamstring musculature. Well, the sacrotuberous and long dorsal sacral ligaments are the soft-tissue structures that connect both of these problematic areas. Maybe they need more attention to improve their resiliency and function that can help improve issues commonly seen at the thoracic spine and hamstring.
Do you suffer from relenting headaches? Headaches can often be combated and resolved with soft-tissue intervention to several surrounding head and neck muscles. There are so many vital muscles that surround the head and cervical spine. When these tissues become tight and fibrotic from poor posture, staring at a computer screen, and constant abuse, headaches are often the result. Several muscles, including: temporalis, occipitalis, rectus capitus posterior major/minor, superior oblique, trapezius, splenius capitus, and semispinalis capitus need to be evaluated from a soft-tissue standpoint to determine their quality. More often than not, we quickly prescribed medication to treat persistent headache without investigating the possible root cause in the surrounding musculature.
Is spinal alignment off? Manipulation is a key component to restoring proper alignment and function within the musculoskeletal system. But, manipulation without addressing the restricted soft-tissue structures will ensure you need multiple visits to regain pain-free function. When we look at spinal alignment, we have deep soft-tissue structures that control vertebral position, such as: rotatores, multifidus, intertransversarii, quadratus lumborum, iliolumbar ligament, and more. Many of these structures need to be treated in conjunction with manipulation for full resolution. There is no one technique or solution to resolve pain or dysfunction, but a multi-faceted approach will provide the best results.
Referred pain patterns into the thigh, lower leg, and genitals are possible from nerve entrapment within the hip flexor area. We have several nerves including: femoral n., genitofemoral n., and lateral femoral cutaneous n., that can become entrapped at the psoas, iliacus, and anterior aspect of the quadratus lumborum. When this happens we can feel burning, tingling, aching, or shooting pain further down it’s distribution pattern. Don’t always be fooled when something hurts that the specific location is the problem. With referred patterns, like when dealing with nerves, we must investigate the entire pathway of that nerve to determine if there are any issues further up.

I hope you enjoyed this post. If you are suffering from any type of soft-tissue injury or interested in improving overall function of the body, contact me to learn more about ART. In conjunction with a structured exercise regime, ART can allow you to stay injury-free, recover from injury, or feel the best you have in years.

By; Garrett McLaughlin, MS, ATC, CSCS, ART

The Right Way to Resolve Upper Back Tightness

June 27, 2015 · by Garrett McLaughlin

| Article written on June 27th, 2015 at 9:30am | Follow Garrett on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram |

The region between the shoulder blades is often an area where we feel tons of tension and nagging pain. In the majority of situations, this area is held in a constantly lengthened and tensioned state. From poor posture and the heavy use of technology, we create postural changes within our upper body that increases kyphosis at the thoracic spine, shifts the shoulder blades laterally, and tightens the anterior chest/shoulder musculature. To resolve this issue we tend to look towards soft-tissue work and foam rolling at the area between the shoulder blades, which will temporarily reduce symptoms. But, what we actually need to do is loosen up the anterior chest and shoulders, while strengthening and shortening the muscles in the upper back. This will provide the long-term fix needed to resolve the issue.

Here is a demonstration on these everyday, negative postural changes, and what we need to do to resolve them:

By: Garrett McLaughlin, MS, ATC, CSCS, ART

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