Smith Performance Center Blog
Your Trusted Physical Therapy and Strength Training Blog for Injury Rehab and Pain Management
Welcome to the physical therapy blog from Smith Performance Center—your source for expert guidance on injury recovery, pain management, strength training, and sustainable health habits. Whether you’re managing chronic pain, recovering from surgery, or building long-term fitness, our team shares actionable strategies backed by clinical experience and real-world success. Stay up to date with new posts on rehab phases, movement progression, exercise programming, and the science behind making healthcare work for you.
Why Rehab Feels Like Chasing Injuries
Why does one thing finally start to feel better… and then something else decides to hurt?
It can feel like you’re chasing injuries. Like you calm one fire down and another pops up.
Is that bad rehab? Or is that actually how complex systems work?
In this episode of Past Your Prime, Craig introduces the concept of Layered Pathology, the idea that injuries build in layers, and when one layer improves, the next one becomes visible.
Debunking the 5 Most Controversial Exercises in 2026
Are deadlifts, squats, and upright rows really bad for you? We break down the biggest exercise myths and explain when controversial exercises help or hurt on this episode of Past Your Prime.
Fatigue in Active Adults: Why You’re Tired Despite Exercising and Eating “Healthy”
Ryan looked at his watch. It was 2 pm. The fatigue washed over him, like it seemed to every afternoon. Adjusting to sit more upright, he drank the remains of his energy drink. His normal response to crushing fatigue was just to push through. Ryan exercised with a busy work schedule. He ate what seemed like a balanced meal and drank water, but he did not feel more invigorated or awake, especially in the afternoon. In his mind, this was aging and something to get used to. Why “Doing Everything Right” Still Leaves You Exhausted If you’re an active adult, fatigue can feel inevitable. Your life is filled with responsibilities that do not care about your energy level. You push through work, family, and stress
How to start 2026 with the BEST strategy
Past Your Prime Podcast – Episode 49 Listen on:Spotify | Apple | Youtube Every January, the same thing happens. Motivation spikes. Calendars reset. People decide this is the year they “finally get serious.” And by February? Most of those plans are dead. Not because people are lazy. Not because motivation disappeared. But because what they set wasn’t a goal. It was a challenge. In Episode 49 of the Past Your Prime podcast, we break down why New Year’s resolutions fail, what goals actually are, and how to set something that doesn’t wreck your system by mid-winter. The New Year is a Time Marker, not Magic The New Year doesn’t reset anything. It’s just a time marker; a moment that invites reflection. That’s why January feels different: About half of
How to Avoid “Exercise Hell” (When Exercise Makes You Feel Worse)
When exercise makes you feel worse instead of better, motivation isn’t the problem. Learn why this happens and how to avoid “exercise hell.”
How That First Injury Can Change You Forever
Why injuries keep coming back after the first one. Learn how tissue capacity, compensation, and the therapeutic gap lead to recurrent injury.
Why Rehab Feels Like Chasing Injuries
Why does one thing finally start to feel better… and then something else decides to hurt?
It can feel like you’re chasing injuries. Like you calm one fire down and another pops up.
Is that bad rehab? Or is that actually how complex systems work?
In this episode of Past Your Prime, Craig introduces the concept of Layered Pathology, the idea that injuries build in layers, and when one layer improves, the next one becomes visible.
Debunking the 5 Most Controversial Exercises in 2026
Are deadlifts, squats, and upright rows really bad for you? We break down the biggest exercise myths and explain when controversial exercises help or hurt on this episode of Past Your Prime.
Fatigue in Active Adults: Why You’re Tired Despite Exercising and Eating “Healthy”
Ryan looked at his watch. It was 2 pm. The fatigue washed over him, like it seemed to every afternoon. Adjusting to sit more upright, he drank the remains of his energy drink. His normal response to crushing fatigue was just to push through. Ryan exercised with a busy work schedule. He ate what seemed like a balanced meal and drank water, but he did not feel more invigorated or awake, especially in the afternoon. In his mind, this was aging and something to get used to. Why “Doing Everything Right” Still Leaves You Exhausted If you’re an active adult, fatigue can feel inevitable. Your life is filled with responsibilities that do not care about your energy level. You push through work, family, and stress
How to start 2026 with the BEST strategy
Past Your Prime Podcast – Episode 49 Listen on:Spotify | Apple | Youtube Every January, the same thing happens. Motivation spikes. Calendars reset. People decide this is the year they “finally get serious.” And by February? Most of those plans are dead. Not because people are lazy. Not because motivation disappeared. But because what they set wasn’t a goal. It was a challenge. In Episode 49 of the Past Your Prime podcast, we break down why New Year’s resolutions fail, what goals actually are, and how to set something that doesn’t wreck your system by mid-winter. The New Year is a Time Marker, not Magic The New Year doesn’t reset anything. It’s just a time marker; a moment that invites reflection. That’s why January feels different: About half of
How to Avoid “Exercise Hell” (When Exercise Makes You Feel Worse)
When exercise makes you feel worse instead of better, motivation isn’t the problem. Learn why this happens and how to avoid “exercise hell.”
How That First Injury Can Change You Forever
Why injuries keep coming back after the first one. Learn how tissue capacity, compensation, and the therapeutic gap lead to recurrent injury.
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Rehab, Training, and Real-World Health Insights
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