Welcome to the
SPC Blog
We share actionable advice about pain management, injury, strength training, exercise, rehab, and how to make healthcare work for you.
Strength Training Exercises and Concepts
How SPC Teaches the Basics of Movement At Smith Performance Center, we believe in lifelong movement. Our goal is to keep you moving and progressing through all stages of life. Whether you are looking to increase your performance in sport or improve your quality of life, learning proper movement mechanics is crucial. We separate movements into six basic categories: Squat, Hinge, Split Legged, Upper Push, Upper Pull, and Core. Below you can see some examples of each of these exercises. By learning these basic cues, you can apply the principles to other exercises of the same category. Feel free to reach out if you have questions or comments. Hopefully, you find it helpful. Squat The Basics of Squatting Hinge How to hinge with
Physical Therapy for Rotator Cuff Injuries and Pain
Tendonitis, Rotator Cuff Tears, and Shoulder Impingement Types of injuries leading to rotator cuff pain Once you understand the anatomy and function of the rotator cuff, you can start to see how they become injured with activity. Refer to understanding the rotator cuff for more information. Any time you use your arm, your rotator cuff works to control the motion. The muscles are placed under very high demands because of this constant usage. The rotator cuff is also placed under high demands due to the size and weight of the arm, which they are responsible for guiding. Look at the size of these muscles compared to the size of the arm- the mismatch between them is clear. Constant usage combined with high demands
How Long till My Rotator Cuff Pain Improves?
Prognosis and Outcomes in Physical Therapy One of the key differences in our practice compared to normal, insurance-based physical therapy is how we schedule our sessions. We normally do a session once every week or two weeks. This developed as a result of our focus on the home plan including trigger management. The second reason was how we started to use braces, tape, and training aids. How do the anatomy and function of the rotator cuff impact physical therapy? What is my rotator cuff injury? How long till my rotator cuff injury is better? Prognosis with a Rotator Cuff Injury In the first two parts of this series, we looked at the background information about the structure and function of the rotator cuff,
Physical Therapy for Rotator Cuff Pain
Understanding the Rotator Cuff Anatomy and Function There is a list of classic complaints I hear due to shoulder pain: I have trouble reaching behind my back. Putting on clothing hurts. Reaching for objects causes a spike in pain. I have trouble getting my arm overhead. I feel like one arm is weaker than the other, and fatigues quickly. I cannot throw. I have trouble sleeping on my shoulder due to pain. I have pain that runs down my arm. I have shoulder pain and now I have neck pain. Often, these complaints are caused by an injury to the rotator cuff. How do the anatomy and function of the rotator cuff impact physical therapy? What is my rotator cuff injury? How long
Shoulder Pain Everything Hurts
Why is everything hurting? “I feel threatened by my shoulder. How can EVERYTHING hurt?” This is an actual quote from a patient with chronic shoulder pain. We see patients who are surprised by how debilitating intense shoulder pain can be. They struggle to reach for objects overhead, behind them, or to the side. They struggle with putting on clothes and getting dressed. They struggle with self-care activities like grooming and bathing. They struggle with seemingly minor household activities: cooking, cleaning, laundry, etc. They struggle to find a position they can even be comfortable in. Their shoulder pain affects how they sleep. They start to complain of shoulder pain causing neck pain, upper back pain, or pain down the arm. They cannot work out
Strength Training Exercises and Concepts
How SPC Teaches the Basics of Movement At Smith Performance Center, we believe in lifelong movement. Our goal is to keep you moving and progressing through all stages of life. Whether you are looking to increase your performance in sport or improve your quality of life, learning proper movement mechanics is crucial. We separate movements into six basic categories: Squat, Hinge, Split Legged, Upper Push, Upper Pull, and Core. Below you can see some examples of each of these exercises. By learning these basic cues, you can apply the principles to other exercises of the same category. Feel free to reach out if you have questions or comments. Hopefully, you find it helpful. Squat The Basics of Squatting Hinge How to hinge with
Physical Therapy for Rotator Cuff Injuries and Pain
Tendonitis, Rotator Cuff Tears, and Shoulder Impingement Types of injuries leading to rotator cuff pain Once you understand the anatomy and function of the rotator cuff, you can start to see how they become injured with activity. Refer to understanding the rotator cuff for more information. Any time you use your arm, your rotator cuff works to control the motion. The muscles are placed under very high demands because of this constant usage. The rotator cuff is also placed under high demands due to the size and weight of the arm, which they are responsible for guiding. Look at the size of these muscles compared to the size of the arm- the mismatch between them is clear. Constant usage combined with high demands
How Long till My Rotator Cuff Pain Improves?
Prognosis and Outcomes in Physical Therapy One of the key differences in our practice compared to normal, insurance-based physical therapy is how we schedule our sessions. We normally do a session once every week or two weeks. This developed as a result of our focus on the home plan including trigger management. The second reason was how we started to use braces, tape, and training aids. How do the anatomy and function of the rotator cuff impact physical therapy? What is my rotator cuff injury? How long till my rotator cuff injury is better? Prognosis with a Rotator Cuff Injury In the first two parts of this series, we looked at the background information about the structure and function of the rotator cuff,
Physical Therapy for Rotator Cuff Pain
Understanding the Rotator Cuff Anatomy and Function There is a list of classic complaints I hear due to shoulder pain: I have trouble reaching behind my back. Putting on clothing hurts. Reaching for objects causes a spike in pain. I have trouble getting my arm overhead. I feel like one arm is weaker than the other, and fatigues quickly. I cannot throw. I have trouble sleeping on my shoulder due to pain. I have pain that runs down my arm. I have shoulder pain and now I have neck pain. Often, these complaints are caused by an injury to the rotator cuff. How do the anatomy and function of the rotator cuff impact physical therapy? What is my rotator cuff injury? How long
Shoulder Pain Everything Hurts
Why is everything hurting? “I feel threatened by my shoulder. How can EVERYTHING hurt?” This is an actual quote from a patient with chronic shoulder pain. We see patients who are surprised by how debilitating intense shoulder pain can be. They struggle to reach for objects overhead, behind them, or to the side. They struggle with putting on clothes and getting dressed. They struggle with self-care activities like grooming and bathing. They struggle with seemingly minor household activities: cooking, cleaning, laundry, etc. They struggle to find a position they can even be comfortable in. Their shoulder pain affects how they sleep. They start to complain of shoulder pain causing neck pain, upper back pain, or pain down the arm. They cannot work out
