Tom W.

Image for the badge Activation.
Activation earned for a 1-day streak!
Image for the badge Control.
Control earned for a 7-day streak!

Posted

10 May 07:59

00:16

šŸ“šThe anterior compartment of the forearm contains the wrist and finger flexors, which are responsible for flexing the wrist and providing grip strength.

🧠Soft tissue mobilization (massage) of these muscles is often implemented in physical therapy and can help with conditions like golfer’s elbow (medial epicondylalgia), carpal tunnel syndrome and various wrist pain issues.

šŸ”ŽTo mobilize these muscles, work from the distal forearm toward the inside of the elbow (medial epicondyle). Starting all the way down at the wrist usually isn’t necessary or comfortable as the majority of the muscle is located more proximally.

āœ…The app includes a comprehensive golfer’s elbow program that shows how to perform these types of soft tissue mobilizations on yourself. Visit the elbow section to find this program.

2

Posted

09 May 07:29

00:43

šŸ“šThe suboccipital muscles are a small but incredibly important group of muscles located at the base of the skull. These four muscles connect the upper cervical spine (C1 and C2) to the occiput and help control the fine movements of the head and neck.

šŸ”ŽTheir primary roles include subtle head rotation, extension, and stabilization, but they also contain a very high density of sensory receptors. This means they play a major role in proprioception, balance, eye movement coordination, and helping your brain understand where your head is positioned in space.

šŸ‘‰The four suboccipital muscles include:

• Rectus capitis posterior major Ā 

• Rectus capitis posterior minor Ā 

• Obliquus capitis superior Ā 

• Obliquus capitis inferior

🧠Because these muscles work constantly to stabilize the head, they can become overactive or sensitive with prolonged screen time, stress, forward head posture, headaches, or neck injuries. Tightness and irritation in this region are commonly associated with cervicogenic headaches and upper neck pain.

āœ…Improving upper cervical mobility, posture awareness, breathing mechanics, and deep neck muscle function can often help reduce excessive strain in this area.

2

Posted

08 May 07:59

00:09

šŸ“šShoulder abduction isn’t just the arm lifting out to the side, it’s a coordinated effort across multiple joints.

šŸ”ŽThe movement starts at the glenohumeral joint, where the supraspinatus initiates abduction and the deltoid drives it. At the same time, the rotator cuff stabilizes the humeral head to prevent excessive upward movement.

🧠As the arm continues upward, the scapula joins in. This creates the classic 2:1 rhythm, meaning for every 3° of motion, 2° comes from the shoulder joint and 1° from the scapula.

šŸ‘‰This scapular motion is controlled by the trapezius and serratus anterior, helping rotate the scapula upward and clear space for the arm to move overhead.

āœ…Smooth shoulder motion is less about one muscle and more about how everything works together.

Posted

06 May 11:33

Posted

04 May 09:49

Image from Tom W.'s post

Hi everyone, our next office hours session will be this Wednesday at 9am PT. Here is a link to RSVP. I hope to see you there!

https://membership.rehabscience.com/programs/live-tdjv-ogkgoe?category_id=262577&utm_source=product&utm_medium=share&utm_campaign=content_share&utm_term=4178799&utm_content=copy

Posted

02 May 09:23

00:27

🧠Pain in the muscles along the medial tibial border can occur with posterior shin splints, calf strains, tibialis posterior tendinopathy and arch related issues, like plantar fasciopathy.

šŸ”ŽIf you are having pain in this region, the massage technique shown in this video may be helpful. It is an area I often find myself working when patients present with the conditions mentioned above.

āœ…Besides soft tissue/massage work, make sure to also add the exercises for the calf muscles and tibialis posterior. The shin splints program here in the membership is a good place to start.

Posted

29 Apr 08:05

Posted

28 Apr 13:03

00:15

šŸ”ŽWhen the supraspinatus tendon sustains a large or ā€œmassiveā€ tear, the issue isn’t just local tissue damage—it fundamentally alters how the shoulder moves and functions.

🧠The supraspinatus plays a key role in initiating shoulder abduction and, more importantly, in stabilizing the humeral head within the glenoid. When that stabilizing force is compromised, the biomechanics of the shoulder begin to shift.

šŸ‘‰Here’s what typically happens:

• Loss of humeral head controlWithout adequate supraspinatus function, the humeral head tends to migrate superiorly during arm elevation. This reduces the available subacromial space and increases mechanical compression of surrounding structures.

• Deltoid dominance without restraintThe deltoid continues to generate upward force, but without the counterbalance of the rotator cuff, that force becomes less efficient. Instead of producing smooth rotation, it drives excessive superior translation.

• Altered force couplingThe rotator cuff normally works as a coordinated unit. With a massive tear, this balance is disrupted, often leading to compensatory overactivity of the remaining cuff and scapular musculature.

• Functional limitationsPatients often report difficulty with overhead movements, weakness, and in more severe cases, an inability to actively elevate the arm (sometimes referred to as pseudoparalysis).

āœ…Over time, these changes can contribute to chronic dysfunction, pain, and even rotator cuff arthropathy if left unmanaged.

1

Posted

27 Apr 11:23

00:08

šŸ“šThe ACL connects the femur (thigh bone) to the tibia (shin bone) and runs at an oblique angle from the posterior aspect of the femur to the anterior aspect of the tibia. Due to this arrangement, the ACL is responsible for preventing anterior translation of the tibia or posterior translation of the femur.

🧠In the anterior drawer test, which is being demonstrated in the first video, the examiner attempts to pull the tibia anteriorly. If the ACL is compromised, the tibia will translate forward farther than it normally should.

āœ…Here in the app you will find a comprehensive rehabilitation program for knee ligament injuries, which can be found under the knee section. Here is a link for that program.

https://membership.rehabscience.com/programs/knee-ligament-injury?utm_source=product&utm_medium=share&utm_campaign=content_share&utm_term=3776140&utm_content=mobile

Posted

23 Apr 13:51