Hi friends,

"We just need to get you stronger" is a common rehab sentiment that isn't fully correct.

Yes, strengthening weak muscles is often a part of the rehab process, but it is far from the only thing we do. This oversimplification misses the bigger picture of what comprehensive rehabilitation actually involves.

If all we had to do were get stronger to prevent injury, then the world's strongest people and powerlifters would never get injured.

Even athletes with tremendous strength can develop injuries and pains when their movement patterns are off.

Some injuries occur due to a traumatic event—like a fall or collision. But more injuries are typically a product of poor movement repeated many times.

Think about it: doing the same incorrect movement pattern thousands of times puts stress on tissues that weren't designed to handle that specific stress.

So, even if you just focus on strengthening muscles without correcting the poor movement habits, you're never going to fix the underlying issue. You might temporarily mask the symptoms, but the fundamental problem remains.

When I start working with a patient who has poor movement habits, my first goal is to get the proper muscles activating to produce better movement.

This takes pressure off of the injured tissue so they are able to heal.

Sometimes, this means actually "turning off" overactive muscles that are compensating and creating problems.

Movement quality always comes before movement quantity or intensity. I'm looking to restore proper biomechanics before adding load or resistance to the system.

Once I fix how a person moves, then I focus more on the strengthening and muscle-building aspect of rehab. At this point, strength training becomes much more effective because we're reinforcing good movement patterns instead of problematic ones.

Weak muscles are often a contributing factor when it comes to pain, but they are not the sole contributor, nor are they even the biggest contributing factor in what’s causing pain.

Getting stronger is hardly ever a bad thing, but it shouldn't be the only thing that you're focusing on in a good rehab program. A comprehensive approach addresses how you move first, then builds strength on that foundation of quality movement.

Until next week,

Kevin

✍️ Quote I’m reflecting upon

“It’s only after you’re bored you have the great ideas. It’s never going to be when you’re stressed, or busy, running around or rushed.”

— Naval Ravikant