The shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint, designed for movement in multiple directions. This gives it incredible mobility — the ability to move freely through a full range of motion.

But that mobility comes with a trade-off.

While it allows for high-level athletic performance, it also makes the shoulder one of the most vulnerable joints in the body.

Why CrossFit Athletes Need to Prioritize Shoulder Health

CrossFit places high demands on the shoulders through movements like:

• Olympic lifts
• Overhead pressing
• Gymnastics
• Kipping movements

These are fast, powerful, and often repetitive — requiring more than just strength.

They demand:

• Joint control
• Stability
• Coordination

Without proper preparation, the shoulders become more susceptible to:

• Pain
• Irritation
• Decreased performance
• Long-term injury

To lift heavier, move better, and stay healthy, athletes must prioritize stability before intensity.

Build Stability Before the WOD

One of the simplest ways to protect your shoulders and improve performance is by adding a short activation routine before training.

This helps:

• Engage stabilizing muscles
• Improve coordination
• Prepare the joint for high-intensity work

Use this sequence as part of your warm-up before any upper-body or overhead session.

Shoulder Activation Routine

1. Row + Shoulder External Rotation at 90°

10–12 reps

• Strengthens the upper back and rotator cuff
• Improves shoulder control and posture

2. Bottoms-Up Kettlebell Shoulder Press

10 slow, controlled reps

• Builds shoulder stability and grip strength
• Reinforces proper joint alignment

3. Scapular Push-Ups

10 reps

• Activates the serratus anterior
• Improves shoulder blade control for pressing and pull-ups

4. Banded “T” Raises

10 reps (with a pause)

• Strengthens the rear delts and upper back
• Promotes healthy shoulder positioning

The Bottom Line

Strong shoulders aren’t just built through heavy lifts — they’re built through control, stability, and consistency.

If you want to:

• Lift more weight
• Move more efficiently
• Stay pain-free

Start by preparing your shoulders before the workout — not reacting after something starts to hurt.

Because better prep leads to better performance.

Written by By Dr. Karissa Deptula, PT, DPT, Cert. DN| Physio Room

The post Stronger Shoulders for CrossFit: Build Stability for Better Lifts appeared first on Physio Room.

Love CrossFit? Then you know how demanding it can be on your shoulders—especially during gymnastics moves like pull-ups, muscle-ups, and dips. But if you’ve ever felt nagging shoulder pain, “chicken winging” could be the culprit. This common movement flaw—flaring the elbows and externally rotating during transitions—puts excessive strain on your shoulder, particularly the subscapularis muscle. Here’s what you need to know to keep your shoulders strong and pain-free!

Why does this happen? 

This happens when athletes rely too much on their biceps and upper trapezius instead of properly engaging the shoulder’s stabilizing muscles. As a result, the shoulder rotates at the wrong time, leading to inefficient movement and poor mechanics.

In a kipping pull-up or muscle-up, for example, the goal should be to maintain strong, controlled shoulder engagement throughout the movement, using the lats and rotator cuff muscles in proper coordination. However, when the elbow flares outward in a “chicken wing” position, the shoulder’s internal rotators (especially the subscapularis) are compromised.

The Role of the Subscapularis:

The subscapularis is one of the four muscles that make up the rotator cuff, but it’s often overlooked in conversations about shoulder health. This muscle plays a vital role in internal rotation and stabilization of the shoulder joint. When your elbows flare out during exercises like muscle-ups, the subscapularis is forced into a vulnerable position where it’s overstretched, potentially leading to strain.

Symptoms of Subscapularis Strain:

– Deep, aching pain in the front of the shoulder

– Reduced internal rotation strength

– Difficulty or pain when reaching behind your back

– Shoulder instability or a feeling of weakness during pressing movements

How “Chicken Winging” Leads to Subscapularis Strain:

When you “chicken wing” during transitions in pull-ups or muscle-ups, your shoulder is placed in a suboptimal position. Instead of relying on the strength of the lats, teres major, and external rotators, the subscapularis is placed under excessive tension as the shoulder rotates outward with little support. Over time, this can cause microtrauma, leading to strain or even more severe injuries if not addressed.

CrossFit athletes who are newer to gymnastics movements or those pushing to increase reps and volume are especially prone to this issue. Without adequate control or body awareness, the shoulder becomes vulnerable to repetitive stress and strain.

How do we fix this? 

One of the most important strategies to prevent subscapularis strain and shoulder injuries in general is to gradually build loading tolerance in your shoulder. This means increasing the resilience of your shoulder muscles and tendons to handle the load and stress imposed by gymnastics movements. Emphasis should be placed on: 

1. Proper Technique
2. Strengthen the Rotator Cuff
3. Controlled Isometrics & Eccentric Strength
4. Progressive Overload

Be Proactive: 

If you’re experiencing shoulder pain or suspect a subscapularis strain, reply to this email and we can help! We will assess your movement patterns, provide targeted strengthening exercises, and help you CrossFit pain-free!

Take care of your shoulders so they can take care of you during your workouts!

Written by Ally Nelson – PT, DPT, OCS, SCS, CSCS, CIDN | Physio Room

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 A Day in the Life of a Physical Therapist on the PGA Tour

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Benefits of wearing an Oura ring

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Benefits of wearing a Whoop

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At Physio Room, our main goal is to help our clients enjoy their lives the most that they can. 

Because life is about 2 things: enjoying as much of it as possible and staying connected to the people we love.

When pain gets in the way of being able to do that, it’s our mission to step in and guide you through it (and OUT of it) so you can continue to move along in the journey of your life.

Back pain can be debilitating, and our client Scott knew this all TOO well. (cue the Taylor Swift song)

We met Scott at a time in his life when his back pain was so bad, he couldn’t bend over to tie his shoes. Not only that, but he couldn’t bend over to pick up his grandkids.

Are you just as heartbroken hearing that as we were?.

The Physio Room team was on a mission to make sure that Scott could do all of the things that he wanted to do (without pain) including picking up his grandkids. Because those are moments that no one should miss out on due to something like back pain.

So we got to work. 

Our approach is simple yet effective. RESET. RESTORE. RELOAD.

Yes, we did the dry needling, the cupping, the manipulations, and the massage… but those modalities only typically provide short term relief to a long term problem. So this is where that 3 step process comes in. 

For Scott, we hit the RESET button by using those treatment modalities. 

This allowed the system to calm down so that Scott could begin to RESTORE normal movement patterns.

As Scott continues to come in and see us, we’re re-teaching him how to move properly, brace his core, engage his glutes, and stabilize movement so he’s able to confidently pick things up and not have his back take over. 

This is where RELOAD comes in. By incorporating strength training, we can mimic the movements he does in his everyday life with weight so he’s fully prepared to lift a 50 lbs kid with ease. 

After just 3 visits at Physio Room, Scott was no longer in pain. The back pain was gone and the pain that ran down his legs was gone. 

When you’re able to put those pieces together and reset, restore, and reload instead of putting a bandaid on the problem, you’ll find that you can stay out of pain much longer and reduce your risk of future pain and injury. 

Are you and Scott similar? Are there things that are important for you to not miss out on? Give us a call at 720.316.9974. We want to help!

The post Scott’s Success Story appeared first on Physio Room.

Whether you travel frequently for work or you go on the occasional family vacation, it’s important to know 2 things; 1. That you can actually make healthy choices while on the road (or in the air) and also 2. How to actually make those choices.

So today let’s talk about 3 ways you can set yourself up for success when traveling!

The truth is, travel presents a lot of situations that are simply out of our control and it can make putting your fitness foot forward or putting your health first when you’re traveling.

There’s going to be a lot of things out of your control.

You’re not going to be able to control if the flight gets delayed.

You’re not going to be able to control if somebody sitting in the row next to you is keeping you awake and you’re trying to get some sleep.

You’re not going to be able to control the fact that there’s a child on the plane who’s having some challenges and they’re crying or just being loud.

But there’s a lot of things that are in your control. Those are the things we’re going to focus on; control the controllable!

1. Sleep

Have you ever experienced jetlag? It can throw off your entire routine and make traveling a bit rough. One of the best things you can do before you travel (especially if you’ll be crossing multiple time zones) is getting adequate sleep beforehand!

Don’t go into your trip sleep deprived. When your body’s clock gets thrown off a little bit during travel, you’re going to be well prepared to buffer your sleep. The more you focus on your sleep beforehand, the better off you’re going to be on your trip. You can even try to shift your body’s clock a few days before you travel to prepare yourself for a new timezone by going to bed 30 minutes earlier or waking up 30 minutes earlier.

You could also be more intentional with flight times if you have the option. If you have a 6 or 7am departure, you’ll probably need to wake up around 3 or 4am to get to the airport in time. As opposed to picking a 10am flight which would afford you more sleep and set your travel day up better for success.

2. Hydration

Hydration is underrated. Especially if you’re at a high altitude. So be sure you’re hydrating appropriately with adequate water intake. Hydration isn’t just about water intake, though. Electrolytes play a big role. We suggest making sure you have a good ratio of sodium, potassium, and magnesium. This is especially important for those traveling for athletics or exercise.

Now, let’s talk about that drink cart on the plane. It is very common for people to drink things whether that’s alcohol, soda, ginger ale, orange juice, or any of the other drink options that are complimentary on your flight. If you can avoid those highly sugary drinks on the plane, that’s going to set you up so much better to feel better during your travel.

3. Snacks

Packing your own snacks when traveling can help you stay on top of your goals and provide quality fuel and energy throughout your day. When choosing your snack, prioritize protein and healthy fats if you can. Here’s a few travel snack ideas:

Beef jerky

Greek Yogurt

Nuts

Protein powder

These types of snacks are going to sustain you, satiate you and make you feel full significantly longer. The more we can reduce the highly processed sugary carbs that are going to be very easy and quick and convenient during travel, the better.

So there you have it! Three simple ways you can set yourself better for success when you travel so you don’t feel sluggish and completely depleted of energy when you’re on your way to your destination.

Did you find this helpful?

If so, share this blog with a friend that could benefit. It’s the small choices we make daily that make the biggest difference. If you master those, you’ll be unstoppable – even when life becomes out of our control.

The post How to Make Healthy Choices While Traveling & Stay on Top of your Goals appeared first on Physio Room.

So you want to be a runner? Go out, let the sun and breeze hit your face, and cruise down the path without a care in the world. Sounds nice. Maybe you have a race in mind. You’re going to run a local 5K/10K and have a nice after race beer. You’ll get your T-shirt, finisher’s medal, maybe even brunch with some friends on the way home. These are the ideal scenarios, but not always how things play out.

It’s no secret that running is one of the most popular forms of exercise around the globe. Every year, millions of people lace up their shoes and go run. The unfortunate reality however, is that the vast majority of those people wind up injured every year as well. What follows is often worse, those nagging injuries get ignored or trained around and lead to even more issues.

Let’s take a closer look at one of the more popular races, the marathon (26.2 miles).

– There are approximately 30 million regular runners in the US.

– There are over 1,100 marathons held each year in the US.

– ~90% of marathon runners sustain an injury during training.

– Each year, ~80% of runners sustain an injury that forces them to stop running.

– There is an inverse relationship between the cost of a running shoe (the US running shoe industry rakes in about $4 billion a year, by the way) and the likelihood of a runner getting injured. In other words, the more expensive your running shoe, the more likely you are to get hurt. “So which shoes should I buy?” you might ask… Well, that’s a topic for another day. My recommendation for now, just wear what is comfortable to you and don’t worry about the price, brand, features, or what your friend is wearing.

So now you might be wondering, how can you make sure you are able to run without being injured? Great question! Because let’s be honest, telling a runner to stop running is like telling them to stop breathing or telling a fish to stop living in water… That’s just crazy!

There actually is a way for you to run, enjoy it, get good at it and even stay healthy. Our running checklist below is a good place to start.

In this checklist we dive into the 12 essential areas that can impact your ability to run effectively. From head to toe, warm up to cool down, we’ve got you covered. To see our complete list click the link below!

Stay tuned for more running related posts as the weather continues to warm up!

Stay safe & stay healthy, 

Andrew

The post Running: Expectations vs. Reality appeared first on Physio Room.

COVID-19 Is changing the way we do business and is changing the space where you work from. If you’re “working from home“ for the first time, then you are not alone. With the new stress of working in a new environment comes new pains and aches that are preventable. Do yourself a favor and set it up properly from the beginning, claim your FREE “work from home” consult.  

If you have started slouching on the couch while working, overreaching at the kitchen table, or rounded forward with your head reaching towards the screen, then we should talk about your new “office” space.  Our desks were not made for us, they were made for anyone. Dr. Chris, owner of Physio Room, is here to show you how to make your desk adapt to you and not the other way around.

#1 Chair Set-Up

Most desks are set up at 30 inches and will be too tall or too short for some, and we need to adjust the chair height to accommodate. The first thing that you should set up is the chair height to your desk, this allows your elbows to be flexed at 90°. If you have to raise your chair up too high, then you may need a foot rest to keep your feet flat on the floor. Having your feet flat on a surface allows your knees and hips to maintain a 90° bend.  Knees and hips bent to 90° allows for a more natural position that will not overly stress your lumbar spine and help prevent low back pain. 

#2 Monitor Set-Up

We have all seen that coworker rounded forward like the hunchback of Notre Dame with their chin and head protruding forward getting sucked into their computer screen like a scene out of Poltergeist. Don’t do that. 

If you can set your monitor up at eye level and keep the monitor within an arms distance, then you will be able to maintain normal postural alignment. This will reduce the amount of repetitive strain on your neck muscles and allow you to avoid unnecessary headaches and neck pain.

If you are using a laptop, then it would be a good idea to use a kickstand to elevate the screen to eye level and have a remote keyboard to use. If your monitor is too low or too high, then this will put a kink in the spine and create a fulcrum point that will overly stress the cervical spine and create neck pain. This can lead to increased nerve irritation and numbness and tingling.

Dual monitors. If your work requires two monitors, then position yourself to be in the middle of both monitors so you can use your eyes to scan left and right and not have to turn your head significantly to one side or the other. When we see office workers in the PT clinic with neck pain that have dual monitors, we often see the mistake of keeping one monitor directly in front and having the other monitor offset resulting in a slight head turn consistently throughout the day.  That leads to a repetitive strain on those tissues and increased risk for irritation and injury.

Mouse and phone position. Keeping the mouse and phone close to you so that you can rotate your arm with your elbow at your side and reach the phone and mouse without reaching from the shoulder. 

Proper phone use. If you were going to be on the phone frequently, then it is recommended that you purchase a quality headset. Otherwise, you should hold the phone in your non-dominant hand so that you are able to write information down with your dominant hand. This allows you to write down the information without having your shoulder shrug up into your ear and avoiding unnecessary stress and strain on the nerves and joints in your neck.

#3 Create A Movement Rich Environment

Every 10 to 15 minutes, you will slip back into a default posture no matter how perfect you set up your desk. There is actually no such thing as “good posture”.  A “good posture” is a constantly changing posture.  We were not designed to sit static for periods of time. 

Here are the top 4 desk exercises to perform throughout the day.

#1. Chin Tucks x15 reps and one 30 second hold

#2. Upper Trapezius Stretch – x 60 seconds each side

#3. Scapular Retraction – 15 reps

#4. Pelvic Tilt – x15 rep

#5.  Lastly and most importantly, get up, move around, go get a drink of water, and try to get in 10,000 steps per day.

#4 Set Your Desk Up Correctly Today!

As an ergonomic expert and a doctor of physical therapy, I would like to help you set that up. I would like to offer you an absolutely free consult to assess your current “work from home” set up during this Covid Crisis.  We can set up a zoom call and look at exactly where you are sitting/standing and provide our feedback on what you could improve.  

The post Ergonomics Expert Explains How To Set Up Your New Office Space. appeared first on Physio Room.

A highly effective method of applying a distraction force used to relieve neck pain for individuals suffering from arthritis, herniated and/or bulging discs, cervical muscle strains and spasms. 

What Does Traction Do For Your Neck?

Cervical traction equipment works by gently pulling the head away from the neck. By doing so: 

1. The muscles along the spinal cord begin to relax and gradually stretch, along with ligaments around the spine.
2. The intervertebral space of the spine expands, which brings blood flow, circulation, and nutrition to the areas which were being compressed.
3. Increased circulation helps to oxygenate muscles, nerves, tendons, and ligaments, which leads to decreased pain and increased mobility.

Pinched nerves are released. Herniated and bulging discs reduce. pressure is relieved. 

What Is a Cervical Traction Device and What Makes The Neck Hammock Different?

In the past, individuals could only receive traction at a physical therapist’s office. But these visits are often time consuming, inconvenient, and costly.   

Today, there are many at-home cervical traction devices, but most are complex, cumbersome, bulky, expensive, and potentially injurious.  

What is needed is an easy to use, compact, non-marring, effective traction device that minimizes discomfort and avoids potentially injurious stresses, while giving the patient ultimate relaxation and pain relief. 

And that’s how and why The Neck Hammock was created!

Can The Neck Hammock replace physical therapy?

While The Neck Hammock achieves many of the same benefits of physical and massage therapy, it is not meant to replace these modalities.

The Neck Hammock is meant to be a compliment to these therapies, which can be used every day to help relieve pain and protect against future injury. 

Can anyone use The Neck Hammock? 

The Neck Hammock is ideal for:

• Office workers
• Students
• Athletes
• Shift workers
• Laborers
• Drivers
• Bodyworkers 

Do not use The Neck Hammock if you have:

• Acute Cervical Injury 
• Spinal Instability 
• Spinal Hypermobility 
• Neck Tumors 
• Rheumatoid Arthritis 
• Osteomylelitis
• Under age of 16
  
  Consult with your Doctor or physical therapist to see if Cervical Traction equipment is right for you

What does neck traction help with and what are some of the symptoms that the Neck Hammock helps to improve?

The Neck Hammock is a non-surgical treatment option that uses uses cervical traction to provide fast neck pain relief, and a faster recovery from neck injuries, without the need for medications or surgery.  

• Neck, head or shoulder pain 
• Tension headaches
• Poor posture
• “Upper back Hump” aka Dowager’s Hump 
• Herniated, compressed or bulged discs 
• Pinched nerves 
• Cervical neck and muscle spasms
• Osteoarthritis 
• Physical and Mental Stress
• Muscle tightness
• Decreased range of motion and mobility of the neck
• Poor sleep due to anxiety and restless thinking before bed.
• And others

If the Neck Hammock treatment works on my symptoms, will I have to use it forever?

The analogy that we like to use relates to stretching. If you have tight hamstrings and stretch them once, you are going to get immediate relief. But if you don’t continue some sort of a maintenance stretching program, your hamstrings will become tight again. The Neck Hammock works similarly in that it’s a fantastic maintenance tool that helps promote spinal hygiene and joint mobility. This is what makes it an effective long-term solution to your neck pain and tension headaches. The frequency and duration of use truly depends on the person. As you become more mobile, you will need to use less and less.

What is the Neck Hammock made of?

Fabric Composition: 80% polyester, 20% spandex

How far should the top of your head be from the wall/door that the Neck Hammock is attached to? 

There is no exact number as the objective is to feel a comfortable, gradual stretch and much of it depends on how it feels for you. Ideally, we recommend that the base/pad of the Neck Hammock be approximately 2-4 inches off the ground when assembled, however, as for the distance between the hammock and the y-axis (e.g. wall or door), it will also depend as to which angle feels relaxing and comfortable for you.

1. If you are seeking a more aggressive stretch, scoot away from the wall or door. Start more conservatively and see how your body responds after 1 session.
2. If the stretch is too much, move back towards the wall or door.
3. Your body is very smart, it knows what it likes and doesn’t like. If the stretch feels too strong, then it probably is. Adjust the tension based on Your needs.

You can also check out the instructional video on our how to use page to help you set and adjust the Neck Hammock: Click Here

Should you start off with 15 minutes 3 times per day, or start slowly, e.g. 5 minutes at a time?

It mainly depends on the person using the device. We recommend starting at 10 minutes at one instance and working your way up from there. If your neck is in a bad shape, you may need to use it 2 – 3x per day up to 15 minutes (allow at least an interval of 4 hours in between sessions and a strict maximum of 15 minutes per session) at a time but as your range improves and the pain or discomfort subsides, then you can also decrease the frequency and duration of the stretch. However, should the 15-minute duration give you either a headache, or feeling of dizziness/nausea, or back pain, then you may need to decrease the time and place the pad more towards the middle of your neck.

We like to compare this in improving hamstring flexibility. If you have REALLY tight hamstrings, then you are probably going to need to stretch them 2 – 3x a day for a few weeks to see significant physical change. If you have relatively flexible hamstrings, then you probably only need to stretch them 3 – 4x per week.

Should the back pad inside the Neck Hammock go against the middle of your neck or at the top of your neck cradling the skull

This depends on your body as your neck will have a preferred position. We recommend trying both (placing the pad at the back of the head/base of the skull OR at the middle of the neck) and do what feels best and most comfortable for you.

For example, if you know that you text a lot or usually do things that keep your head in a downward position for extended periods of time, your neck probably needs to restore its natural “C-curve” so moving the pad to the middle of your neck will help restore that natural curve.

On the other hand, if you have a desk job, travel a lot, or sit all day, you can probably benefit from the neck hammock most by having the pad under the base of your skull for general neck traction.

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