Physical Therapy

What is a good exercise to increase SI joint mobility?

Unlocking SI Joint Mobility: Debunking Myths and Focusing on Surrounding Muscles

What is a good exercise to increase SI joint mobility or sacroiliac joint mobility? So the SI joint is at the bottom of the spine and it sits right in between your two big pelvis bones and this joint is actually not supposed to move a ton. I think that oftentimes whenever we have SI joint pain, we think that that means we need to get it moving better. You might have been told that that's something that has to happen, but it actually just doesn't move that much at all and it's not supposed to. So Good et al did a systematic review in 2008 that showed the SI joint only moves 0 to 8 millimeters, like maximum, and that's all you really need. This isn't supposed to be a super mobile joint. And so oftentimes whenever we think about needing to improve SI joint mobility, really more than likely we just need to work on moving the muscles that surround the SI joint rather than think about moving the joint itself. And so any type of movement where you are going into deep extension or flexion with your back in a comfortable range tends to work well. And spending time doing things with one leg, so lunges, step ups, things like that can be helpful for moving one side of the hips at a time around the SI joint. But yeah, the SI joint really isn't supposed to move that much. It moves very little, so if it feels like it's not mobile, that's okay.

The SI joint is not designed to move a lot, so exercises that focus on surrounding muscles are best. This can include deep extension and flexion of the back, as well as exercises like lunges and step-ups which work one side of the hips at a time.

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A good exercise to increase SI joint mobility, or sacroiliac joint mobility, is to focus on moving the muscles surrounding the joint rather than trying to directly mobilize the joint itself. The SI joint, located at the bottom of the spine between the pelvis bones, is not meant to have extensive mobility.

Research has shown that the SI joint typically moves only 0 to 8 millimeters, which is all that is necessary. Therefore, the goal is not to force excessive movement in the joint. Instead, focus on exercises that involve deep extension or flexion of the back within a comfortable range.

Engaging in movements that work one leg at a time, such as lunges or step-ups, can be beneficial for mobilizing the hips around the SI joint. Remember, the SI joint is naturally designed to have limited mobility, so if it feels like it lacks mobility, that is normal.

Why might I feel tired even though when get 8 hours of sleep and exercise regularly?

Unveiling the Surprising Reasons Behind Persistent Fatigue

Why might I feel tired even though I get eight hours of sleep and exercise regularly? So when we are getting good sleep, we're exercising but we still don't feel well rested, oftentimes that is because of the quality of our sleep. So it's good that you're getting the right quantity but quality of sleep can be impacted by a number of things and ultimately to feel rested we want to spend time in our deep sleep state which is called our REM cycle. And if we are having interruptions throughout the night that wake us up and impact that quality then we won't wake up feeling as rested. So things that might make you feel or that might interrupt your sleep quality are things like having a caffeine serving later in the afternoon can interrupt your sleep, it keeps you up at night because it is a stimulant, as well as having to go to the bathroom throughout the night can interrupt your sleep quality or having a partner moving beside you in bed might wake you up. So when we sleep we want to limit the amount of noise interruptions, we want to have a quiet room and a very dark room as well as a cooler temperature room. So if your room is really hot that can interrupt the quality of your sleep. And additionally things like a sleep apnea where you actually momentarily stop breathing at night can interrupt sleep quality because that stopping of the respiration can startle you awake and that might not be something that you notice but if you are a snorer that is definitely worth exploring with your primary care physician about getting a sleep study done or potentially having blood work done to make sure that all of your hormones are in check so that you know that there is not some sort of systemic hormonal dysregulation that is causing this fatigue.

There could be a number of causes for feeling tired even after getting eight hours of sleep and regular exercise. These include things such as caffeine intake late in the afternoon, having to go to the bathroom during the night, having a partner moving in bed, noise interruptions, a hot room, and possibly sleep apnea or a hormonal imbalance. It is recommended to consult a primary care physician to further explore these potential causes.

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Feeling tired despite getting eight hours of sleep and regular exercise can be attributed to the quality of your sleep. While quantity is important, interruptions and disturbances during sleep can affect how well-rested you feel. Achieving deep sleep, also known as the REM cycle, is crucial for feeling refreshed. Factors that might impact sleep quality include consuming caffeine later in the afternoon, which acts as a stimulant and can keep you awake at night. Nighttime disruptions such as frequent bathroom visits or a partner moving in bed can also disrupt sleep. To promote better sleep quality, it's recommended to create a quiet and dark sleeping environment with a cooler temperature. Additionally, conditions like sleep apnea, where breathing momentarily stops during sleep, can disrupt sleep quality due to awakenings caused by this interruption in respiration. If you snore or suspect sleep apnea, it's advisable to consult with a primary care physician for a potential sleep study or blood work to assess hormonal balance and identify any underlying causes of fatigue.

My right side is taller than my left, especially when doing a plank. It’s obvious. Any advice on how to fix that?

Is Your Body Symmetry Causing Pain? Experts Weigh In

Question says, my right side is taller than my left, especially when doing a plank. It's obvious. Any advice on how to fix that? So whenever you say taller, I'm not sure if that means like your shoulder is higher on one side or your hip is higher on one side, like in standing too, or if you mean like in a plank, you're tilted one way or the other. And regardless of the scenario, I think a bigger question is, is this discrepancy in symmetry causing you pain, or is it inhibiting your performance? Because if it's not painful, and it's not limiting your performance in your sport, then is it really something that you need to fix? Ultimately, it is more common to have asymmetries in the body than it is to be perfectly symmetrical. So not being the exact same on one side versus the other isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it becomes problematic when you have pain or you feel like it's limiting your ability to perform. And so if neither of those things are true, you might be okay to just continue working and progressing at your sport. But if it is causing you pain, it might be worth looking into, maybe doing some exercises on one side of the body at a time. Unilateral movements can be helpful when there are asymmetries present, but ultimately it's not always something that you have to fix.

If the asymmetry is not causing you pain or limiting your performance, there may no need to fix it. Unilateral movements may be helpful if there are asymmetries present, but it's not always necessary to fix them.

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The question mentions that the right side is taller than the left, especially during planks. It's not clear whether this refers to a shoulder or hip height difference or a tilt during planks. Regardless, the important consideration is whether this asymmetry causes pain or hinders performance. If it doesn't, questioning the need to fix it is valid because asymmetries are common in the body. However, if there is pain or performance limitation, exploring exercises that target one side of the body at a time, known as unilateral movements, could be beneficial. It's essential to note that fixing such asymmetries is not always necessary. Focus on addressing any pain or limitations rather than striving for perfect symmetry.

What are good stretches to prevent Achilles tendonitis?

Prevent Achilles Tendonitis with Strong Calves and Stretches

What are good stretches to prevent Achilles tendonitis? So Achilles tendonitis occurs when the strain that you put on your muscle and and the Achilles tendon, it exceeds your ability to tolerate that strain and so ultimately you want to allow that muscle and that tendon to calm down and then build up strength with it. So having a strong calf and good calf range of motion is going to be the best way that you can prevent Achilles tendonitis. So strengthening exercises is the best prevention of Achilles tendonitis because you'll be able to tolerate more and so some people might say that you shouldn't stretch your calf in a standing position but ultimately the standing activities are the ones that are challenging. So practicing a calf raise there are a couple ways you can do it. You can start by standing on the ground and coming up on your toes like this. If that's too easy for you, you can go up on two feet and go slow on the way down to strengthen or you can do one foot at a time and if you want to make it even harder you can step up and have your heels hanging off of a ledge or a step and perform the same activity coming up tall, getting a big stretch at the bottom and then you can repeat that process with going up on two feet, coming down on one or just doing one at a time but taking your time and pausing at the bottom of that movement is going to give you a good stretch and you're strengthening it at the same time so that your Achilles tendon can tolerate more activity.

Strengthening exercises are the best way to prevent Achilles tendonitis. Some examples of strengthening exercises include calf raises, where you can start by standing on the ground and coming up on your toes, going up on two feet and going slow on the way down, and stepping up with your heels hanging off of a ledge or step and performing the same activity. Taking your time and pausing at the bottom of the movement is important for getting a good stretch and strengthening your Achilles tendon.

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To prevent Achilles tendonitis, it's important to focus on strengthening the calf muscles and improving calf range of motion. Strengthening exercises are key to increasing your ability to tolerate strain on the muscle and tendon. One effective exercise is the calf raise. There are different variations you can try based on your fitness level. You can start by standing on the ground and rising up on your toes. If that becomes easy, you can progress to doing calf raises on two feet and going slow on the way down to build strength. Another option is doing single-leg calf raises for an added challenge. To increase the difficulty further, you can try standing on a ledge or step with your heels hanging off, allowing for a deeper stretch at the bottom of the movement. Remember to go at a controlled pace and pause briefly at the bottom for a good stretch while simultaneously strengthening the muscles. By regularly incorporating these exercises into your routine, you can improve your calf strength and flexibility, reducing the risk of Achilles tendonitis.

From Martial Arts Coach to Physical Therapy Career: A Journey Fueled by Passion and Opportunities

How did you begin your career? I suppose this depends on how you define begin. I started being interested in movement and exercise in high school when I worked as a martial arts coach. I'd been a martial artist my whole life and I knew that I didn't want a desk job and decided to go to college and I studied exercise science and while I was there I got lots of really good opportunities with sports science and strength and conditioning and got some really good mentors and I decided to go into physical therapy and once I got into school I had some really good opportunities in school to shadow with amazing clinicians and work with professional athletes and some of the top universities in our field and you know from there like if you're if you mean like how did I start my career after my education I actually connected online with the owner of our clinic and we hit it off really well and I decided to reach out send in my resume and they just happened to be opening their second location and I started up this clinic with myself and one other clinician

After studying exercise science in college, I decided to pursue physical therapy and connected with an owner of a clinic online. We hit it off, so they offered me the opportunity to start up the second location with one other clinician.

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To begin my career, it depends on how you define begin. My interest in movement and exercise started in high school when I worked as a martial arts coach. Being a lifelong martial artist, I knew I didn't want a desk job, so I decided to pursue a college education in exercise science. During my time in college, I had valuable opportunities in sports science and strength and conditioning, where I had the privilege of working with excellent mentors. This led me to choose physical therapy as my career path.

Once I entered physical therapy school, I had further opportunities to shadow exceptional clinicians and work with professional athletes and reputable universities in our field. If you're asking about starting my career after completing my education, it began when I connected online with the owner of the clinic where I currently work. We hit it off well, and feeling a good connection, I sent in my resume. Coincidentally, they were about to open their second location at that time.

I was fortunate to be given the chance to start up this clinic alongside one other clinician. And that's how my career took off from there.

Hi Dr. Mitchell! Tell people about your background, expertise, and how you can help.

Dr. Mitchell Tanner: Combining Physical Therapy and Performance Coaching

What is up everybody? My name is Dr. Mitchell Tanner. I am a physical therapist and certified strength and conditioning specialist. I work in Miami, Florida with Old Bull Athletics where I'm a physical therapist as well as a performance coach. And just to share a little bit about my background, I have a background in exercise science where I studied at the University of South Carolina and worked with their D1 athletics program with sports science doing evaluations and collaborating with coaches to improve all of our athletes games. Additionally, during PT school, I went to the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston where I had awesome opportunities to work with a company called Exos where we worked with athletes preparing for the NFL combine as well as other elite level professional athletes. I've worked with University of Florida's running medicine team doing rehab there. And personally, I have a background in powerlifting and martial arts. So I competed in martial arts at the national and international level as a junior and I won the South Carolina Junior Powerlifting State Championships in 2019 as well. So those are just some little tidbits about me. But you know, with my page, you can expect to see a holistic biopsychosocial approach to health, wellness and rehab. So thank you for joining and I'm excited to answer all of your questions.

Hi everyone, I'm Dr. Mitchell Tanner and I'm a physical therapist and certified strength and conditioning specialist. I have a background in exercise science and I have worked with athletes preparing for the NFL combine and other Elite level athletes. I have a background in powerlifting and martial arts and offer a holistic approach to health, wellness and Rehab.

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Hey everyone! I'm Dr. Mitchell Tanner, a physical therapist and certified strength and conditioning specialist based in Miami, Florida. At Old Bull Athletics, I work as both a physical therapist and performance coach. My background includes studying exercise science at the University of South Carolina, where I collaborated with coaches to enhance the performance of D1 athletes through sports science evaluations.

During my time at the Medical University of South Carolina, I had the incredible opportunity to work with Exos, a company focused on preparing athletes for events like the NFL combine and supporting other elite-level professionals. I've also gained experience with the University of Florida's running medicine team and competed in martial arts at national and international levels as a junior athlete. In 2019, I even won the South Carolina Junior Powerlifting State Championships.

On my page, you can expect a holistic biopsychosocial approach to health, wellness, and rehabilitation. I'm here to answer all your questions and provide insights into optimizing your well-being. Thanks for joining me on this journey!

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Hi, I’m Mitch! I’m a PT, and strength coach based out of Miami, Florida! Currently I work for Old Bull Athletics as a clinician and performance coach. Additionally I teach a CSCS prep course at the university level with Gifted Education, and I have my own online fitness coaching business.

My background started at the University of South Carolina, where I studied exercise science and got to do sport science with their D1 athletics programs. Additionally I facilitated the creation of Apex Athletic Performance’s sport biomechanics lab during this time.

I have my doctorate in physical therapy from the Medical University of South Carolina. During this time, I got experience working with EXOS and professional athletes. I also have experience working with the University of Florida’s running medicine staff.

Personally, my sport background includes competing in martial arts as a junior at the national and international levels. Currently, my sport focus is on powerlifting and general athletic development. 

On my page you can expect a biopsychosocial approach to fitness and rehab, as well as a pragmatic view of the current evidence.

Neither AnyQuestion nor its Experts provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment or otherwise provide professional healthcare services.

Dr. Mitchell Tanner, PT, DPT, CSCS