Blog
With upper body return to sport testing, should you do both a Y Balance Test Upper Quarter and Closed Kinetic Chain Upper Extremity Stability Test (CKCUEST)?Â
What do they tell us? Is one a replacement for the other?Â
One of the ways I like to look at the upper extremity closed kinetic chain stab...
While it seems that upper body closed kinetic chain testing might not be relevant to ankle and knee injuries, its importance and the connection may surprise you.
All right. So the question is, "Why or when do we incorporate upper court quarter Y Balance Test in maybe a lower body injury or why is t...
How to get the toe touch and active straight leg raise pattern to stick?
Frequently, it is relatively straightforward to restore a person's toe touch or active straight leg raise pattern, but the problem becomes keeping it. You can get the pattern normalized in a session only to find that it return...
In this exercise, we are teaching the body to dissociate—to move the hips and spine while keeping the scapula solid. This is essential for anyone who needs to transfer energy from the ground up through the arm.
How to Perform It
Precision is everything here. We aren't just moving; we are stabilizi...
In this Q & A video, I answer a reader-submitted question about how to use students to make group testing more efficient.
Looking for a great exercise to enhance scapulohumeral rhythm? Try core engaged lumbar locked floor angels.
The sprinter's stretch with rotation is one of my favorite readiness activities.Â
When it comes to injury prevention, frequently we are excited, passionate and ready to get started only to hit road blocks: no one seems to want to give it the attention that it deserves. Coaches don’t want to give up valuable practice time, parents can’t fit it into jam packed schedules, and athlet...
Let's talk about one of the most commonly missed impairments after ACL reconstruction -- loss of knee flexion range of motion. To me, this is defined as getting the ischial tuberosities all the way back to the heels (researchers define it as within 5 degrees compared to the contralateral side).Â
R...
In another post, I discussed why we would consider testing an athlete in an open-kinetic chain sport with closed-kinetic chain tests. It is important to remember that there is a hierarchy of testing and begins with ROM, strength, plank, and progresses to the Functional Movement Screen Trunk Stabilit...
I am frequently asked
“Why should I test someone in the closed kinetic chain when his sport is exclusively performed in the open kinetic chain?”
OR
“Closed kinetic chain testing is not “functional” for a baseball pitcher, why do it?”
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What is the goal of closed kinetic chain testing?
First, w...
To reduce arm injuries, researchers tell us clearly that we should take 3-4 months off of pitching every year. One of the best off-season sports (besides rock climbing), might be tennis. Here are a few reasons that I think it is great for baseball and softball:
5) Developing spin and reading spin w...
