I'm a big believer in the FMS. I've had some great success with it over the years and believe it to be a reliable tool in assessing movement quality. The FMS is not only great tool in telling us what we should do, but also in telling us what NOT to do.
For example, if someone scores a 1 on a particular movement pattern, there are certain movements associated with that movement that are contraindicated. So if you score a 1 on the Active Straight Leg Raise, you are not advised to do deadlifts for example.
As you run through the other 6 movements, you may discover you are proficient in some, but lacking in others. Through this, we are able to prescribe some correctives to address deficient areas, but are able to sustain a training effect through training the patterns that are ready to be loaded.
There have been several occurrences where I have referred clients to their doctor with some sort of pain only to be given a prescription for Ibuprofen and told to stop training altogether. This borders on one of the most assanine statements I have ever heard. You tweaked a knee, so now we have to quit everything? It makes no sense. You do happen to possess several other body segments that are perfectly capable of moving.
The moral of this very broad overview is that we can ALWAYS find a way to work around a dysfunctional area or an acute injury, which happens to be the subject of today's post.
Training Options for Knee Pain
Hip Dominant Movements
Hip dominant movements are my "go to" for individuals suffering from knee pain. The allow one to load the lower extremity while maintaining a more vertical tibia. This reduction in knee flexion reduces shear forces placed on the joint while simultaneously emphasizing the posterior chain (glutes and hamstrings for example). Most with knee problems need more posterior chain work anyway.
My favorites include:
Romanian Deadlifts
Single Leg Deadlifts
Kettlebell Swings
Pull Throughs
Hip Thrusts
Glute Bridges
Training Options for Low Back Pain
Low back pain can be a little trickier as the tolerance to load and position can vary between individuals. The universal theme here is reducing the load placed on the spine so you don't shit a disc. All of these accomplish exactly that. There are two categories I find to be the most effective.
Single Leg Work
Single leg variations typically are less stressful to the spine because they require less hip mobility. They can also be loaded up fairly heavy as each leg working independently requires less load than bilateral movements.
Lunge Variations
Split Squat Variations
Single Leg Deadlifts
Horizontal Vector Hip Dominant
There are two types of hip dominant movements. Vertical vector and horizontal vector. An example of vertical vector would be a conventional deadlift. You don't have to be a physics geek to figure this one out. During a deadlift the weight moves in what direction? You guessed it. Vertical. Typically when a hip dominant load is moved in a vertical vector, the low back musculature is involved to a greater degree and more shearing forces are placed on the spine.
When the weight is moved in a horizontal vector as in a hip thrust, less shear is placed on the spine and the glutes are emphasized to a greater degree. This makes these types of movements more ideally suited for individuals suffering from low back pain.
Pull Throughs
Hip Thrusts
Glute Bridges
I wanted to keep this short and sweet to give you some simple and applicable options to use. Whether you suffer from back pain regularly, or you decided to show off your twerking skills last week at your friend's Memorial Day party, these options should provide a work around until you are back to normal.
If you have any questions, feel free to drop some in the comments section!
Thanks!
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