I love a massage. You won鈥檛 see me toeing the start line of a race without one on the calendar for the following week. On vacation, I always try to find a spa. At home, I鈥檓 religious about foam rolling. Once, I saw a runner on Instagram digging a lacrosse ball into the arch of his foot, and I immediately adopted the practice. I know these practices feel good, but when I started looking into whether they were actually helping me recover better (or faster) in the long term, the evidence was inconclusive at best.

How much of an impact do recovery treatments like foam rolling and massages really have on sore muscles? Are my preferred recovery methods actually working, or is it the placebo effect? Here鈥檚 what experts had to say.

How the Placebo Effect Works

The is a phenomenon in which people experience a perceived improvement in their condition after receiving a treatment, even though the treatment itself is ineffective. While it’s hard for science to pin down exactly why placebos seem to work, there are a few possible explanations.

Placebos Can Activate Existing Healing Processes in the Body

According to , a clinical health psychologist who studies the healing effects of placebos, 鈥淭he body has built-in mechanisms to heal cuts, regulate energy expenditure, take in oxygen, build strength, expel waste, and make use of nutrition. When a placebo works, it is activating those existing processes.鈥� So when a person responds to a placebo treatment, they may be responding to .

For example, let鈥檚 say you trip over a rock during a hike. You get a small bruise that feels tender. So you take a pill that you believe is ibuprofen, but it is actually just a sugar pill. After some time, you feel some of that tenderness go away, even though there was no active medication. This happens due to a process known as . This means your brain expects relief, activating some of the same pain-relieving pathways that drugs like target, such as those involving prostaglandins, which are chemicals that influence your perception of pain.

Placebos Replicate Conditioned Responses

Another way that placebos work, Patterson explains, is through , meaning the brain reacts to prepare us for activities that we do repeatedly. 鈥淎 person might have conditioned responses to the scents, sounds, and sights that they encounter at the place where they go for a massage. Ritual can help boost a person鈥檚 expectations, sense of meaning, and belief in the power of the intervention, all of which enhance the placebo鈥檚 effectiveness.鈥�

The expectation of feeling better and the touch that鈥檚 inherent in massage might contribute to people鈥檚 perception of pain relief post-massage.

If you鈥檙e at the spa and you get a massage regularly to relieve tension in your neck. When you enter the massage room the next time, you feel some of that neck tension dissipate because your brain associates that massage room with less neck pain.

Invasive Placebo Treatments Can Trick Your Brain and Body

Surgery, for example, can sometimes lead to a positive outcome, even if the surgery itself didn鈥檛 physically help. 鈥淭his power of surgical placebos may be, in part, a product of how our brains tend to rationalize and make sense of our actions. In general, our brains tell us that surgery is an important intervention, and we would not subject ourselves to it if it were not important and going to solve a problem,鈥� says Patterson.

For instance, suppose you have knee pain and you undergo a costly series of听. In that case, you might start to feel better even if the treatment itself doesn鈥檛 have a strong physiological effect. The combination of expense, medical setting, and perceived sophistication of the procedure can amplify your expectation that it will work, prompting real changes in how your brain processes pain and how your body responds to it.

Are Massages and Foam Rolling Helpful or Not?

They are鈥攖o a point. Massage and foam rolling are practices that involve , a term for releasing tension in muscles and the , the stringy tissues woven through the muscles.

shows that after receiving a massage, soreness and stiffness are alleviated, but only for a short time. Ultrasound technology shows that there鈥檚 no evidence to suggest that massage leads to structural changes in muscle tissues, which could partially explain why people report that their original pain and stiffness return minutes after a massage.

A 2025 that compared the effects of three recovery methods, foam-rolling, light jogging, and rest after intense exercise, found that each method reduced lactate buildup (lactate is a sign of muscle fatigue), but that none of the methods significantly outperformed the other. So, even though foam-rolling can be helpful, it might not be better than just resting post-workout.

Moreover, the of feeling better and the touch that鈥檚 inherent in massage might contribute to people鈥檚 perception of pain relief post-massage鈥攈inting at massage鈥檚 potential placebo effect.

While getting a massage feels great in the short term and can aid mobility, it鈥檚 not intended for the treatment of chronic pain or long-term healing, says , a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist in non-operative sports medicine at NYU Langone Health.

Does This Mean Foam Rolling and Massages Are Pointless?

No, it is not pointless. 鈥淵ou can absolutely use a foam roller as part of a treatment program. It鈥檚 not the end-all, be-all, but you can use it as part of your training and recovery. The same goes for massage,鈥� says Janakos. These practices feel good, which is a good thing.

If it makes us feel better, the placebo effect is still a powerful recovery tool.

But now that I know that my go-to recovery tactic might be working partly due to the placebo effect, did I just ruin the magic? No. shows that placebos can still work even when people know they鈥檙e taking one. In so-called 鈥渉onest鈥� or 鈥渙pen-label placebo鈥� , people taking pills clearly labeled as placebos have still seen improvement in conditions like irritable bowel syndrome. 鈥淔or other people, though, knowing they are taking a placebo may decrease their belief and hope that it will work, which can diminish the effectiveness,鈥� says Patterson.

What This Means for Your Recovery Methods

While scientists continue working to figure out just how effective placebos are for recovery, for most of us, it doesn鈥檛 really matter. If it makes us feel better, the placebo effect is still a powerful recovery tool.

According to Janakos, risk and cost are two important factors she considers when suggesting a treatment to a patient. She says, practices like , heat, or even foam rolling, all of which may be working, at least partly, through the placebo effect, are low-risk and low-cost. But when recommending pricier treatments such as acupuncture, which can cost between $15 and $400, Janakos often suggests localized treatment or less frequent sessions to manage costs. 鈥淚 pay close attention to finances because I want patients to spend on what actually works.鈥�

Safety should also be taken into account. Janakos advises that you should always inform your doctor about the types of treatments you are undergoing, and Patterson cautions against pushing yourself too hard. 鈥淚t is important not to overuse the idea of placebo/mind-over-matter when one is trying to maximize one鈥檚 physical output. It is important to know one鈥檚 limits and have reasonable expectations for one鈥檚 own body,鈥� says Patterson.

As for me? I鈥檒l keep booking massages. Not because they鈥檙e a magic bullet, but because they help me feel better. And I鈥檒l pair them with the recovery tools we know matter most, like proper fueling, rest, and sleep.

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As a thru-hiker and medical professional, wound care and bleeding control are two of my first aid priorities on the trail. By the numbers,听the most common non-athletic trail injuries are and subsequent infections from inadequate wound care. Proper care requires managing any bleeding, cleaning, and then dressing a wound. Wound care is part of my risk management planning when I prepare for any trip into the backcountry as a recreationalist or a group leader.

I took my first Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) course in 2008. Then I worked a variety of healthcare jobs over the next decade, ranging from critical care to primary care and family practice. When I started backpacking in 2017, it became clear that everything I learned from my healthcare career would still be of use in the backcountry.

In 2023, I took the month-long wilderness EMT (WEMT) course in Lander, Wyoming, with NOLS. The added backcountry dimension to my prehospital healthcare education has greatly influenced my preferences for my current first aid kit. In addition to the wound care essentials listed below, I always carry a tourniquet鈥攁nd encourage all backpackers to learn how to use one.

The Best First-Aid Tips, According to a Wilderness EMT

When I teach Wilderness First Response courses, students often ask what I carry in my pack. Here’s what I recommend.

Personalize Your First Aid Kit

First, I emphasize that everyone鈥檚 first aid kit should be personalized, because what works for some may not work for others. I鈥檝e found that the typical retail first-aid kits are generic and don鈥檛 quite meet my needs.

Assess Your Risk of Getting a Wound

Next, I run down what I carry through a risk management lens. This means I balance the likelihood of a particular injury or illness with its consequences. It is a complicated formula that includes variables such as the weather forecast or how far I will be from definitive care.

Over time, and after thru-hiking a few long-distance trails, I鈥檝e struck a balance in what experience has taught me are non-negotiables versus what I desire for a baseweight.

Bring Sterile Gauze and an Irrigation Syringe

I always recommend carrying some sterile 4脳4 gauze pads and an irrigation syringe. These are lightweight tools and useful to everyone for bleeding control and wound care, regardless of activity or skill level.

For most bleeds, the first step is to apply pressure with a sterile gauze. That same gauze will become your initial dressing for the wound. Sterile gauze helps with infection control. However, if you have to treat bleeding and you do not have sterile gauze, infection risk becomes a secondary concern, and you should apply pressure with whatever is available.

During cleaning, flushing wounds with filtered water using an is essential to preventing infection.听The benefits of an irrigation syringe compared to other syringe sizes are its ability to deliver precise force into a wound, which does most of the work of removing dirt and debris.

What About Antibiotic Ointment?

Antibiotic ointment isn鈥檛 very helpful, in my opinion, because it doesn鈥檛 actually do much to prevent infection鈥攊rrigating the wound does most of that work. To ward off bacteria, change the dressing whenever it becomes really dirty or wet, or at least once a day.

How to Deal with Bloody Wounds

Depending on the type of wound and the amount of blood, you’ll need to treat them differently.

Light Bleeding

Sterile gauze is the go-to for applying pressure when necessary for persistent but manageable bleeds. Though there are different kinds of bleeding, the majority we encounter are minor cuts or capillary bleeds, which tend to ooze or bleed slowly and can be controlled with just direct pressure.

Heavy Bleeding

More aggressive bleeds will require more aggressive interventions. Larger, traumatic bleeds cause a loss of blood volume very quickly and forcefully, and it鈥檚 critical to control bleeding as soon as possible.

How to Make a Tourniquet to Stop Heavy Bleeding

Tourniquets are one tool to stop traumatic hemorrhaging in areas outside of the trunk. They work by cutting off the circulation to an extremity above the wound to stop blood flow and prevent blood loss through the wound.

There are multiple ways to create a tourniquet, but I advocate a pre-made strap and windlass system to save time on improvisation.

Because of the risk involved, tourniquets should:

• Only be applied by someone with proper training
• Initiate an immediate evacuation to definitive care

Raquel Sapp, founder of wilderness medicine education provider , recommends the Committee on Tactical Combat Casualty Care (COTCC) approved because 鈥渙ne of the biggest mistakes people make with tourniquets is not applying it tight enough,鈥� she says. 鈥淭he Sam XT clicks when all of the slack is removed, and you can begin tightening the windlass.鈥�

Even though I鈥檝e been taught how to make an improvised tourniquet, I always opt for a prefabricated tourniquet because the minimal additional weight is worth the speed and effectiveness.

Of course, I wouldn鈥檛 recommend buying gear or supplies you don鈥檛 know how to use, and this article is not meant as a substitute for proper first aid training. Improper tourniquet use could result in loss of a limb or failure to control bleeding adequately.

A Wilderness First Responder course is generally 80 course hours and will include instruction on how to apply a tourniquet. Wilderness First Aid courses are much shorter鈥�16 course hours鈥攁nd also involve bleeding control and tourniquet use.

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I know from firsthand experience the wear and tear that backpacking can have on the human body. As a long-distance thru-hiker, I鈥檝e traversed 20 to 36 miles a day on mountain climbs, forest trails, and canyon rubble-hops. And as a backcountry ranger at Grand Canyon National Park, I鈥檇 log 10 to 20 miles each day while doing search-and-rescue for hikers who had pushed past their limits.

The body keeps the score.听The downhill knee-crunch, the backpack-lower back train wreck, the way your neck feels like a wire cable after carrying a load all day, and every flavor of sore and achy feet are real. If you go too far, too fast, you will know it.

So I鈥檝e forced myself to take a 鈥渃heck yo鈥檚elf before you wreck yo鈥檚elf鈥� approach to backpacking by ending each day with some critical stretches. Not just any stretches. A particular type of stretching that is proven to be efficient at releasing tension and .

The stretches are actually a style of yoga. Known as Yin Yoga, it targets muscular tension through a comfortable yet challenging stretch that lengthens tense muscles and releases pressure points caused by repetitive movements on the trail. Let yourself settle into some slight discomfort as the sustained tension works its magic.

If the weather is less than ideal, you can still do the following stretches in your tent.

9 Essential Stretches for Backpackers

On an overnighter, your backpack becomes your traveling yoga studio. Your sleeping pad turns into a yoga mat, your sleeping bag becomes a blanket, and your backpack makes a sturdy support in more restorative stretches. You can also roll extra clothing layers or your sleeping bag into supportive 鈥渂locks鈥� to slide beneath your knees, neck, and lower back.

1. Toes Squat

If you have time for only one pose at the end of the day, make it this stretch. One of the first lessons long-distance backpackers learn is that a happy foot makes for miles. This toe squat helps loosen tendons that are wound tight from traversing uneven trails, hopping boulders, and breaking your previous record number of steps in a day.

By releasing tension in the plantar fascia along the bottom of your feet, you decrease your risk of hike-ending plantar fasciitis.

How to Do It:

• Come to kneeling on the ground or your sleeping pad.
• Tuck your toes and keep your spine straight as you sit back on your heels.
• Keep your weight on the balls of your feet. (If you鈥檙e barefoot or in socks, spread your toes wide to feel a stretch along the arches of your feet. Really spread that pinkie toe out like a kickstand.)

Tips: Toe Squats are intense, so begin with shorter sits if your feet feel stiff. Slowly work toward holding for one to three minutes. If the stretch becomes painful, bring your hands to the ground and shift your weight forward to relieve the pressure.

2. Thread the Needle

Ever told stories around the campfire? Chances are, you did so with a slumped posture from lugging a heavy pack up mountains or down canyons all day. This twist eases tension along your upper back and outer shoulders, helping to relieve those pesky knots between your shoulder blades.

How to Do It:

• Come to your hands and knees with your shoulders over your wrists and your hips over your knees.
• Press your hands into the ground or sleeping pad.
• Inhale as you lift your right arm toward the sky, turning your upper body to the right and stretching across your chest.
• Exhale as you slide your right arm behind your left wrist until your right shoulder and the side of your head rest on the ground or pad.
• Lengthen through your back.
• Breathe here as long as you like.

3. Lizard Pose

This stretch releases some of that tension in your overtaxed hip flexors. Use your backpack or your sleeping bag crammed into its compression sack beneath your forearms. In addition, your back leg benefits from a lengthening quadriceps stretch. Easing tension in the muscles along the front of the body can help long-distance hikers ease lower back pain.

How to Do It:

• From hands and knees, step one foot forward between your hands so that your knee is stacked over your heel in a Low Lunge. Inch your back knee further away from you to intensify the stretch.
• Bring your forearms to the ground or prop them on your backpack or compression sack in Lizard Pose.
• Hug your forward knee toward your shoulder and try to release the tension in your upper body.
• Let your body weight sink into the ground.
• Breathe here for 3-5 minutes and then switch sides.

4. Sphinx

Poor posture is one of the most common contributors to aches and pains. The simple supported backbend, known as Sphinx Pose, releases the accumulated tension caused by hunching forward while carrying a pack. Sphynx also invites slow, deep, grounded breathing, which can help you expand through the chest and ease tension along the spine.

How to Do It:

• Lie on your stomach and place your elbows under your shoulders, and rest your forearms on the ground or your sleeping pad.
• Take your legs hip-distance apart or wider.
• Inhale and press into your arms to lift your head and chest.
• Engage your lower abs, draw your kneecaps toward your thighs, and inwardly rotate your thighs.
• Exhale and let your hips sink into the ground.

If your shoulders are exhausted, place your backpack beneath your front ribs and let your weight rest on it. Focus your awareness on expanding your chest as you inhale and settling your lower body into the ground as you exhale. Breathe here for one to three minutes. Come out of the pose by pushing back through your hands and come to kneeling.

5. Restorative Hero鈥檚 Pose

Quads are the hero of any hike, contracting each time you take a step along a steep incline. This muscle deserves a break after lots of scrambling or elevation gain. Supta Virasana, or Reclining Hero, is one of the most effective quadriceps stretches for high-mile runners who want their legs to feel well-rested in the morning. It releases tensions not only in the quads but also in the ankles, hip flexors, and sacral-lumbar arch of the low back, all at once.

How to Do It:

• Come to kneeling with your knees together and your feet slightly wider than your hips.
• Lower yourself to sitting between your heels. (Note: If you haven鈥檛 practiced this stretch before, slide your backpack or compression sack beneath you to elevate your hips.)
• Press the tops of your feet into the ground and exhale as you slowly walk your hands behind you. (Up the challenge: if it feels OK for your lower back and knees, keep walking your hands backward, and lower the trunk of your body to relax on your backpack. You should feel the stretch along your quadriceps. If this is too intense, slowly walk yourself out of the pose and try sitting upright.)
• Relax your arms at your sides or place them on your belly to feel the movement of your breath.
• Stay here for at least two minutes.
• Breathe comfortably for several minutes.

Modification: If you feel tension in your lower back or knees (see photo below), try the position with only one leg bent at a time or by placing the foot of your bent leg on the ground in front of you. If you experience pain in your lower back or knees, come out of the pose and try the next one. Lean on one side and slowly straighten one bent leg, and then the other, before switching sides.

6. Supported Forward Bend

Hiking causes the hamstrings to contract repeatedly. Long-held stretches that lengthen the hamstrings can deliver relief. This wide-legged forward bend creates space not just along the backs of your legs but in the hip adductors of the inner thighs.

How to Do It:

• Come to a seated position and spread your legs wide.
• Place your backpack lengthwise between your legs.
• Inhale as you lengthen through the spine and exhale as you tilt your hip bones slightly forward and drape yourself forward over the backpack. (If your hamstrings feel tight, place a rolled jacket as a cushion under your glutes to help raise and rock your hips. If you are still feeling tightness in your hamstrings, place rolled clothes underneath each knee to ease the tension along the back of your legs. If you need the backpack lifted higher so you can rest against it, prop a rolled sleeping pad or stuff sack beneath the far end.)
• Rest your front body onto the backpack and turn your head to one side.
• Try slowly inhaling for a count of 4 and exhaling for a count of 8, lengthening the exhale. Stay here for 3-5 minutes.
• Slowly lift yourself out of the pose, lean back on the arms, and gently bring your legs together.
• Pause here to notice the sensations before moving into another pose.

7. Supported Spinal Twist

This twist, with the support of your backpack, encourages a gentle range of motion in the thoracic spine and helps offset the compression of carrying your belongings on your back all day. It鈥檚 also like a massage for your nervous system and can help you fall asleep.

How to Do It:

• Position your backpack lengthwise in front of you.
• Sit with one hip at the short side of the backpack, closest to you, and turn your upper body to bring your chest to face the pack.
• Place one hand on either side of the backpack and take your time as you lower your chest onto the support while lengthening through your spine.
• Try turning your face in the same direction as your legs and relax here.
• Allow your arms to drape to either side and let your entire body weight sink onto your pack. Rest here for 3 to 5 minutes, lengthening your exhalations.
• When you鈥檙e ready, slowly sit up, facing away from your pack. Then, bring your other hip alongside your pack and repeat on this side.

8. Reclined Bound Angle

This pose offers complete relaxation. The opening of the hips is intended to be a gentle stretch rather than a painful strain. The support beneath your back encourages your abdominal muscles to relax and your chest to release. It鈥檚 an opportunity to observe the tension slip away from your body and mind.

How to Do It:

• Sit facing away from your backpack with its short edge behind you.
• Bend your knees and bring the bottoms of your feet together.
• Bring your heels closer to you to intensify the stretch or slide them away from you for a more relaxed stretch.
• Slowly walk your hands behind you on either side of the backpack as you recline onto it. (If you feel tension in your hamstrings or your lower back, slide some rolled jackets beneath each knee.)
• Release your weight into the backpack.
• Gently squeeze your shoulder blades together before allowing them to release.
• Close your eyes and feel your breath.

9. Supported Savasana or Legs up a Tree

If you lie down with your legs straight after a day of strenuous hiking, it can be uncomfortable due to the pressure on your lower back. To minimize that tension, practice Savasana with your backpack beneath your knees. This pose gently releases tension in the lumbar spine and eases lower back aches.

How to Do听It:

• While sitting upright, place your sleeping pad or pack underneath your knees for a supported Savasana.
• Lie back with your upper body on the ground.
• Place your arms alongside you, palms turned up, or place your hands on your lower belly to feel your breath.
• Feel your legs relax and your lower back spread wide on the ground.
• Let your back, shoulders, and neck release into the ground.
• Breathe here for at least 10 minutes before gently rolling out of the pose.

Model: Ben Ko is a longtime student of yoga and all things outdoors. He鈥檚 also a听 based in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Location: Photographed at the Freedom Trail near Piestewa Peak in the Phoenix Mountains.

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I didn鈥檛 fully appreciate the impact of practicing yoga on those who do resistance training until I encouraged my husband, an avid powerlifter, to try including it in his morning workout routine.

Mobility is more than just being bendy鈥攊t鈥檚 also having the strength and stability to use your range of motion functionally, which is critical for exercises such as squats and deadlifts.

At first, he was hesitant. Although he鈥檚 occasionally joined me for a class when we travelled or served as my practice student when I was creating a new class, he鈥檚 always preferred and barbells to a yoga mat. It鈥檚 like how I sometimes grumble about strength training, even though I know it鈥檚 good for me. That鈥檚 how I came to realize that many of us tend to shy away from the type of movement our bodies need most.

Mobility work is key for anyone who lifts, whether you鈥檙e a bodybuilder or the occasional gym-goer. Mobility is more than just being bendy鈥攊t鈥檚 also having the strength and stability to use your range of motion functionally, which is critical for exercises such as squats and deadlifts. In exercise, mobility is the active ability to move a joint through its full range of motion with control.

How Yoga Can Improve Your Mobility and Enhance Strength Training

Earlier this year, when my husband鈥檚 limited ankle and hip mobility started holding back his squat depth, I showed him a few simple yoga mobility moves he could do in under ten minutes. To his surprise, it worked.

Within a few weeks of practicing daily, his squat depth improved, his nagging hip pain faded, and he broke through plateaus that had been frustrating him for months.

Improving your mobility can pay off in even more ways.

Prevents Injuries

Practicing yoga for mobility allows you to move more fluidly under load and avoid muscle compensations that can affect form.

Maximizes Performance

Greater ankle and hip mobility allows you to squat below parallel (i.e., your hip crease goes lower than the top of your knees), which maximizes glute and quadriceps engagement. Similarly, less-tense hamstrings can better support a proper deadlift hip hinge.

Also, upper spine (thoracic) mobility creates a stronger bench press arch, which can enhance shoulder stability and chest muscle activation.

Improves Balance and Coordination

Practicing yoga for mobility wakes up the smaller stabilizer muscles that gym-goers often overlook. This helps reduce awkward missteps under load.

Combine that and all of the above with yoga鈥檚 ability to boost circulation and bust stress, and you鈥檝e got a recipe for enhanced recovery and fewer injuries. In a fitness culture that often encourages people to identify with one style of training, it鈥檚 worth remembering that a balanced approach pays off.

5 Yoga Poses to Boost Mobility and Performance

Below are yoga for mobility poses lifters can add to their routine to increase range of motion, prevent injuries, and hit new PRs鈥攏o hour-long class required. You can string these poses together for a sequence that you repeat two or three times before or after your workout, or you can add specific ones to your routine.

Focus on moving with your breath and being aware of where you鈥檙e tensing and releasing in each posture.

1. Squat

Why This Move Works: One of the biggest challenges lifters face is hitting depth in a squat, which requires ample dorsiflexion of the ankle and open hips. is one of the most effective postures for stretching the Achilles tendons, calves, and inner thighs while also activating and opening the hips.

How to Do It:

• Step your feet slightly wider than hip-width distance apart with your toes angled out.
• Inhale as you lift through the waist.
• Exhale as you bend your knees, sinking your hips as low as is comfortable while tracking your knees over your toes. Keep your chest lifted and spine long as you gaze forward.
• You have the option to press your palms together in front of your chest and use your elbows to assist your knees open gently.

(FYI: If you need to ease some calf tension and are struggling to keep your heels down on the mat, slide a blanket, folded towel, or even a weight plate underneath them.)

2. Cobra

Why This Move Works: Mobility in the thoracic spine and chest is crucial for lifts that require you to retract your shoulder blades, such as a bench press or low-bar back squat. strengthens spinal extensors while opening the chest in a safe, supported way.

How to Do It:听

• Lie on your stomach with your palms underneath your shoulders.
• As you inhale, press your feet into the mat, draw your navel toward the spine, and lift your chest off the mat while drawing your shoulders back. Gaze forward.
• You should feel as if you鈥檙e pulling your chest forward between your palms.
• Exhale as you lower your forehead to the mat.
• Repeat once or twice.

3. Extended Puppy Pose

Why This Move Works: targets tight shoulders and opens the upper spine, which makes it an excellent stretch for anyone looking to improve their overhead press.

How to Do It:听

• Come to hands and knees with your shoulders stacked over your wrists and hips stacked over your knees.
• Inhale as you walk, your palms forward while keeping your hips above your knees. Your arms will be extended with your palms facing down.
• Exhale as you lower your chest and forehead toward the mat, breathing into the stretch and drawing your shoulder blades back.
• Wrap your triceps down away from your chest and toward the mat to externally rotate your shoulders.

Pro-tip:听place your elbows on blocks and bring your palms together overhead, drawing them toward the back of your head.

4. Downward-Facing Dog

Why This Move Works: Tight hamstrings can compromise deadlift form, forcing the lower back to work harder than it should and risking strain. helps release the hamstrings and calves while building shoulder stability.

How to Do It:听

• From hands and knees, inhale as you press your palms into the mat and lift your hips up and back.
• You can pedal your feet by bending one knee at a time or keep both knees bent to release tension on your hamstrings and prioritize stretching the lower back.
• Stay here for several breaths, sending the tailbone high, gazing toward the navel, and pressing your heels gently toward the mat. (It鈥檚 OK if they don鈥檛 touch it.)

5. Low Lunge

Why This Move Works: Tight hip flexors are a common gripe among weight lifters as well as those who spend a good portion of their day sitting. Having open hip flexors can be helpful for moving through your full range of motion in lifts such as Bulgarian split squats and hip thrusts.

Most of all, hip flexor stretches can help improve your overall form, reducing issues including lower back and knee pain. can do all of that while also helping improve your posture.

How to Do It:听

• From Downward-Facing Dog, exhale as you step your right foot forward and lower your left knee to the mat.
• Inhale your arms overhead, keeping your shoulders relaxed as you gaze forward or up toward your thumbs.
• Square your hips to the wall in front of you.
• To intensify the stretch, let your hips sink a little lower toward the mat. (Feel free to place your hands on two blocks, one on either side of your hips, for support, or keep your hands on your front thigh.)
• Stay for several breaths before repeating on the left side.

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My husband cracks his neck multiple times a day. He complains that his neck often feels stiff, which he attributes to the 30-mile bike rides he regularly takes and the uncomfortable sleeping positions he winds up in during the night. So, as a quick fix, he whips his neck from left to right. Pop. Pop. The thing is: I absolutely detest the sound. After all, it sounds like bones smashing against each other. Gross.

In the hopes of resolving this marital issue, I needed to convince him to cool it with the neck snapping. I figured it wouldn’t be hard; I had to believe all that popping was bad for him. But, as a good journalist, I decided to do my due diligence first.

Not to say I told you so, but after lots of research and interviewing sports medicine physicians, I learned that I was right, though not in the ways I imagined. Cracking your neck can be risky and sometimes downright dangerous. Overstretching听your neck joint can also derail your athletic performance听in specific instances.

Fortunately for me, and unfortunately for my husband, I have some great argument ammunition next time I beg him to stop.听Here鈥檚 why cracking your neck may do more harm than good.

What Happens When You Crack Your Neck?

Your neck is also听known as the , and consists of seven bones, or vertebrae, stacked atop one another. When you crack your neck, you鈥檙e popping tiny gas bubbles that have accumulated in the fluid within the spinal joints (these are called facet joints). It鈥檚 the same phenomenon that occurs when you crack your knuckles, says , a sports medicine doctor and president of the .

(FYI: Check out the video below to learn more about what happens in your neck when you crack it.)

When you yank your neck around, those gas bubbles burst and release any pressure that has built up within your joints, says Laker. The gas bubbles pop, creating a sensation of relief, or as my husband says, a drop in tension.

There are a couple of other听less common听explanations听as well.听If you have super-tight muscles, for example, they may rub on top of the joints and bones in your neck, says Laker. If the joints in your neck are extra flexible, say, if you have a connective tissue disorder, that might mean the surrounding tissues and ligaments as securely as they should. When the vertebrae are unstable, the 鈥攖he soft tissue sac that surrounds and protects the joint鈥攃an 鈥減op鈥� on itself.

Neck Cracking Weakens Ligaments

While cracking your neck can provide quick relief, doing so won鈥檛 actually fix the underlying reason your neck hurts. As such, the pain or tension will recur, and you鈥檒l likely repeatedly feel the urge to crack. Some people develop a habit of cracking their neck multiple times a day, says Laker. This is where things can get dicey.

Tissues in the Cervical Region Stretch Out

If you frequently crack your neck (and especially if you鈥檙e putting a lot of force on it by using your hands), you can strain the nearby ligaments and loosen your neck joint.

鈥淥ver time, the soft tissues that hold that joint together are going to stretch out,鈥� says , an orthopedic surgeon at the Hoag Orthopedic Institute in Southern California.

And then you鈥檝e got a new health issue on your hands鈥�, which is a condition that causes your joints to be more flexible than normal. This can make your neck feel increasingly tense or unstable, says Laker. You can get trapped in a vicious cycle where your neck feels stiff, so you crack it again and again, which, over time, loosens the joint and leads to more tension, which makes you want to keep cracking your neck, he adds. 鈥淯ltimately, you鈥檙e making the muscle tension worse because you鈥檙e making the hypermobility worse,鈥� he says.

The risk of increased ligament laxity is greatest in people who already have hyperflexible joints to begin with. Still, this problem can occur in anyone, even those with totally healthy joints and ligaments鈥攊f you crack enough, says Laker.

If you rarely crack your neck, you don鈥檛 really need to worry about laxity, says Laker, but even one-off cracks come with risks. If you put enough pressure on your neck鈥攖hink: one hand鈥檚 on the top of your head and another鈥檚 below your jaw, and you give it a sharp twist鈥攖he disc can herniate and trigger intense pain from the surrounding nerves. This is super rare, though. Out of every ten million neck manipulations, only 听result in some kind of injury.

While Rare, Neck Cracking Can Damage a Critical Artery

The scariest potential consequence of neck cracking is what’s called a vertebral artery dissection, in other words, a tear in an artery. According to Laker, the vertebral artery is a that runs through the bones in your neck that feeds your brain stem and part of your spinal cord. If that artery is injured, you can experience a type of stroke that can lead to permanent . In even rarer cases, it can be life-threatening.

While cracking your neck can provide quick relief, doing so won鈥檛 actually fix the underlying reason your neck hurts. As such, the pain or tension will recur, and you鈥檒l likely repeatedly feel the urge to crack.

The risk is lowest when you consult a professional, such as a certified chiropractor or physical therapist, who is trained to perform neck manipulations in a safe and controlled manner. But, even then, artery injuries can occur with the very best precautions, says Laker. Some people unknowingly have underlying conditions, like collagen disorders or a history of neck trauma from, for example, a sports injury or car accident, that increase their risk. They might not have any symptoms until the injury听occurs. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not a problem until it鈥檚 an enormous problem,鈥� says Laker.

How Cracking Your Neck Affects Performance

The neck plays a crucial role in many sports, and as the states, 鈥淲here the head goes, the body will follow.鈥� To be at the top of your game, your neck needs to move freely and decisively. A less-stable neck can interfere with your posture, breathing mechanics, balance, vision, and energy levels, says Laker. In any sport, being able to scan your environment comfortably is super critical, he adds.

Frequent neck cracking can affect training in the following ways:

• Reduced ability to scan your surroundings: When you ski, for instance, your neck helps you scan your environment and get a feel for the terrain, all while keeping a pulse on nearby trees and other skiers鈥攊f your neck鈥檚 struggling, your ability to traverse the slope may suffer, too.
• Fewer reps at the gym: As for strength training? Increased neck mobility can make it 鈥渄ifficult to perform higher repetitions or do higher loads of exercises using the neck,鈥� says , a certified exercise physiologist.
• Restricted breathing: If you鈥檙e a cyclist, a tense neck can restrict your ability to breathe deeply, says Laker.
• Fatigue and poor posture: Neck pain, which may , can also make you feel fatigued earlier if you鈥檙e hiking or running, McDowell says. And it can impair your posture, she adds, which can throw off your muscles and joints and prevent you from moving around properly鈥攁 skill you need with any sport.
• Increased risk of injury: Neck laxity can also increase your risk of a serious injury, such as cervical spine (which occurs when the vertebrae in the neck shift out of alignment), if you play a contact sport like football or soccer, says Beyer.

Stretch Don鈥檛 Crack

Cracking your neck鈥攅ven though it might feel good鈥攄oesn鈥檛 solve the root problem. If you constantly feel the need to manipulate your neck, see a doctor. They can determine if you have a health condition (such as degenerative disc disease, bone spurs, or arthritis) that may improve with treatment.

Chin Tucks, Head Rolls, and Forehead-to-Palm Presses

If you feel the itch to crack before or after a long ride or big climb, consider stretching your neck instead, advises Laker. He recommends chin tucks (pulling your chin toward your neck) and head rolls (moving your head in a circular motion). Another trick to stabilize and strengthen your neck muscles: put your palm on your forehead and press your head into it.

Heating pads, foam rollers (like this one), massages (even if it鈥檚 with your own hands or an at-home massage device), and a nice soak in a jacuzzi or hot bath are all effective ways to decrease tension.

Finally, consider working with a physical therapist if your neck pain and persistent cracking are interfering with your performance. A solid stretching or strengthening program can keep your neck strong, healthy, and pain-free, says Beyer.

And if you鈥檙e hellbent on cracking your neck? The safest approach is to simply rotate your head from shoulder to shoulder without using your hands, says Beyer. The real concern is when you, or someone else, hold your neck and forcibly manipulate it. That鈥檚 where you can run into trouble.

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As an endurance athlete, I spent the better part of my twenties training for and running ultramarathons. My body was resilient, productively absorbing 60- to 100-mile training weeks and races just as long, and I thought that would continue indefinitely.

Then, over the course of nine months, I developed intermittent but often excruciating sciatica, nerve pain that originates in the lower back and radiates down the leg, and eventually, as a result of changing my running gait to compensate for this pain, a torn hip labrum. I expected rest鈥攖he do-nothing, on-the-couch type rest鈥攖o eventually heal me, but the pain persisted. I saw massage therapists, chiropractors, acupuncturists, bone and joint specialists, and nerve doctors. No one had a clear answer and no treatment worked.

It was at this vulnerable moment, in 2020, that I discovered the Knees Over Toes Guy. Ben Patrick, a then 30-year-old based in Clearwater, Florida, posted videos of himself on Instagram performing scroll-stopping feats of circus athleticism without any apparent discomfort: springing from a stationary deep squat up to dunk a basketball; where, from a standing position, he drops his knees out forward to touch the ground. These exercises put a remarkable amount of pressure on very vulnerable joints.

In nearly every video, Patrick shares that he has had three knee surgeries, and doctors told him he would never be able to squat or play basketball without pain again. But through an unconventional鈥攁nd some might say dangerous鈥攕trength training protocol, Patrick was not only able to effectively eliminate his pain, but he says he was able to increase his speed and vertical jump to well beyond his youthful PRs. His message was that anyone can achieve that same ability and resilience. But in order to do so, you鈥檇 have to forget most everything you鈥檝e been told about strength training.

The internet is rife with fitness hucksters and overpriced, overcomplicated training plans, but Patrick seemed different. As I read the hundreds of comments under his videos, I was struck by how universally positive everyone was, with sincere-seeming testimonials for his online program, gratitude for introducing them to these unconventional movements, and encouragement towards users who shared their stories of chronic pain.听I was also impressed by the numerous physical therapists . Desperate to regain autonomy over my athleticism, I decided to give his exercises a try.

Over the last four years, Patrick has exploded in popularity, going from a trainer and gym owner to an online fitness mega-personality with 2.4 million Instagram followers. Patrick, who declined to speak with us for this article, has shared his origin story on many podcasts, including the mega-popular Joe Rogan Experience, which has 14.5 million followers on Spotify and 17.6 million on YouTube.

As an obsessive youth basketball player, his passion for the sport and penchant for grueling drills (he would frequently perform 1,000 daily layups) led to painful, fragile knees. His teammates nicknamed him Old Man. After Patrick underwent those three knee surgeries鈥攖he first while he was still a teenager鈥攈e discovered the late, famed Canadian strength coach Charles Poliquin, who preached a style of strength training where each rep is taken to its stretched end range. The priority is not just the amount of weight you can lift, but the body’s ability to move into deeper positions while doing so. (Poliquin was noted for his Seussian soundbite: 鈥淪trength is gained in the range it is trained.鈥�)

Patrick adopted Poliquin鈥檚 training techniques and not only eliminated his chronic knee pain, he says, but began to redevelop his athleticism. At age 23, he was offered a full-ride scholarship to play D1 basketball at Eastern Florida State College. Now, as a trainer, he proselytizes this training philosophy through his unsubtly named app and online coaching business, Athletic Truth Group.

Part of Patrick鈥檚 success can be attributed to his origin story and his social media savvy: his videos are short, attention grabbing, and feature practical training advice. With the bracing sincerity of a youth camp counselor, he talks directly to the camera, appearing trustworthy and capable. But the other part is that this style of training鈥攚hich Poliquin pioneered and Patrick champions鈥攊s, by historic standards, radical.

If you have ever spent time in a weight room, you鈥檝e likely been warned that your knees should never go past your toes in a squat. Instead, you should push your butt backwards and stop when the upper and lower leg form a 90-degree angle. Failing to do so will put too much pressure on your knee and cause injury.

This is only half true. Squatting with your knees over your toes does put pressure on the joint, but that pressure may actually help you avoid injury.

鈥淭endons, cartilage, ligaments鈥攁ll those things will toughen up to load,鈥� says Erik Meira, a physical therapist and rehab specialist based in Portland, Oregon, who works with NBA and NFL players. For most athletes, especially those in endurance sports, injuries occur in the connective tissues of the joints. Tendons, while quite different in composition than muscles, still operate under the same principle: to get them stronger, you must use them in a mildly stressful manner, then back off and let them recover.

鈥淜nees over toes is something that has been vilified for a long time as causing pain to the front of the knee,鈥� says Meira. 鈥淭he reality is it will cause pain if you鈥檙e not conditioned to take that kind of load. But the best way to condition yourself to that kind of load is to get used to positions like that.鈥�

Patrick has taken this philosophy鈥攖hat bending your knees under progressive load will make them healthy and strong鈥攁nd applied it to other vulnerable parts of the body including the ankles, hips, lower back, shoulders, and elbows. In a way, Patrick’s protocol could be seen as a gym routine structured entirely around proactive physical therapy: he identifies problem areas and develops strength and range of motion in the local musculature and connective tissue.

It is a tremendously appealing proposition to many endurance athletes, who are traditionally averse to the gym. Here is a style of strength training that doesn鈥檛 prioritize muscle mass, is singularly focused on avoiding pain, and will allow you to fully express yourself physically outside of the gym.

In 2020, I was one of many impressionable scrollers transfixed by Patrick and his message. Without much to lose, I dedicated myself to 16 weeks of his program through the app. The first cycle, a full-body general protocol called Zero, was easy. I did repetitive, progressive bodyweight exercises鈥攕ome familiar, some novel鈥攖o strengthen mind-muscle connections and expose my joints to new movement patterns. Then, four weeks later, came Dense, where you take these same and other similar exercises, add weight, and perform many sets to condition your joints through repetition under manageable load. Four weeks after that, I moved on to a back-specific training program.

The most significant movement for me in this block was the , which you perform on a forward-angled, hip-high bench that allows you to hinge forward from the hips and directly strengthen the lower back muscles. This was terrifying, as I thought putting my injured back in that exposed position would only hurt it further. But this is precisely what this program is trying to teach: safely training in a vulnerable position creates resilience in that position.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CjTz7R8NkJx/

鈥淭he most important part of rehabilitation is graded exposure,鈥� says Mike Istraetel, the popular online fitness commentator who holds a doctorate in exercise science. 鈥淵ou want a little bit of irritation, then back off and heal up鈥� The biggest mistake people make in a gym is assuming a degree of fragility to their body.鈥�

And while Patrick emphasizes the importance of developing strength in tendons themselves, there鈥檚 also another factor at work. 鈥淭endons take up to nine months, if not more, of consistently loading to heal and grow stronger,鈥� says Matt Klein, a rehabilitation and movement science professor at George Fox University. 鈥淏ut patients can have an acute decrease in pain [when they first start training the injured joint] and that鈥檚 not because the tendon has changed. That鈥檚 because their perception of pain鈥攁 fear response鈥攈as changed.鈥�

Meira explains that fear activates our nervous system and sends us into a dysfunctional 鈥減rotective mode.鈥澨� 鈥淲e see this a lot with low back pain,鈥� Meira says. 鈥淎n individual starts to fear taking load and their back gets weaker. Then they 肠补苍鈥檛 take more load, then they fear it more, and they end up in a downward spiral where their back is made out of glass.鈥�

With this mindset, I performed small reps at first, barely leaning forward a few inches, then the next time I went a little deeper, and so on until months later, I was doing 20 full range reps. Eventually I started holding a weight to my chest as I leaned forward, taxing my low back further. And an amazing thing happened: my sciatica went away. Gone, vanished. The insidious nerve pain that for years鈥攍iterally years鈥擨 tried to roll, massage, stretch, and rest away, finally disappeared. All it needed, it turned out, was to get stronger.

鈥淭he biggest mistake I see with athletes is resting for wellness,鈥� says Meira. 鈥淟et鈥檚 say the front of my knee gets sensitive when I run. I think I鈥檓 going to stop putting any load on it and let that heal. Then once it heals I鈥檒l go back to what I鈥檓 doing. But when I鈥檓 resting it, the front of that knee isn’t getting any stimulus, so it鈥檚 not learning to take load. It鈥檚 being de-conditioned to load. Being overprotective is often what gives us issues.鈥� This is ultimately Patrick鈥檚 message: to heal your body, you must use your body.

鈥淭en years ago we still had a postural fear model: you should not put your knees over your toes because that鈥檚 going to cause you knee pain; you should not slouch because that鈥檚 going to cause you neck pain,鈥� says Klein. 鈥淭he current evidence suggests that the perfect posture is the one you鈥檙e in for the least amount of time. Move. People are going to be slumped forward and extended and everything in between. Your body is meant to move in these ways. If your body is having trouble in a position, train in that position more.鈥�

As I progressed through the program, it became evident that there are only about two dozen total exercises that Patrick repeatedly prescribes. If you’ve never performed these movements, the app鈥攚hich coaches you through proper form鈥攊s invaluable. The back extension machine was revelatory for me and got me out of pain and back to the sport I love.

But as I rebuilt my running body and tried to progress deeper into his program, I ran up against his one-size-fits-most approach, an unfortunate and necessary limitation of mass-marketed fitness programs. For instance, deadlifts, which Ben prescribes, still hurt my back no matter how gentle or light I went.

No program will serve as the answer to everything, says Klein. 鈥淚 think [Patrick] is helping a lot of people,鈥� he says. 鈥淏ut I also think it can hurt a lot of people.” Klein points out that athletes should only try these training protocols after taking the time to pursue an accurate diagnosis with doctors and physical therapists鈥攖o ensure they’re treating the right thing.

After two years, I stopped following Patrick鈥檚 program through his app, but his philosophies have fundamentally changed how I think about exercise. Now, four years since I began his protocol, running is still my priority, but I only run four days a week instead of six. Strength training two to three times a week is non-negotiable. Each session is full-body and joint-focused, and at least half of the exercises I perform are ones I learned through his program. I haven鈥檛 gone a week without a back extension in two years. But the most important thing the Knees Over Toes Guy has taught me is as simple and radical as this: to keep athletically progressing and doing what you love into your thirties and beyond, you have to get strong. Spending time in the gym is a real-time fight against aging.

Despite the reduction in my running volume, I鈥檓 still getting faster, winning races, and setting PRs. But the thing I鈥檓 most proud of: I鈥檓 doing it all without pain.

The Knees Over Toes Philosophy

Strength Train

If you are injury-prone, aging, or looking to maximize your body鈥檚 potential, you MUST strength train. Full stop. Two or three times a week is ideal, but once a week is better than nothing. Perhaps this is obvious, but it bears repeating to strength-shy endurance athletes.

Measurably Strengthen Vulnerable Areas

Identify the muscles that support your body鈥檚 most vulnerable areas and train them unyieldingly. For ankles, this means targeting your calves (encompassing both the soleus and gastrocnemius) and tibialis anterior, the oft-ignored muscle on the front of the lower leg. For knees, it鈥檚 mainly quads and hamstrings. And for hips and back, well, it鈥檚 your hip flexors and back muscles. Do this in a manner that you can measure, such as weight lifted or reps completed, and work to improve those metrics. This is in contrast to many other runners鈥� strength programs, where you鈥檒l likely find complex kettlebell swinging workouts, yogic core stability routines, or resistance band 鈥渁ctivation鈥� drills. There鈥檚 nothing inherently bad about these exercises, but they fail to give you a way to measure their progress. They are also inefficient at genuinely strengthening the muscles and tendons that do the most for you.

Build Balance

Nearly everyone has practiced squatting. But when was the last time you did the opposite鈥搕hat is, lifted weight up off the ground with your legs instead of lowering weight toward the ground? Over time, certain exercises have become popular while their counterbalancing movements have not. Most athletes train their calves but not their tibialis anterior; their squat but not their hip flexors; their abs but not their lower back. To be a high-performing pain-free athlete, you must train both sides of the body, and both sides of any joint.

Regress

If pain pops up, as it is bound to, do not stop training that area. Instead, regress the movement (e.g. less weight, smaller range of motion, and/or fewer reps) to the point where you feel no pain. But do not cease to use that area of the body entirely. Pain is bad and you should never work through pain鈥攂ut motion is lotion.

Length Through Strength

Static stretching is not the panacea for health that it was once thought to be. However, the mobility (i.e. range of motion) of your joints and muscles is incredibly important and is correlated with healthier tissue. So how do we reconcile those two truths? We work to lengthen while strengthening. This means that for every exercise, you should be feeling a stretch at the top or bottom of the movement, and you should perform every exercise with the greatest bend in the targeted joint that you can achieve without pain. (Often, this means starting by lifting lighter weights.)

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For some athletes, taking pain relievers like Tylenol (acetaminophen) or Advil (ibuprofen, an NSAID drug) to ease muscle soreness after a hard workout is second nature. However, while pain relievers may have their place in lessening discomfort, pain can also be an important signal from the body that you鈥檝e overdone it.听So, how do you know when to take an occasional Advil for an achy knee and when to see a professional for help?

You Can Treat Minor Aches with OTC Medications; Injuries Require Special Attention

One of the most common reasons people feel sore after a workout is due to delayed onset muscle soreness, or DOMS. This can feel like tenderness in the muscles, stiffness, or mild swelling.

For instance, if you had a tough leg workout, you might spend the next few days walking funny up and down the stairs. You can still exercise when you experience this kind of soreness as long as the tenderness doesn鈥檛 affect your movement. However, if you 肠补苍鈥檛 properly execute an exercise without shifting form, then it鈥檚 wise to take it easy.

It鈥檚 always important to warm up before a workout, especially if you鈥檙e feeling muscle fatigue. This can decrease the chance that your soreness will get in the way of your routine.

, a doctor of osteopathic medicine and听迟he director of the Center for Sports Medicine at the New York Institute of Technology, says that this kind of soreness is typical and shouldn鈥檛 be cause for concern. 鈥淎fter exercising, our muscles are inflamed,鈥� he says. 鈥淚f there鈥檚 no larger injury, this is normal and healthy. When the muscle heals after inflammation, it becomes stronger.鈥�

In cases such as this, you can take an anti-inflammatory (such as ibuprofen) until DOMS subsides. Take note, however, of how often you鈥檙e doing this. Dr. Reuben Chen, a board-certified sports medicine physician, says that DOMS isn鈥檛 necessarily reoccurring, and thus you shouldn鈥檛 need to be popping pain relievers after every workout. In fact, as you progress in your physical fitness, DOMS should go away completely within a few weeks to a month.

鈥淚f there鈥檚 occasional swelling in the knee joint, for example, then taking an anti-inflammatory would be appropriate,鈥� says Chen. 鈥淏ut if you notice the need to take an anti-inflammatory every time you exercise because of swelling and pain, then it鈥檚 time to seek professional help.鈥�

Is It Muscle Soreness or an Injury?

To differentiate between injury and DOMS, you should pay attention to how the painful spot feels when you move around. With DOMS, the pain should lessen when you warm up and move your body.

Injuries, however, usually become more painful with movement. Instead of soreness, an injury will feel like localized sharp pain and bruising that doesn鈥檛 go away.听

What Is the Best Pain Reliever for Soreness After a Workout?

Chen makes it clear that while NSAIDs can be helpful for short-term pain management, continuous use can be dangerous. shows that long-term usage can impair healing, make someone more prone to injury, and create health problems down the line. He adds that if you really need a pain reliever, it might be best to take Tylenol, which has been shown to produce fewer GI issues in the future.听

鈥淭ry some other over-the-counter medications, like Tylenol, about 30 to 60 minutes before you hit the gym,鈥� Chen advises. 鈥淎lso, be sure to consult with your doctor on any OTC meds you take and stay hydrated by drinking fluids before and during any workout.鈥�

Other Pain Relief Treatments for Sore Muscles

Chen, who has a background in traditional Chinese medicine, also recommends considering some Eastern medicine modalities for managing aches and pains. He adds that acupuncture is a beneficial holistic pain reliever alternative.听 suggests that it鈥檚 effective at treating various forms of pain, including osteoarthritis and myofascial pain syndrome.

鈥淢odalities like controlled breathing, ice, and osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM), are safe, inexpensive, and effective ways to reduce pain,鈥澨� Zwibel says. 鈥淭hey also empower patients by allowing them to feel more involved in their own care.鈥�

Food, as we know, can often be the best medicine. Turmeric, for example, has been for its anti-inflammatory effects on irritable bowel syndrome, psoriasis, atherosclerosis, and other diseases.

Hydrolyzed , , and also have anti-inflammatory properties. The good thing about these options is that you can consistently take them, unlike NSAIDs that, over time, with your heart and kidneys.

Overall, it鈥檚 best to avoid regular use of pain relievers like Advil and Tylenol after a workout to ease sore muscles and try alternatives first. But if you need to occasionally take the edge off muscle aches and soreness, Tylenol is the best option.

Most importantly, remember to listen to the signals your body is giving you. If that aching isn鈥檛 clearing up or seems more sharp and pronounced, it鈥檚 time to see a doctor.

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In this era of wellness, you might engage with multiple health professionals鈥攆rom your primary care physician and dermatologist to your therapist and dietitian鈥攖o take care of all aspects of your body. That may soon include a physical therapist.

鈥淚 know a number of clinics that are trying to implement an annual visit to a physical therapist鈥攕imilar to how you would see your primary physician for a yearly physical,鈥� says , a professor of physical therapy at California State University, Northridge.

What Is Preventive Physical Therapy?

Typically, you go to physical therapy because you鈥檙e trying to recover from an injury. But at a preventive physical therapy check-up, you can expect to take similar tests of strength, flexibility, balance, and gait. The results of these assessments determine where you could be prone to injury when walking, running, playing sports, or even just performing daily chores, Flores says.

In the same way that tests at your annual physical might indicate high blood pressure or an irregular heart rate, the results of these evaluations can do the same. 鈥淔or instance, , cognitive decline, fall risk, and even mortality,鈥� Flores says. Once you identify these problem areas, your physical therapist can develop an action plan.

However, that doesn鈥檛 mean your calendar is about to be full of ongoing sessions. According to , a physical therapist for , preventive physical therapy isn’t meant to be perpetual.

鈥淲e don’t want clients to be coming to physical therapy forever, especially if they don鈥檛 have an injury,鈥� MacMillen Sitagata says. 鈥淲e do, however, want to have them coming in for checkups鈥攐r to get the groundwork that they need to properly do their exercises and go on from there.鈥�

How Much Does Preventive Physical Therapy Cost?

Unfortunately, there鈥檚 no industry standard for how much you can expect to pay for preventive physical therapy. A single appointment could run you between $150 and $350, MacMillen Sitagata says. However, your insurance may cover these sessions鈥攅specially if you have a referral from your primary care physician.

If that sounds steep, consider the costs of injury, particularly if you鈥檙e a competitive athlete. 鈥淓ven though insurance does not cover it all the time, preventive physical therapy could save you so much money,鈥� MacMillen Sitagata says. 鈥淓ven if you did 12 sessions and paid more than $1,000, that’s still going to be less than if you had one surgery for a preventable injury.鈥�

Do I Still Need Preventive Physical Therapy If I鈥檓 Cross-Training?

Sure, you may be dedicated to your cross-training regimen鈥攂ut that won鈥檛 protect you from injury in the same way preventive physical therapy might.

鈥淲hen I鈥檓 doing a physical therapy assessment, I’m not only looking at one part of the body,鈥� says Angelica Alberto, a physical therapist. 鈥淚’m looking at how the rest of the body may potentially be influencing whatever ache or pain the patient is coming in with.鈥� For instance, Alberto adds, if a client is experiencing knee pain, she鈥檒l conduct tests to see what the source of the discomfort is.

Those are the types of questions that cross-training 肠补苍鈥檛 answer. While this smart workout methodology can help you avoid overstressing the body with the same repetitive movements, it doesn鈥檛 address specific injury-prone areas, Flores says.

For the best odds of decreasing your risk of injury, combine your yoga and strength training efforts with some preventive physical therapy. Trust us: your body will thank you in the long run.

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Lower back pain can feel neverending鈥攁nd impossible to fix. As one of the most common orthopedic injuries, there鈥檚 an overwhelming number of treatment options. Oftentimes, unnecessary surgeries and injections promise you some relief from your discomfort. However, unfortunately, like most injuries, there鈥檚 no magic solution.

5 Common Misconceptions About Lower Back Pain

Managing lower back pain is specific to each individual experiencing it. It鈥檚 about finding the right formula of movements, modifications, and treatments that work for you. However, before you start to craft a plan of relief, it鈥檚 critical to acknowledge some of the most common misconceptions surrounding lower back pain.

1. Lower back pain is completely normal

Society normalizes something that is not typical but rather a common occurrence. More than 85 percent of people will be affected by lower back pain in their lifetime. However, while this is a familiar experience, it does not mean it should be the standard expectation.

Pain, especially chronic pain, is the body’s way of telling us something is wrong. However, instead of listening to these signals and adjusting our routines accordingly, we often ignore them and continue to push through the discomfort.

For example, lower back pain could be your body鈥檚 way of telling you it needs more stability, movement, or mobility. It could also be an indication that you have muscular imbalances and weaknesses.

2. Most cases of lower back pain are caused by one thing

There鈥檚 typically never just one culprit behind your lower back pain. For example, your range of motion, mobility, strength, and joint health could all be reasons why you鈥檙e feeling some discomfort.

It also extends beyond physical factors. Your job, stress levels, nutrition, and sleep habits can all contribute to your musculoskeletal health. That鈥檚 why it鈥檚 critical to make sure you鈥檙e receiving individualized treatment for your pain.

3. Lower back pain often requires surgery and invasive treatments

After throwing your back out or twisting the wrong way, you may be in a large amount of pain鈥攁nd have the urge to rush to the hospital. And while there鈥檚 no denying your discomfort, you can likely treat your injury with more conservative methods. More than 90 percent of cases are non-emergent, which means they don鈥檛 require surgery.

4. When you have lower back pain, it鈥檚 best to limit activity

Our bodies are meant to move and be active鈥攜es, even when we鈥檙e in pain. Rest is not the same as rehabilitation. This doesn鈥檛 mean you should run a marathon or go for a FKT when you鈥檙e injured, but rather try to find modified ways to integrate movement into your day. By staying mobile, you鈥檒l help promote blood flow to your back, aiding in the healing process of your injury.

For example, instead of sitting on the couch and watching another episode on Netflix, look for easy ways to move. Even the smallest amount of activity is better than nothing. You could go for a 5-minute walk, practice some modified stretches, or work on deep core activation through breathwork. A professional, such as a physical therapist, can suggest movements and exercises that will work best for your injury and pain tolerance.

5. 鈥淒egeneration鈥� is predictive of lower back pain

Just as you may see signs of aging on the outside of your body, degeneration within the spine is completely normal鈥攁nd even expected. (One of my former college professors referred to this process as our 鈥渨rinkles on the inside.鈥�)

The presence of typical aging processes in your spine is not necessarily a determinant of future back pain. Many over the age of 30 will show some signs of aging if you take an X-ray of their spine. But most 30-year-olds are not walking around with debilitating back pain. Changes within your musculoskeletal system are a normal part of life. There are many lifestyle, genetic, and physical factors outside of an imagining report that dictate how you can or will experience pain and discomfort.

4 Stretches for Lower Back Pain

Your treatment plan for your lower back pain should be specific to your lifestyle and individual needs. However, there are several stretches that can help support the health of your lower back and spine. Practice these exercises a few times a week for the best results.

1. Lower Trunk Rotations

• Start by lying on a flat surface with your knees bent. Slowly lower your knees down to one side of your body in a windshield-wiper motion. Continue this motion, alternating sides.
• As you lower your legs to the left, you should feel the stretch on the right side of your lower back and hips. The same sensation should occur on the left side of your body when you lower down to the right.
• Move slowly between the two sides, holding the position on each for 5 to 10 seconds.

2. Child’s Pose

• In addition to being a restorative posture in yoga, Child鈥檚 Pose is also a great stretch for your lower back.
• Begin on your hands and knees in a tabletop position. Slowly sit your hips back while simultaneously stretching your arms straight out in front of you.
• Hold this position for 10 to 30 seconds, depending on your personal comfort level.

3. Posterior Pelvic Tilts

• Posterior pelvic tilts help to activate the deep core muscles that support your lower back.
• It鈥檚 a subtle movement, so you will not see much motion when practicing these. However, that doesn鈥檛 mean they鈥檙e ineffective.
• Start by lying on a flat surface with your knees bent. Separate your feet hip-distance apart. Tucking your pelvis, rock your hips backward toward your head, flattening your lower back against the floor. Avoid straining or holding your breath.
• Perform 2 sets of 10 reps, holding each rep for at least 3 seconds.

4. Bridges

• This movement strengthens your glute muscles, which help support your lower back.
• Begin by lying on a flat surface with your knees bent. Move into a posterior pelvic tilt position, as you did in the previous exercise. Slowly lift your hips up. Hold for 2 seconds. Avoid arching your lower back.
• Lower your hips back down to the ground and repeat.
• Perform 2 sets of 10 reps.

Britni Barber is a physical therapist, certified pain-free performance specialist, and strength coach in Denver, Colorado.听

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The name Achilles is said to be a combination of two Greek words that together mean 鈥済rief of the people.鈥� The injury that bears that hero鈥檚 name, in honor of his only weakness, certainly aggrieves many runners, with Achilles tendinitis accounting for around 10 percent of running injuries.

Technically, Achilles tendinitis is acute inflammation of the tendon that runs along the back of the ankle, says Joe Uhan, a physical therapist, coach, and ultrarunner. Pain in that area for longer than a couple of weeks is not really tendinitis anymore. Athletes, however, tend to characterize any pain along the tendon above the back of the heel as Achilles tendinitis.

Achilles tendinitis can be confused with other injuries, such as heel problems, but the hallmark sign is 鈥渋f you鈥檙e pinching the Achilles and it鈥檚 really sore,鈥� says Uhan.

Once you have acute pain, says Phinit Phisitkul, a University of Iowa associate professor in orthopedic surgery, the treatment is pretty much the same as with any acute injury鈥攁nd not something most runners want to hear: rest, ice, anti-inflammatories.

Some doctors also recommend sleeping with a brace on your foot to allow a state of relaxed dorsiflexion and avoid walking around barefoot (or in high heels) so that your tendon isn鈥檛 overly shortened or stretched.

Studies have found one of the most successful treatments involves eccentric strengthening exercises, says Phisitkul. Stand on the edge of a step and lower yourself slowly on your injured foot, essentially exerting force as the muscle extends. Then use your other, non-injured, foot to raise yourself back up, so as not to stress the tendon in the rising motion. Do 15 repetitions, twice a day. However, if the pain is severe, it can be best to rest before easing back into exercises and workouts.

Of course, instead of treating the injury when it鈥檚 too late, wouldn鈥檛 you rather avoid it in the first place? That can be a little complicated, though, since why you get Achilles tendinitis听really depends on what you鈥檙e doing.

鈥淚t鈥檚 almost always an overstriding problem,鈥� says Uhan. When your foot lands in front of your trunk, especially if you land on the forefoot, you end up putting all the weight on your Achilles tendon. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 stress your body has to absorb.鈥�

While Uhan says that the most common problem he sees is from overstriding, there are other issues that lead to Achilles injuries as well. Runners who don鈥檛 engage their glutes tend to push with their toes instead of with their glute muscles, especially when trying to run fast. That kind of stress can cause inflammation.

Basically anything that stresses your Achilles tendon can lead to Achilles tendinitis if you鈥檙e not careful: too much mileage, too many hills, too much speed work without building up appropriately. In fact, there isn鈥檛 always an obvious reason why someone might start to suffer from Achilles tendinitis. 鈥淢ost patients usually don鈥檛 have any identifiable source,鈥� says Phisitkul.

Fortunately, the Achilles tendon is the strongest tendon in the body. As long as you鈥檙e careful while you ramp up your training, you should be able to keep it healthy and strong. Often Achilles tendinitis manifests first as stiffness in the joint that eventually warms up. If, when you first notice the stiffness, you take preventive measures to increase ankle flexibility and pull back on your mileage, speed work, and hill running, then you can avoid it turning into a serious problem.

To prevent Achilles tendinitis in the first place, it鈥檚 important to maintain your flexibility. Stretching can help; just don鈥檛 overstretch. Simply spend a minute each day stretching your calf and ankle joint. One of the easiest stretches, says Uhan, is to put one foot on the ground behind the other and push into a wall.

In addition to stretching, using a foam roller and getting regular massage to keep the joint mobile can help prevent any problems from starting.

If you start to feel inflammation in your tendon or have Achilles tendinitis听once, it isn鈥檛 necessarily the end of the world. Let it rest and recover, which can sometimes take as long as four to six weeks if you waited until the pain was acute.

The real problem is if Achilles tendinitis becomes an ongoing injury. If it keeps recurring, then it鈥檚 time for the perpetually injured to examine what they鈥檙e doing to cause the problem.

鈥淭hey need to get their running mechanics analyzed by a professional,鈥� says Uhan, who swears that once you get your foot to land all the way underneath you, then the pain goes away quickly.

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