CEF Seminars

Over the last 10 years there has been ongoing controversy amongst health and movement professionals as to whether training specific local muscles to control joint movement is necessary. It is true that local stabiliser muscles do not work in isolation from global muscles in normal function. But does this mean that there is no place for specifically isolating them in the initial phase of training? What do we mean by training? Is it training for fitness and conditioning, for injury prevention, or to rehabilitate an injury?

Read more: Does Specific Isolated Muscle Training have a Place?

Back pain can be caused by trauma but frequently it is insidious, recurrent and related to uncontrolled movement patterns. Uncontrolled movement patterns are motor control deficits. It is important to understand the difference between strength deficits and control deficits.

Read more: Movement Analysis and Motor Control Training for the Lumbar Spine.

Traditionally when our clients/patients have come in to see us with sore spots we’ve assessed the sore spots and treated the sore spots to make them go away. This assumes that the cause and the symptom are one in the same, an assumption that this article will show, is not one we can make.

I’ll use two patients to demonstrate the point that where it hurts isn’t where the problem is.

Read more: Where it Hurts isn't where the Problem is

When you observe faulty movement patterns is it necessary to do a 100 joint range of motion screening tests to find the offending joint restriction?

This article explores the key question that you should ask before you get out your treatment table and start running through all your tests. Problem solving a movement problem is like solving a crash on your computer.  A good place to start is to ask if the problem is a hardware or a software problem.

Read more: Movement Assessment: Hardware vs Software