Hello, I'm Miles, you’re probably wondering how I improved my hip mobility in those pictures above in just 6 weeks. The good news for you is that these results are achievable for anyone. In fact, the human body is incredibly adaptable. It will respond to whatever stimulus you give to it by adapting to the new demands you place onto it. Sit on the couch every day, you will likely notice your hips getting stiff, not to mention the unwanted weight gain and mental health impacts. Instead, if you move into new positions that challenge your hip range of motion often, over time your hips will adapt in a different way.. by allowing more range of motion! The purpose of this blog is not to give you a list of the perfect exercises to achieve better hip mobility (although we can also help with that), rather, it is to give you a deeper glimpse into my own experience improving my hip mobility.
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Over the past 6 weeks, I set out to increase my hip range of motion. My hips have always been one of the most restricted areas on my body (and keep in mind, I coach people on movement every day for my profession). Although I have a deep understanding of the human body and human movement, it still can be challenging to work on myself at times. Especially on the things that are hardest for me. For as long as I can remember it has always been a challenge for me to touch my toes while keeping my knees completely straight, get deep into a squat without feeling like falling over, and sit on the floor comfortably for longer than 1 minute. All signs that my hips don’t have the range of motion that they should to be, well, hips. As I set out on this 6 week journey I had a few goals in mind.

Goal 1: Improving Hip Mobility

My hips have always been the tightest and most restricted part of my body. This has not only impacted my performance in exercises like squats but also may have contributed to a herniated disc injury I suffered two years ago.

Goal 2: Addressing Lower Back Discomfort

For the past six months, I've been experiencing a low level of lower back discomfort and a renewed awareness of the area in my lower back that I had injured two years prior. In addition to my first goal, focusing on the functional outcome of improved mobility in my hips, I was curious to see if improving my hip range of motion would have an impact on my nagging lower back pain.

The Mobility Program
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The purpose of this blog is not to tell you exactly what I did to make these changes since everyone will be slightly different when it comes to the specific needs for their own body. The program I developed for myself included 4 main exercises consisting of both passive components and active components. Simply speaking, this means that I spent some time holding a stretch and some time activating my tissues at the end range of the stretch or controlling my range of motion with my muscles at this end range. If you are interested in knowing exactly what I did, I would be happy to share with you if you reach out to my email at [email protected].

During the 6 week program, my goal was to complete my exercises at least once per day. In actuality, I missed some days, about 5 total days in 6 weeks (hey, even I am not perfect). I wanted to document my thoughts as I progressed through this program to show a deeper level of some of the struggles I experienced along the way. You can see my journal entries below. Lastly, I took some before and after pictures of some challenging positions for my left hip. If you’re not much of a reader and just want to see the progress pictures, scroll to the bottom of this article to see.
 
Highlights from my Journal

Throughout the program, I kept simple journal entries to track my progress, experience and thoughts in those moments. This practice provided so much insight into the trials and tribulations of the day to day that we often miss just by seeing the end result or the before/after pictures. See some of my notable entries below:

• Day 1: “Not going to lie, this shit sucks. I noticed I was really tempted to back out of depth on a lot of the stretches. Getting into some of these deep positions would take my breath away and I would really have to focus on maintaining consistent breathing.”
• Day 2: “After waking up on day 2 my stretches already felt a bit easier.  I did my mobility at night on day 1 and then in the morning on day 2. The back to back nature of this I think helped. The mental piece was easier almost like I knew what to expect and my hips felt a little more smooth and accepting of the positions.”
• Day 2 Cont: “My back felt better than it had been feeling before starting the stretches on day 2. I decided to push the weight on my deadlifts a little more than I had been before in my workout this evening.”
• Day 3: “Back feels a little aggravated today. Hips are VERY sore from 90/90. Could be because I pushed the weights yesterday. I also didn’t get to my stretches in the morning this time.”
• Day 4: “Forgot to do stretches (busy workday then went to my girlfriend’s house)—a good example and lesson for clients that life happens and sometimes you run out of time during the day.”
• Day 5: “Almost missed my stretches again. Had a busy day of work and went to stay at my girlfriends house. We were winding down for bed and I had every intention of skipping but I told myself that I am committing to this and got them done”
• Day 6: “I have been noticing my back is more aggravated when seated during the day than it had been before I started this mobility program. I thought it was mostly due to pushing the weight in deadlifts last week (which it still may be) but knowing my body that seems like it should have calmed down my now. I wonder if getting into these positions is stressing my back and I am experiencing some growing pains from getting used to the program”
• Day 6 Cont.: “I find myself dreading the strap hamstring stretch, it hurts so bad. My hips are still pretty sore getting into the 90/90’s and creating rotational movements.  Also very sore in the groin from doing the Olympic wall stretch. Hard to come out of both of these stretches.”
• Day 7: “During workout, back still felt more “awake” than it had before starting stretches.”
• Day 9: “Skipped, day before 4th of July. Had a busy workday cramming in clients and had to pack for the holiday.”
• Day 10: “Skipped, 4th of July. Left for vacation the night before and had a relaxing day on the fourth.”
• Day 11: “Found a gym on vacation was able to get away from the group and did my stretches. Back was a little tweaky from sitting in cars, lounging, and not exercising as much as usual.”
• Day 12: “Did stretches at the gym on vacation again. After stringing together two days of stretches and exercising again, back felt less aggravated.”
• Day 13: “Had a bit too much to drink the night before on the last day of vacation, hungover and tired from traveling but I had to get my mobility done. I got it done.”
• Day 14: “Almost skipped due to being late for a workout but got them done thanks to an accountability text from my girlfriend. Noticed improvement in hip internal rotation, but still achy. Left hip seems to be making more progress than right.”
• Day 15-19: “Did my routine every day, no major takeaways.”
• Day 20: “Did an abbreviated version of the routine. Hips are very sore, especially in the attachment points. Noticed some improvement in range of motion.”
• Day 21: “Missed—day got away from me.”
• Day 22: “Had the feeling of dreading getting my mobility done. But, WOW was I amazed at the changes in my hamstring stretch. I was not burning behind the knee as intensely and it actually felt quite tolerable. I also noticed I did not feel the tingly feeling in my kneecap at end range that I had been feeling. Hip 90/90’s still feel similar to me in terms of stiffness getting into the position. Olympic wall stretch felt less aggravated in the groin during the stretch and I could add in some PAILs and RAILs”
• Day 25: “Did a quick stretch before bed at my girlfriend’s place. Noticed my right hip is falling behind because I always start my routine on my left side. Since my back pain is on my left side I felt that was more important but I am falling into a trap I often see with my clients. Just because the left side is in pain doesn’t mean the right side isn’t impacting my pain and function. ”
• Day 26-Day 42: “Lot of consistency, did not miss a day”
• Day 42 (Last Day): “This shit sucks way less. My back feels generally better with less awareness of discomfort. I am now able to load my squats and deadlift with more weight than what had caused a flare up early on in this program without consequence. Hip external rotation is improved and less painful. Internal rotation still feels pinchy and uncomfortable at end range. Adductor stretch has been less painful in the last two days but still can feel uncomfortable at end range. After looking at my before and after photos, I am realizing that even though I am having some discomfort at end range, my end ranges now are significantly farther than when I started. Sometimes its easy to feel like I am not making progress simply because the “feel” of the stretch is not making major changes but my range of motion is!”

 
Outcomes

My hip mobility increased in all the planes that I had been focusing on; flexion (both bent knee and straight knee), adduction, internal rotation, and external rotation. My squat has more depth and I have started to load my strength exercises more robustly without consequence of back pain. My low-level nagging back pain is significantly less frequent and intense than it was before I started. Although I have seen a lot of progress I still “feel” discomfort at the end ranges of my stretches. Overall, I feel significantly better both from a pain perspective and in my ability to move after just 6 weeks!

Before/After Pictures
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To illustrate my progress, here are the before and after pictures of a few different hip positions that I was tracking:

Final Thoughts

As I end this 6 week chapter of dedicated mobility, I have compiled a few tips for anyone looking to improve their mobility.

1.Consistency is key: I hate to break it to you, but to make real changes to our mobility we need to put in consistency day after day. Yes you may miss a few along the way, but doing a mobility routine 1-2x weekly is likely not going to give you the progress you are looking for.
2.Don’t miss two days in a row: This is a piece of advice that I learned from James Clear in his book Atomic Habits. I read this book multiple years ago but that piece of advice always stuck with me. I only missed two days in a row once during this 6 week process and boy will I tell you how much harder it was to get back into a routine after that 2 day stretch compared to any one day stretch I had previously. Build good habits, don’t miss two days in a row.
3.The “feel” of the stretch vs. your actual progress: Even after 6 weeks of working on my mobility exercises. Many of them still “feel” uncomfortable. It may be easy to think you aren’t making mobility progress as a result. Often times, you are! It is helpful to have an objective way of measuring progress rather than a subjective “feel” test. I used pictures, but there are other ways as well, get creative!
4.Once Consistency is achieved, then focus on form: Consistency is key, but once you have built the habit, then focus on doing the exercises with intention to make progress. Going through the motions can limit your progress. But if you understand the outcome you are trying to achieve, you can seek that outcome during your intervention. My before pictures became the “outcome” I was hoping to improve, therefore every time I did my exercises, I did them with that outcome in mind.

This journey through the six-week mobility program has been enlightening and transformative. As a movement coach, it is not often that I get to experience first-hand what many of my clients may be feeling. Having those experiences has proven incredibly helpful to my expertise as a coach. Not only did I achieve my goals, but I also gained valuable insights into the effectiveness of our approach at Milestones Movement Therapy. Improving your mobility can have a profound impact on your overall health and quality of life. If you're dealing with similar issues, I encourage you to explore our personalized mobility options. We offer a FREE phone consultation to see if we may be a good fit to help you with your specific goals.

Visit Milestones Movement Therapy to learn more and schedule your free consultation today!

Stay mobile,
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Miles

In an era where health and wellness are at the forefront of public consciousness, physical therapy plays a crucial role in helping individuals recover from injuries, manage chronic conditions, and improve their overall quality of life. However, despite its benefits, there are significant pitfalls within the traditional physical therapy model that can leave some patients feeling underserved. Continue reading as we outline these pitfalls and highlight our unique and alternative approach to solving pain problems at Milestones Movement Therapy.

**Disclaimer: the pitfalls below to do not reflect every Physical Therapy practice. However, in our years of working with people in pain in addition to our own experiences, these are the patterns we have seen reported.

Understanding the Challenges in Traditional Physical Therapy

1. Compartmentalized Treatment Traditional physical therapy often treats the body in isolated segments, focusing on specific areas of pain without considering the interconnectedness of the entire system. This can result in temporary relief but may not address the root causes of discomfort, leading to recurring issues.
2. Limited Time with Therapists In many clinics, physical therapists are tasked with managing multiple patients simultaneously, leading to brief and sometimes impersonal sessions. This lack of dedicated one-on-one time can hinder the development of a personalized treatment plan and slow the healing process.
3. Generic Protocols While standard protocols can be beneficial for certain conditions, they often fail to consider or have enough time to experiment with individual differences and unique needs. This cookie-cutter approach can limit the effectiveness of treatment, particularly for those with complex or atypical issues.
4. Patient Empowerment (or Lack Thereof) Traditional physical therapy may not always prioritize patient education and self-management, leaving individuals feeling passive in their recovery. Without the tools and knowledge to maintain their progress, patients may struggle once therapy ends.
5. Insurance Challenges Navigating insurance coverage for physical therapy can be frustrating and confusing. Many insurance plans limit the number of covered sessions, impose high co-pays, or require extensive documentation for approval. These barriers can make it difficult for patients to receive the consistent care they need, leading to interrupted or incomplete treatment.

Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) is an advanced manual therapy technique, which combines passive stretching and isometric contraction (gentle resistance) to break neuromuscular holding patterns and help reset muscle holding patters and overall length. 
 
Every individual’s body is accustomed to some type of repetitive motion whether it be sitting long at a desk, favoring one side to hold a child or swinging a racket or club on a dominant side. These repetitive motions cause muscle imbalances that effect both sides of the body. For example, when sitting at a computer reaching forward to type, your chest muscles contract (tighten) while your back muscles stretch, creating an imbalance that is imprinted in your muscle memory that can restrict your range of motion. When natural range of motion is limited, other muscles tend to pick up the slack and we start to see painful conditions due to over compensation. 
 
PNF for the Athlete

PNF is used to make quick gains in range of motion to help athletes and “tight” individuals relax muscles to improve performance. With proper muscle resting length and greater joint range of motion, biomechanics greatly improve and there is less muscle fatigue. This is where we see a tremendous decrease of injuries. 
 
At Milestones, each client’s needs are assessed and PNF techniques can be integrated into any of the treatments or sessions offered. PNF is particularly helpful for rotational sports such as golf or tennis as the player’s performance relies on the rotational range of motion in the trunk and limbs in order to drive power and precision into the swing. PNF is also often administered during a pre-race and post-race sports massage or during a rehabilitation session.

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We've all seen the cupping marks on our favorite athletes. Giant circular bruises that draw the question, what is cupping therapy and why are so many people using it? Follow along as we tell you exactly what cupping is, how it works, and why you should consider trying it at your next massage!

Cupping Therapy is an ancient therapeutic technique in which suction cups are used to decompress the skin and underlying tissue in order to reduce musculoskeletal pain and tension while increasing circulation. Cupping has it's roots in ancient Egyptian, Chinese, and Middle Eastern medicine but has more recently seen a resurgence in western cultures.  Cupping was brought to attention most notably by Micheal Phelps in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, where giant circular bruises could be seen on his skin.

Cupping is often paired with other modalities such as massage or acupuncture but many times is done on it's own. Suction in the cups can be obtained via vacuum and sometimes even an open flame! 

Cupping Therapy often leaves dark circles on the skin. These notable marks have helped bring awareness to the technique of therapeutic cupping but may also play a role in scaring away potential suitors due to concerns of pain or aesthetics. So what exactly are these marks and do they hurt? 

Although cupping marks look like bruises they are not. Unlike bruises which form due to compressive trauma to underlying tissue, cupping markings are a result of suction pulling blood into the peripheral capillaries sometimes breaking them. Often times cupping marks can be darker and more pronounced in color when there has been more stagnation in the area, sometimes indicating injury. The markings can be accompanied by discomfort that resolves quickly but most people don't feel the markings at all! They can last anywhere from a few hours to a full week depending on the severity of the coloring. Needless to say cupping therapy is something you might want to avoid before a photoshoot or a wedding!

Sports massage has become a staple of wellness programs for many Americans today. When we envision sports massage we draw imagery of muscular athletes receiving painful deep tissue massage. However this doesn't fully encompass what sports massage is. So what is sports massage?

Traditionally, sports massage is a methodology of massage used to facilitate optimal performance for an athlete through out the training cycle and sporting events. This ranges from fast paced warmup style massage before an event to deep tissue massage to relieve tight and sore muscles post event or during the training cycle. Typically when speaking of sports massage, people are referring to a deep tissue style massage that helps to aid in muscle recovery, mobility, and pain relief. 

Since the terms are often used synonymously, are they the same thing? Not Quite. Deep tissue massage refers to a modality of massage characterized by deeper pressure. Sports massage is often, but not always, deep in nature. Sports massage typically has a goal in mind, sometimes that goal requires deep pressure but other times it requires lighter pressure or something different altogether like stretching, myofascial cupping, myofascial flossing, or muscle scraping. In conclusion, sports massage is a methodology of massage that can include multiple modalities of massage in order to improve an outcome whereas deep tissue massage is simply one modality of massage. 

If you would like to receive sports massage or deep tissue massage in Davis CA, we offer 55 minute ($85) and 85 minute ($115) sessions at Milestones Movement Therapy. At Milestones we classify all massage as sports massage, so whether you are looking for traditional deep tissue massage or a finely tuned sports massage we have what you need!

Milestones Movement Therapy is a private personal training and sports massage therapy studio located in Davis, California (Close to Sacramento). Our goal at Milestones is to help you achieve YOUR goals ranging from rehabilitation to performance. We see a variety of clients from professional athletes to active gym goers to those just getting into exercise and fitness. We help people rehabilitate musculoskeletal injuries, set and crush fitness goals, and optimize performance and body movement to maximize results. We understand that navigating the world of fitness and rehabilitation can be overwhelming. This blog was written to help you understand what we offer and how these offerings can help you get to where you want to be!

Milestones Movement Therapy was founded by Miles Gorder in Davis California in 2017. Miles is a Personal Trainer and Massage Therapist with over 5 years of experience in the field. Miles specializes in rehabilitating musculoskeletal injuries and building strong bodies via optimizing movement. Movement is a hot topic in today's world of health and wellness. Movement minded professionals are becoming more and more common in the fields of rehabilitation and fitness. But what does it mean to be a movement minded professional? Ultimately, movement minded professionals believe that the way in which we move, not just how often we move, has major implications in our performance and injury outcomes. Milestones Movement Therapy is a team of like minded movement professionals with a mission; move more and move often, but above all move better!

If you are in the Davis or Sacramento area and are looking for help with fitness or rehabilitation, we have a service for you. Below are the services we offer and detail who they benefit most.

The simple answer, anyone! We have clients who are just taking the first step to improving their health and fitness as well as clients who are looking for more sophisticated training programs and coaching. We can even help you optimize your movement patterns to get the most out of your existing training programs.

Massage therapy has long since been a staple of the wellness programs of many individuals. Massage may help increase circulation, decrease body pain, improve range of motion, decrease stress, and when done consistently is a nice compliment to an active lifestyle. At Milestones we offer two types of massage, sports massage and medical massage.
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Traditionally, sports massage is a methodology of massage therapy used to enhance athletic performance and recovery at different stages of a training cycle. Today, sports massage has developed into a term that typically refers to a full body deep tissue massage thats aimed at helping active individuals manage musculoskeletal pain, increase range of motion, and increase circulation enhancing recovery. At Milestones we use a combination of techniques to provide these benefits including deep tissue swedish massage, trigger point therapy, facilitated stretching, and myofascial cupping. Each massage can be tailored to the needs of the individual. Just tell your therapist what areas you would like to focus on!
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Sports massage does not require you to be an athlete. Anyone can benefit from sports massage. It can be used to help manage aches and pains for both active individuals and individuals who should be more active! 

Medical massage is a therapeutic massage  designed to facilitate rehabilitation of a variety of conditions and injuries. Medical massages are body part specific, meaning that if you have pain in your shoulder, the entire massage is dedicated to rehabilitating the shoulder instead of the whole body therapy you would receive in a sports massage. Our massage therapists delivering medical massage have a deep understanding of anatomy and manual therapy techniques to help facilitate recovery. We use a combination of deep tissue swedish massage, trigger point therapy, myofascial cupping, muscle scraping, and Rocktape based on how the injury is presenting. Medical massage can be beneficial for a variety of ailments including but not limited to; musculoskeletal pain, arthritis, piriformis syndrome, TMJ, tendinitis, and more!

Massage at Milestones is semi clothed. This means that we work with as much skin as possible while keeping you partially clothed. Most women wear athletic shorts (higher up the thigh) and a racerback/tank top/or ideally a sports bra. Most men wear athletic shorts and a tank top or ideally go shirtless. If you are uncomfortable dressing in any of this attire, we offer draping for those that request it. 

During the Corona Virus Pandemic we have increased our safety protocols (to learn more about if massage is safe during The Covid Pandemic, click here). 

Movement Rehabilitation Therapy (MRT) is a form of musculoskeletal rehabilitation designed as an alternative to Physical Therapy using dysfunctional movement to guide rehabilitation protocols. MRT analyzes your movement patterns, functional strength, mobility and stability to help uncover repetetive strain patterns that may be attributed to your pain. After a movement assessment, typical MRT sessions consist of manual therapy combined with corrective exercises designed specifically for you to re-educate your body into better patterns and habits.

Typically those with chronic musculoskeletal pain have the most to gain from trying MRT. We see a variety of musculoskeletal issues ranging from, tendinitis, arthritis, bulging discs, SI joint pain, pirifomis syndrome, sciatica, and more! We also can work in conjunction with Physical Therapy and post Physical Therapy to continue your rehabilitation once insurance ends. 

If you are suffering from an acute injury such as a sprained ankle, torn tendon/ligament, or broken bone you need to seek medical care from your doctor or call 911 immediately. 

Rates:
$120 for 55 min
$80 for 40 min
Buy 12 (hour long) sessions for $1200 ($100 per session)
YOU CAN BOOK AN MRT SESSION HERE

We always see our clients for their initial appointment for an hour. Follow up appointments can sometimes be done in 40 min and other times in 55 min depending on the specific issue. The appointment times will be determined by the client and therapist during the initial visit. 

Clients working through injury with MRT can vary with time of recovery time. We typically see an average recovery time of 3 months but can be as fast as 1 month and as long as 6 months. Every body and every specific case is different. Unlike traditional physical therapy we do not limit your treatment based on insurance claims.

We do not accept insurance. We do this because insurance can limit treatment durations and pigeon hole treatment modalities. We find that clients seeking MRT need outside the box thinking and insurance restricts this. We DO accept HSA cards. 

Covid-19 is a respiratory illness that is spread through respiratory droplets from an infected person when they cough, sneeze or talk. So lets cut to the chase... ANYTIME you are in close proximity to another person during this time there is an inherent risk of contracting the virus. Due to the hands-on nature of massage, this means any massage holds risk. But how much risk?

The level of risk may be entirely dependent on the safety precautions taken by both the massage therapist and the client since social distancing can not be applied. We have put together a risk profile for massage therapy practices during this pandemic:

Local authorities have placed guidelines for businesses to conduct services but ultimately it is up to the massage practice to implement their own safety protocols. We recommend contacting your local massage provider and ask about their safety protocols before receiving massage in order to make a conscious analysis of your risk. ​

As indoor closures remain imminent for much of the country, many personal service professions, including massage, have made the transition outside. There may be something strange about getting your hair done or receiving a massage outside in public, but safety calls and businesses must do what is required to provide a safe environment for their clients. However, it can be a nice change of pace says one client, "I never thought I would be getting a massage in a parking lot in my lifetime, but with the California weather and relaxing misting fan the experience was quite pleasant. Shades of a beach massage in Mexico." (Hamid Shirazi, client of Milestones Movement Therapy in Davis CA). According to the CDC, transmission of Covid-19 is far reduced in an outdoor setting. Combining this environment with other safety practices as outlined above may substantially reduce the risk of contracting Covid-19 during a massage.

 Ultimately, it is up to each individual to make a decision of what level of risk they are willing to take on to experience the reward massage therapy brings them. If massage therapy helps you combat chronic pain, muscle tension, and stress then you may be more willing to assume risk. Conversely, if massage is purely a luxury for you, now may not be the best time to receive a massage. It is also important to consider the risk you give others should you contract the virus. If you live with or are in close proximity with anyone who is elderly or immune compromised, then you may want to consider waiting for your next massage. 

 If you are in the greater Sacramento area, and see massage therapy as a necessity during this time, we would love to provide a safe environment for these services. Milestones is located in Davis California, just outside of the state capitol, Sacramento. We are currently monitoring the local guidelines for offering our services to the public. Whether we are offering outdoor or indoor massage based on the local California guidelines, we always follow the low risk criteria as shown above. When indoors we use Molekule Air Filters that have been proven effective against Covid-19 as an extra safety precaution. We offer full body sports massage or injury specific massage therapy for individuals looking to decrease muscle tension, chronic pain, rehab injury, and reduce stress. Check out our awesome massage therapists on our webpage!