Marin County Physical Therapy: The Movement Detective's Guide to High Performance

In the Bay Area, we demand high performance from our bodies. When back pain sidelines you from the gym, BJJ, or a hike… the worst thing you can do is Google a generic stretching routine or rely entirely on a static image.

An ugly MRI does not guarantee pain, and a pretty one doesn't guarantee health. A 2015 study showed that 50% of 30-year-olds had disc degeneration, and up to 80% of 50-year-olds had disc bulges, all without a single symptom.

To get back to high performance, you need to find your directional preference.

Decoding Your Athletic Pain Pattern

In sports rehab, we classify movement patterns to understand exactly what your nervous system is craving:

• The Flexion Bias (The Sitter): Your spine prefers to be rounded, meaning you find relief sitting.

• The Rotational Bias (The Twister): You find relief twisting in one specific direction.

• The Extension Bias (The stander): Your spine prefers to be arched, versus rounded.

• The Lateral Shift Bias (The Shifter): Your spine prefers to be shifted to one side vs the other.

Stability vs. Control

Another major trap for athletes is confusing core strength with core control. If your spine is changing shape and rounding during a simple squat, that lack of control can be a culprit.

At Dragon Physical Therapy in San Rafael, we audit your movement patterns. We determine if your pain is coming from a spinal bias (extension, flexion, rotation). Stop guessing with your recovery. Let's find your pattern.

Live in the Bay Area? Book your Strategy Call today.