Brian Schiff, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS, is a licensed physical therapist, respected author and fitness professional. Currently, he serves as the supervisor for Raleigh Orthopaedic Performance Center (formerly EXOS at Raleigh Orthopaedic). Brian conducts live continuing education webinars and presents nationally at professional conferences and seminars on injury prevention, rehab
and sport-specific training.
Upper trap dominance along with scapular dyskinesia is a common issue with clients performing repetitive overhead activities (throwing, swimming, tennis, lifting, etc). Poor mechanics may lead to rotator... View More
Many athletes struggle to avoid valgus collapse with deceleration and cutting maneuvers. Another common mechanical error seen is landing or cutting too upright, thereby elevating risk for a knee injury... View More
Lower leg strength and dynamic balance asymmetries are prevalent in many clients depending on their leg dominance, activities, injury history and preferred movement patterns. Single leg strengthening is... View More
Strength asymmetries are fairly common in people, especially if they have suffered a prior injury or participate in repetitive activities and sports. Training lower the lower leg in a unilateral fashion... View More
Thoracic kyphosis and latissimus tightness is a common presentation in many clients. Poor posture and the use of computers, tablets and phones and repetitive activity leads to this presentation. For overhead... View More
Rotational stability within the shoulders, torso and hips is critical for optimal performance in sport and injury prevention. Often, clients will exhibit asymmetries with respect to trunk stability with... View More
Most injuries in sport occur in the transverse plane. Poor rotational stability may contribute to increased injury risk with landing, cutting and pivoting activity. Identifying these imbalances and weaknesses... View More
In sport, it is essential to work on crossing over and loading on the inside leg to change direction and maximize performance. This exercise incorporating the Step offers multiple options and variations... View More
Weakness in the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius is often cited in contributing to patellofemoral pain, IT band problems, hip pathology and even back pain. Side brides (planks) and the clam exercise... View More
Many people suffer from poor scapular stability and asymmetrical shoulder weakness. This is especially worrisome for those involved in overhead lifts/sports, repetitive activity and throwing. Incorporating... View More
Developing total body strength and power is always a goal for athletes. More specifically, building rotational power will often help increase performance. Training with body ropes allows for functionally... View More
Whether recovering from an injury or simply looking to eliminate asymmetries and enhance function, I often incorporate single leg reaching progressions. The ability to balance and reach in a dynamic manner... View More
Adding exercises that challenge stability in multiple planes of movement is a great way to activate more muscles and force secondary muscles to assist the prime movers. In this column, I will discuss how... View More
Developing total body and multi-planar strength is important for weekend warriors and competitive athletes. Specifically, focusing on rotational strength in addition to triple extension will improve performance... View More
Decreased mobility inthe thoracic spine often creates dysfunction and stress on other parts of thekinetic chain, namely the shoulder and lumbar spine. In many cases, clientswill demonstrate asymmetry based... View More
Developing reactive stability and kinetic chain strength is important for athletes looking to perform their best. The Surge offers a great challenge to the human body through the use of water resistance
I like to include some single arm dumbbell training in my rehab and performance training with my clients. This allows for observation of any frank weakness and provides an opportunity to work on eliminating... View More
Developing rotational strength and power is necessary tomaximize performance in sports. Specifically, integrating the shoulders, torso and hips in a specificmovement pattern allows for more optimal functional... View More
Increasing shoulder, torso and hip strength and stability is a common training goal for athletes involved in sport. Facilitating hip disassociation and kinetic chain linking with exercise is always a plus,... View More