Onward Frederick

Onward Frederick Hurt Less. Get Hurt Less. Onward Frederick Physical Therapy is your comprehensive solution to pain, recovery, and performance in the Frederick, MD Area!

04/08/2026

If your wrist hurts on the top during handstands, blocking on vault, handsprings on beam, this is usually an extension tolerance issue, not just “tightness”.

This drill helps open the joint while you load it with a lean and some weight bearing pressure. �
The ability to extend plus add weightbearing is a common development for gymnasts particularly after a wrist injury or sometimes just develops over time.

Keep the exercises slow, Work in and out of stiff, but not through sharp pain.

2 sets of 10–15 rocks before handstand based work can make a big difference.

If it feels better after, keep these going for a few weeks and consider building up a bit more strength and control in the end ranges.

Save this post for your gymnast who may need this down the road.

Hurt Less. Get Hurt Less.

Quick screen, a lot of information.If the ribs flare or elbows bend to get overhead, then their shoulder isn’t actually ...
03/17/2026

Quick screen, a lot of information.

If the ribs flare or elbows bend to get overhead, then their shoulder isn’t actually demonstrating that position. A gymnast is just borrowing the motion from somewhere else.

Try this on the wall:
Back flat
Ribs down
Elbows straight
Arms overhead

Can they get there clean… or do you have to cheat it?

That answer tells you exactly what you need to work on.

Save this and test it to know what to do to bring your performance to the next level.

Gymnasts put a ton of load through their wrists every single practice. Tumbling, vault, bars, handstands… it adds up fas...
03/09/2026

Gymnasts put a ton of load through their wrists every single practice. Tumbling, vault, bars, handstands… it adds up fast. If the wrists aren’t strong and able to tolerate that volume, they’re usually the first thing to start complaining.

A simple circuit like this can go a long way: controlled wrist flexion and extension strengthening paired with some soft tissue work to the flexors. Think of it as basic maintenance to keep the wrists ready for the demands of the sport.

2–3 rounds, light weight, smooth reps. Consistency beats intensity here.

Hurt Less. Get Hurt Less.

*Video from Mile 35 of 2025 Eastern States 100*If you’re just running a couple days a week for general fitness, the exac...
03/05/2026

*Video from Mile 35 of 2025 Eastern States 100*

If you’re just running a couple days a week for general fitness, the exact intensity probably isn’t that important. You should probably push it a bit harder honestly.

But if you’re training and building toward races, improving performance, or stacking weeks of volume then intensity distribution matters.

That’s where Zone 2 does the heavy lifting: building the aerobic base, improving durability, and letting you handle harder sessions without breaking down.

Most of your training should feel almost too easy.
That’s not a mistake. That’s the point.

Just make sure you are pushing when you’re supposed to push!

Save this as a reminder for what truly builds an aerobic engine.

If a gymnast can’t get true wrist extension under load, they will borrow it from the elbows or shoulders. That changes t...
03/02/2026

If a gymnast can’t get true wrist extension under load, they will borrow it from the elbows or shoulders. That changes the line, changes the load distribution, and over time it shows up as pain.

This screen takes less than a minute. It tells you whether you’re dealing with muscular stiffness in the forearm or a joint restriction that needs a different approach.

Coaches, parents, gymnasts, use this. Screen it early. Clean it up before it becomes a season long issue.

If you know a gymnast living on their wrists and hands.. send this to them.

Thoracic mobility isn’t just about being flexible. It’s about giving your shoulders and spine the movement options they ...
02/25/2026

Thoracic mobility isn’t just about being flexible. It’s about giving your shoulders and spine the movement options they need to handle full gymnastics positions.

When the mid-back gets stiff, athletes start chasing range from the shoulders or low back, and that’s usually where problems show up.

This is a simple circuit we use to restore rotation, extension, and active control so gymnasts can move better overhead, block more efficiently, and hold stronger shapes without compensation.

Control the motion, don’t rush the reps, and make the movement come from the mid-back, not the neck or low back.

A lot of runners are “doing speed” without actually training the system they want to improve.Strides, VO₂ max work, temp...
02/24/2026

A lot of runners are “doing speed” without actually training the system they want to improve.

Strides, VO₂ max work, tempo, cruise intervals — they all stress the body differently and serve different purposes. When you mix them randomly, progress slows and fatigue adds up.

Speed work works best when it’s intentional, timed well in the week, and matched to the goal of the training block.

More on how I choose which type of speed to use and when coming soon.

Save this as a reminder to put some intention behind your training.

Load management comes in many forms with gymnastics injuries. The goal with this drill is to limit direct stress on the...
02/22/2026

Load management comes in many forms with gymnastics injuries. The goal with this drill is to limit direct stress on the lower back with back-bending skills in hopes to reduce overuse injuries.

A gymnast will do thousands of reps of back bending year over year and using this patterning for reaching will allow the shoulders and upper back take more of the force. More extension in the upper body then less needed from the lower body. Simple concept, but it’s not that easy.

No doubt, even with perfect movement patterns, if you are over training, having big fluctuations in training volume, under sleeping, under fueling, stressed, etc. Injuries happen.

Add this drill in rehab or training for gymnasts who tend to only hinge from the lower back. Yes, a gymnast needs the prerequisite mobility and control to fully optimize upper body involvement but, Many times after assessing video or watching the back bending skills… a gymnast just needs cueing and a few drills to engage their upper half.

Habits are hard to break and if you just improve the other joints capacities… we may be missing the big picture when it comes to transferring over to actual gymnastics skills.

02/19/2026

Frustrated with not getting mobility changes that are sticking in the thoracic spine?

Give this open book upgrade a go. What I love about it is the ability to add over pressure to the stretch plus it is loading the movement with weight!

Lock that top leg down so you aren’t just rolling back and forth, grab a light-mod KB, and add 12-15 reps to your warm up and mobility routine daily for best results!

Hurt Less. Get Hurt Less.

02/16/2026

Does stiffness in the thoracic spine limit your overhead positioning? If you haven’t had luck with traditional mobility drills, try this variation!

The foam roll acts as the fulcrum and bracing your abs will make sure no movement is happening from the lumbar spine. This really isolates the extension mobilization to the thoracic spine.

Now if you add a kettlebell and a deep breath into the mix, you will really be able to get the most out of this variation.

I will typically recommend this in a warm up or performance program for 10 slow reps with a 2 second hold at end range. Typically before any loading or stability exercises to make sure everything is moving as smooth as possible prior.

Share this with someone who needs this unlock their thoracic spine!

Hurt Less. Get Hurt Less.

02/13/2026

Shoulder flex and stability get most of the attention when overhead positions don’t look right. But if the thoracic spine can’t extend or open up, the shoulder ends up taking stress it shouldn’t. Before chasing more mobility at the joint… look at how the rib cage and upper back are moving underneath it and see if there are any limitations there.

A lot of athletes feel “tight” in overhead work when it’s really a positioning issue, not a flexibility problem. Give the shoulder a better foundation and suddenly the same movements feel smoother, stronger, and more confident.

More drills coming soon that tie shoulder strength into thoracic control so you’re not just stretching over and over. You’re actually building positions that hold up under the stresses needed in overhead skill development.

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