Dr. Michael realized the benefits of barbell training long before he became a physical therapist. At the young age of 18, Michael participated in his first powerlifting competition but soon after underwent shoulder surgery for a long-standing baseball injury. After experiencing how heartbreaking injury can be as a young athlete, Dr. Michael yearned to help others optimize their recovery, program, & technique to rise above their injuries and unlock their ultimate potential. How does he do this?…By helping the COACHES and CLINICIANS who work with these folks the most!
At Barbell Rehab, our mission is to unite fitness and rehab professionals to improve the management of clients with pain or discomfort. Far too often I see healthcare providers hesitate to refer their patients to a personal trainer after discharge in fear that they might “undo all of their progress.” On the other hand, fitness professionals may be hesitant to refer their clients to a healthcare provider in fear that they’ll be told to stop lifting. We want to offer a better solution. One where rehab and fitness pros work TOGETHER to help prevent overmedicalization and unnecessary surgeries.
Only 23% of adults in the United States meet the recommended physical activity guidelines set by the World Health Organization (WHO). One of the major barriers to strength training and physical activity in general is musculoskeletal pain. Many people falsely believe that the presence of pain warrants a discontinuation of the activity and opt to rest instead. While older treatment strategies for pain may have recommended complete rest, this simply is no longer the case. We now know that pain doesn’t always mean something is “damaged” or “wrong” with the body, and that movement and exercising is actually one of the best things we can do for it!
Here’s where Barbell Rehab comes in. In our live and online continuing education courses, we teach fitness and healthcare professionals how to coach and modify barbell exercises for clients with pain. These professionals, who range from personal trainers and strength coaches to physical therapists and athletic trainers, serve a pivotal role in their ability to promote strength training to the masses. By teaching these professionals how to make strength training exercises more comfortable for their clients, we believe we can make a great impact on keeping people exercising for life!
