Bartlett Strength and Conditioning

1. Resistance Bands

Resistance bands are one of the most versatile tools for prehab. They can be used for strengthening muscles, improving mobility, and even targeting specific areas for injury prevention. Bands are perfect for warming up, as they engage your muscles and improve blood flow.

How to use them:

• Hip abductions to target glutes and hips

• Shoulder rotations for rotator cuff health

• Band pull-aparts to improve shoulder mobility

Bands are lightweight, portable, and come in varying levels of resistance, making them an essential addition to any prehab routine.

2. Foam Roller

Foam rolling is an excellent self-myofascial release (SMR) technique to address muscle tightness and trigger points. By using a foam roller, you can break up adhesions in the fascia (the connective tissue around muscles), reduce muscle soreness, and improve blood flow.

How to use it:

• Quads, hamstrings, and calves: Roll out tight muscles after workouts.

• Upper back and lats: Release tension in the back and shoulders.

• IT band: Help reduce tightness on the outer thighs that can contribute to knee pain.

Foam rolling can be uncomfortable at times, but it’s an excellent way to increase flexibility and speed up recovery.

3. Lacrosse Balls (or Massage Balls)

If you’re looking for a more targeted approach to prehab, lacrosse balls are a great tool. They allow for deep tissue work, helping you pinpoint and relieve stubborn knots or trigger points. They are particularly useful for areas like the shoulders, glutes, and calves.

How to use them:

• Glute work: Roll into the glutes to release tightness from sitting or heavy lifting.

• Shoulder blade area: Target knots in the upper back and shoulders.

• Calves and feet: Relieve tension that can affect movement quality and posture.

A lacrosse ball is compact, inexpensive, and offers precision that foam rollers can’t always provide.

4. Stretching Straps (or Mobility Bands)

Stretching straps are great tools for increasing flexibility and improving range of motion. They help guide you into deeper stretches, especially for areas that are hard to reach like hamstrings and shoulders.

How to use them:

• Hamstring stretches: Use the strap to deepen your stretch and increase flexibility.

• Shoulder stretches: Work on improving shoulder range of motion by using the strap to assist in various stretches.

• Hip flexor stretches: Deepen the stretch and increase mobility in the hips and lower back.

Mobility bands can also assist with dynamic stretching and joint mobilization exercises.

Final Thoughts