KRU PT + Performance Lab

Rotator cuff strength + scapular stability are the foundation for shoulder impingement rehab. Here’s what’s in this carousel:

→ Banded Shoulder CARs — controlled articular rotations to restore pain-free ROM and joint lubrication
→ Serratus Anterior Wall Slide — activates the serratus for proper scapular upward rotation, reducing subacromial pinching
→ Prone Y-T-W Raise — builds lower trap and rotator cuff endurance to correct scapular positioning
→ 90/90 ER with Band at Wall — trains external rotation strength in a joint-friendly, low-compression position
→ Side-Lying ER, 2-sec pause — isolates infraspinatus/teres minor with a strength-focused tempo hold
→ High Plank Walk w/ Slider — challenges scapular stability and shoulder girdle control under dynamic load
→ Sit-Ups w/ Earthquake Bar — builds core-to-shoulder stability, reinforcing proprioception through the kinetic chain

Specific, targeted exercise consistently outperforms rest alone for improving pain and function. Pair that with good posture habits, and you’ve got a plan built for long-term recovery — not just symptom relief.

The iliopsoas is most vulnerable when asked to decelerate hip extension at speed, the exact demand of sprinting, cutting, and kicking. Strength alone doesn’t protect against this; the tissue needs to tolerate load through its full range, including under fatigue.

The progression:
→ Standing psoas march — hip flexion strength and motor control under a stable base
3 sets x 10 reps per side

→ Tall kneeling hip flexor isometric hold — end-range extension tolerance, addresses the length most strain injuries occur at
3 sets x 20-30 sec hold per side

→ Single leg RDL into high knee drive — posterior chain strength paired with reactive hip flexion, mimics the deceleration-to-acceleration transition
3 sets x 6-8 reps per side

→ Banded single leg hip flexion isometric — resisted hold at varying hip flexion angles to build strength through range
3 sets x 15-20 sec hold per side

→ Copenhagen plank with hip flexion — adductor and hip flexor integration under a demanding lateral chain load
3 sets x 6-8 reps per side

Adductor strains typically occur when the groin muscles lack the strength and length capacity to handle sprinting, cutting, and change-of-direction demands.

Prevention should focus on progressive loading through end-range positions, not just stretching.

1️⃣ Copenhagen Plank (short lever)
Loads the adductors in their most vulnerable lengthened position, building tissue capacity where strains most often occur.
3×20–30 sec per side | Hips stacked, no sagging

2️⃣ Adductor Squeeze — Isometric Hold
Builds early-stage strength and reduces pain sensitivity without aggravating the groin.
4–5 sets x 20–40 sec holds

3️⃣ Lateral Band Walk
Trains the adductors alongside glute med to control frontal-plane movement and absorb lateral load.
3×10–12 steps per direction | Stay low, controlled tempo

4️⃣ Single-Leg Adductor Slide
Challenges eccentric control of the adductors as the leg slides into hip abduction, mimicking cutting mechanics.
3×8–10 per leg | Slow eccentric, controlled return

5️⃣ Sumo Tempo Squat
Builds concentric and eccentric strength through a wide stance, matching the demands of sprinting and change of direction.
3×8–10 reps | 3 sec down, 1 sec pause

Adductor strains rarely come from one thing, it’s tissue capacity, eccentric control, and load tolerance working together.

The hip is a deep ball-and-socket joint built for stability, not just range of motion. In FAI, the femur and socket make abnormal contact in certain positions, managing it means combining capsular mobility, motor control, and load tolerance, not just stretching it out.

1. Hip MOBs
Gentle joint mobilization to address capsular restriction and ease compression in the socket.
🔁 2×10 reps per direction | Slow, oscillating movement
2. Hip CARs Kneeling
Controlled Articular Rotations build active control and proprioception through full available range.
🔁 3×5 each direction | Move slow, no momentum
3. Hip Flexion Iso w/ Band
Isometric hold in flexion — often the most provoked position in FAI. Builds tolerance without aggravating the joint.
🔁 3×20–30 sec hold | No pinching pain
4. SL RDL w/ Band Cueing
Band cue reinforces hip hinge mechanics and pelvic control, reducing compensatory rotation at the hip.
🔁 3×8–10 per leg | Band tension at hip crease
5. Lateral Step Down
Eccentric control of the front hip and knee — challenges single-leg stability and load acceptance.
🔁 3×8–10 per leg | Control the descent
6. Side Plank + Band
Band around the knees adds an abduction demand, targeting glute med for lateral pelvic stability.
🔁 3×20–30 sec per side | Hips stacked, no
7. Light Posterior Hip Capsule Stretch
Addresses posterior capsule tightness, which can drive compensatory anterior loading.
🔁 2×30 sec | Gentle — not aggressive
8. Hip Loop Bands SL
Single-leg stance against band resistance drives hip stability and control in a functional position.
🔁 3×10–12 per leg | Slow and controlled

Hip impingement rarely comes from one thing — it’s capsular mobility, motor control, and load tolerance working together.