News

Referred to as the new “in” surgery after A-Rod underwent the procedure in March 2009, a torn hip labrum will certainly place you on the DL. In this installment of Ask the Doctor, Dr. Perkash addresses a question from a member of the TRX Community on whether the TRX can be used both pre and post surgery to repair a torn labrum. Question I am going to have a surgery to repair a torn labrum in my hip in about a month. Want to find safe, effective exercises for your pre- and post-surgery rehabilitation? Take our quick assessment quiz to get a personalized training plan that works around your hip condition. I've been struggling to stay fit, and I've basically been limited to pull-ups and push-ups (everything else seems to increase my hip pain). What exercises can I do with my TRX Suspension Trainer to help with my rehab, both leading up to the surgery and afterwards? I'm a big fan of the TRX FORCE Program. I just haven't been able to do most of these movements without paying for it later. TAKE OUR TRAINING QUIZ Answer The labrum is a rim of cartilage that helps to form part of the “socket” in the hip and shoulder joints. The cartilage may be torn or damaged and be a source of pain. Injuries to the shoulder labrum have been much more extensively studied, but more recently, minimally invasive hip surgery, known as hip arthroscopy, has become increasingly used. Typical symptoms of a torn hip labrum include groin pain, clicking or snapping sensations of the hip and limited range of motion of the hip joint. Surgery for a torn hip labrum usually involves placing a camera through a small incision into the hip joint to better visual the joint and to trim or remove the torn portion of the labrum or in some cases, attempt to repair it. Recovery from surgery may take six to 12 weeks with a carefully directed rehabilitation program under the guidance of an orthopedic surgeon and a physical therapist. Once adequate time has passed in order to recover from surgery, full rehabilitation exercises can be implemented in order to strengthen the musculature around the hip joint (i.e., hip flexors, gluteus muscles, hamstrings, etc…). If you are having pain with range of motion of the hip before your surgery, and physical therapy exercises are aggravating your symptoms rather than helping, I would suggest waiting until an appropriate time after your surgery (under the guidance of your physician) before initiating any new exercises of the affected hip. Depending upon the findings during surgery and the nature of the excision/repair of the labrum itself, your rehabilitation may progress at a different rate. Again, you must follow the guidelines of your orthopedic surgeon and physical therapist before progressing in any rehabilitation program for your condition. Ultimately, the following TRX exercises (with progressions) may be beneficial for improving the range of motion of the hip joint and strengthening the surrounding musculature: TRX Step Side Lunge TRX Step Back Lunge TRX Balance Lunge TRX Crossing Balance Lunge TRX Hamstring Curl TRX Hamstring Runner TRX Plank TRX Side Plank (with or without Hip Drop) TRX Crunch TRX Oblique Crunch TRX Squat TRX Single Leg Squat TRX Low Row TRX Overhead Back Extension TRX Standing or Kneeling Roll Out TRX Hip Hinge (Wide Stance or Single Leg) For early stage hip rehabilitation, an assisted squat with a chair and an assisted march facing toward and away from a chair may be useful. For more on how TRX Suspension Training bodyweight exercise is a safe, scalable and effective solution for you or your patients, visit our Sports Medicine page. NOTE: Any medical information in this blog is of a general nature and not a substitute for the advice of a medical professional. If you need medical advice, see a doctor.

A key to mastering your golf swing is training both rotational power and rotational resistance at impact. Want a golf-specific training plan? Take our quick assessment quiz. In this video, TRX Master Instructor Trevor Anderson demonstrates how the Suspension Trainer builds lower body stability and upper body strength, helping you hit straighter, longer, and more consistent shots through improved core rotation control at impact. TAKE OUR TRAINING QUIZ Watch the golf training video above and learn how to deliver your best golf game today   Learn how to put your Suspension Trainer into Single Handle Mode TRX for Golf: Series 1 TRX for Golf: TRX Lunge with TwistTRX for Golf: TRX Golf Swing (Opposite Hands)TRX for Golf: TRX Rotational Row to PressTRX for Golf: Rip Rapid Response ImpactTRX for Golf: Rip Lunge to Press (with Rotation)TRX for Golf: Rip Backswing Hold (with Squat)

  The TRX Lunge With Twist demonstrates how golf performance tools help golfers master lower-body stability and upper-body mobility. In this short clip featuring TRX Master Instructor and Golf Performance Expert Trevor Anderson, you will learn how to use the TRX Suspension Trainer to hone lower-body stability and generate upper-body mobility.  Trevor shows us how by practicing the TRX Lunge With Twist, golfers can perfect their golf swing by mastering control and generating consistency.   Watch the video above and learn how staying stabile will lead you to your perfect golf swing.   TRX for Golf: Series 1 TRX for Golf: TRX Lunge with TwistTRX for Golf: TRX Golf Swing (Opposite Hands)TRX for Golf: TRX Rotational Row to PressTRX for Golf: Rip Rapid Response ImpactTRX for Golf: Rip Lunge to Press (with Rotation)TRX for Golf: Rip Backswing Hold (with Squat)

Mastering the foundational movements of a basic golf swing is critical to creating consistency. Without an easy-to-replicate swing, your ability to confidently hit the ball with accuracy and speed will diminish, as will your overall scores. Want to find golf-specific exercises that match your playing level? Take our quick assessment quiz to get a personalized training plan to improve your game. In this short clip featuring TRX Master Instructor and Golf Performance Expert Trevor Anderson, you will learn how to use the TRX Suspension Trainer to reproduce key golf movement patterns, and to train your shoulder girdle to fully rotate with strength and ease while staying connected to the ground. Trevor shows us how practicing the TRX Golf Swing helps golfers engage in muscle and movement patterns that create consistency while rotating the shoulder. TAKE OUR TRAINING QUIZ Watch the golf video above and learn how to master the movements like a pro. TRX for Golf: Series 1 TRX for Golf: TRX Lunge with TwistTRX for Golf: TRX Golf Swing (Opposite Hands)TRX for Golf: TRX Rotational Row to PressTRX for Golf: Rip Rapid Response ImpactTRX for Golf: Rip Lunge to Press (with Rotation)TRX for Golf: Rip Backswing Hold (with Squat) You can also check out our resistance exercise equipment to add some extra flair to your workout. 

When it comes to golf, and in particular when it comes to mastering your perfect golf swing, working on your coordination is key.  In this short video featuring TRX Master Instructor and Golf Performance Expert Trevor Anderson, you will learn how the TRX Rip Trainer can be used to generate power from the ground up, while coordinating the movement patterns necessary to make a successful and powerful transition from backswing to downswing, and to  prepare for impact.  By training yourself to derive power from the ground, in addition to fine-tuning your coordinated sequence of movement, you will undoubtedly hit the ball further and with more consistency.   Watch the video above and learn how to optimize your coordination to dominate the course today!     TRX for Golf: Series 1 TRX for Golf: TRX Lunge with TwistTRX for Golf: TRX Golf Swing (Opposite Hands)TRX for Golf: TRX Rotational Row to PressTRX for Golf: Rip Rapid Response ImpactTRX for Golf: Rip Lunge to Press (with Rotation)TRX for Golf: Rip Backswing Hold (with Squat)

Believe it or not, but after playing many rounds of golf, your golf swing can contribute to repetitive stress injury if your form is poor.  In this short video featuring TRX Master Instructor and Golf Performance Expert Trevor Anderson, you will learn how the TRX Rip Trainer can be used to train yourself to properly rotate as you approach the backswing so that you can safely and effective transition into your downswing.  By maintaining stability in the lower body, Trevor details how proper spinal alignment can go a long way to minimize excess low back pressure and prevent injury in the long term.   Watch the golf training video above and learn how to play golf safely and effectively for a lifetime!   TRX for Golf: Series 1 TRX for Golf: TRX Lunge with TwistTRX for Golf: TRX Golf Swing (Opposite Hands)TRX for Golf: TRX Rotational Row to PressTRX for Golf: Rip Rapid Response ImpactTRX for Golf: Rip Lunge to Press (with Rotation)TRX for Golf: Rip Backswing Hold (with Squat)

To achieve your best golf game, you must maintain a certain level of baseline strength to deliver a strong and controlled backswing all the way through impact.  In this tutorial featuring TRX Master Instructor and Golf Performance Expert Trevor Anderson, you will learn how the TRX Rip Trainer, a monumental piece of resistance equipment, can be used to train yourself to stay firmly connected to the ground as you rotate from backswing to downswing. Holding the Rip Trainer at the top of your backswing as you work against the resistance of the Rip Cord, builds the strength and force necessary to transition the club to your downswing and drive the ball further. By developing a strong lower body connection, you stay stable, get mobile, and squat through a range of motion with control. Want to find the perfect golf-specific exercises for your game? Take our quick assessment quiz to get a personalized training plan that improves your swing power and consistency. Doing so ultimately empowers you to hit the ball further and with greater consistency. TAKE OUR TRAINING QUIZ Watch the golf video above and learn how you can train to build the lower body strength necessary to win every game! TRX for Golf: Series 1 TRX for Golf: TRX Lunge with TwistTRX for Golf: TRX Golf Swing (Opposite Hands)TRX for Golf: TRX Rotational Row to PressTRX for Golf: Rip Rapid Response ImpactTRX for Golf: Rip Lunge to Press (with Rotation)TRX for Golf: Rip Backswing Hold (with Squat)

This installment of Ask the Doctor is focused on another shoulder injury, frozen shoulder. Here, Dr. Perkash addresses a question submitted by a member of the TRX Community who trains a client with this condition and is wondering whether the TRX can be integrated into her workouts. Before continuing with specific advice, take our quick mobility assessment quiz to get personalized exercise recommendations suited for shoulder conditions. TAKE OUR TRAINING QUIZ Question: I have a very fit client, a former competitive paddler, who has frozen shoulder, sciatica and disc problems. We are limited in the ROM she is able to move through at the hip. She wants to feel like she is working out and being challenged. Are there any specific TRX exercises that we should focus on to keep her challenged while not causing any further injury? Answer: Your client appears to have three separate distinct and medical issues that are limiting her rehabilitation program--a frozen shoulder, sciatica/disc problems and some form of potential hip pathology that is resulting in limited hip range of motion. As I have previously written articles focusing on lumbar spinal pathology and hip pathology, I will focus on her frozen shoulder for this response. Frozen shoulder, or adhesive capsulitis, is a condition in which the capsule of the shoulder joint shrinks and becomes inflamed, usually as a response to some other injury of the shoulder. After injuring the shoulder or after shoulder surgery, it is not uncommon for an individual to immobilize the shoulder, either in a sling or simply keeping the arm down at the side and not raising the arm overhead for some extensive period of time--usually weeks to months. Keeping the shoulder relatively immobilized for even a few weeks can result in shrinking of the shoulder joint capsule and subsequently an escalation of pain with attempted range of motion of the shoulder. Treatment of adhesive capsulitis involves gentle, progressive range of motion exercises, modalities such as heat, ice and ultrasound, anti-inflammatory and pain medications, steroid injections and rarely manipulation under anesthesia in rare cases. Surgery is also rarely required. Usually full recovery can take as long as one year, even with aggressive rehabilitation. It is important for an individual to have a thorough evaluation by an appropriately trained musculoskeletal/shoulder specialist (Orthopedic Surgeon, Physiatrist/Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, or other Sports Medicine specialist). Other sources of shoulder pathology should be ruled out such as a rotator cuff or labral tear or any fractures usually with a combination of a careful history, physical examination and imaging studies including X-rays and an MRI scan. A frozen shoulder usually involves extensive physical therapy under the guidance of a physical therapist, under the direction of a physician. If the condition is too painful to participate in physical therapy, medications or possibly shoulder injections can be implemented by a physician to help reduce inflammation and facilitate the rehabilitation program. Sometimes alternative therapies such as acupuncture can help with pain control as well to aid in the rehabilitation program. Once a physician has cleared an individual to participate in a shoulder rehabilitation program, exercises can begin with a focus on first improving range-of-motion of the shoulder and subsequently strengthening the shoulder and shoulder girdle musculature. The TRX Suspension Trainer can be used quite effectively in the Sports Medicine realm for the rehabilitation of a frozen shoulder. The TRX Shoulder Series (see video below) can be quite useful in the rehabilitation of a frozen shoulder. With multiple areas of pathology including the shoulder, lumbar spine and hip, your client absolutely needs evaluation by a musculoskeletal specialist for guidance with her rehabilitation program. It is always important to seek treatment and guidance from a physician and physical therapist when participating in a rehabilitation program after injury to achieve the best results in a safe and effective manner. For more on how TRX Suspension Training bodyweight exercise is a safe, scalable and effective solution for you or your patients, visit our Sports Medicine page and download our White Paper.  NOTE: Any medical information in this blog is of a general nature and not a substitute for the advice of a medical professional. If you need medical advice, see a doctor.

Here, Dr. Perkash addresses a question submitted by a member of the TRX Community who's fiancée has been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, a complex chronic pain disorder that affects people physically, mentally and socially. Question: My fiancée was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia a few years ago. I have been experimenting with different techniques to use with the TRX Suspension Trainer to help her because with this condition, her muscles are much weaker and have a tendency to tear easily. Any suggestions on how to help? In particular, it would be beneficial for her to strengthen her core muscles, since that's where she is weakest. Answer: Fibromyalgia is a condition that involves pain throughout the body, especially in the joints, muscles, tendons and spine. The pain can affect some parts of the body, such as the neck or back, more than others at any given time. Patients report stiffness throughout their body and joints. People with Fibromyalgia tend to wake up with body aches and stiffness, which generally improves during the day with activity and gets worse at night, although some patients have pain constantly throughout the day. There is no definitive "cure" for Fibromyalgia. Treatment involves managing the symptoms of pain and other symptoms in order to live a more functional life. These treatments can involve physical therapy, cardiovascular and fitness training exercises, stress relief, improving the sleep cycle and possibly medication. Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet, avoiding caffeine and regular acupuncture treatments are also strategies that may help some patients with symptoms of Fibromyalgia. The TRX Suspension Trainer is an excellent tool for general body fitness, and indeed, for helping to manage the symptoms of Fibromyalgia. Exercises using the TRX can help with cardiovascular, strength and core fitness goals in patients with Fibromyalgia. In general, patients with Fibromyalgia who exercise regularly feel fewer pain symptoms and are more functional than those who do not exercise regularly. It is well known that exercise involves the release of endorphins, which can help decrease generalized pain of any kind in any given person. She should start with basic TRX exercises and move through progressions as her body allows. Here are some basic core stabilizing exercises that she can try initially on the TRX Suspension Trainer: TRX Torso Rotation TRX Resisted Rotation TRX Standing Hip Drop TRX Crunch TRX Lower Back Stretch TRX Quadruped TRX Plank TRX Supine Plank My advice for any Fibromyalgia patient would be to begin slowly in order to see how her body responds to exercise. The target should be a minimum of 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise per day three to five days per week and at least two to three days of strength/core training per week. As her body strength and endurance tolerates, she can gradually build up to these goals and even exceed them. She should seek the guidance of her physician to help her manage the dynamic and often changing symptoms of Fibromyalgia. Have a question for the TRX Doctor? Email askthedoc@trxtraining.com. For more on how TRX Suspension Training bodyweight exercise is a safe, scalable and effective solution for you or your patients, visit our Sports Medicine page and download our White Paper. Be sure to check the Blog every Thursday for another TRX Sports Medicine post. NOTE: Any medical information in this blog is of a general nature and not a substitute for the advice of a medical professional. If you need medical advice, see a doctor.