Tapering reduces training volume before a race or competition to boost performance, improve recovery, and prevent fatigue. Learn how to taper effectively.

Whether you're new to HYROX or looking to take your training to the next level, working with a performance physical therapist can be a game-changer in helping you not only prepare for the event but also optimize your performance and reduce the risk of injury.

It’s easy to assume that shoulder or upper back pain comes from overuse, poor posture, or muscle strain in those specific areas—but sometimes, the source lies higher up, in your cervical spine (neck). This is why a thorough assessment of your neck is critical when evaluating shoulder and upper back pain.

Shin splints aren’t a mysterious curse of running—they’re a stress response in the muscles and fascia that attach to your tibia (shin bone).

Shoulder pain is a common complaint we see in our clinic—whether you’re pressing heavy, swimming laps, or simply reaching overhead to...

Optimizing running cadence isn’t about mindlessly raising your step rate—it’s about tuning your mechanics, reducing harmful loads, and unlocking smoother, more economical running. Start by measuring your baseline, then experiment with small increases.

Pre-hab, or preventative rehabilitation, is one of the most effective ways to maintain mobility, strength, and overall quality of life as we grow older.

At The Impact Initiative - Woodstock Physical Therapy, we’ve chosen a different path: no insurance billing, no packed schedules, no passing you between providers. That means every minute of your session is about you—your movement, your goals, your results. Here’s why our model matters and what it means for your recovery and performance.

At The Impact Initiative, we partner with youth athletes to build resilient bodies, fine-tune movement patterns, and lay the foundation for lifelong performance and injury resilience.

Quad Strength: Your quads are central to shock absorption, force production, joint stability, and efficient movement. Let's unpack what they do and some good quad exercises to add to your routine to optimize your performance.

At The Impact Initiative, we’re trading our clinic tables for running shoes this October as we tackle the Marine Corps Marathon - our very first Marathon! Training for your first 26.2 miles is as much about smart preparation as it is about mileage. Whether you’re a weekend warrior or a seasoned hybrid athlete stepping into the marathon world, here’s how we’re structuring our build-up—and how you can follow along pain-free.

Your Achilles tendon is the launching pad for every stride—storing and releasing elastic energy, absorbing ground reaction forces, and powering your push-off. We blend data-driven assessment with targeted interventions to help you cultivate an Achilles that’s not just pain-free, but performance-ready.

Let’s unpack how to spot hip weakness early, why it matters for your run economy (and injury resilience), and—most importantly—how to fix it with purposeful, performance-driven strategies.

Training fast-twitch fibers can play a key role in enhancing reactive reflexes, balance, and strength.

When it comes to achieving peak performance and avoiding injury, rest is just as critical as the sets and reps you complete.

At The Impact Initiative - Woodstock Physical Therapy, we’ve worked with enough athletes to know: not all “tight” hips are actually tight. Sometimes, the issue isn’t stiffness—it’s weakness. And treating them the same way? That’s where frustration and plateaus begin.

When we talk about muscle activation, we’re talking about building intentional movement pathways that translate to stronger lifts, better running mechanics, and injury resilience.

If you’re an active adult, runner, hybrid athlete, CrossFitter, or just training hard and dealing with tight, cranky areas that keep slowing you down—cupping could be a great addition to your recovery plan.

At The Impact Initiative - Woodstock Physical Therapy, we don’t rely on dry needling as a one-size-fits-all solution. We use it strategically—when your system needs a reset, when you’re hitting a wall in your training, or when you’ve plateaued in your movement quality. And then we train your body to keep the change. Because pain-free movement is great—but pain-free performance is what we’re after.

While proper training and rehabilitation are essential, nutrition plays a crucial role in how well your body heals, adapts, and performs.