If you spend a lot of time sitting at a desk or looking down at your phone, chances are your posture — and your shoulders — are paying the price. Over time, poor posture can lead to tight chest muscles, weak upper back muscles, and even neck or shoulder pain. One of our favorite exercises to combat this at Tennessee Back Pain Center  is the IYTWL sequence  — a simple yet powerful way to strengthen the postural muscles (rhomboids, traps, rotator cuff, and posterior deltoids) that support your...

When you’re living with arthritis, pain and stiffness can make it tempting to rest as much as possible. But here’s the surprising truth — too much rest can actually make arthritis pain worse.  The key to managing arthritis and improving your quality of life isn’t inactivity, it’s movement . Why Rest Can Make Arthritis Worse When joints ache, it’s natural to want to avoid using them. However, long periods of rest lead to: Muscle weakness, which makes joints less stable Joint stiffness,...

The deadlift is one of the most effective exercises you can do to build strength, protect your spine, and improve posture. But it’s also...