The Prehab Guys

07/21/2025

Navigating ACL Surgery? Swipe to learn more about ACL grafts 👉👉👉

Choosing your graft type isn’t just a surgical detail, it’s a decision that can influence your recovery, reinjury risk, and long-term outcomes. Let’s break it down 👇🏻

Studies show bone-patellar tendon-bone may have one of the lowest graft failure rates, but they come with higher rates of anterior knee pain and longer rehab timelines—up to 4 months longer to return to sport compared to hamstring grafts (HS) in some cases.
 
Hamstring autografts are often linked to easier early rehab, less kneeling pain, and quicker return-to-run milestones, but persistent hamstring weakness can remain 2 years post-op.
 
Quadriceps tendon autografts are gaining popularity due to fewer side effects, low failure rates, and strong functional outcomes, but long-term studies (>5 years) show potentially higher failure rates over time.
 
Allografts avoid donor site morbidity, but carry a significantly higher failure rate in young, active individuals due to slower integration and revascularization.

This decision is nuanced. Graft type, surgeon expertise, and your rehab plan all matter. Get clear on your options and make an informed decision that supports your goals and lifestyle.

Explore our Knee Extension Overhaul Program to support your ACL recovery.

References:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9522752/
https://theprehabguys.com/the-crucial-difference-in-acl-grafts-and-why-this-affects-recovery/ #:~:text=Different%20Types%20of%20ACL%20Grafts,Quadriceps%20Tendon%20Graft%20(QT)

07/20/2025

Good news: Most hip labrum injuries DON'T need surgery 🙌

The secret? The right combination of mobility work, targeted strengthening, and core stability. Our blog walks you through exactly what works (and what doesn't).
Written by our physical therapists, tested on real patients.

Read the full breakdown:

Are you experiencing popping, clicking, or pain in your hips that either started suddenly or has developed over time? If so, you’ve likely wondered what in the world could be causing this sensation and how you can address it. In terms of anatomy, most of us are aware that we have large

07/17/2025

Doing all the clam variations and still not getting a rounder 🍑? Here’s why 👇👇👇

The above exercises have been identified to have the most MVIC% (maximum isometric voluntary contraction) of each of the three glute muscles. Meaning that, the higher the MVIC%, the more work that particular glute muscle is doing.

If you’ve been doing just clam variations, it’s time to add in glute exercises we know are going to lead to a rounder 🍑. Clams can play a role but there are some very targeted exercises you should be doing to get the most burn out of that b***y workout. Try the above exercises and let us know which one you like the most in the comments below!

References:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19574661/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7039033/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7039033/

07/14/2025

Are you doing the right exercises to strengthen your hamstrings?

More and more research is suggesting that targetted hamstring exercises (focusing on both concentric and eccentric motions) can help to reduce the risk of developing a hamstring strain.

The hamstring muscle group is made up of three muscles - the Semimembranosus, the Semitendinosus, and the Biceps Femoris. These three muscles play a crucial role in flexing the knee and extending the hip joint.

A study performed in 2014 examined just how well some of our more beloved hamstring exercises targeted the three muscles of the hamstring muscle group. Using surface-level EMG, the researchers were able to observe the extent of hamstring activation during specific lower extremity-based exercises.

While more research needs to be done on the subject to more closely observe the pattern of hamstring recruitment for these exercises, this study presents some interesting takeaways on how we can better target this important muscle group at the gym, better yet, these exercises and exciting variations can be found on our Prehab app in your Hamstring Prehab program. How does your favorite hammy exercise stack up? Let us know in the comments below!

References:
https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/fulltext/2014/06000/Muscle_Activation_During_Various_Hamstring.11.aspx/1000
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-017-0796-x

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-017-0796-x

07/10/2025

Your Ankles Need This👇
Most people don’t realize how foundational the foot & ankle complex really is. It’s your first point of contact with the ground, and it influences everything—up through your knees, hips, spine… even your head position.

Weak or unstable ankles? They can throw everything off.

Everyone talks about ankle mobility, but here’s the truth:
👉 You can’t access your full ankle mobility without ankle strength and stability.

This post highlights some of our go-to ankle & foot strengthening exercises—ones we believe everyone should be able to do.
They can help with:
✔️ Calf pain
✔️ Plantar fasciitis
✔️ Ankle tightness
✔️ Poor balance

Start here if you want stronger, smarter movement from the ground up.

07/07/2025

Grip strength 🤝 Rotator cuff strength

Nothing is more frustrating than going for that deadlift PR only to find that your grip strength fails you! When we go to the gym, spending time doing exercises targeted toward improving our grip is not typically what comes to mind, but maybe after reading this post, it should be.

Grip strength is important for so many reasons. From opening a jar of sauce to your rotator cuff health - that’s right! One study performed in 2016 found a strong correlation between grip strength and lateral rotator cuff strength, suggesting that grip strength could be used as a monitor of rotator cuff function.

On top of that, several studies have linked grip strength as a predictor of all causes of mortality. With all that being said, grip strength should be on our radar and is something we can easily work on with a few key exercises. Get started with the ones above!

References:
Horsley I, Herrington L, Hoyle R, Prescott E, Bellamy N. Do changes in hand grip strength correlate with shoulder rotator cuff function? Shoulder Elbow. 2016 Apr;8(2):124-9. doi: 10.1177/1758573215626103. Epub 2016 Jan 25. PMID: 27583010; PMCID: PMC4950463.

Hideo Sasaki, Fumiyoshi Kasagi, Michiko Yamada, Shoichiro Fujita, Grip Strength Predicts Cause-Specific Mortality in Middle-Aged and Elderly Persons,mThe American Journal of Medicine,Volume 120, Issue 4,2007,Pages 337-342, ISSN 0002-9343,

07/04/2025

Prehab ≠ Rehab.
Both matter — but they’re not the same.
🔹 Rehab = Recovering from injury
🔹 Prehab = Staying ahead of it

One gets you out of pain.
The other keeps you doing what you love — without setbacks.

Stop waiting for pain to be your wake-up call.
Start with Prehab.

07/03/2025

If you’ve got tight hips, don’t just stretch them — strengthen them through full range. 💪

The hip flexors are crucial for endurance and performance. They connect to the groin and lumbar spine and play a huge role in driving the knee up during running.

Weak or fatigued hip flexors? That can lead to compensations throughout the body — from your shin to your low back — and seriously affect your running efficiency.

Check out these go-to hip flexor strengthening exercises. Bonus points if you include the core — because the hip flexors are part of it.

07/02/2025

When should you push through soreness — and when should you pull back?

Soreness is part of the process. It’s how our tissues adapt, rebuild, and come back stronger. But there’s a line — and knowing when to modify (not stop) is the key to staying consistent.
Pain isn’t always a red light. Sometimes, it’s a yellow — a chance to slow down, reassess, and keep moving smart.

07/01/2025

Bringing back some of our most popular progressions! Progressions matter.
Whether you’re training for performance or coming back from injury, how you level up your exercises can make or break your results.💪💪💪