Leslie Ward, LMBT

04/11/2026

I appreciate you all so much 🥰, but I've already got people booking into June 😳, so you might want to lock in those appointments.

You can call or text Get Up and Glo Medspa at 336-422-7651. 💆‍♀️💆‍♂️

04/07/2026

04/06/2026

"I've had services at some of the top luxury spas around the world, and you just gave me the best massage I've ever had."
🥹🥹🥹

04/04/2026

I'm sooooooooooo excited!!!!!!

Join us for Goat Yoga in the GLO Garden ✨

April 28 we will be teaching Goat Yoga in the beautiful new garden at Get up and GLO! Come find your zen surrounded by adorable goats and nature 🐐 🪴

Get ready to build your balance and strength at our beginner friendly class. Spots are limited and by reservation only - click below to reserve your spot! See you there!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/build-balance-and-strength-at-beginner-goat-yoga-class-tickets-1978940042940?aff=oddtdtcreator

03/31/2026

The Knee Friction: Why The Outside of Your Knee Burns When You Run 🏃‍♂️🔥

Are you a runner, cyclist, or someone who recently started taking long walks, only to be stopped by a sharp, stabbing, or burning pain specifically on the outside edge of your knee? Does the pain strangely disappear when you rest, but return with a vengeance at the exact same distance into your next workout?

You might ice your knee endlessly, but the secret to this highly specific pain is that the knee joint itself is perfectly healthy. You are suffering from a mechanical tension issue that originates entirely in your hip. Welcome to the biomechanics of Iliotibial (IT) Band Syndrome. Let’s look at the premium medical rendering above to see what is physically snapping inside your leg.
The Anatomy: The Leg's Rubber Band
Running down the entire outside length of your thigh is a massive, incredibly thick strip of connective fascia called the IT Band (the white fibrous tissue in the image). The IT Band is not a muscle. It cannot contract or relax. It is a passive, heavy-duty rubber band. However, attached to the very top of this band, right at your hip, is a small, powerful muscle called the TFL (Tensor Fasciae Latae), shown in bright red.

The Biomechanics of the "Snap"
Every time your knee bends past 30 degrees, the thick IT Band physically slides backward over a bony bump on the outside of your knee. When you straighten your leg, it slides forward again. In a healthy body, this sliding motion is frictionless. But when you sit all day, or run with weak glutes, that small red TFL muscle at your hip becomes overworked, exhausted, and incredibly tight.

The Consequence: The Bony Friction
Because the tight red hip muscle is physically attached to the top of the IT Band, it pulls violently upward (as shown by the green arrow), tightening the massive white band like a guitar string.

Now, the rubber band is under maximum tension. When you run, the tight IT Band aggressively snaps and grinds directly against the hard bone with every single stride. This continuous mechanical friction creates severe inflammation (the glowing white/red zone in the illustration). The fire you feel on the outside of your knee is the literal sensation of thick fascia rubbing a bony bump raw.

How to Break the Cycle
Foam rolling the actual IT Band is agonizingly painful and medically useless—you cannot stretch a piece of thick leather. You must release the tension at the top.

Release the Hip: Target the small TFL muscle at the top of your hip using a lacrosse ball to manually release the tension.

Glute Medius Power: Rebuilding your Gluteus Medius stops the TFL from working in overdrive to stabilize your pelvis.

Step Rate (Cadence): If you are a runner, slightly increasing your step rate by taking shorter, quicker steps drastically reduces the mechanical angle of the knee.

Stop icing the knee, and start fixing the hip! 👇🧠

03/22/2026

Upper Crossed Syndrome: The Postural Imbalance You Can’t Ignore

This image represents the classic Upper Crossed Syndrome (UCS)—a predictable pattern of muscle imbalance where tightness and weakness form a cross across the neck and shoulder region. It’s not just posture—it’s a neuromuscular imbalance that alters movement and load distribution.

At the front, the pectoralis muscles become tight and shortened, pulling the shoulders into protraction and internal rotation. This shifts the scapula forward and disrupts normal scapular mechanics. At the same time, the deep neck flexors become weak and inhibited, reducing the ability to stabilize the cervical spine and maintain proper head alignment.

On the posterior side, the imbalance flips. The upper trapezius and levator scapulae become overactive and tight, elevating and stabilizing the scapula excessively, often leading to neck tension and stiffness. In contrast, the lower trapezius and serratus anterior become weak, reducing the ability to upwardly rotate, posteriorly tilt, and stabilize the scapula against the thoracic wall.

Biomechanically, this creates a crossed pattern of dysfunction:
tight anterior chest + tight upper neck
paired with
weak deep neck flexors + weak scapular stabilizers

This imbalance leads to forward head posture, rounded shoulders, and altered scapulohumeral rhythm. The shoulder loses its optimal alignment, reducing efficiency and increasing stress on joints and soft tissues.

Functionally, this affects everything—from desk work to overhead activity. The scapula loses its role as a stable base, forcing the shoulder joint to compensate. Over time, this can contribute to impingement, neck pain, headaches, and reduced upper limb performance.

The key is understanding that UCS is not a single muscle issue—it’s a pattern problem. Correction requires restoring balance by:
improving deep neck flexor activation
reducing overactivity in upper traps and levator
mobilizing tight pectorals
strengthening lower trapezius and serratus anterior

👉 The goal isn’t just “better posture”—it’s restoring efficient muscle coordination and movement patterns.

03/13/2026

Sternocleidomastoid (SCM): The Key Muscle of Neck Rotation and Postural Control

The sternocleidomastoid (SCM) is one of the most prominent and functionally important muscles of the neck. It extends diagonally from the manubrium of the sternum and medial clavicle to the mastoid process of the temporal bone, forming a powerful muscular bridge between the thorax and skull. This anatomical arrangement allows the SCM to play a crucial role in head movement, cervical spine stability, and respiratory mechanics.

Biomechanically, the SCM functions differently depending on whether one side or both sides are activated. When one SCM contracts unilaterally, it produces ipsilateral lateral flexion and contralateral rotation of the head. In simple terms, the head tilts toward the same side while rotating toward the opposite side. This action is essential for everyday movements such as looking over the shoulder or scanning the environment.

When both SCM muscles contract simultaneously, they produce cervical flexion, bringing the head forward. However, due to the natural curvature of the cervical spine, bilateral activation may also contribute to upper cervical extension and lower cervical flexion, creating a coordinated motion that helps stabilize the head over the spine.

The SCM also plays an important role in postural biomechanics. Because the head weighs approximately 4–5 kg, the cervical muscles must constantly counterbalance gravitational forces. The SCM works together with deeper neck flexors and extensors to maintain the head in an upright and balanced position over the spine.

Another important biomechanical function of the SCM is its role as an accessory muscle of respiration. During deep inhalation or respiratory distress, the SCM can elevate the sternum and clavicle, helping expand the thoracic cavity and increase airflow.

However, modern lifestyle habits—such as prolonged smartphone use, forward head posture, and desk work—often place the SCM under continuous strain. This can lead to muscle tightness, trigger points, headaches, and altered cervical mechanics.

When the SCM becomes overactive or shortened, it may contribute to conditions such as forward head posture, cervical imbalance, and even dizziness or cervicogenic headaches due to its close relationship with cervical proprioceptive systems.

From a biomechanical perspective, maintaining healthy SCM function requires balanced activation of deep neck flexors, proper cervical alignment, and mobility of the upper thoracic spine.

Ultimately, the sternocleidomastoid is more than just a visible neck muscle—it is a key stabilizer and movement generator that connects the head, neck, and upper thorax into a coordinated biomechanical system.