https://www.rebuiltstrengthandrehab.com/

Dr. Kyle Richmond DC, 21739 S Center Avenue, New Lenox, IL (2026)

03/14/2026

If your chiropractor’s solution for your “stiff thoracic spine” is adjusting it every visit, that’s probably not the full answer.

The thoracic spine is naturally designed to be a bit stiffer. It’s attached to your rib cage and built for stability so you can breathe, rotate, and transfer force through your trunk. Because of that, a single adjustment isn’t suddenly restoring long-term mobility to that area.

Yes, adjustments can create a temporary change in how things feel. They can reduce sensitivity and sometimes give the sensation that the area is moving better. But that effect is usually short lived if nothing else changes.

A stiff thoracic spine is usually the result of long periods in the same posture, limited rotation through the rib cage, poor control of the trunk, and tissues that simply haven’t been exposed to enough movement or load in those ranges.

That’s why adjustments alone rarely solve the problem...

03/13/2026

A weak groin is often likely to become injured.

I see this all of the time in my clinic, but their solution is just to rest more and hope it never comes back!

The real solution: train it!

03/12/2026

The secret to fixing your low back pain…

Might not be what you think. Pain isn’t always caused by the area we think.

When it comes to treating your low back pain you need to look above (thoracic spine) and below (the hips).

Now with this being said there are cases when your low back does need to be the focus! This is why it’s so important to get an assessment to know the cause of your symptoms!

03/10/2026

• Athletes with limited squat, lunge, or sprint mechanics
• Runners with anterior hip tightness or low-back compensation
• Field and court athletes exposed to repeated hip flexion demands
• Lifters losing position or depth under load

Why each exercise matters ⬇️

Hip Flexion Lift-Offs – Build active strength and control at end-range hip flexion.

Repeated Hip Flexion Stretch (Posterior Pelvic Tilt) – Improves true hip flexion by minimizing lumbar compensation.

Single-Leg Glute Bridge – Enhances pelvic stability to allow cleaner hip flexion mechanics.

Band Resisted Hip Flexion – Progressively loads the hip flexors to improve strength and capacity through range.

Hip Flexion Hovers Over a Yoga Block – Trains end-range control and positional awareness.

Dead Bugs – Integrates hip flexion with trunk stiffness

Hip Flexion Isometric – Builds joint integrity and force production at specific hip angles.

Mobility that doesn’t include control and strength doesn’t transfer to sport - this is how you make it stick.

03/09/2026

Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of foot pain.

It’s an irritation and overload of the plantar fascia, a thick band of connective tissue that runs from your heel bone (calcaneus) to your toes and helps support the arch of your foot.

Most people describe it as:
• a sharp, stabbing pain at the bottom of the heel
• worse with the first few steps in the morning
• or after sitting for a while, then standing up
• sometimes easing as you “warm up”

That’s because the plantar fascia gets stiff when you rest, and the moment you load it again, it gets hit with tension it can’t tolerate.

Here’s the good news:

Plantar fasciitis isn’t just a “foot problem.”
It’s usually a mobility + load management problem.

Limited ankle dorsiflexion, tight calves, stiff big toe extension, and poor foot/arch control all force the plantar fascia to take on extra stress with every step, sprint, jump, or lift.

03/09/2026

Shoulder Extension Mobility ❗️

If you struggle with shoulder pain during the bench press, limited shoulder extension could be part of the problem!

Shoulder extension is the ability to move the arm behind the body. During a bench press, the shoulder moves into extension.

If you don’t have adequate mobility here, the body will often compensate by allowing the shoulders to roll forward, the elbows flare excessively, or the humeral head translates forward in the socket.

Over time, these compensations can place unnecessary stress on the anterior shoulder structures including the pec, long head of the biceps, and the anterior capsule.

03/07/2026

You may have seen online the newest knee craze aka knees over toes.

While I think it’s a beneficial exercise- we know there is a lot more you can do for the overall health of your knees

03/06/2026

If your chiropractor’s only solution for your neck pain is adjusting your neck every visit, it might be time for a new chiropractor.

I’ll be the first to say it. Too many providers rely on the quickest fix. Crack the neck, get a little relief, and send the patient on their way.

But neck pain is rarely just a joint that needs to be “put back into place.”

Most of the time it’s coming from poor load tolerance in the neck, weak deep neck flexors, stiff thoracic mobility, and muscles that haven’t been trained to handle the positions we spend hours in every day.

Yes, adjustments and manual therapy can help reduce pain and calm the nervous system. But they shouldn’t be the entire treatment plan.

Long term progress usually comes from improving neck strength and endurance, restoring thoracic mobility, retraining deep neck flexors, and gradually building the capacity of the tissues that support the head and spine.

03/05/2026

When a nerve can’t glide it becomes more sensitive. That’s what people call “nerve tension.”

It can create symptoms like burning, tingling, pulling, or that deep “tight” feeling even when the muscle itself isn’t actually tight.

Nerve tensioners are movements that gently take a nerve through more of its range, lengthening it from both ends.

• restore normal motion,
• improve blood flow to the nerve,
• and calm down an over-sensitive nervous system.

When used the right way, they help desensitize the nerve and get your body comfortable with movement again. This is obviously huge in rehab and return to sport.

03/04/2026

Time to rethink how you cure your ridiculously tight hamstrings 💁🏼‍♂️

Try things like dynamic stretching, nerve tensioners, end range knee flexion, and loaded positions.

03/03/2026

Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of foot pain.

It’s an irritation and overload of the plantar fascia, a thick band of connective tissue that runs from your heel bone (calcaneus) to your toes and helps support the arch of your foot.

Most people describe it as:
• a sharp, stabbing pain at the bottom of the heel
• worse with the first few steps in the morning
• or after sitting for a while, then standing up
• sometimes easing as you “warm up”

That’s because the plantar fascia gets stiff when you rest, and the moment you load it again, it gets hit with tension it can’t tolerate.

Here’s the good news:

Plantar fasciitis isn’t just a “foot problem.”
It’s usually a mobility + load management problem.

Limited ankle dorsiflexion, tight calves, stiff big toe extension, and poor foot/arch control all force the plantar fascia to take on extra stress with every step, sprint, jump, or lift.

03/02/2026

Hip external rotation is the outward rotation of the femur within the socket.

It plays a key role in frontal and transverse plane control during cutting, deceleration, squatting, and rotational sport demands while also helping manage valgus stress at the knee.

It differs from internal rotation which is also a very hot topic in hip mobility
Both are essential for normal hip mechanics, but range alone is not enough. We need strength and control at end range.

And it is more than just pigeon stretching. I utilize CARs, 90/90 progressions, isometric loading, and progressive end range strengthening to develop active, usable motion rather than passive flexibility.

Dr. Kyle Richmond DC

03/14/2026

03/13/2026

03/12/2026

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03/09/2026

03/09/2026

03/07/2026

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03/02/2026

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