OPAL Movement Therapy

03/10/2026

Chronic pain and stress often feed into each other!

When someone feels stressed and stress hormones like cortisol rise,
sleep may suffer, nutrition can decline, and the body doesn’t feel as well regulated.

This can increase sensitivity in the system, which may lead to more pain.

More pain can then create more stress, thus continuing the cycle!

The immune system also plays a role in this process, which is why these conversations tend to be more relevant in chronic pain than acute injuries.

For example, if someone comes into the clinic with knee pain from a meniscus injury that happened two weeks ago, stress might not be the first topic of discussion.

However, if someone has had back pain for five years and is experiencing a particularly stressful week at work or at home, that context becomes an important part of the conversation.

Pain is not only about tissues -- your sleep, stress, recovery, and nervous system health can all influence how sensitive the system becomes and how long pain persists.

Want to move better for life?💙
Schedule your FREE Discovery Call by clicking the link in our bio or by going to OPALMovementTherapy.com/contact-us 📲💻✨

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03/09/2026

4 Mobility Drills for Your Upper Back (Thoracic Spine) 🔥

Most of us need to improve upper back (thoracic spine) mobility!

It’s naturally stiffer than other parts of the spine because our ribs attach to it. And then we add hours of sitting, driving, working at a computer… and it gets even more stiff!

Try out these 4 exercises from easiest to hardest and feel your upper back:

▪️Thoracic Open Books
▪️Thoracic Windmills
▪️Half-Kneeling Banded Open Books
▪️Standing Trunk Rotations with a Band

Need more help?💙
Schedule your FREE Discovery Call through the link in our bio or by going to OPALMovementTherapy.com/contact-us 📱💻✨

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03/09/2026

Most of us need to improve upper back (thoracic spine) mobility.

It’s naturally stiffer than other parts of the spine because our ribs attach to it. And then we add hours of sitting, driving, working at a computer… and it gets even more stiff!

This kneeling thoracic open book is one way to work on it:

▪️The leg that’s up is the side you rotate toward.

▪️Before adding the band, check your true range: Reach forward and rotate but think about turning through the middle of your chest, not just swinging your arm.

▪️Notice where your hand stops - That’s your mobility.

▪️Now add the band!
If you can’t get as far with resistance as you could without it, that means you have the mobility but not the strength to control it.

Our goal isn’t just to stretch the upper back -- It’s to build strength at end range so the rotation actually carries over into life and lifting!

Mobility gives you access. Strength lets you use it!

Want to move better for life?💙
Schedule your FREE Discovery Call by clicking the link in our bio or by going to OPALMovementTherapy.com/contact-us 📲💻✨

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03/08/2026

If you've been struggling with chronic pain and are interested in learning more about the science behind it & how you can apply that to your day-to-day experience - join Dr. Magda for an interactive webinar!!

Now What? A Practical Plan for Chronic Pain Management is an hour long webinar where you'll dive into pain science, take quizzes, ask questions, and go through a guided brainstorming activity.

This webinar is designed to turn understanding into action!! You'll get real life strategies to help you reconceptualize your pain, get personalized tips, leave with a clear direction and concrete next steps you can start using immediately.

🗓️ Thursday, March 19th
🕜 6:00pm - 7:00pm CT
🌐 Virtually on Google Meet

(If you register but are unable to make the webinar time, you will receive the materials & recording so that you can watch at a different time!)

Register to join Dr. Magda today!💙
Click the link in our bio or go to OPALMovementTherapy.com/chronic-pain-management 💻✨📲

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03/08/2026

We know that living with chronic pain is frustrating. 😥

It impacts sleep, movement, work, relationships -- and often leaves you wondering what’s actually going on.

The good news is we know much more about pain than we used to, and understanding pain science is one of the most important steps in managing chronic pain.

Join Dr. Magda Mitaskza, PT, DPT on March 19th from 6-7 pm CT for an interactive webinar where you’ll:

▪️ Take a simple (true/false) neurophysiology of pain quiz
▪️ Learn how pain is communicated in the body
▪️ Understand what changes when pain becomes chronic
▪️ Reframe how pain impacts different areas of life
▪️ Identify practical strategies to calm the nervous system and improve sleep

This webinar isn't just about sharing information -- you'll leave personalized advice and tools you can actually use!!🔥

If you’re navigating chronic pain or supporting someone who is, this is the perfect webinar for you!

We hope to see you there!

Want to move better for life?💙
Schedule your FREE Discovery Call by clicking the link in our bio or by going to OPALMovementTherapy.com/contact-us 📲💻✨

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03/07/2026

We looove hosting free injury screenings for the athletes to help them feel better & lift stronger! 💪

We were so happy to come out last weekend and met so many amazing people! Can't wait to see everyone again soon! 🔥

03/07/2026

Here's a clip from Dr. Magda's recent webinar on the science behind chronic pain!

Pain is a subjective experience. What you’re feeling is real, but the intensity of your pain does not automatically equal the amount of tissue damage.

When someone says,
“You’re fine.”
“It’s just in your head.”
“Just relax.”

That can actually increase danger signals in the system. Feeling unheard or uncertain about what’s happening can make symptoms worse, not better.

Instead, we start by reconceptualizing the pain based on what we know about pain and the brain. Then we consider that the sensation may have contributors beyond tissue injury.

For example, if you’ve had back pain for years and wake up feeling cranky, the first thought might be:
“What did I do? Did I sprain something?”

But maybe work has been stressful, sleep was off, or your system is just on edge.

Instead of panicking, you modify. Do your mobility work a little lighter, go for a walk outside, call a friend, etc.

Movement plus safety plus emotional support helps calm the nervous system!

We don't want to dismiss the pain - we want to understand it and take steps to promote safety over danger for our nervous system.

Want to move better for life?💙
Schedule your FREE Discovery Call by clicking the link in our bio or by going to OPALMovementTherapy.com/contact-us 📲💻✨

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03/06/2026

Ready to improve your lunges/lunge form?🔥🦵

Try these progressions to feel more confident in your hip hinge and your lunge!

▪️Hip Hinge Progression with a Bench/Chair
▪️TRX Lunge Progression
▪️Reverse Lunge

Comment below any questions you have and let us know how you did!!

Need more help?💙
Schedule your FREE Discovery Call through the link in our bio or by going to OPALMovementTherapy.com/contact-us 📱💻✨

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03/06/2026

If your back leg feels uncomfortable during lunges, it’s often your setup!

1️⃣ First, check your width.
If you’re too narrow, you’ll feel like you’re on a tightrope. Balance gets shaky and the hips get twisty. Start hip-width apart and stay hip-width apart.

2️⃣ Next, look at your back ankle.
If the heel flares out and you roll onto your pinky toe, you shift pressure away from where it should be. Keep pressure through the big toe and stay aligned as you lower.

3️⃣ If your stance is too long, your hips may get twisty.
Try bringing the back foot forward slightly so the hips stay square while you still drive through the front leg.

4️⃣ Lastly, check your weight shift.
If you’re drifting backward, the back leg ends up doing more than it should.

Try out these small adjustments and see how it feels!

Want to move better for life?💙
Schedule your FREE Discovery Call by clicking the link in our bio or by going to OPALMovementTherapy.com/contact-us 📲💻✨

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03/05/2026

"Very professional and personable therapists, clean modern facility and knowledgeable people who tailor their skills and tools to meet you where you’re at and build effective plans for your physical success. I love this place. They’ve helped me so much."

Want to work with us?💙
Schedule your FREE Discovery Call and work with us anywhere in the world by clicking the link in our bio or visiting OPALMovementTherapy.com/contact-us 📱 ✨

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03/05/2026

Here's a great clip of Dr. Evan teaching the hip shinbox drill!This exercise works hip internal and external rotation but the goal isn’t to just flow back and forth.

▪️Start seated with one hip in internal rotation and the other in external rotation

▪️Imagine there’s a string between your knees

▪️Move one hip until you take all the slack out of that string -- meaning you’ve reached your true end range

▪️Then move to the other side and meet that end range as well

The goal is to move only from the hips, not from crunching your torso or bending or twisting your spine.

If you need more room to access the range, you can lean back slightly. Ideally, we're working toward being upright but if that’s too challenging right now, sit back a bit and keep the movement clean.

We’re not chasing speed. We’re teaching the hips to control their full available range.

End range strength is what makes mobility usable. Try a 5-10 reps of this before your next movement session!

Want to move better for life?💙
Schedule your FREE Discovery Call by clicking the link in our bio or by going to OPALMovementTherapy.com/contact-us 📲💻✨

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03/04/2026

Hey everyone!

Have you ever wanted to start heavy strength training but weren’t really sure where to begin?🧐 A lot of people hear how important it is for staying strong as we age but feel unsure about what “heavy” actually means!

In our new YouTube video, Dr. Morgan breaks down what heavy strength training really is and shows how to safely start progressing your weight. If lifting heavy has felt confusing or intimidating, this is the video for you!

Watch or save this for later! Feel free to drop us a comment if you have any questions and stay tuned for our next video on Wednesday!💙

Heavy strength training is one of the best ways to build muscle, support bone density, and stay strong as you age (especially during the pre & post menopause...