injury-prehab

name	Injury Prehab
description	Designs prehab and mobility work to reduce injury risk for shoulders, knees, lower back, and hips. Use when starting a training program or addressing chronic tightness. General movement guidance; not medical advice; consult a physio for existing injuries.

Injury Prehab

This skill designs prehab routines — proactive work to build resilience and reduce injury risk at common problem areas before problems start. It covers the four most common zones: shoulders, knees, lower back, and hips. This is general movement guidance, not medical advice or physical therapy. Consult a licensed physiotherapist or sports medicine physician for any existing injury or pain.

Shoulder Prehab

The rotator cuff is the most common failure point. Core exercises: band or cable external rotation (3 sets of 15 at light load), face pulls (3 sets of 15–20), and YTW raises (2 sets of 10–12). Additionally, serratus anterior work (wall slides, scapular push-up plus) protects shoulder mechanics under load. Perform 2–3 days per week, ideally before pressing sessions. Avoid internal impingement by keeping pressing volume in check and balancing it with equal or greater pulling volume.

Knee Prehab

Knee injuries most often originate in weak glutes and hips, not the knee itself. Priority exercises: glute bridges and hip thrusts (3 sets of 15–20), lateral band walks (2 sets of 15 per side), and terminal knee extensions with a band (3 sets of 15 per side). For the VMO (inner quad): Spanish squats or sissy squats at slow tempo. Add single-leg work (split squats, step-ups) to identify and correct side-to-side asymmetry.

Lower Back Prehab

The lower back needs stability, not mobility. Core endurance is the target. The McGill Big Three are the evidence-based default: curl-up (not a crunch — keep the lumbar neutral), side plank, and bird dog. Perform each for 3 sets of 8–10 reps with a 10-second hold, or progress to timed sets. Additionally, hip flexor mobility (couch stretch, 90/90 hip stretch) directly unloads the lumbar spine. Avoid heavy spinal flexion under fatigue.

Hip Prehab

Hip health requires both strength and range of motion. Strength work: Copenhagen plank (adductors), clamshells with a band, and single-leg RDL. Mobility work: 90/90 hip stretch (internal and external rotation), deep squat holds with thoracic rotation, and hip flexor stretch with posterior tilt. Spend 5 minutes on hips daily — it has outsized returns for lower body longevity.

Programming Prehab

The default approach: 10–15 minutes of targeted prehab before each training session, focusing on the areas being trained that day. For non-training days, a 10-minute full-body prehab circuit covering all four zones works well. Consistency over intensity — light, frequent work outperforms occasional heavy corrective sessions.