“Your neck isn’t the problem—it’s what’s underneath.” In this episode, I share three unconventional exercises to fix a stiff neck without stretching it. A lot of people focus on stretching their neck, but if you can’t rotate, your body’s locking it down for a reason—usually because your nervous system "knows" it's not stable enough to "allow" rotation. The key? Training the muscles under the neck to stabilize and rotate efficiently. These three drills work from the ground up to create that stability and give your body permission to move freely again. Tune in to learn why your neck is stiff, what your body’s really telling you, and how to fix it with intentional movement.

To book an appointment, join my mentorship, download my fitness app, or follow me on socials: https://www.primal-pt.com/

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With over 20 years as a physical therapist, JJ’s passion for movement along with her unique experiences and training have shaped her into the successful clinician and educator she is.

JJ graduated from the University of Delaware in 2000, which is now ranked as the #1 physical therapy school in the nation. She holds multiple certifications in a variety of advanced specialty techniques and methods, all of which complement her role as an expert clinician and educator. JJ has been certified in dry needling since 2009, and began instructing dry needling in 2012. She currently teaches for Evidence in Motion (EIM), and also independently lectures and trains other clinicians throughout the country in the fields of physical therapy, chiropractic, and sports medicine. She uses her expertise to help other professionals advance their skills and outcomes, either through manual interventions or specialized movement analysis.

JJ Thomas also has certifications in Gray Cook’s Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA), ACE Gait Analysis, Functional Range Conditioning (FRC), The Raggi Method of Postural Evaluation (based out of Italy), and many other joint, soft tissue, and neural mobilization techniques. In addition to these accomplishments, JJ is also a trainer for GMB Fitness, where building a solid foundation fosters restoring functional, pain-free movement.

JJ’s expertise in the area of movement analysis and in dry needling has played a large part in success in the field of sports medicine. JJ has had the honor to work with the US Field Hockey Team, and with individual professional athletes from NFL, MLB, NBA, USATF, PGA, US Squash, USPA (polo), and more.

As a recognized expert in dry needling and consultant for organizations such as the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) and the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), JJ has contributed to national legislative advancements in dry needling. Her work with these organizations includes establishing national education standards for dry needling competence and successfully adding a Trigger Point Dry Needling CPT code for insurance and billing coverage. JJ assisted the APTA in successfully adding a specific CPT code for trigger point dry needling in CPT 2020.

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Follow Dr. JJ Thomas on socials: https://www.primal-pt.com/

“Does your body have what it needs to repair itself every day?” In this episode, I break down why tendonitis and tendinopathy stick around—long after the pain should’ve gone away. We talk about the root causes of tendon breakdown, from mechanical issues like poor movement patterns to deeper problems like limited blood flow, hormone imbalances, and missing building blocks in your diet. I explain why essential amino acids matter, how hormone levels can stall healing, and why movement without the right inputs won’t cut it. Listen in if you want to actually fix your tendinitis—not just mask the pain.

To book an appointment, join my mentorship, download my fitness app, or follow me on socials: https://www.primal-pt.com/

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With over 20 years as a physical therapist, JJ’s passion for movement along with her unique experiences and training have shaped her into the successful clinician and educator she is.

JJ graduated from the University of Delaware in 2000, which is now ranked as the #1 physical therapy school in the nation. She holds multiple certifications in a variety of advanced specialty techniques and methods, all of which complement her role as an expert clinician and educator. JJ has been certified in dry needling since 2009, and began instructing dry needling in 2012. She currently teaches for Evidence in Motion (EIM), and also independently lectures and trains other clinicians throughout the country in the fields of physical therapy, chiropractic, and sports medicine. She uses her expertise to help other professionals advance their skills and outcomes, either through manual interventions or specialized movement analysis.

JJ Thomas also has certifications in Gray Cook’s Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA), ACE Gait Analysis, Functional Range Conditioning (FRC), The Raggi Method of Postural Evaluation (based out of Italy), and many other joint, soft tissue, and neural mobilization techniques. In addition to these accomplishments, JJ is also a trainer for GMB Fitness, where building a solid foundation fosters restoring functional, pain-free movement.

JJ’s expertise in the area of movement analysis and in dry needling has played a large part in success in the field of sports medicine. JJ has had the honor to work with the US Field Hockey Team, and with individual professional athletes from NFL, MLB, NBA, USATF, PGA, US Squash, USPA (polo), and more.

As a recognized expert in dry needling and consultant for organizations such as the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) and the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), JJ has contributed to national legislative advancements in dry needling. Her work with these organizations includes establishing national education standards for dry needling competence and successfully adding a Trigger Point Dry Needling CPT code for insurance and billing coverage. JJ assisted the APTA in successfully adding a specific CPT code for trigger point dry needling in CPT 2020.

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Follow Dr. JJ Thomas on socials: https://www.primal-pt.com/

Why do some people with back pain never seem to get better? In this episode, I talk about how muscle activation plays a critical role in protecting the spine and preventing low back pain. I dive into key research from Paul Hodges and Angela Hibbs that shows how muscles like the multifidi, transverse abdominis, and glutes fire differently in people with and without back pain. I also go over the top 8 exercises I use at Primal to strengthen these muscles in all three planes of motion. These exercises focus on engaging the core effectively, training stability through movement, and avoiding common compensation patterns that lead to pain. Tune in to learn why your glutes and multifidi are critical for spinal stability, how core muscles fire late in people with low back pain, and which exercises can retrain these muscles to prevent injury.

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Get A Free Copy Of My Book: 5 Things Your MUST do to Build a Successful Cash Based PT Practice: This quick, easy-to-read guide is your no BS steps to what really works in building a Cash Based Physical Therapy business.
👉 https://bit.ly/SuccessfulCashBasedBusinessebook

For more on our in person Physical Therapy continuing education classes, check out our Primal University 🎓 https://bit.ly/primaluniversityyt

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Learn More about Primal Physical Therapy 👉 https://bit.ly/primalphysicaltherapy

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With over 20 years as a physical therapist, JJ’s passion for movement along with her unique experiences and training have shaped her into the successful clinician and educator she is.

JJ graduated from the University of Delaware in 2000, which is now ranked as the #1 physical therapy school in the nation. She holds multiple certifications in a variety of advanced specialty techniques and methods, all of which complement her role as an expert clinician and educator. JJ has been certified in dry needling since 2009, and began instructing dry needling in 2012. She currently teaches for Evidence in Motion (EIM), and also independently lectures and trains other clinicians throughout the country in the fields of physical therapy, chiropractic, and sports medicine. She uses her expertise to help other professionals advance their skills and outcomes, either through manual interventions or specialized movement analysis.

JJ Thomas also has certifications in Gray Cook’s Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA), ACE Gait Analysis, Functional Range Conditioning (FRC), The Raggi Method of Postural Evaluation (based out of Italy), and many other joint, soft tissue, and neural mobilization techniques. In addition to these accomplishments, JJ is also a trainer for GMB Fitness, where building a solid foundation fosters restoring functional, pain-free movement.

JJ’s expertise in the area of movement analysis and in dry needling has played a large part in success in the field of sports medicine. JJ has had the honor to work with the US Field Hockey Team, and with individual professional athletes from NFL, MLB, NBA, USATF, PGA, US Squash, USPA (polo), and more.

As a recognized expert in dry needling and consultant for organizations such as the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) and the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), JJ has contributed to national legislative advancements in dry needling. Her work with these organizations includes establishing national education standards for dry needling competence and successfully adding a Trigger Point Dry Needling CPT code for insurance and billing coverage. JJ assisted the APTA in successfully adding a specific CPT code for trigger point dry needling in CPT 2020.

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Join Dr. JJ Thomas On Social:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/primalphysicaltherapy/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jj-thomas-31755023/

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