Why Summer Is Prime Time for Muscle Strains (And What You Can Do About It)
- TJ Martino
- Jun 2
- 3 min read
Every year, like clockwork, we see the same pattern.
The weather gets nicer.
The days get longer.
And suddenly people start doing all the activities they've been looking forward to for months.
Golf.
Pickleball.
Softball.
Running.
Hiking.
Beach volleyball.
Weekend tournaments.
Backyard games.
The problem isn't the activity itself.
The problem is that your body often isn't prepared for the sudden increase in demand.
For months, many people have been spending more time indoors, moving less, sitting more, and participating in fewer recreational activities. Then summer arrives and they go from doing very little rotational movement, sprinting, jumping, cutting, or repetitive loading to doing it several times per week.
That's when we start seeing:
- Calf strains
- Hamstring pulls
- Quad strains
- Groin injuries
- Low back tightness
- Neck stiffness
- Hip pain
- Shoulder irritation
Many people assume they simply "moved the wrong way."
In reality, the issue is often that the body wasn't adequately prepared to handle the forces being placed upon it.
Your Body Needs Options
One of the primary roles of mobility is helping your body distribute forces efficiently.
When a joint lacks mobility, the body finds a way to compensate.
If the hips don't move well, the low back may take on extra stress.
If the thoracic spine is restricted, the shoulders and neck often work harder.
If the ankles are stiff, the knees and hips frequently pay the price.
Over time, these compensations can contribute to soreness, stiffness, and injury.
Mobility training helps restore movement options so that stress is shared across multiple joints and tissues rather than concentrated in one area.
Think of it as improving your body's ability to absorb and distribute force.
A Simple Summer Mobility Routine
If you're increasing your activity this summer, consider performing the following mobility sequence several times per week.
1. Rock and Roll
Promotes spinal mobility, hip mobility, and body awareness while encouraging smooth movement through multiple positions.
2. Alternating High Oblique Sit
Improves thoracic rotation, hip mobility, and rotational control, which is particularly valuable for golf, pickleball, softball, and other rotational sports.
3. HOW Cross-Connect Breathing
Improves ribcage, thoracic spine, and hip mobility while enhancing breathing mechanics, rotational control, and the body’s ability to distribute force efficiently during movement.
4. TRX-Supported Squat
Encourages improved ankle, hip, and squat mobility while allowing you to explore deeper ranges of motion with support.
This entire routine can be completed in just a few minutes and can serve as an excellent movement preparation session before activity or as part of a recovery routine afterward.
Mobility Is Only One Piece of the Puzzle
Mobility is important, but mobility alone does not make you resilient.
Having full range of motion is valuable.
Having strength and endurance within that range of motion is even better.
At EVO, our goal isn't simply to make people more flexible.
Our goal is to prepare the body for the specific demands of life, sport, and recreation.
That means looking at:
- Mobility
- Strength
- Cardiovascular fitness
- Balance and coordination
- Power production
- Movement mechanics
- Recovery capacity
Because the reality is that summer activities don't just require movement.
They require tissues that are strong enough, conditioned enough, and resilient enough to tolerate repeated stress.
The best injury prevention plan is one that prepares your body before problems occur.
Don't Wait Until Something Hurts
Most people address mobility, strength, and recovery after an injury.
We believe it's far better to address them beforehand.
If you're planning to spend more time golfing, running, playing pickleball, hiking, or enjoying any of your favorite summer activities, now is the perfect time to make sure your body is prepared.
If you're dealing with recurring tightness, stiffness, aches, or previous injuries, we'd love to help.
Book a Discovery Call to learn how our individualized approach combines mobility, strength training, conditioning, and recovery strategies to help you stay active all summer long.
Click here to schedule your Discovery Call today.
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