Aaron Judge was recently diagnosed with a first rib stress fracture. Most people will focus on the rib. I would focus on the movement system. The first rib is often the victim, not the culprit. Let’s break it down! Thread 1/8

A first rib stress fracture doesn’t happen because the rib randomly decided to fail. Stress accumulates. The question isn’t: “Why did the rib fracture?” The question is: “Why was the rib absorbing so much force?” 2/8

The body works from the middle out. When the deep core and hips fail to stabilize, force transfer breaks down. The body immediately starts looking for stability somewhere else. Compensation begins and “head movement” during the swing is the symptom! 3/8

One of the most common compensation sites? The upper chest, neck, and shoulder girdle. The first rib elevates. The anterior scalene and pectoralis minor become overactive. The area becomes overloaded because it’s doing a job it was never designed to do. 4/9

Poor global movement patterns create poor mechanics. Poor mechanics create excessive stress. Whether it’s throwing or swinging… If the body cannot efficiently transfer force from the ground through the hips and trunk, the shoulder complex absorbs the load. 5/8

The best mechanics emerge from a strong movement system. Deep core stability. Hip stability. Spiral and oblique movement patterns. Clean transitions. Mechanics are often the expression of the movement system underneath. 6/8

This is why simply “fixing mechanics” often fails. You can change positions. But if you don’t address the movement problem causing the compensation… The body will find another way to leak energy. 7/8

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