Dr. Leada Malek, PT, DPT, SCS

Dr. Leada Malek, PT, DPT, SCS Physical therapy and performance training, virtually anywhere. Available by appointment.
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So you tweaked your shoulder…⁣⁣Ask and you shall receive! A swipe-thru of my favorite “i just tweaked my shoulder” exerc...
05/25/2026

So you tweaked your shoulder…⁣
⁣
Ask and you shall receive! A swipe-thru of my favorite “i just tweaked my shoulder” exercises…⁣
⁣
AKA low-load shoulder exercises that focus on restoring range of motion, scapular stability & rotator cuff control when other motions are suddenly out-of-reach due to pain.⁣
⁣
—⁣
RTC injuries can affect people of all ages and from the weekend warriors to the pro athlete. Overuse and age are one reason, but acute injury is another. Asymptomatic tears are common! This may happen from direct trauma to the shoulder, poor overhead mechanics in sport, or falls. ⁣
⁣
Theories vary when it comes to chronic issues (i.e. age-related changes), but we do know that a healthier & more efficient shoulder can help counter any changes going on within the tendon to contribute to injury and even reduce the need for surgical intervention. ⁣
⁣
Shoulder impingement & rotator cuff tendinitis are old terms we’re moving away from as well learn more. “Rotator cuff syndrome” (RCS) is now being describe injury or age-related changes affecting this group of 4 muscles AND any impingement-like symptoms.⁣
⁣
Fire up the scapular stabilizers & rotator cuff muscles! I recommend dialing into this every now and then, especially if you lift weights, do overhead sports, or work with your arm overhead.⁣
⁣
By targeting muscles that control these region, you can improve capacity of the shoulder is better prepared to sustain loads thru and generate power from it.⁣
⁣
These are some exercises I often prescribe and had to do myself to address rotator cuff/scapular muscles, while slowly regaining range of motion AND strength in certain positions.⁣
⁣
-Prone ER⁣
-Prone Hover⁣
-Prone ER to Press⁣
-Serratus Walk Out⁣
-Floor press⁣
-Eccentric ER⁣
-Eccentric flexion⁣
-Lat Raises⁣
-Sidelying Trio Series⁣
⁣
PT TIPS:⁣
-some positions will call for a lighter weight, some not⁣
-keep it challenging⁣
-keep discomfort LOW, if it lingers into the next AM, it was too much⁣
-consistency and gradual progressions challenging different shoulder positions are IMPERATIVE to return to activity⁣
-pain-free does not mean healed and ready for activity!!

My tiny space is a VIBE.I just moved to San Francisco after 12 years in a 500 sq ft Oakland apartment — the one that saw...
05/20/2026

My tiny space is a VIBE.

I just moved to San Francisco after 12 years in a 500 sq ft Oakland apartment — the one that saw me grow this entire page through the pandemic. 🤍

Mind you, my last “set up” was a basket full of resistance bands, a literal Swiffer broomstick, a foam roller, a yoga mat, a TRX I had invested in years before.. laid out in front of my bedroom door.

I still don’t have a garage gym (one day I swear). What I have now is one extra room: a bay window, a desk, two bookshelves… and a full PT + strength studio packed into 9×11 feet. With my dog very much included.

PSA: You don’t need a fancy gym, a spare bedroom, or an insane budget to rehab an injury or get genuinely strong at home. You need a few right things, chosen on purpose.

Find tools that offer more than one function. like the massage ball that lives in my freezer. Space saving things are a godsend. Stuff that folds, stacks, and disappears into a corner.

I haven’t quite named my gym yet but it is a PARTY in here when I do choose to work out (especially at night).

IMO if you build a space you actually enjoy being in.. it’s going to encourage you to be in there! Because the best equipment in the world does nothing if you avoid the room.

I made this little studio mine, down to the tiny fridge and the lamp that syncs to my music, and it’s the reason I actually show up. Yes it helps that I can confidently build out programs etc etc but this truly is my lil corner now!

Swipe through for every single piece and what each one’s really for.

Save it for the next time you catch yourself saying “I don’t have the space” because you do. And tag the friend who keeps waiting until they have a “real gym” to start. 👀

Comment LIST and I’ll DM you my faves including the ones I’d rebuy first if I had to start the whole thing over.

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Tendons are sneaky.“It only hurts when I play.”“My jump height is the same.”“I can still squat.”As a PT treating athlete...
05/16/2026

Tendons are sneaky.

“It only hurts when I play.”
“My jump height is the same.”
“I can still squat.”

As a PT treating athletes (and athletes of life), I hear this almost every week.

✅ SAVE this for reference!

Patellar tendinopathy — aka Jumper’s Knee — is sneaky (imo). It might not let you know right away.

Calling it an overuse injury assumes that you’ve reached full capacity. When in reality, most of the time it’s an issue of too much load and not enough capacity. It’s not an OVERUSE injury. It’s an UNDER-PREPARATION injury.

The 6 mistakes I see most:
1️⃣ Resting completely → tendons need load
2️⃣ Stopping at eccentrics → tendon responds to load, not contraction type
3️⃣ Treating it like a knee problem → train the chain
4️⃣ Trusting jump height → output can lie
5️⃣ Trusting how it feels in the moment → use the 24-hr rule
6️⃣ Doing too much, too soon → progress ~10%/week

✨ The piece most people miss:
A decline squat, Spanish squat, leg extension, or isometric at different angles all load the same tendon — but not the same part of it the same way. If you’re working with someone that can program your progressions correctly, it’s worth noting what set up is best for you at the stage you’re at in your rehab.

THE BASICS:
3 ways to load (find your entry point):
→ Isometrics: wall sit, Spanish squat, seated knee ext
→ HSR: decline squat, split squat, step down (3s/3s · 3×6-8)
→ Plyos: full progression coming in a future post 👀

PLS DONT FORGET THE FULL PICTURE:
Sleep, stress, life all matter. But of the variables driving tendon pain, load is the most-studied AND the most in your control.

Have you ever had patellar tendon pain?

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“I used to be so much stronger when I was younger.”I hear this almost every week in my clinic. And while it’s partially ...
04/25/2026

“I used to be so much stronger when I was younger.”

I hear this almost every week in my clinic. And while it’s partially true, it’s rarely the whole story!

You played sports growing up. You moved more days than not in your 20s. Then career, life, and injuries happened. All of a sudden, what happened?

Training changes mean stimulus changes.

📚 WHY IT MATTERS:

Resistance training is one of the most powerful tools we have for longevity. The benefits go FAR beyond looking strong:

→ Bone density: RT loads bone, helping prevent osteoporosis and fractures (especially critical in your 30s and 40s when peak bone mass is set)
→ Muscle mass + strength: directly fights sarcopenia, which doubles your risk of falls and frailty later in life
→ Metabolic health: improves insulin sensitivity, blood sugar regulation, and cardiovascular markers, the list is LONG!
→ Lower all-cause mortality: strength is one of the most consistent predictors of how long, and how well, you live
→ Mental health: reduces depression and anxiety symptoms, improves sleep quality
→ Independence: no falls, live your life!

💪 ACSM just published their first major resistance training update in 17 years — reviewing 137 studies and 30,000+ participants.

Here’s what they landed on:
→ Train at least 2 days per week
→ Train all major muscle groups
→ 2-3 sets per exercise
→ Stop ~2-3 reps before failure

✨ What surprised researchers:
→ You don’t need a gym (bands, body weight, isometrics all count)
→ Most variables we used to obsess over don’t matter as much (strict load, tempo, rest periods, equipment type)
→ Power training is now a big pillar — velocity-based training and explosive intent matter
→ Individualizing > rigid programming
→ Consistency > perfection

IT WORKS BASICALLY ANY WAY YOU DO IT!

That should feel freeing. No more waiting for the perfect program, the right gym, etc. There isn’t one.

But it also means there’s no more excuse not to. Because the cost of doing nothing is everything I listed above.

Start simple. Train consistently. Keep going.

Send it to the friend who keeps saying they’re “getting old.”They’re prob just undertrained. 🤍

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I CAN FINALLY SAY!!Over 138,000 copies of this book have joined people on their movement journeys!!!I genuinely did not ...
04/15/2026

I CAN FINALLY SAY!!

Over 138,000 copies of this book have joined people on their movement journeys!!!

I genuinely did not see this coming — and I have a lot of feelings about it. 🥹

Science of Stretch turned 2 a few months ago. For those of you who have been here since the beginning…you know what a journey this has been.

Did you know i received my first copy in the mail and didn’t touch it for 4 months bc i was so overwhelmed?! 😂

For those of you who are new, hi! Let me catch you up.

Once upon a time I got an email from DK/Penguin Random House asking if I’d be interested in authoring the next book in their Science of series. I thought it was a scam. It was not lol.

I almost said no. Seriously. Stretching felt like a topic with too much noise and too many extreme opinions on both ends. But I called myself out for sitting in my own biases and realized that’s exactly why someone needed to write it. So I said yes and spent the next 18 months in a complete blur.

This was never a “you must stretch more” book.

It was about giving people a framework to understand their body and move with less fear, something evidence-based, practical, and realistic enough to actually use for life.

What surprised me most wasn’t hitting 138k. It was the messages. From patients who finally felt like they understood their body. From PTs using it with clients. From people who had been scared to move and finally felt like they could. That’s what this was always for.

It’s available in English, German, Italian, Japanese, Chinese, Dutch, Spanish, and more I truly can’t keep track.

You can find it at Barnes & Noble, on Amazon, and if you comment STRETCH I’ll DM you the link directly.

If you already have it — thank you. Genuinely. From the bottom of my PT heart. You made this possible. 🤍

Keep it movin’ y’all.

xo, Dr. Leada

Thank you Emilie Bers Graff for capturing the moment I saw my book for the first time ever. 🥹
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No one talks about the unexpected grief that can sometimes show up in physical therapy.You really don’t experience it un...
04/08/2026

No one talks about the unexpected grief that can sometimes show up in physical therapy.

You really don’t experience it until it’s happened to you. Luckily, in our profession it’s not really one that happens often (by design, I mean, I’m not built for this cmon).

But when it does, the shock and grief comes swinging.

When you’ve worked with a patient for 5 years straight. Or every month. You’ve been their go-to for all things random aches and pains, but also talking about life.

You know the trips they went on, their family stories. They know yours, like when you get engaged and get to show them the ring at your next visit. You meet over zoom and get to know the whole family while you’re at it.

They’re a regular. You’re a physical therapist, but they joke sometimes you’re an everything-therapist. Your check in’s go from “How’s the back?” To “How’s the family? Also, how is that back?”

Despite what life’s aches, pains, and ailments come up you at least know you’re screening and keeping everything else in check because they deserve that.

Until one day, and you’ll never know which, but it’s your last visit with them.

The last time you’ll hear their jokes.
The last time you’ll have to coerce them into trying a new exercise.
The last time you’ll check in and see if they did their exercises.

Because when you go to check in the next time and they no-show you just know something must have happened.

Sometimes we lose sight of just how much human connection this profession gives us. Real people with real lives and we get to help them walk through it doing what they love.

To my patient, thanks for the early morning sessions. Your wife told me you “never did a damn thing” I said to, but I knew you were listening. You probably think this is sappy and too long. Thanks for trusting me with your care this long. Rest Easy🤍🕊️

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Tendons can be rude. But I think they’re mostly misunderstood😬I had so many questions on my story asking to elaborate on...
03/21/2026

Tendons can be rude. But I think they’re mostly misunderstood😬

I had so many questions on my story asking to elaborate on what tendons “NEED” after a certain point so time for class!

Tendons can be rude, it’s fine! The tendon doesn’t care how many reps you did. It doesn’t care what you thought about it. It may not even let you know how it felt that moment…but the next morning it’s screaming.

Tendons need the right stimulus with LOAD>

This carousel breaks down what tendons actually are, why “just rest it” keeps so many people stuck, and what loading needs to look like to drive real change.

A few things that might surprise you:

-Tendons fall into two classifications energy-storing and positional. This should be taken into account with programming.
-Inflammation gets blamed for a lot in tendinopathy. But it’s not the primary driver! While there are inflammatory markers, it’s not the primary driver. So chasing recurring Achilles or Patellar tendon pain with rest, ice, and anti-inflammatories as the official treatment and ALL the treatment misses the entire loading piece.
-Mid-range, pain-free loading is a fine place to start. But if that’s where your program stays, your tendon figured it out a long time ago and stopped adapting. Getting to real tissue change means going heavier, slowing down, and accumulating time under tension.

Tendons can be finicky! Rehab takes weeks to months. Ideally, you’re getting a treatment plan ASAP because things can be little harder as it continues.

💥A NOTE ON PAIN:
While not all pain is an indicator of DAMAGE, it is an indicator that the body has perceived something as a threat. Remember it’s just a signal and once we can learn to “decode” it, it’s a lot less limiting on your daily activity and activity goals.

Have you had tendon pain? Which one was it?

(Comment ‘MOVE’ to get the link for my book, Science of Stretch! )

Hip flexor snapping or soreness?⁣ have you trained em?!⁣I am always so surprised at how commonly difficulty it is for pe...
03/10/2026

Hip flexor snapping or soreness?⁣ have you trained em?!
⁣
I am always so surprised at how commonly difficulty it is for people to actively flex their hip, especially after an old hip injury.⁣
⁣
WHAT?⁣
The hip flexors are 👑 when it comes to the anterior hip! ⁣
They provide stability to the front of the hip and help with power production. ⁣
⁣
It does not have to be complicated. This progression hits major key areas for the athlete and active person. Each one requiring different levels of hip, knee, and ankle involvement with varying intensities based on movement & band placement.⁣
⁣
Strong hip flexors can:⁣
✔️Make you move/RUN, faster⁣
✔️Increase power with plyometric activity⁣
⁣
🛑 This is your sign to stop neglecting your hip flexors! ⁣
YOUR HIPS NEED TO BE STRONG IN ALL DIRECTIONS!⁣
⁣
Some soreness is normal after a new or challenging workout. But constant pain or feeling like your hips just can’t keep up with things like running or jumping is not and may be simply addressed with a little targeted strength training. ⁣
⁣
Tendinopathies can come down to overload or lack of strength in the hip muscles. ⁣
⁣
Does it snap?⁣
Snapping hip syndrome is characterized by an audible or palpable snap with hip movement. There are a FEW reasons for this snap. Internal snapping may be related to the iliopsoas and bony prominences inside the hip. Other reasons may include the inside of the joint or other pathology, an exam can help tease this out.⁣
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Runners, lifters, walkers, & all athletes can benefit from strength and control of one of the strongest joints of the body. ⁣
⁣
❓How do you start if you just can’t seem to break thru this constant soreness for effective training? ⁣
⁣
Strengthening! Target some of the range, then add to it. Load management of exercise (how much) is also key, along with a proper assessment. ⁣
⁣
Form tips:⁣
-band above the knees = easier. Band around laces = harder.⁣
-move slow and controlled first⁣
-play with tempo and resistance⁣
⚠️ Different hips allow for different range. DON’T force anything that’s painful! Control what you have. ⁣
⁣
An assessment is key to see what’s right for YOU at this point in time.⁣
⁣
Have you done any of these?⁣

I am in awe. (Again.)⁣⁣Two years ago I wrote about Simone Biles and Suni Lee…athletes who stepped away, prioritized thei...
02/24/2026

I am in awe. (Again.)⁣
⁣
Two years ago I wrote about Simone Biles and Suni Lee…athletes who stepped away, prioritized their mental health, and came back stronger.⁣
⁣
This Winter Olympics, I watched it happen again. A literal master class in everything that keeps women and girls in sport and succeeding. The impact this will have on younger athletes will be profound.⁣
⁣
They have proven that taking the time to shift gears, even if that meant stepping away from competition, and surrounding yourself with positive social support CAN result in a comeback.⁣
⁣
The stigma in mental health and pressure to compete on the world’s greatest stage doesn’t make it easy to do that.⁣
⁣
❄️Chloe Kim nearly quit from burnout. ⁣
❄️Alysa Liu retired at 16 and came back on her own terms. ⁣
❄️Mikaela Shiffrin reframed what showing up even meant. ⁣
❄️Amber Glenn said out loud at a press conference that her period was affecting her performance and that we need to talk about it. ⁣
❄️Erin Jackson came off a December hamstring tear and three chronic herniated discs and still finished 0.05 seconds off the podium. ⁣
❄️Federica Brignone won double gold 10 months after an injury.⁣
❄️ Mathilde Gremaud of Switzerland said her legacy isn’t the medals, it’s wanting people to be nice to themselves.⁣
⁣
These women are leading by example, and the science backs every part of it. ONE factor consistently predicts sports injury risk: STRESS. (Rogers, Tanaka et al., Sports Health 2024)⁣
⁣
📌 85%+ of adolescent girls don’t meet daily movement guidelines. Top reasons being belonging, pressure, sport stops being fun. (Hopkins et al., 2022)⁣
⁣
✨ Tips for navigating injury and your relationship with sport:⁣
⁣
1. Know your WHY — moving for joy is your best injury prevention tool⁣
2. Investigate pain early — uncertainty is destabilizing⁣
3. Build your support system intentionally⁣
4. Address fear of movement — PTs can help⁣
5. Learn your body’s cues and honor them⁣
6. Seek psychological support — CBT and motivational interviewing work⁣
⁣
Congratulations to all the athletes of the 2026 Olympics. You are AMAZING. ⁣
⁣
REMEMBER TO TUNE IN MARCH 6 to the PARALYMPICS!!⁣
⁣
—-⁣
⁣

I am in awe. (Again.)Two years ago I wrote about Simone Biles and Suni Lee…athletes who stepped away, prioritized their ...
02/24/2026

I am in awe. (Again.)

Two years ago I wrote about Simone Biles and Suni Lee…athletes who stepped away, prioritized their mental health, and came back stronger.

This week at the 2026 Winter Olympics, I watched it happen again.
Chloe Kim nearly quit from burnout.
Alysa Liu retired at 16 and came back on her own terms.
Mikaela Shiffrin reframed what showing up even meant.
Amber Glenn said out loud at a press conference that her period was affecting her performance and that we need to talk about it.
Erin Jackson came off a December hamstring tear and three chronic herniated discs and still finished 0.05 seconds off the podium.
Federica Brignone of Italy won double gold ten months after an injury so severe she nearly lost the ability to walk — her mantra was just “tomorrow is better.” And Mathilde Gremaud of Switzerland said her legacy isn’t the medals — it’s wanting people to be nice to themselves.

These women are leading by example, and the science backs every part of it.

📌 ONE factor consistently predicts sports injury risk: STRESS. (Rogers, Tanaka et al., Sports Health 2024)

📌 85%+ of adolescent girls don’t meet daily movement guidelines. Top reasons? No belonging, pressure, sport stops being fun. (Hopkins et al., 2022)

✨ Tips for navigating injury and your relationship with sport:

1. Know your WHY — moving for joy is your best injury prevention tool
2. Investigate pain early — uncertainty is destabilizing
3. Build your support system intentionally
4. Address fear of movement — PTs can help
5. Learn your body’s cues and honor them
6. Seek psychological support — CBT and motivational interviewing work
Joy isn’t soft. It’s the strategy.

Have you ever fallen out of love with your sport and what helped you come back?

Congratulations to all the athletes of the 2026 Olympics. You are AMAZING.

REMEMBER TO TUNE IN MARCH 6 to the PARALYMPICS!

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