"Movement Quality is Misleading: Why We Shouldn't Chase Perfection"

How Movement Quality Can Be Misleading (And What We Look At Instead)

“Move better, feel better.”

It’s a common saying in rehab and fitness circles, and there’s some truth to it.

But chasing movement quality without context? That can be misleading. And in many cases, it leads to unnecessary restrictions and missed opportunities to load. Because when we chase perfection in an imperfect world we undoubtedly cause fear avoidance and related stressors.

Movement quality is meaningful, but only under the lens of a person’s goals, capacity, and current state of readiness.

Perfect movement doesn’t always mean progress

You can have a technically perfect squat on camera but still experience pain if the load, volume, or tempo exceeds what your body is ready to handle.

You can have a messy looking lift and be totally fine because your system is well adapted to the stress.

Movement quality, in isolation, is just a snapshot. It’s not a full picture of how someone handles load, fatigue, or recovery. And it definitely doesn’t predict injury the way we once thought it did.

What matters more is how someone tolerates stress over time and whether we’re applying the right amount of it.

What we look at instead

We still value mechanics. We coach technique. But we use a broader set of indicators to guide our decisions:

• Does the movement provoke symptoms, or resolve them?

• How does the person respond after the session — better, worse, or the same?

• What’s their level of control under fatigue or load?

• How confident do they look and feel performing it?

• Can they progress without compensation or regression, with uniform control?

These are the real questions that drive sustainable outcomes.

Movement patterns aren’t static

Here’s the thing, movement changes.

It changes based on fatigue, emotional state, time of day, even sleep quality. So pinning your entire rehab plan on getting someone to “move right” before they can progress is often a waste of time and a fast track to frustration.

Instead, we help clients find movement solutions that work now and evolve as their strength and capacity grow.

That might mean modifying stance, using a tempo, or changing the implement. But the goal isn’t to chase an ideal. It’s to chase what works.

Movement quality matters. But movement tolerance matters more.

When you focus on the person, not just the pattern, you stop playing movement police and start becoming a real guide.

Because the goal isn’t perfect form. The goal is confident, capable, and adaptable movement for life.