Why Your Ab Exercises Aren’t Fixing Your Back Pain If you’ve been dealing with back pain for a while, chances are good that someone – whether a well-meaning friend, fitness influencer, or even your doctor – has told you to strengthen your core. It’s one of the most common recommendations I hear from people who come into my clinic. And while core strengthening can be helpful, it’s not...
Think You’ve Got Piriformis Syndrome? It Might Actually Be Sciatica A reader of this column recently wrote to me with the following question: “I’m getting Physical Therapy for lower back pain and sciatica that is said to be from ‘piriformis syndrome’. My PT treatment has consisted of various exercises and some massage. Eight sessions in and no change at all. I’m still having pain when sitting or walking...
Whenever someone finds out I’m a physical therapist, the next question is almost always something like… “What can I do for [insert the blank] injury?” And when it comes to back pain specifically, people often ask me: “Should I be resting it?” It’s no surprise that the vast majority of folks I speak with about back pain have been told by well-meaning friends, family, or even doctors that...
A recent conversation about cortisone shots and back pain due to herniated discs inspired me to write this article. The person I was speaking with was quite misinformed about when cortisone shots are useful – and when they aren’t. By the way, it’s a very common misunderstanding. But since I hate seeing people undergo unnecessary injections or procedures – I’m here to educate. So let’s break it down:...
Knee pain can be incredibly disruptive – turning simple, everyday activities like walking, climbing stairs, or even standing up from a chair into painful challenges. In search of quick relief, many people turn to cortisone shots. By targeting inflammation in the knee joint, cortisone injections can temporarily ease pain and swelling, making them an appealing option when you’re hurting. But cortisone shots are just that – a temporary...
Knee pain affects millions of people worldwide, often interfering with daily activities such as walking, squatting, climbing stairs, and even getting in and out of the car. It is one of the most common musculoskeletal complaints, second only to back pain. Whether your knee pain started suddenly or has worsened over time – you might be wondering – what’s really causing it? And can you get rid of...
Arthroscopic knee surgery is one of the most common surgeries performed – despite research telling us that it’s not nearly as effective as most people are led to believe. Furthermore, the science tells us that people who do undergo arthroscopic knee surgery are more likely to have knee arthritis that advances rapidly – resulting in a total knee replacement that quite possibly could have been avoided. Arthroscopic knee...
6 Tips to Protect Your Back When Shoveling Snow We’re finally getting some winter weather here on the seacoast. And although it’s beautiful – and the skiers are rejoicing – someone still has to shovel that snow and clear it out of the way. If that someone is you – then you’ll want to keep reading. Because repetitive bending and twisting of your back (the primary movement in...
Arthritis is a widespread and debilitating condition that affects over 350 million people worldwide. In the U.S. alone, nearly 58.5 million people live with some form of arthritis, making it one of the leading causes of disability. Until recently, conventional treatments like medication, injections, and surgery were the go-to options for managing arthritis-related pain and immobility. However, more people are seeking natural, non-invasive alternatives to reduce their reliance...
Staying fit and injury-free is essential for maintaining an active lifestyle – especially when you’re over 40. And the more active you are, the better your quality of life tends to be. But here’s the unavoidable reality… As your body ages, so do your natural healing processes. Translation? Recovery times take longer than when you were in your 20s – and you become more vulnerable to injuries as...
Get practical, no-nonsense health and wellness tips from Portsmouth's leading physical therapist, right to your inbox every week.
Portsmouth, NH’s people-first physical therapy studio. We help active adults 40+ find the root cause of their pain and build a long-term plan to fix it, so they can get back to doing what they love most.
