A few weeks ago, I asked a new client what he had already tried for his back pain. He surprised me by replying with “Vitamin I.” He could see I was puzzled, so he quickly clarified — Ibuprofen. It’s the first I’d heard of this term, but is it NOT the first time I’ve heard of people taking Ibuprofen routinely or for prolonged periods. For some it’s because...
Shoulder injuries related to vaccine administration (otherwise known as “SIRVA”) is a rare, but possible occurrence when you get any vaccine. SIRVA happens when a vaccine is injected into the capsule of your shoulder joint instead of your deltoid muscle. It can also occur if the needle being used is not the correct length for you, or if it’s administered too high or too deeply into your muscle....
While researching for my latest article in the Portsmouth Herald, I came across an interesting study titled: “Arthroscopy for degenerative knees – a difficult habit to break.” The title of this study is telling. Arthroscopic knee surgery is still 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, studies now indicate that people who...
At one point or another, or perhaps even this very second, you’ve experienced tight knots in your muscles. They are annoying, nagging, uncomfortable, and quite often painful. The most common area to feel these knots is in your upper traps (the triangle shaped area between your shoulder blades and base of your neck). But other areas of your body that love to get knotted up include your mid...
Earlier this week, we put on a free Zoom workshop all about preventing and overcoming knee pain – and one of the questions that came up was if you should apply heat or ice when something is hurting. This is a VERY common question in our office, so we wanted to share the same advice we give to clients right here! When to apply ice: Generally speaking, the...
Have you been told you need to get a cortisone injection? Have you already tried them more than once? Research is now showing that cortisone injections may hurt more than help in the long run! The results of a recent study from Radiology has raised concerns in the medical community about potentially adverse effects on joints following corticosteroid injections. These injections are commonly used to treat arthritis, especially...
It’s that time of year, when we start looking ahead and setting goals for ourselves. It’s especially exciting now because we aren’t only entering a new year – but a new DECADE! Exercising more and losing weight are the top New Year’s resolutions on everyone’s lists year after year. But what if you’re suffering from back or knee pain? One of the worst things you can do is...
New year, new you, right? We’re officially in 2019 and it’s a brand new start… You’re excited, you’re motivated, and you’re on your way to achieving your goals for the year. But what happens when back pain hits you? Or your knee starts to hurt? Or your hip starts bothering you? The last thing you want is for your new routine to be disrupted and your progress halted…...
Still not sure about PT? Have you heard a lot of conflicting information about what we really do as physical therapists? Do you need relief from an injury or chronic pain but you’ve been told surgery is your only option? You’re not alone. So many of our clients have come through our doors for the first time with those same questions. They may have been told over and...
“I have to get surgery for my torn meniscus. I’m going to be out of commission for a while.” “My back problems have gotten so bad that my doctor says I need surgery to repair the herniated disk.” “The MRI doesn’t look so good. Hopefully surgery will be a quick fix.” Sound familiar? Most of us know someone who has been told that they needed surgery for a...
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.
