Tag Archive for: physical therapist

Is Pilates the missing link in your fitness?

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Pilates has been around for about 100 years, and it still amazes me how many people have NOT heard of this incredible exercise method.

It was first created by Joseph Pilates and initially gained popularity among the dance community as a way to recover from and prevent injuries. But you don’t have to be a dancer to practice Pilates — or enjoy the benefits.

I’ve been incorporating Pilates into my physical therapy practice for the last 10 years and it’s been transformational for both my clients AND my practice. Every March, we join participants from all across the globe to share the love for the original work of Joseph Pilates. Over the years, much of Pilates has turned contemporary, but for one month – the Pilates community pays respect to his traditional, classical Mat exercises. This movement is known as March MATness, and anyone can join!

Pilates is a full body strengthening system that emphasizes breath, precision, coordination, and core strength — and it helps my clients connect to their bodies in a way that they haven’t been able to achieve with traditional strengthening methods.

Most of my clients are well into their 50’s and 60’s, and they love Pilates because it helps them have more energy, better balance, and improved strength and mobility. It allows them to participate in all the activities they love with more ease, and most importantly, significantly decreases the likelihood that their injury will come back.

Here are five reasons why Pilates was a missing link in my physical therapy practice, and why it might be the missing link to YOUR life-long fitness as well.

1. Pilates helps prevent back pain.

Once you hit 40, your risk of back injury starts to climb. We see a lot of folks with recurring back pain in our office. They’ve seen traditional physical therapists or chiropractors who get rid of their pain in the short term, but they aren’t able to keep it gone. Regular practice of Pilates is a safe and sustainable way to help keep your back pain-free. It focuses on core strength but also is a well-balanced exercise system — so it keeps your back feeling mobile in all directions — a missing link in most “back strengthening programs.”

2. Pilates strengthens your whole body, not just your core.

One of the keys to lifelong fitness is what I call “balanced strength.” That’s when each part of your body works together to produce the right amount of force, at the right time, to do your favorite activity in the most efficient way possible. Efficiency means you’ll be able to do it for a lot longer. I see lots of strong people in my office, but often certain muscles are working harder than others. And this can cause problems down the line. Pilates emphasizes full body strength that is coordinated — and this leads to a balanced body.

3. Pilates helps you get flexibility the right way.

Do you stretch your hamstrings every single day and find they just never get more flexible? It’s probably because you’re not stretching the right way — or maybe you don’t even need to be stretching them at all! What I love about Pilates is that it stretches your body in a dynamic way — with movement — so that muscles lengthen the right way and where they are supposed to. “Mobility before stability” is a phrase you will hear me say often, and it’s one of the keys to lifelong fitness.

4. Pilates puts very little stress on your joints.

Aging is a real thing and along with it comes arthritis. But it’s not a death sentence like most people are led to believe! The key to combating arthritis is maintaining a mobile and well balanced joint. When you optimize everything that surrounds your arthritic joints, your symptoms decrease. Pilates helps with all this and doesn’t cause any added stress. When your joints are happier, it becomes much easier to do your favorite activities – hopefully for life!

5. Pilates trains your nervous system.

Huh? Is that even a thing? Yes it is — and it’s almost ALWAYS a missing link that I see for people who’ve been at a certain activity for a really long time and then suddenly things start breaking down. They start experiencing pain when they never have before. If you don’t train your nervous system, it gets lazy, and that is how compensations develop in your body. Pilates helps with this because it is a mind-body exercise that emphasizes balanced strength and coordination. Your nervous system can’t get lazy when you do Pilates!

If you’re not yet incorporating Pilates into your fitness or rehab routine — what are you waiting for?

Check out our Pilates 101 Get [Your] Back to Health Program. This is our one-of-a-kind 8-session program that delivers safe, yet highly effective Pilates-based core strengthening exercises that are easy on the joints, and help improve your flexibility and posture. Apply here!

Persistent neck pain and tired of not getting answers?

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Have you been dealing with annoying, on and off neck pain for a while now? Have you tried treating shoulder pain with no real results? Are you frustrated with empty answers?

Or maybe you know someone else who is dealing with this?

Over 30% of people report they have neck pain. Of those, 50% will continue to have problems without any real answers or solutions.

When clients come to us with neck pain, often they’ve already tried several approaches without success. But the real issue I see is that everyone they’ve seen up to that point has failed to give them a full and accurate diagnosis.

Without an accurate diagnosis, treatment fails.

It’s not surprising. The true cause (or causes) of neck pain can be easily missed by many, and is sometimes difficult to diagnose.

Why?

There are a few reasons…

  1. The anatomy of your neck, unlike the rest of your spine, is fairly intricate. Not only does this require special care and accuracy when it comes to examining your neck, it makes it easy for someone who is not expertly trained to miss things.
  2. Shoulder pain is very often confused with neck pain. What I mean is, it’s possible to only feel pain in your shoulder, but the real source of the problem is your neck. If you’ve ever been treated for a “shoulder problem” and it hasn’t gotten any better (or maybe it got worse!), there’s a good chance you were misdiagnosed.
  3. Your core strength has a lot to do with how well your neck functions. When it comes to neck pain – or any problem for that matter – a holistic approach is always best and the most thorough. Sometimes your neck pain can be a “symptom” of a root cause somewhere else. Many times I’ve seen people come in having suffered from neck pain for years – and once we properly strengthen their core or other areas of their body – their neck pain starts to finally improve.

These are just a few of the most common reasons I’ve seen, over the years, of why the true source of your neck pain can get missed. And guess what… if the true cause of your pain is missed… then you won’t get consistent relief or a full recovery.

Check out our free neck report here or request a time to speak with one of our specialists here.

What is Dry Needling?

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At CJ Physical Therapy and Pilates, our goal is to help you live a pain-free life without pain pills or invasive procedures.

Trigger Point Dry Needling is one of several strategies we use to treat muscles that are extremely tense and in spasm. The spasm causes the muscle to be in constant tension which reduces blood flow, decreases oxygen, and can produce fibrotic unhealthy tissue over time (scarring). When a physical therapist inserts the very thin acupuncture needle (dry needle) into a knotted up muscle, it creates a local twitch reflex. Research shows that this not only relaxes the muscle, it breaks up the pain cycle by improving blood flow and oxygen to the muscle. This whole process helps to reduce and normalize inflammation in the area to promote healing. However, dry needling is not necessary for everyone, so it’s important that you know what it is and when it can be used to improve your health! Here’s our advice when it comes to pursuing dry needling treatment.

Work with a physical therapist to use dry needling in conjunction with movement based rehabilitation.

Dry needling can work wonders to relax your muscles. However, they’re just going to get tense and damaged again if you don’t learn how to use them properly and address any movement dysfunction that may be occurring. You don’t want to think of it as a quick fix! Dry needling is just the first step for some individuals who aren’t able to begin a physical therapy or movement regimen without first breaking up the pain cycles in the muscles that are prohibiting healthy movement. Dry needling serves as a “helper” to relax those muscles – and should be integrated with physical therapy treatment and strengthening activities such as Pilates.

Don’t be afraid of trying dry needling!

It can be uncomfortable for some people, but others say they feel no pain at all. It’s not dangerous and has lasting positive effects when used in conjunction with hands-on physical therapy under the direction of a specialist. Furthermore, our clients love it:

“After two back surgeries in my 20s and a new hip at 58, I figured I was lucky just to be walking. Dry needling has transformed the way I move. I’m more flexible. My walking stride has more length and I can stand longer.” – John

Do you have questions about dry needling? Want to see what a specialty physical therapy practice can do for you? We offer FREE Discovery Sessions right here in Portsmouth that give you the opportunity to ask any questions you may have! It’s a completely free, no-obligation appointment that will give you all the information you need to make the BEST decision for YOUR health. All you have to do is fill out this quick form, and we’ll be in touch!

5 Reasons People over 40 should do Pilates

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Pilates is good for anyone and everyone… but especially for middle aged and older adults. Here are just some of the reasons to take Pilates classes if you’re in your 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond!

1. Relieve -and prevent- back pain

Many people who come to us with back pain think that their pain would prevent them from participating in an exercise program like Pilates – but the truth is, it’s the opposite! Guided, individualized Pilates combined with a physical therapy regimen is actually one of the best things you could do for your back. Pilates strengthens your entire body, starting from your core, which naturally prevents future back issues stemming from muscular weakness or imbalance. Furthermore, Pilates (combined with PT) teaches correct movement – which is the number one way to relieve any current pain!

2. Increase balance

Since Pilates is all about core strength, it makes sense that continued practice can improve your balance by leaps and bounds! This is an especially important benefit for the older adults who do Pilates with us. As we age, our balance unfortunately deteriorates. However, those changes are not irreversible! Pilates retrains the balance and strength that makes falls less likely.

3. Improve flexibility

You don’t have to be flexible to start Pilates, but you will see your range of motion improve drastically after consistent practice! Improving flexibility is especially important as we age. The founder of the Pilates system himself, Joseph Pilates, once said,

 “if your spine is inflexibly stiff at 30, you are old; if it is completely flexible at 60, you are young.”

The years you’ve spent on earth is just a number… but it’s the condition of your body that dictates your age – not the other way around! And flexibility is the cornerstone to musculoskeletal health and resilience.

4. Reduce stress

We know that exercise in general is a great stress reliever, but Pilates is especially beneficial because it focuses on literally releasing that stress from your body through guided, intentional movement. Plus, having a regular Pilates class to attend can be a consistent fixture in your life that can serve as an outlet for all your day to day stresses!

5. Improve physique

“In 10 sessions you’ll feel the difference, in 20 sessions you’ll see a difference, and in 30 sessions you’ll have a whole new body.”

That’s another great quote from Joseph Pilates! Pilates is one of the best full body workouts out there, and it’s super effective for improving muscle tone overall and shedding excess body fat. If you practice Pilates regularly, you’ll continue to gain strength overall, which will improve your ability and performance in any other physical activity you enjoy!

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Happy Halloween! Spooky Noises coming from your Knees?

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“What are those cracks and noises coming from my knees? Is there something wrong??”

Our clients come in with this question all the time. They usually feel nervous and fearful that the noises they hear may indicate something more serious is going on within the joint. Is there damage occurring whenever they hear this sound? Do they need to avoid activities that provoke these symptoms? Will they need to rely on pain pills and surgeries in order to maintain their mobility if their joints deteriorate? 

Crepitus refers to these clicking, popping, and creaking sounds that a large portion of the population experience on a regular basis.  This phenomenon can occur at any joint, but is most commonly reported in the knees, shoulders, ankles, hips, and spine. 

Although these noises often don’t produce any pain, they can cause anxiety. Individuals start to develop their own beliefs about what is going on, and ultimately alter their behavior to avoid these cracking or popping sensations.

What causes these noises?

Many structural factors can contribute to joint noises.  Some of the most common are:

  • Tendons rubbing along bony prominences (bumps on bones)
  • Nitrogen bubbles popping due to pressure changes within the joint
  • Small labral or meniscus tears that get caught or pinched as we move

However, we don’t have the luxury of utilizing x-ray goggles during our examinations.  This means that we often cannot be certain of exactly which structures are creating these sounds.  What we do know is they aren’t a reason to be highly concerned as long as they aren’t associated with pain or swelling in the affected joint.  

How can I prevent it from getting worse?

The best way  to prevent these symptoms is to keep moving!! Motion is lotion. Regular movement throughout the day allows our joints to lubricate themselves, kind of like applying WD-40 to a creaky door hinge.  Additionally, it’s important to keep the muscles surrounding your knees strong and balanced. This helps to offload the forces through the joint, which limits “typical” wear and tear on cartilage and bony structures.

What if I’m noticing pain or inflammation in the joint that’s making these noises?

If you have a specifically noisy joint that’s also painful or swollen, it’s best to come in for a formal examination with a physical therapist – ideally someone who specializes in movement mechanics.  We train you in correct, healthy movement that both relieves your body of pain in the short term and protects it from further damage in the long term.

If finding the solution to your problem is something you’re interested in, you can come in for a free Discovery Session at our practice in Portsmouth, NH! All you have to do is fill out this brief form here and we’ll contact you. Discovery Sessions are great for people who want to talk with a specialist about what might be causing their problem, and we’ll help you figure out what the next best steps are.  Our goal is to give you all the information you need so that you can make the best decision for your health – without any obligation or commitment.

We also know not everyone is ready to commit to regular physical therapy appointments, and that’s why we offer free health and posture classes!  These events are for people in our community who want really valuable, expert information about movement, pain, and overall wellness. We know it’s confusing out there with all of the information floating around on Google and Facebook, and this is a valuable first step towards getting some answers for your problem.

Hopefully you found this information helpful, and the only thing scaring you this Halloween will be haunted houses instead of the noises coming from your joints!

PS – If you found this information helpful, please share this with a friend or on your Facebook feed.

Knee pain? Top three causes and what to do about it.

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Knee pain is one of the most common complaints that brings people into our office.

Since most of our clients are in their 40’s, 50’s and 60’s, they start to really worry that knee pain could bring an end to their active lifestyle. But that doesn’t have to be the case! The good news is that unless you’ve had some serious trauma (like a major accident or fall), 80% of all knee problems can be resolved without any kind of procedure or surgery – and most importantly – you can learn how to continue managing them on your own so that they never get in the way of your favorite activities again.

Sound too good to be true?

It’s not – I promise – but the first step is figuring out where your knee pain is coming from. Once you know that, you can get on the right path to resolve it.

Here are three of the most common causes I see that make people suffer from knee pain and what you can do about them:

1. Iliotibial band syndrome

This is a very common problem that typically affects runners, avid walkers, and hikers. It is often misdiagnosed and confused with patellofemoral syndrome (see below). Your iliotibial band (IT band) is a very large thick band on the side of your knee that will often get overworked due to a muscular imbalance elsewhere in your body (usually your hips and core). When this happens, you’ll feel pain that is on the side of your knee that is usually very sore and tender to touch, and typically sharp and stabbing versus achy. It will impact you most when you’re going downhill or down the stairs.

It’s important to note that even though a tight, and painful IT band is the structure causing you to have pain – it is typically a symptom of an underlying problem. Like I said before, IT band problems are usually the result of your core and hips not stabilizing your pelvis properly – which ultimately results in your knee not receiving the support it needs when you’re running, walking, or hiking.

Getting rid of the actual pain is the easy part… in our office we use things like dry needling, soft tissue work, and sometimes even some taping. But if you want to keep the pain gone – you MUST address the underlying causes as well. This is what a lot of people miss. We love using Pilates-based exercises in our office because they not only target your core, but also get your muscles working in a coordinated, symmetrical fashion, helping to keep things balanced as you get back to your favorite activities.

2. Patellofemoral Knee syndrome

This problem is very similar to IT band syndrome, with just a few key differences. This first is that it can impact almost anyone – not just runners, hikers, and walkers. You’ll also experience the pain in the front of your knee – typically under your kneecap – and it will tend to be more achy than sharp. This problem will often come on very slowly and can be more chronic than its IT band cousin. You’ll feel this more when you’re going up stairs, up hills, and with squatting. You’ll also notice stiffness and pain in the front of your knee after sitting awhile – that usually will go away once you start moving.

Much like IT band syndrome – these are all symptoms of an underlying cause. A weak core and hips can cause this problem too, but I usually see more weaknesses in glutes and hamstrings with this one. When the backs of your hips and legs aren’t kicking in like they should, it can result in tight hip flexors or quads. This is a super common culprit for patellofemoral syndrome. So once again, you can get rid of the pain quite easily in most cases, but you must make sure to determine – and address – the root cause so that you can keep this pain gone for good.

3. Osteoarthritis

Many people hear that they have osteoarthritis in their knee and think there isn’t anything they can do about it. Not true!! Arthritis is often blamed for knee problems but it isn’t always the cause of what you’re feeling… Let me explain….

When arthritis is the true cause and culprit for your knee problem, it will be painful and stiff all the time. You’ll lack significant mobility and it will be almost impossible to walk and bear weight without support or a cane. When this is truly your problem – you are a great candidate for total knee replacement surgery. Now here’s the catch… sometimes your X-ray or MRI will show that you have terrible arthritis or that you have “bone-on-bone”… but that doesn’t mean you need to rush to surgery! Your symptoms should really decide that.

If your pain comes and goes (meaning you have good days and bad days), if you can walk around most days and go up and down the stairs and your knee just “catches”, or maybe you feel stiff a lot but this eases up with movement – you might have arthritis in your knee but it is not the root cause of your knee problem. Because here’s a hint – arthritis does NOT come and go – but other common musculoskeletal problems can. When your pain comes and goes, you know it can’t be entirely from arthritis.

So what should you do?

With arthritis, whether it’s partially to blame, or whether it’s just something that shows up on the X-ray and gets blamed… we still need to look at the surrounding structures and root cause of the problem.

If your quads are really tight, and the muscles around your knee are imbalanced, this can create compressive forces in your knee joint which will exacerbate what might normally just be “mild” arthritis (compression will aggravate arthritis). You could also have weakness or problems in your ankles, feet, or core that are causing your knee to work harder than it needs to. This can cause pain all on its own, OR aggravate your arthritis. The point is, get checked by a musculoskeletal expert – people trained like us – so that instead of just fishing for the problem or only treating symptoms, you are getting to the root cause of your problem and setting yourself up for success!

If any of this sounds familiar to you, you may benefit from working with a specialist physical therapist who can help you get back to the activities you love – without pain pills or unnecessary procedures. You can click right here to request a FREE Discovery session with one of our specialists. We’d love to help you figure out the root cause of your knee problem so that you can get back to doing everything you love – instead of spending time in the doctor’s office 🙂

How you actually CAN recover from chronic back pain

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There’s nothing more discouraging than being in pain and feeling that there’s no way out of it. Back pain is such a common issue, and unfortunately, many people hold onto the mistaken belief that if you have a “bad back” you’re stuck with it for life. Not true!!

It is totally possible to recover from chronic back pain and return to the activities you used to love.

Great news, right? Let’s talk HOW. 

First of all, keep moving.

There are people in healthcare who will tell you to just avoid anything that irritates your back and accept that you can’t be as active as you once were. But what if basically everything triggers back pain? What if your job requires you to be on your feet or you simply want to tie your own shoes or pick up your grandkids? You don’t have to resign yourself to sedentary days spent popping ibuprofen every four hours and missing out on life. Don’t listen to the people who tell you to avoid movement — because in fact, the solution is the exact opposite. Consistent, correct movement heals your body and keeps it from shutting down. If you’re suffering from back pain, it may be a sign that your movement habits are off. You could benefit from working with a specialist physical therapist to retrain your body in how to move properly throughout your day, thus eliminating unnecessary stress on your spine.  

Along the same lines, make sure you educate yourself.

We offer a FREE workshop at our Portsmouth office every month to answer questions from our community, and our next topic is back pain and sciatica! You may feel like surgery and medication are the only options out there for recovery, but in reality they are just two of the less effective strategies for treating back pain. One of our clients, Sean, was dealing with multiple herniated discs and spoke with us on this exact topic. 

“I was considering back surgery until I found CJ Physical Therapy. I walked out of 

therapy with such relief that the thought of surgery was no longer an option. Therapy 

worked so much better than the steroid injection just a few months earlier, that it gave 

me hope of actually being able to feel like I did before the injury a year earlier.”

Nobody wants to get surgery, but if you haven’t been told about any noninvasive therapeutic routes to remedy your pain, surgery may seem like the only option. But time and time again, we have clients come to us with severe back pain and injuries that are often prescribed surgery — and time and time again, they have FULLY recovered through an individually customized program of physical therapy. 

If you’re dealing with chronic back pain, don’t be afraid to reach out.

We understand if you’re not yet ready to commit to PT — that’s why we offer FREE Discovery Sessions for potential clients. This 30 minute session is a chance for you to speak with one of our specialists and determine for yourself if we’re the best people to help you. It’s a completely free, no-obligation appointment that will give you all the information you need to make the BEST decision for YOUR health — whether that’s working with us or not! 

Physical Therapy and Pilates: The Perfect Pair

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We all know the joke:

Patient: “When I go like this, my arm hurts.”

To which the doctor responds: “Well, don’t do that!”

With physical therapy, just “not moving” is never an option. Instead of telling the individual in this scenario to avoid the movement altogether, I would say, “let’s do it differently.”

People typically have muscle and skeletal pain because of one or more stressors occurring in joints or muscles.

When I treat a patient, I am often working to help them change the mechanics of their movement and therefore decrease or eliminate those stressors. It’s one of the main reasons why I incorporate Pilates into my treatments. It’s also why most of my patients will tell you that it is often difficult to tell where physical therapy leaves off and fitness exercises begin. And that’s precisely the way it should be.

Pilates teaches correct movement throughout the whole body. Each exercise is carefully designed to direct and reinforce the way in which a healthy musculoskeletal system should function. By practicing Pilates, you are strengthening your muscles correctly in a way that is conducive to all forms of exercise, as well as improving posture and balance. It’s a really great supplement to physical therapy because as you’re retraining or rehabilitating a specific part of your body, you have the opportunity to match that progress holistically.

Did you know that 90% of ALL musculoskeletal problems (aches, pains, and strains) can be resolved WITHOUT pain pills, procedures, or surgery?

So chances are, whether you’re suffering from sciatica, neck pain, an achy knee, herniated discs, or any number of physical issues, your pain can be resolved through physical therapy. And if you want to return to your daily activities even stronger than before — you can supplement your physical therapy sessions with Pilates.

Pilates-based physical therapy is excellent for people of any age who want to start an exercise program but might be afraid of injury or pain. Our practice actually specializes in treating clients aged 40+, and many of our clients in their 60s and 70s practice Pilates regularly! We offer a range of classes right out of our physical therapy practice in Portsmouth, which gives you the opportunity to combine your rehabilitation sessions with some therapeutic, strength building exercise for the whole body. Our group classes are geared towards beginners — no experience necessary! And if you’re interested, but don’t want to make a commitment, no worries. You can schedule a FREE Pilates Taster with us to see how Pilates can help you.

Want to find out if Pilates is something you should be incorporating into your physical therapy? Talk to one of our specialists for free! 

Questions About Your Shoulder Pain? Here are Some Real Answers.

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Often when clients come to us with shoulder pain, they’ve already tried several approaches without success. But the real issue is that everyone they’ve seen up to that point has failed to give them an accurate diagnosis.

Without an accurate diagnosis, treatment fails.

It’s not surprising. The true cause of shoulder pain is missed by many and can actually be difficult to diagnose. Sometimes it really is your shoulder, but in other cases the pain is actually caused by a problem in your neck. If there is irritation or inflammation in your neck, but someone is aggressively treating your shoulder, guess what? You aren’t going to see results and your pain may even worsen.

Here are a few questions to ask if you’re wondering if really have a shoulder problem… or if you should be getting help for your neck instead.

Where is your pain?

 When you have an actual shoulder problem, the pain is always going to be just in your shoulder. The most common areas to experience pain are directly in front of your shoulder, directly on top of your shoulder, or in a more involved shoulder problem – like a rotator cuff injury – you might feel achiness on the side of your shoulder and down into the side of your arm a little. If the pain goes past your elbow, is above your shoulder and into your neck (the upper trap area), deep inside of your shoulder, or in the back into the shoulder blade, it’s entirely possible (and maybe even likely) that your neck is involved or totally responsible for your “shoulder pain.”

Do you have numbness, tingling or burning?

These are signs of nerve compression or irritation. If that’s happening in your neck – say due to a bulging disc or restricted/faulty movement patterns that irritate your nerve roots – you can feel it into your shoulder, shoulder blade, or even down into your arm.

What’s particularly misleading is that all of this nerve difficulty in the neck will only be felt in your shoulder or arm.

When do you feel stiff?

Lack of mobility and stiffness are common symptoms associated with a rotator cuff injury or the dreaded “frozen shoulder.” If your neck moves well, is pain free, and your shoulder is stiff, odds are that the problem is in your shoulder. Now, let’s say you’ve got stiffness in your neck as well as your shoulder. It’s possible the neck stiffness is a result of your shoulder not moving properly. However, you’ll never know for sure without a proper assessment. If there is even a hint of a neck issue being fully or partially responsible for your shoulder problem, it must be addressed or you will never achieve full recovery.

I do everything I’m told, why won’t my shoulder get better?

This is probably the number one sign that your shoulder problem is not really a shoulder problem at all. If you’ve had pain for months, or if you fix your pain but it keeps coming back, then there is a very good chance someone has missed something. Quite possibly, it’s a hidden neck problem. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen this happen. I’ve seen people try three different therapists who’ve prescribed the best rotator cuff exercises on the planet. I’ve seen people get multiple cortisone injections in their shoulder. And worse, I’ve seen people get surgery – only for their shoulder to problem return months or years later. If this sounds like you, then someone has missed the boat and your shoulder problem may not be a shoulder problem at all. You need to find a physical therapist who is a specialist and can properly assess you. They’ll know the right questions to ask, take their time doing a thorough and proper assessment, and get you on the right track to getting better. 

Do You Really Need an MRI?

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Do you really need an MRI for that?

This is probably the number one question we get from clients  – especially those who suffer from back or neck pain.  Believe me, I get it! When you have pain that won’t go away, and it’s shooting down your arm or leg, often causing numbness and tingling – it’s scary! Why wouldn’t you want an MRI?  An MRI tells you everything and then you know exactly what to do to fix the problem, right?

Not necessarily….

Don’t get me wrong – MRI’s are an amazing advancement in medical technology.

MRIs can easily detect abnormalities in your brain and spinal cord. They can find tumors, cysts and other abnormal growths in various parts of your body. They can even detect certain heart problems and liver disease.  When you don’t know exactly what’s wrong, but you are showing signs that something is not right, an MRI is an amazing tool to help doctors detect the source of the problem.

The problem isn’t with MRI’s – they do their job magnificently.  The problem is with the way they are being used and prescribed.

Let me explain.

When it comes to neck and back problems, for example, what most people don’t realize is that 70-80% of all spine and musculoskeletal problems are what we call “mechanical” in nature.  That means that your problem has to do with the way you move, bad postural habits learned over the years, or muscular and joint imbalances like weakness and poor flexibility. Many of these mechanical “wear and tear” problems don’t show up until your 40’s, 50’s or 60’s – because it takes a while for bad movement patterns or bad postural habits to take their toll.  The best way to figure out a movement problem is with… well… movement!

But how do you know that it’s a mechanical problem and not something more serious?

The easiest way to find out is to ask a physical therapist (we’ll get to that later). But the most common sign is that the problem comes and goes.  Some days you feel great, and then other days you’ll be experiencing severe pain that interferes with your routine and activities.  When the pain comes and goes like that, it is usually NOT due to something serious.  A tumor, or a growth, or a broken bone doesn’t go away. If you feel the pain or discomfort constantly and nothing – not even medication – changes your symptoms very much, that’s an indicator that you should see a doctor and may need an MRI.  But remember what I said – 70-80% of all musculoskeletal problems are mechanical in nature and NOT the result of a significant injury or dangerous growth. To sum it all up – MRIs are not needed as often as they are prescribed.

So what’s the big deal about getting an MRI?  Isn’t it good just to be extra-cautious?

In theory – yes.  But here’s what actually happens.  MRI’s are super powerful and amazing tools.  Because of this, they see everything – including normal age-related changes, such as arthritis, stenosis, degeneration of joints, and even bulging discs. These typical and often unrelated imperfections show up in the MRI and are frequently blamed for the movement problem.

So back to our original question:  Do I really need an MRI?

If you’ve had a bad accident, fall, or trauma – then you’ll want to seek immediate medical attention and an MRI is probably a good idea. But if you are dealing with chronic, long-standing aches and pains that have come and gone over the years and have recently gotten worse – there is a 70-80% chance that it is a movement problem that has finally caught up to you.  It’s best to see a movement expert for this.  A professional and specially trained movement expert (like a specialist physical therapist) knows how to tell if the issue is NOT a movement problem and can send you to a doctor if necessary.  But when you automatically assume that you need an MRI first, you end up spending a lot of money (the average cost of an MRI is $150,000 and you have to pay a portion of this), and often get prescribed unnecessary surgery or procedures for those normal effects of aging that show up in the MRI and get blamed for your problem.

If this story sounds all too familiar, or you’ve been told that you have to get an MRI, get in touch!  We are a specialized physical therapy practice that is well-known for helping people with this exact dilemma and we know how to tell if you need an MRI or not.

Or – download our FREE guide to back pain, written by Dr. Carrie Jose, Portsmouth’s leading back pain specialist and physical therapist. This guide contains her BEST tips – the ones she gives to clients – that will help you get rid of back pain WITHOUT things like pain pills, procedures, and of course MRI’s.