What Can We Help You With?
I was told that I have stenosis, I'm not sure if theres anything that I can do.
We hear this all the time. A name that has little meaning to you can sound like a death sentence. To us, it is a common dysfunction that weighs more on ones' mind then their actual spinal structure. People without symptoms present with these radiographic signs all the time. It does not have to limit you. You need to relearn how to use your body, unload the area of your spine that is being compressed, and remove your nerve irritation.
My doctor says I have degenerative disc disease.
As do a large number of people without any back pain. In fact, almost all high level athletes place loads on their spines great enough to produce degenerative changes on an X-ray or MRI, but they don't have pain. They have movement competence and freedom. DDD is a normal process, everything in life wears down, not everything needs to hurt or limit you. Physical Therapy is a proven option for reducing symptoms associated with DDD.
My knee(s) bother me.
At some point or another most people's do. Our quads and hamstrings have a big job to do holding us up against gravity. Occasionally they become imbalanced to a degree that we experience pain. It is important to understand that your body has an incredible ability to heal. If the diagnosis is osteoarthritis then you are in luck. Exercise is the best intervention. The correct exercise will reduce your pain, build self-confidence with your activities and prevent or delay a major surgery. We are living longer than ever, our activity level needs to match in order to limit the negative effects of aging.
My back pain prevents me from lifting and I can't get past it.
If your back is taking a beating, it's very likely your hips are not pulling their weight. Hip mobility and back pain go hand in hand. If your back pain is a chronic issue that you have tried everything under the sun for, then you need a doctor who specializes in human movement as well as the multiple factors that generate pain.
My neck and shoulders are always tight.
Your neck and shoulders hold your head up, help you breathe, help you rotate, and help keep you upright. That's a lot of jobs that they may be compensating for when other muscular structures are not pulling their weight. The stress of our lives combined with how our bodies compensate to perform the above functions can lead to uncomfortable overuse of our neck and shoulder muscles. This dysfunction can be resolved with the appropriate exercise and lifestyle interventions.
My hip pinches or aches when I run, or even when I'm just sitting.
If the front of your hip pinches or "impinges" you likely require pelvis and leg exercises designed to reposition the alignment of your skeletal structure during static and dynamic movement. A common compensation seen in humans is rotating the hip bones forward while leveraging the hip flexors and low back. This results in strain at the outside of the hips, reduction of space at the groin and often correlates with low back issues as well. If your are experiencing these symptoms an MRI and a cortizone shot will be a costly, temporary distraction to the movement dysfunction that needs to be addressed.
I get sharp shooting pain down the back of my legs.
Sciatica? This means pain in your sciatic nerve. There are multiple causes of why your sciatic nerve gets irritated but none of them start with inflammation. Therefore, a cortizone shot is not a solution. It is only a band-aid for a movement dysfunction that you don't need to live with. Appropriately retraining the back, hip and core musculature to move freely will reduce irritation and compression of the sciatic nerve.
I seem to go from one injury to the next, never getting a chance to train and perform the way I feel I should be able to.
The human body is an amazing system. It constantly seeks to adapt to the imposed demands placed on it. Not all of the adaptations are cooperative with one another. Training for balance is often overlooked, no matter how inclusive your program is. The human body will always seek to be energy efficient and the muscular relationships in your body need guidance to stay on a path of fluid motion and balanced control.
My doctor says I might need surgery.
While surgery can be the only option for some patients, ex: quickly progressing neurologic symptoms (weakness, loss of sensation, numbness in sensitive areas) it is rare. Too often surgeons go to what they know, and that is slice and dice, send them to rehab. The truth is, surgery does not always improve the outcomes of rehabilitation. In fact, those who elect to not have surgery have the opportunity to attain similar outcomes. So why perform these costly, time-consuming, invasive surgeries? Rotator cuff injuries, hip and knee osteoarthritis, bulging and herniated discs, bone spurs. All of these dysfunctions have positive outcomes with necessary and appropriate movement training. The notion that you can get better without invading your body is something that everyone needs to understand.
I have a different issue that is not on here.
This list is just a snapshot of the dysfunctions and problems that we successfully resolve for people. If you don't see yourself on this please call us and find out if we can help. The service that we provide is not magic, it is simply well educated and holistic. We treat the entire human body for musculoskeletal dysfunction because your entire body is connected. If we refused to understand one area we would not be as successful as we are.
My shoulder hasn't felt right in years. I've tried everything.
The most often overlooked scenario of the shoulder isn't the shoulder itself, but the ribcage that it sits on. In order to have appropriate movement of the ball in the socket, the socket has to sit cleanly on its foundation. Rotator cuff tendinitis, labral tears, sub-acromial impingement all can be moderated by appropriate re-education of the entire system, not just ER and IR with a band.
I get plantar fasciitis and it takes forever to go away.
Plantar fasciitis is rarely a symptom of a simple foot dysfunction. Your feet are your tires, if there is a misalignment you will get abnormal wear. You likely need specific pelvis and/or core work to move over your feet symmetrically and avoid irritating the bottom of the chain.
I get short of breath, sometimes without doing much at all.
Shortness of breath can be indicative of a number of issues. If you have pursued treatment from a medical doctor without resolution you likely have restrictions around your rib cage that will prevent normal respiration. This can present as elevated breathing rate, difficulty inhaling, light headed/dizziness, or inconsistent fatigue with cardiovascular exercise. Retraining the diaphragm and rib cage musculature is paramount to maximizing respiratory efficiency.
My shoulder pops and clicks.
Painful or non-painful popping and clicking of the shoulder can indicate a progressing tendinitis. While this is not the case with everyone, if left unaddressed, can result in pain and reduced tolerance for activities.
I don't have the energy to play with my kids.
Life will take a toll. Physical activity and physical health, like any other skill, need to be practiced in order to be adequate. If you are suffering from loss of energy and are in need of a health consultation, reach out to us. If we do not have the answers you need we will find you the right people who do.
Scoliosis
When it comes to the treatment of scoliosis many health care practitioners are frozen. They understand the mechanics of the spine leading to often progressively worse curves, but are not well educated in the physical treatment of such dysfunctions. If caught at a young age, PRI trained clinicians have either arrested or reversed children's curves. This is because our advanced knowledge of the ribcage and pelvis allow us to appropriately treat the mechanical and neurological dysfunctions creating the scoliosis. For those who have had scoliosis for a number of years there is something that can be done. Please contact us for more information as individual cases vary greatly.
My shins hurt.
Shin splints are something many athletes endure. Lack of appropriate hip joint range of motion and strength can predispose this condition as can improper foot wear and ill advised changes in training schedule. The solution for this problem is not a rub down and some K-tape. Although these interventions may help with pain perception, they do not address the underlying physiological changes that are occurring.
Persistent back pain
Back pain has become one of the most common reasons for limitation and frustration across the planet. Often, a potential cause is identified but addressing that "cause" does not resolve the issue. The truth of this matter is pain and damage are not correlated 1 to 1. That means more pain does not necessarily mean more damage. With persistent back pain, pain lasting more than 4 months up to several years, there is more that needs to be addressed than the diagnosis given to the mechanical structures in your back. Our philosophy is as follows 1) Educate and come to an understanding of all the identifiable factors leading to persistent back pain. 2) Clean up the biomechanics (make it move right). 3) Reintegrate limited activities to improve function. 4) Provide long term strategies for you to self manage any flare-ups should they occur.
I have been to physical therapy and it did not help.
Physical therapy, like any industry, has variability when it comes to strategy and effectiveness. Many clinics believe that people just need to move, and the lack of movement is causing the issue. Having these patients work out in the clinic on their own with guidance from technicians and maybe 10-15 minutes with the doctor will get results in this population. If this doesn't sound like you, say you are already working out, there are other options. Options that seek to understand at a deep biomechanical level what is causing dysfunction and systematically addressing the issue. General exercise may be the answer, but it might also be breath work, neuromuscular pattern training, autonomic nervous system regulation, lifestyle intervention, nutrition counseling, sleep hygiene, or a multitude of other contributing factors. By enabling you to spend all of your treatment time with a doctor, you have the best opportunity for resolving your pain long term here at Human Function and Performance Physical Therapy. This revolutionary service is available right here, in Dallas, Texas.
Golf Athlete
Golf is a sport that requires adequate hip, trunk and shoulder rotation for smooth mechanics. After evaluation it is often uncovered that asymmetrical weakness in the abdominals and hip musculature are creating stress and strain at various locations in the body. A thorough evaluation is necessary to identify all contributing factors before intitating a treatment program.
Crossfit Athletes
Crossfit is a challenging sport that incorporates dynamic functional activities performed under high intensity. Our personal experience training Crossfit has shown HFAP that Crossfit is an incredible exercise program that is safe and effective for improving athletic capacity and functional capability. While every box is different, the athletes are all human, and therefore are subject to laws of human adaptability. If asymmetry of the core and extremities is present in an athlete then the opportunity for injury or poor performance is increased. At HFAP we utilize a whole-body assessment for any injury to determine all contributing factors prior to initiating a treatment program.
Camp Gladiator Athletes
HFAP began working out with Camp Gladiator our first week open. The tough workout paired with the community feel was infectious. Exercising outside proves to be more challenging than the typical rubber gym floor and therefore provides greater opportunity for functional gains. When injury arises it is often the product of prior muscle and movement imbalances that are not addressed through the varying exercise routines. The exercises are designed to hit your whole body, but your whole body isn't always ready to hit the exercises back. Where HFAP makes its mark is identifying all restrictions in the body and providing a logical, systematic treatment plan to remove limitation and strain.
Runners
Running is the most natural exercise our physiological selves can perform. However, that does not make it natural for everyone. The first line of defense to running injury is running technique. If your technique is relatively sound but you continue to develop upper trap, hip, IT Band, knee, lower leg, ankle or foot pain, there is an underlying muscular imbalance that needs to be addressed. Many high level athletes will go most of their lives without experiencing significant pain from these imbalances, others will be doomed to 5 miles without addressing them. HFAP has success treating runners for a variety of injuries because our approach addresses the entire body, not just the body part in question.
Power Lifting Athletes
If you talk to just about any power lifter over the age of 50 you will hear nothing but complaints about various joint pain. While power lifting is an impressive sport that loads functional movement patterns, the way to move the most weight is not always the most functional way to move. Power lifting needs to be complemented by functional movement training. HFAP uses a whole body assessment to identify any disadvantageous limitations that may be reducing performance, increasing the opportunity for injury, and setting the stage for future pain. From there, a systematic supplemental treatment program that works around training is prescribed to address these issues.