Author Archives: oconpt

What to look for in a dry needler & the 13% rule

Have you heard of dry needling? It is a minimally invasive technique performed by a physical therapist (an in some states chiropractors & osteopaths) that can be quite effective for headaches, radicular pain/ sciatica, chronic hip “weakness,” rotator cuff dysfunction, persistent “knots” & trigger points, as well as a myriad of other orthopedic conditions. AsContinue reading “What to look for in a dry needler & the 13% rule”

Phrases I always say- 003: If you have a faulty foundation, you can get cracks in your attic

Many patients at OPT are not used to having someone mechanically look at their WHOLE body. I use this phrase often, the following story is when I used is most recently. Guy comes in with neck pain, and sure, there’s some isolated neck dysfunction. But that neck dysfunction looks to just be compensating…hmm, for what?Continue reading “Phrases I always say- 003: If you have a faulty foundation, you can get cracks in your attic”

Things I say: 002- “Good Posture Should be Like a Shirt on a Hanger”

We’ve all heard that we should “have good posture” and “stand up straight,” but who even knows how to do that? Most of what people go by is flashbacks of their mother at the kitchen table, or a nun with a ruler, telling them to pull their shoulders back. This is the same as “LiftContinue reading “Things I say: 002- “Good Posture Should be Like a Shirt on a Hanger””

Drawing Parallels: 004- Gardening vs Physical Therapy- How Much do I Really Care? (2min read)

If you’ve gone to physical therapy before, you’ve likely been asked this question: “What are your goals for physical therapy?” Or maybe it was asked a different way, “How is this affecting your life?” and possibly a follow up of “What have you previously tried, and what are you willing to do to get thisContinue reading “Drawing Parallels: 004- Gardening vs Physical Therapy- How Much do I Really Care? (2min read)”

Do I Need Orthotics?

This is a loaded question, and I have my biases, but here’s the breakdown. On one hand, this is similar to when people ask me if Icy hot will help their shoulder pain. Maybe, but if you’re asking what else I, as a physical therapist, can do for your shoulder pain, that’s an entirely differentContinue reading “Do I Need Orthotics?”

The Myth of the 2-3x/week physical therapy plan

The Myth of the Prognosis, and “Outside the Box” Patients Common Question: “So, doc, how many sessions will this take?” It’s an understandable question. For one, my patients are sizing me up, to make sure I know what I’m talking about, and two, for budgetary purposes. Many people are surprised that I do not recommendContinue reading “The Myth of the 2-3x/week physical therapy plan”

Post-Concussion Syndrome (PCS)

Case #1: You’ve had a concussion, maybe a few of them. You’re in sports or another organization that does IMPACT testing. Treatments already suggested to you may have included: -Vestibular Therapy &/or Balance therapy -Chiropractic care, or Acupuncture -Limiting screen time & blue light glasses for gradual return -Limiting anything that puts too much demandContinue reading “Post-Concussion Syndrome (PCS)”