A Physical Therapist's Journey Fixing Stress Urinary Incontinence I never had an issue peeing when lifting, until one back injury changed it all. It was 2022. I had been doing CrossFit for almost 3 years. I had never worried about peeing with heavy lifts. Now, I don’t trust a heavy squat without a pad. Here’s what happened: We were in the middle of a CrossFit competition when our team plan fell apart. The event had one athlete swimming while the other two did squats and thrus

“Feet shoulder width apart. Toes pointed forward. Knees behind toes. Chest UP.” This is the squat form most of us learned growing up, and if you haven’t already figured it out: that’s probably not going to work for you. I see a lot of people who have been committed to this squat stance since middle school gym class, and they’re in my office because: A) squatting hurts their hip B) they’ve never been able to hit depth, or C) both So if that stance doesn’t work, why is it recom

As a physical therapist, this seems to be the question everyone wants an answer to. As much as I wish there was one simple supplement you could take, the answer is a lot more nuanced (and active) than most people want it to be. To understand how to keep joints healthy, we first need to understand how joints and the cartilage that protects them work. For our purpose here today, we’ll be discussing synovial joints, as these are the ones that allow movement and are the ones you

How to Break the Cycle of Back Pain with Deadlifts You love the gym. You love deadlifting. The feeling of ripping heavy weight off the ground fills you with joy and pride. Until that one lift- maybe last week, maybe 10 years ago, that changed everything. As a physical therapist who specializes in barbell lifts, this is by far the biggest complaint I see. The game changed. What you used to love has become something you fear. You stopped for a little while. Your friends said yo

If You’re Not Peeing, You’re Not PRing. We’ve all heard it from coaches, teammates, and your favorite powerlifter’s social media comment section. If you’re struggling with peeing when you lift, it probably makes you feel better and less self-conscious with lifting heavy (I know it does for me!). But is this actually unavoidable? Is it something you should strive for? If you didn’t pee, did you undershoot the lift? Let’s take a look! First and foremost, let’s get one thing cle

The barefoot and minimalist shoe demand has skyrocketed in the last 15+ years, and fortunately for all of us, the style options have changed A LOT since 2010. You can find these types of shoes in about every style, but the characteristics that define the movement are: Wide Toe Box Zero-Drop Thin, Flexible Soles with No Arch Here’s Why People Are Seeking This Out: We’ve spent years cramming our feet into shoes that are too small. Corporate dress shoes. “Athletic shoes” that re

Brand new to the gym? Take a look here to learn the best exercises for you to start with. The gym can be an intimidating place if you're...

At the beginning of a new year, it's common to reflect on what you have achieved in the past year and what you want to work toward for...

So you signed up for a powerlifting meet? Congrats! Whether this is your first meet or you're a seasoned competitor, you've put in a lot...

The pelvic floor is a group of muscles and tissues that form a hammock-like structure at the base of the pelvis. While often overlooked,...

If you've been experiencing a pinch in the front of your hips when you squat, you've likely tried dozens of hip flexor stretches to get...

Leaking with activities like running, jumping, or lifting (also referred to as stress urinary incontinence or athletic incontinence)...

If you experience aches and pains in your joints from working out, or even a sedentary desk job, you've likely heard you should visit a...

The shoulder is one of the most commonly injured areas for athletes performing overhead movements. Whether you are cycling push jerks or...

When most people think of physical therapy, it is something that you get after a surgery or something an orthopedic specialist sends you...

What Is Dry Needling? Dry needling is a pain management technique where a provider inserts thin, filiform needles into muscles to release...

Lately it seems I have had many patients who come to me for a variety of issues (typically back pain), and during their evaluation it...