3 Things We Do Everyday That Cause Neck Pain Let’s play a fun quiz that might help you live with less neck pain,and if you answer ‘yes’ to any of these questions then read on! When you sleep at night, do you find yourself sleeping on your stomach? Or with more than one pillow in a twisted position? When you’re relaxing at home, do you find yourself looking up at the TV screen because it’s hung up high on the wall? When you’re out and about do you carry your bag on one shoulder? Or hold your heavy briefcase in one hand? Chances are you’ve answered ‘yes’ to at least one of those questions. I may be wrong, your bag might not be heavy, and you might sleep with just the one pillow, but the reason why I guessed you’d answered ‘yes’ to one of those questions is because over the years, almost every patient that walks into my clinic who has been suffering with neck pain, has been doing one of these things. So it’s no surprise that during my time as a Physical Therapist that one of the most regular injuries I see is ‘neck pain’. And without even realizing it, things that we do everyday can cause it. So let’s take a look at 3 of the most common everyday mistakes I’ve found my patients doing that cause their ‘neck pain’… 1. Watching TV – Watching TV is a habit –… Read More

Headaches are a pain. We all get them now and again, but for some of us, they’re more of a regular occurence than others. And here at the clinic it’s incredible just how many people we see that tell us that they’ve suffered from headaches so often, that they just consider them to be a regular part of life that they end up dealing with. That’s why painkillers are such big sellers. But drugs can only relieve the symptoms temporarily by masking the pain – when many times, the re-ocurring headaches may actually be the result of something else! Like this email I received from a new patient, let’s call her Jane, last week: “Hey Jennifer. After reading your neck pain and headaches report I wanted to send you an email to see if you could help me! I’m 48 years old and the last 6 months I’ve been suffering from some of the worst headaches I’ve ever had. I sit in front of a computer for at least 8 hours in a job that is stressful most of the time. Recently I visited the doctor who gave me pills to take the pain away, but the pain still exists and all I feel is constant tightness in my head. I don’t know what to do, or what the cause could be, it feels like pounding at the front of my head. Do you have any ideas? Thanks.” Of course, I have several ideas of what could be causing Jane’s headaches. In… Read More

It can sometimes be hard to see what you are doing wrong in your lifestyle, because, well, it’s your lifestyle. Your daily routine is so well known to you that it can become second nature to read before bed, look on your tablet or going for that game of golf on a Saturday morning. What if I told you that all of these could be making your shoulder pain worse? That all these movements cause unnecessary strain on your shoulders, leaving you in pain the next day? I’ve given you a few ways that you will find a great benefit to easing shoulder pain in your day-to-day routine below… First things first, when you wake up don’t forget to stretch. I know this is something I say often but it’s because a stretch can often be underestimated. Imagine this, someone has been in the same position for roughly 8 hours, without much movement. Would you think that they would need to stretch afterwards? I bet your answer would be – yes! Exactly. You may have woken up but your joints haven’t yet. It’s like going for a run without warming up. So with this in mind, stretch before you get up. Even if it’s just for a few minutes, it’s better than doing nothing. Looking at your phone or tablet has to be one of the worst culprits for shoulder pain. Yes, looking at your phone or tablet can have an affect on your neck as well, but the pain often starts at the… Read More

When patients ask me “why do I get neck pain?” it can sometimes be difficult to answer. Not because I don’t know how to ease neck pain, but because I don’t know their personal circumstances. What I can suggest however, is that it could be your nighttime routine that is causing your neck pain. Why, you ask? Let me explain… Now this is something that many people do at nighttime and probably don’t really think of. Sleeping with 2 pillows can cause havoc for your neck if they don’t support your head correctly. If you have 2 pillows they can sometimes prop your head upwards, tilting your head forwards. By doing this, your head is in an unusual position and will continue to be for roughly 8 hours with your neck will feeling the pressure. Because your head isn’t supported correctly, your neck takes the role of support whilst you sleep. That’s a lot of pressure for your neck for 8 hours! A general rule I have is to sleep with one pillow. It may feel a little weird at first (and by weird I mean flat), but once you get used to it, it will make a great difference. If you only have one pillow, it will support your head, whilst allowing it to stay in line with the body, giving your neck a well deserved rest! Other things that you are probably doing that’s not helping your neck are; reading, checking emails or playing on your phone… Read More

Today I wanted to talk about why knee pain can get worse at night, and how to ease it. This question was sent to me yesterday by a reader suffering with knee pain, let’s call her Joan: “Jennifer, I’ve suffered on-off type knee pain now for more than a year. What I can’t put my finger on is when it started or why, and more confusing is that my pain gets worse as the day goes on. But whenever I wake up the pain is gone – or is considerably less. Yet, by the end of another day, my knee aches, sometimes feels hot and swollen and I’m often in considerable pain – especially if I’ve been out for a long walk with the dog. Any ideas?” What’s happening here is likely to be a simple case of the muscles around the knee being ‘weak’. As in, the muscles just aren’t strong enough to last through the day or cope with what she wants her body to do and where she wants to go. Think of it like this: when you go to bed at night and are ready to sleep your body is obviously tired from all of the energy you’ve used through the day. And your muscles, well, they’ve been working too. So what happens is that they get a rest when you sleep, you wake up and they ache less because they’re less tired and feel “energized” and ready for a new day. But if a muscle, any muscle, is weak… Read More

It is very frustrating to find that knee pain can get worse with exercise or by trying to do the “right” thing .  Let me help explain by telling a common story. I got this question sent to me yesterday by a “confused” reader of my newspaper articles suffering with knee pain, let’s call her ‘Michelle’: “Hey Jennifer, I’ve been suffering with pain in my right knee now for a few weeks. What I can’t put my finger on is what I did to make it start in the first place, and even more confusing is that it’s most painful when walking down the stairs, and only comes on 10 minutes into a run. Sometimes it aches, sometimes it feels tender and dull, but I don’t understand why I could run fine before and now I can’t, without having to stop after 10 minutes. Can you help?” There’s a good chance that the same thing is happening to Michelle as it does to most people this time of year… And it’s no surprise seeing as we’re now coming into Spring and heading into Summer quicker than we know it… This time of year we see more people than ever in the clinic suffering with painful knees. The reason why? Because it’s around this time of year that people decide to be more active and take things up like running and walking for longer distances. Even if they’re used to running, people tend to step it up and run a little longer than usual to… Read More

Knee Pain: How To Stop Arthritis Before It Stops You   Many people just like you are becoming victims of knee pain. This is FAST becoming one of the most common things we see at Penrose Physical Therapy, but before I tell you why, have a look and see if this sounds familiar. There’s a similar pattern that emerges with knee pain (before arthritis sets in). It starts with a few clicks of the knees, just here and there. But nothing painful, and you think nothing of it. Then as the years go on, some of those clicks become painful, and they start to ache a little bit more, commonly under the knee cap and inside of the knee. Walking around the stores for a few hours and they begin to feel sore. Sound familiar? You should think of ‘click-y’ knees as a warning sign that something’s wrong so you can correct it before the damage is done and it’s too late. Could this be you? Here’s a few simple ways to help you check at home (best to stand in front of a mirror): 1. Which way are your knees facing? They should go straight forwards, not towards each other “knocked knees”, or away from each other either. 2. Now bend your knees to do a small squat, as if you were going to sit down onto a chair behind you (any clicks?). In that position look… Read More

This week I wanted to focus on the type of knee pain that slows you down in life, niggles when you walk up and down the stairs, hurts every time you bend down, aches when you sit and just generally leaves you feeling frustrated wondering when it’s finally going to wear off… If that’s the type of knee pain you have, you’re not alone. Painful knees are one of the most common things we see people living with at Penrose Physical Therapy. And a lot of people get frustrated because they don’t understand WHY it’s happening to them. Some people think knee pain is just a part of ‘getting old’, because a friend or close family member told them it happens to everyone. Some people think knee pain is one of those things that comes and goes, hoping it’ll magically disappear one day when they wake up… (but it ends up staying longer, and sometimes gets worse). The sudden onset of knee pain can be confusing. Sometimes it happens because of a nasty fall or a movement you did that set it off. But more often than not, we see people suffering with knee pain because of everyday habits we do without even realizing. Maybe these habits are making your knee pain worse too? I wanted to share with you 3 of the most common bad habits we see people doing… 1. Wearing The Wrong Shoes – It’s sad but true, your favorite pair of heels, or smart suit shoes, could… Read More

I know how frustrating it can be when you’re not sure what you’ve done to hurt your knee, and even more frustrating when everything you’re trying to do to get rid of the problem – doesn’t do a thing to make it feel any better. So, I wanted to tell you about the 3 most common “quick fixes” that people THINK ease their knee trouble, but that actually do the opposite! 1. Reaching for the painkillers. When your knee hurts, one of the easiest things to do is reach for the painkillers to “kill” the problem, quick. Painkillers won’t get to the root cause of your problem and do anything to fix it, they just mask the pain instead, which doesn’t help anyone – it’s better to do something to fix the problem long-term instead. 2. Resting I understand it can be tempting to do nothing but rest “in case the pain gets worse” which means many people end up laying on the sofa watching their favorite TV shows. But when it comes to your knee, ‘rest’ actually means to not do ‘too much’. If you rest too much, your joints will become stiff and tight, which can make your knees feel even more achy when you try to move them. Try swimming, cycling, going for a light walk, Yoga or Pilates – low impact exercises to help keep you moving and not place any added pressure on your knees. 3. Wearing a support Knee supports should ONLY… Read More

Hellen is a nurse who recently finished therapy with us for her knees and can now take stairs 2 at a time!!   Before her doctor sent her to physical therapy she didn’t think she really “needed” us.  She had accepted that knee pain and some loss of ability was her “new normal.”  You see she had a total knee replacement about a year ago and now a recent menisectomy on the other knee.   She was shocked at the improvements we made with BOTH knees!  She is able to do stairs 2 at a time and is even thinking about going back to skiing with her husband!  She was willing to share her story with you on the Penrose & Associates Physical Therapy Youtube Channel.  If you are 40+ and think knee pain is your new normal think again!  If you want to be able to do stairs and get stronger then let us help you get there.   Hellen, pictured below, attended 12 visits to complete a full plan of care that allowed her to get to that level of function!   Penrose Physical Therapy Answers: What Can I do About Knee Pain Right Now?  … Read More

Written November 2017 on Thurston talk: Dawn Hill has been battling foot pain while walking due to plantar fasciitis for almost 25 years. It started on a vacation in Scotland where she spent most of her two weeks hiking. “Every day I’d limp in, but I wouldn’t give up my hike the next day,” says Dawn, an obviously tough woman who loves being active. She came home with an unwelcome souvenir, however. Since then, Dawn has needed orthotics, but the foot pain with walking continued. Ivy is Dawn’s adorable Maltese/Cairn Terrier mix, who loves taking long, brisk walks, but chronic pain in Dawn’s foot started to shorten them. “The brisk walking got really painful,” Dawn recalls. “And, of course, you try to doctor them yourself before you go see someone. Finally, I went and saw my podiatrist because it wasn’t getting better. I couldn’t walk two blocks without the burn being unbearable.” Her doctor diagnosed her with posterior tendonitis. After trying different orthotics from the podiatrist without seeing the results she wanted, Dawn asked her doctor to refer her to Penrose & Associated Physical Therapy as she had recently met owner Jennifer Penrose and had enjoyed her. Dawn says her experience at Penrose was amazing. They started by videotaping her on a treadmill to assess how she walked and how her gait caused foot pain. Then, they fitted her for new orthotics. “My old orthotics just weren’t supporting my arch like they should,” Dawn explains. “So, not only did I… Read More

Knee pain is not always arthritis. It can be a simple tendonitis that is easily resolved with physical therapy. Read about tips for knee pain and Nancy's story here. Read More