Andrew Nielsen, PT, DPT, CSCS
Sports Medicine and Orthopedics (owner)
Many aches and pains are signs pointing to chronic problems or limitations that lead to dysfunction and symptoms. A physical therapist is the most qualified healthcare professional to assess movement both in isolation, but also in functional movement patterns. For example, if you go to the gym and consistently have pain in your knees with box jumps, squats, or running, a physical therapist would be able to pinpoint the problem, address it, and you could move forward with no pain. Often times these little things are the biggest road blocks to our patients seeing progress towards their strength goals or performance goals. All it takes is a couple sessions to problem solve, provide some solutions through activity modification, and through specific exercises and you can notice a tremendous difference in your performance and pains.
Through my years of education and training I have grown my passion for injury prevention in athletes. I think it was because through my high school and college years I spent thousands of hours with strength coaches and football coaches that insisted I pushed myself in the gym even when I had significant shoulder and low back pain with my lifts. I didn’t know better at the time, so I continued to push hard to be the best I could be but this led to a shoulder surgery and chronic low back pain. Now, as a strength and conditioning specialist and a Doctor of Physical Therapy I know better. I know how to address the root problem, so I can get back to the gym and move forward towards my goals pain free. At Rehab Solutions, we have our athlete development facility called Elite Performance where we take patients to screen and treat their aches and pains in the weight room or field setting.
Strength training should not occur with pain. If you have pain with your training, this needs addressed before you load up with weight. Often times it is a mobility or stability issue, sometimes this is a strength limitation, and sometimes it is not truly knowing the correct technique. There are a lot of people offering advise that have a personal training certificate and are motivating, but don’t know what the heck they are talking about when it comes to movement and correcting movement dysfunction. If you have pain, shut it down, and come see one of our PTs. It is better to resolve the pain generating dysfunction before it is too late. Pain alone takes away the ability to generate power as it is a strong inhibitor to our power output. When you get rid of the power leak you can train at the intensity you need to to see your results.
In conclusion, you should seek physical therapy as a life long journey, coming in a few times a year to make sure you stay on the right track. Preventative exercises and activity modification can lead to a longer and healthier life with less pain. You should enjoy the activities that you enjoyed in your younger years without the fear of pain. Visit a physical therapist to see what limitations you can chip away at and check in a couple times a year to continue your progress towards your goals. As always, remember to move better, move stronger, and move forward.