Tough to Treat

This episode centers on the unique exam findings and interventions for a young dancer with diagnosed tendonitis. The challenge in this case was to look closer at the functional movement patterns to find where the movement pattern breaks down.

Does every low back pain or pelvic girdle patient get the same exercise progression? Let's hope not!! One size does not fit all here. The keys to progressing a patient to a more optimal movement pattern lie in the specificity of an exercise progression. Exercising the wrong muscle group will not help but can actually worsen. Balancing the forces across the pelvis via volume and variance in this program were paramount. 

How many times do you hear this complaint? I feel like I need to stretch my really tight low back! We have clients that have all kinds of complaints around their low back and this is one that is encountered frequently. Looking at functional and exercise movement patterns were the key to finding the path for change.

Many people have labral tears in their hip but is surgery the only solution? More often than not, there are secondary issues causing the labral tear in the first place, especially when someone still has lingering issues that the surgery did not address. Does a lack of control in the foot cause a hip labral tear? An overactive pelvic floor? Join us and find out!

What do red flags really mean to the Physical Therapist? Signs and symptoms need to be considered in the same light as the medical history of the client. Join us in our conversation about why the red flags became a bit more glaring with this case.

Not your typical pelvic issue! This podcast shows the beauty of looking up and down the chain for a clue as to where this runner's pelvic pain came from. Looking at movements SPECIFIC to running and NOT the pelvis, were keys to her recovery.

Lumbopelvic and knee pain sounds simple and straight forward in an individual at age for joint changes. Is it always about joint changes? Go through the clinical reasoning process with us to discover the hidden driver in this complex case.

Did you ever think wrist pain that gets aggravated when performing a down dog yoga posture would emanate from the shoulder? Sustaining such a beautiful move requires almost synchronous timing and a good clinical reasoning process to discover where the true source of the pain lies. And yes, you need to analyze the person in that posture!

Is heel pain really heel pain? What if the pain was an expression of symptoms from a different mechanism? Join Susan and Erica in this clinical reasoning conversation.

What is the cause of bilateral calf pain in this young fencer?  Start to finish, it shows the power of a thorough evaluation, a specific exercise progression and a return to the sport she loves. Susan Email: susan@embody-pt.com Erica Email: erica@ericameloe.com

This client presented with pain with intercourse - and although the mechanism of dysfunction is not that surprising, the circuitous route and co-morbidities are!

A former NFL player suffering from RIGHT shoulder pain discovers that his symptoms are coming from his LEFT side. Explore this unique clinical reasoning process with Susan and Erica.

Susan and Erica talk about some of the difficulties with pattern dominance in young and mature ballet dancers. This episode features someone with insidious onset of back and hip pain and the novel approach. For more information about mentoring contact: Erica- erica@ericameloe.com Susan- susan@embody-pt.com

An interesting discussion about a college softball player suffering from persistent neck and arm pain and some novel movement strategies to get her back into the game.  For more information about mentoring contact: Erica- erica@ericameloe.com Susan- susan@embody-pt.com

Discussion around a "hot topic" - is it OK to lift and leak? Susan and Erica discuss the issue and some non-complicated approaches to this population.