Do you or someone you know have sciatica? OR do you THINK you have it? Most people think they have sciatica- when in actually they don't. Truth is, if you're dealing with some form of back, buttock, or leg pain- there's only a 4% chance that it's caused by sciatica. Despite what you've been told (and how it seems like everybody says they have sciatica) it's actually pretty rare. Keep reading or watch my video below to learn 5 telltale signs of sciatica, including one simple 30 second self-test to confirm if you have it.
Now, sciatica is simply an irritation of the sciatic nerve as it runs from the back, down the back of the leg, into the foot. Causes include many things like herniated discs, piriformis syndrome, and spinal stenosis. Common telltale signs that you have a problem with the sciatica nerve (sciatica) include:
1-Feelings of Numbness, Tingling, Burning, Shooting down your leg
2-And these feelings travel down your leg in a very narrow path/band (usually 1-2 inches in width that can be traced with your finger down the back of your leg).
3-And your leg pain is now worse than you back pain.
4-And you have pain below the level of the knee (maybe even into the foot).
5-Stretching the sciatic nerve is painful, limited, or uncomfortable. (watch second half of video for self movement test)
If you've got all 5 of these signs- research shows that there is a greater than 90% chance that you have sciatica as the cause of your leg pain.
The first step to relief is to find out what triggers your back pain, numbness, or tingling and modify or tweak those things. The next step is to use specific movements to reduce irritation on the nerve.
If sciatica is keeping you from doing the things you love (or just keeping you up at night) give us a call at 484-552-3767 and we can help get you back to normal.
Shoulder pain is super common… luckily physical therapy has been shown to be just as effective (not to mention much safer) than surgery. There are four main types of shoulder pain. Here they are…
Click the link below or keep reading.
1. Weak & Painful Shoulder
2. Stiff & Painful Shoulder
3. Unstable Shoulder
4. Other (often from the neck)
WEAK & PAINFUL SHOULDERS: People who have weak and painful shoulders are often told they have shoulder impingement, a rotator cuff tear, tendinitis, bursitis, or bone spurs. These people can often move their arm fully, without loss of motion, but often have pain while doing so. The pain commonly occurs while reaching up and out the side or behind the back. Treatment for this type of shoulder involves gradually strengthening the shoulder and restoring painfree movement through hands on therapy and exercise.
STIFF & PAINFUL SHOULDERS: People who have stiff and painful shoulders often have a gradual onset of pain and loss of motion. Common problems that cause a stiff and painful shoulder include shoulder arthritis or frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis). You’ll know if you have a stiff and painful shoulder… reaching up and out to the side with be difficult (not just because it hurts)- you physically cannot move it in that direction. A quick test would be to stand with your arms by your side (elbows by side and bent upwards)… try and rotate the back of your hand outwards. You may notice that shoulder pain and stiffness on one side prevents your from moving very far… but the other painfree side might move fine. Treatment for this type of shoulder involves gradually increasing your motion through stretching and strengthening.
UNSTABLE SHOULDERS: People with unstable shoulders often have a history of their shoulder dislocating or popping out socket. Sometimes there is clicking and popping or an ability to “pop your shoulders” in and out. Often these folks are “double jointed” and are very flexible. Unstable shoulders occur commonly in sports such as baseball and gymnastics (where the shoulder is required to move through a lot of motion). Treatment for unstable shoulders can sometimes involve surgery (if it becomes a recurrent problem) or strengthening of the unstable shoulder.
A PROBLEM IN THE NECK (OTHER): Some people I see who think they have a problem in the shoulder actually have a problem in the neck causing their shoulder pain. These people may describe their shoulder pain as burning, or may experience pain, numbness, or tingling down their arm. If the neck is in fact the problem, your shoulder pain should reproduced by specific movements of your neck. Discs, joints, and nerves in or about the neck can send pain signals to your shoulder blade and shoulder, elbow, or hand. Treatment for this cause of pain involves hands on therapy of the neck and sometimes the nerves in the neck- as well as specific neck and postural exercises.
To help determine if your shoulder pain could be coming from the neck- watch this video.
Call 484 552 3767 if you’ve got shoulder pain and want relief.
People getting injections for their back pain before they ever try physical therapy! CRAZY… what’s the rush… why cut the lock when you could simply unlock the door… and walk inside? In other words- why do more than necessary…
Quick, but funny real-life story that I think helps represent how crazy getting injections as the first line of defense for back pain really is…
So about 3 months ago, I was pulling a late night in the clinic… it was a long day and I was tired. I was closing up shop… and locked my clinic keys inside the clinic… I had no car keys, and from what I could recall… no spare set of clinic keys. I was screwed…
I called my wife Heather annoyed, and she came to the clinic with a “So what are we going to do?” type attitude. First things first, I asked- “Do you just so happen to have a spare set of keys.” NOPE- was her response…
I said- okay then, we can try the old credit card trick, maybe a bobbie pin to pick the lock, or I’ll pry/cut the handle off (cheaper than calling a locksmith at that time of night… plus, I needed in… and had a full schedule starting at 7 the next morning).
To make a long story short… nothing worked.. and so I began prying the door handle apart… it was my last resort.
Halfway into the process, handle half ripped to shreds… my wife says- “Oh, wait- I HAVE A KEY…”
And just like that, she opened the door.
WHATTTTT- I sat there in disgust trying to channel my energy and find the fun in it…
Eventually we laughed at the silly mistake…
AND NOW- looking back, I think of how unnecessary all that was…
Why would anyone in there right mind know that they could simply “unlock” the door, but instead choose to break the handle off?! HAHA
They wouldn’t… or at least I hope not.
Point being, going to injections as your first step to manage your back pain.. is like breaking the door handle off before trying the key (physical therapy)…
Make sense?
I have a couple issues with and injections for back pain…
They only work for 2/3 people
They cause your blood sugar to spike
They hurt like heck (at least that’s what people tell me)
They’re expensive
You’re relying on someone to “fix you”
They offer only temporary relief
They act like a bandaide
Of all these issues… the fact that injections act like a bandaide and cover up the symptoms is a MAJOR PROBLEM…
This leaves many people feeling good temporarily… and they keep lifting, sitting, bending, and twisting all the ways that got them there in the first place…
And then… people wonder why their back pain COMES BACK? It’s a no-brainer… in fact, people should expect it to…
I created a short video that chats about why meds and injections are mostly USELESS in the treatment of back pain (if you actually want to solve the root cause).
So, if you’re scheduled for an injection… and are looking for the best solution for your back pain… call 484 552 3767 or email me directly at charliejohnsondpt@gmail.com
Also, if you know of anyone who’s suffering with back pain… and thinks injections are “all that can be done”… could you share this post with them?
If you’re in Royersford, PA and are looking for natural back pain treatment- call 484 552 3767… you’ll be glad you did ;-)…
Meet Lizzie…
Lizzy suffered with back pain for about 12 years… and she tried almost everything. Images of her spine showed “nothing was wrong” with her, and acupuncture, chiropractic, reiki, yoga, and massage were only temporary fixes… the pain always came back and she always went back to treatment, searching for a “fix.”
I explained to Lizzie that we could likely help her, with SNIPER PT… that is super focused treatment tailored just to her. Not a “shotgun approach” to giving her 15 exercises and just hoping and praying that found relief.
You see, as a specialist physical therapist, I have been trained to find THE root cause of your issue, and attack it with just a couple VERY SPECIFIC exercises (1-3… max)- this way, when you feel relief- you know exactly what to do to continue healing yourself… what a powerful thing…
So, I started off by telling Lizzie that we would teach her to heal herself… so if she ever does feel something in the future- she can correct it (on her own) immediately… without having to rely on someone else to put her back in line- or fix her.
To her surprise (remember, she had seen many people before with little relief… and was a tad bit skeptical that we could actually do something for her) she was painfree of back pain in 4 visits… 12 years of back pain gone in 4 visits.
Pretty sweet!
She was so pleased with her treatment- she agreed to create a video for you… to share her experience and try to let others know about specialized physical therapy… at Physical Therapy & Johnson in Royersford, PA.
Here’s what she had to say about her experience.
“I struggled with lower back pain for 12 years. Doctors have x-rayed me and told me everything looks fine. I’ve tried Chiropractic, acupuncture, Reiki, yoga and massage to varying degrees of relief but nothing corrected the problem. A friend recently recommended Dr. Charlie. He listened to what I described and together we investigated what was going on. We worked out a series of exercises and simple adjustments to my daily life and within weeks I finally had relief. I am so very grateful to have found a healthcare practitioner who truly paid attention to me and was committed to figuring out what was going on.”
-Lizzie
Watch the video below to meet Lizzie and hear her story…
Also, I want to let you in on a secret… most people with back pain (who’ve had it for as long as Lizzie and have tried everything) think that back pain treatment needs to be complicated in order to get results…
Honestly, this is exactly why most back pain treatment fails…
Treatment that is complicated… with lots of fancy techniques and many exercises can backfire… causing confusion for both the healthcare practioner and YOU the person with back pain… because there are just too many variables. And at the end of the day, you have no idea what’s working and what’s not… make sense?!
Secondly, most back pain treatment causes you to rely on someone or something else… versus taking ownership of things and getting in the game… working together with someone else to help yourself relieve your back pain. While this isn’t the easy road… it brings you to the ultimate solution… one where you have the knowledge, understanding, and tools to heal yourself (versus spending money on someone else to “fix you.”)
Click here to watch my video and learn more about “Why Most Back Pain Treatment Fails.”
If you live in the Royersford, PA area, and have tried everything… but still have some fight in you and are looking for natural relief (and want to feel better like Lizzie) call 484 552 3767 today.
As a physical therapist, one of the things I enjoy is helping people get back to normal. Meet Mark- Mark began having back pain from a herniated disc several months before coming to my office- we actually met at one of my free back pain workshops in Royersford, PA. While his back pain had begun to improve, he started to have pain in the back of his left leg. His leg bothered him when he sat too long, and especially if he tried to touch his toes or run… After 4 weeks and 2 visits he was 95% improved…
Here we are…
Here is what he had to say about his physical therapy experience in Royersford, PA.
My wife and I went to a free workshop that Dr. Charlie hosted and took him up on his offer to give us a free evaluation. I went because I couldn’t even sit in my car without chronic back pain. I was impressed that Dr. Charlie took the time (about an hour session each) needed not only to understand but also to educate me on why my back was malfunctioning. Three sessions later I am pain free! His excellence with heart definitely earns my five stars. Thanks for caring, Dr. Charlie!
Mark had a condition (herniated disc resulting in scarring down of the nerve) that caused the sciatic nerve in the back of his leg to become very limited in motion- causing tightness and pain in the back of his leg when sitting, bending over, or stretching his leg. It was originally caused by a herniated disc in his lower back that occurred after a long car ride (lots of sitting and slouching). While his back pain was much improved by the time he saw me- the healing of his disc caused his nerve to scar down- leaving it with less motion and feelings of tension in the back of his leg.
Through some gentle stretching and exercises for his sciatic nerve and lower back- he’s now able to run, sit, and touch his toes- PAINFREE.
If you’ve got lower back pain or leg pain (sciatica) and you live in Royersford, Limerick, Phoenixville, Collegeville, King of Prussia, or Philadelphia- call 484 552 3767 to get to the root cause, and to start feeling better today.
Recently, I had the opportunity to work with a man named Harry from Collegeville, PA. Harry is an awesome guy who enjoyed riding his motorcycle, taking care of his lawn, and doing things with his family. That was until his back and hip pain became so severe he could barely sleep, let alone enjoy being outdoors. In fact, on father’s day he had to “call it quits” because he couldn’t tolerate moving around. He had expensive MRI’s, injections, and other treatments that weren’t giving him relief. He had yet to try physical therapy and specialized back pain treatment… until one day he decided he had HAD ENOUGH…
After 5 visits of treatment to his lower back, including hands on manual therapy, specific back pain exercises, and back pain education- He just sent me a text… “Charlie, motorcycle trip went without incident…” Pretty Cool- NO PAIN! Harry’s back to living life without the constant thought of lower back pain… and he’s way more in control of his back pain- so that he can keep it from coming back.
Meet Harry- at my physical therapy clinic in Royersford, PA… where we specialize in treating lower back pain… (see the other happy campers on the wall behind him)
Here’s what Harry had to say about his physical therapy experience… Right here in Royersford, PA
“I encountered hip pain so severe I could not walk, sleep or stand due to spinal stenosis, arthritis and degenerative disc disease. I sought relief from medical doctors, but they failed to give any solution after prescribing tests, medications, x-rays, and MRI’s. Dr. Charlie guided me within five weeks to where I am no longer in constant pain, and I am able to resume normal activities.
Condition
Remedy
Outcome
Severe Left Hip Pain
Stretches and strength exercises.
Able to resume everyday activities within 3 visits.
Pain prohibited sleep due to discomfort
Understand the contributing factors to pain and use knowledge tools to reduce pain.
Able to get comfortable lying in bed after three visits. I now know how to reduce or eliminate the pain through stretches.
Unable to sit in car or chair
Use of proper seat adjustment and back supports to reduce pain.
Able to drive and sit without discomfort within three weeks.
Walking short distances, unable to go far.
Use exercise and stretches to relieve pain
After three office visits, I can walk without restrictions.
Dr. Charlie took the time to listen and understand my pain issues and develop a remedy plan specific to my needs. I highly recommend Dr. Charlie and his PT skills above seeking relief through medical professionals. PT is much quicker, less expensive, less stressful.”
-Harry Chamberlain
If you have back pain and are looking for back pain treatment and specialized physical therapy treatment in Royersford, Collegeville, Phoenixville, Limerick, King of Prussia, OR Philadelphia, PA- call 484 552 3767 or email charliejohnsondpt@gmail.com.
While there are many causes of lower back pain and/or leg pain, there are two causes that are MOST common. In most cases, leg pain is caused by pressure on a nerve or the discs in the lower back. Physical therapy treatment is aimed at relieving pressure on one or both of these structures.
There are two types of leg pain… REFERRED and RADIATING. leg pain… OR BOTH.
Referred pain is just as it sounds… pain referred or signals sent from one place to another. So, in the spine- the structures like the joints and discs in the back can send pain signals to parts of the body (other than just the back) into the buttock and down the leg. Depending on which structure is irritated will determine where you feel your symptoms… Referred pain is “non specific” and LARGER in coverage than radiating pain. It is often described as deep and achy and hard to pin point exactly…
On the other hand- Radiating pain is often involves irritation or compression of the nerve in the back… often termed as sciatica. Radiating pain takes a more specific path- and is often described as electric, shooting, or burning… you might even feel numbness or tingling.
And because a herniated DISC is the number one cause of SCIATICA many people have BOTH types of pain…
Think of the Sciatic nerve like a garden hose… Now, imagine you’re outside watering your plants when all the sudden the flow of water stops… What do you do? You check for a KINK! When you find the kink and undo it, the water starts flowing again. Now, nerves carry information such as FEELING and MOVEMENT… meaning depending on where they travel- they allow you to feel things touching you, and they “plug into” muscles- allowing your muscles to move and fire. When there is a KINK (or compression) on the nerve, you may notice that you develop numbness or tingling, OR even weakness in the leg. Any great physical therapist is trained to find the KINK and relieve the pressure on the nerve so that you feel normal again.
I know- complicated right? Well, if you’re in the Royersford, Limerick, Collegeville, Trappe, Phoenixville, King of Prussia, or Philadelphia, PA area- and have questions about back pain treatment or need specialized physical therapy- call 484 552 3767 or email charliejohnsondpt@gmail.com
If you’ve got lower back pain or leg pain numbness or tingling- check this video out…
Click the video below to learn about “Sciatica”… it’s a short video that talks all about it.
WHAT IS SCIATICA?
Sciatica is numbness, tingling, burning or shooting that is felt down one or both legs in a narrow band that occurs when pressure is placed on a nerve.
WHAT DOES SCIATICA FEEL LIKE?
The most common feelings are pain, numbness, and tingling in a narrow band down the leg. Everyone is unique though… here are some common ways people may describe feelings from sciatica:
• Electric
• Burning
• Weakness
• Shocking
• Coolness
• Bee Stings
• Shooting
• Trickling Water
One lady even told me, “It feels like ants are crawling on me…”
Point being… sciatica can create many unusual and scary feelings…
Good thing is… sciatica goes away.
The number one cause of sciatica is a herniated disc- due to pressure that is placed on the nerve by the disc herniation….
People who have pain due to a herniated disc USUALLY (but not always) have pain when sitting, bending, lifting, and when going from a sitting to standing position. It may, at times, feel like it’s hard to stand up straight… OR if things are really bad- your who body might be shifted to one side (usually away from the side of the leg pain).
If this sounds like you… and you’re looking for back pain treatment or specialized physical therapy in Royersford, Collegeville, Limerick, or Phoenixville, PA? Call 484 552 3767 or email me directly at charliejohnsondpt@gmail.com
Do you live in Royersford, PA or the surrounding areas? Are you sick and tired of lower back pain or sciatica? If you’re looking for back pain treatment and first-class physical therapy to help you heal naturally from your lower back pain call 484-552-3767.
You should know that the single most common cause of lower back pain and sciatica is a herniated disc.
What is a herniated disc?
A herniated disc, also known as a bulging or slipped disc, occurs when the inner jelly is pushed outwards through a tear in the outer portion of the disc resulting in a bulge or herniation (kind of like when the jelly is squeezed out of a donut). They can happen in any part of the spine, but are most common in the lower back.
A herniated disc can cause dull, achy pain in the back, buttock or leg… and if large enough, may even press on nerves in the spine- causing sciatica.
In this video I share with you the 7 tell tale signs of a herniated or bulging disc. Here they are…
1. Back pain that comes and goes. Does your lower back “got out” on you every once in-a-while…then just seems to go away on its own only to return next year?
2. Central lower back pain that feels achy or stiff.
3. Sciatica down the back of the leg or wrapping around the front of the leg from the lower back. Did you know that the number one cause of sciatica is a herniated disc?
4. Pain worsens with sitting. When we sit we put pressure on the front of our disc- which causes the stuff inside the disc to move backwards and puts pressure on the disc and nerves…causing pain, numbness, or tingling.
5. Pain worsens with going from sitting to standing.
6. Pain worsens with coughing or sneezing
7. Feels better standing
There you have it- 7 tell tales signs of a herniated or bulging disc…
Now, you might be wondering… can a herniated disc heal? Fortunately, they can! Physical therapy is often the first line of defense (or should be) and is a wonderful and effective all natural treatment solution that helps people with herniated discs heal.
If you’re in the Royersford, PA area and are looking for a physical therapist who specializes in lower back pain treatment- call 484-552-3767
