Onward Physical Therapy Blog

Tailbone pain during pregnancy is common, but that doesn’t mean it’s normal! In fact, many women experience tailbone pain during pregnancy due to the many expected changes that the female body goes through.  Tailbone pain typically occurs due to the changes the tailbone experiences as the uterus grows to make room for the baby and potential postural changes. For some,...

While not as well known as their cousin migraine headaches, tension type headaches are actually the most common type of headache suffered by humans.   Why do we know so little about such a common problem? Part of this answer undoubtedly lies in the fact that tension headaches are not as debilitating as migraines, and thus the urgency to study...

Diastasis recti (DRA) is a common condition that affects many women, especially during and after pregnancy. It is a thinning of the connective tissue between the rectus abdominis muscles (6-pack muscles), which can lead to a bulging belly and other uncomfortable symptoms. Fortunately, diastasis recti can be treated with the right exercises and lifestyle changes. In this blog post, we...

For a gymnast to have proper technique in commonly performed skills using a handstand position or going through a handspring motion; full shoulder mobility is required.  A gymnast not only needs to be able full flexibility of the shoulders overhead, but they must be able to show full strength and control in that position.  This allows for optimal technique and...

The Achilles tendon is the longest and strongest tendon in the body. It is directly attached to both the gastroc and soleus muscles aka “the powerhouse muscles of distance running. The achilles job is to literally create tension in the foot and knee to propel us forward when running and walking. Because of this, it’s commonly subjected to irritation and...

Tennis elbow is a painful condition where the tendon on the outside of the forearm becomes overloaded and painful. The term “tennis elbow” came to be because this injury is common in tennis players but, at Onward, we see this in weightlifters, CrossFit athletes, golfers, and more. What Causes Tennis Elbow Tennis elbow occurs when the strength of the tendon...

Plantar fasciitis is a painful condition where the tissues on the bottom of the foot become irritated with weight bearing activities. The term “plantar fasciitis” is a little less accurate than we once thought as this isn’t purely an inflammatory condition as the “itis” part would imply. Instead, it is a condition that happens when the plantar fascia tissue gets...

Experiencing a sharp/shooting pain “down there” during pregnancy? If it occurs during the third trimester, you may be experiencing something called lightning crotch. Lightning crotch pain typically occurs when the baby begins to descend into the pelvis, certain movements or positions the baby settles into may press on the pudendal nerve. This can cause a sudden sharp pelvic pain down...

Behind low back pain and neck pain, jaw pain is the third most common muscuoloskeletal pain presentation in the United States. An estimated 75% of the U.S. population has experienced one or more signs of TMJ Disorder. Despite these stats, pain from TMJ is rarely treated conservatively despite there being very effective interventions to reduce both clicking and jaw pain...