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Gardening is a great way to stay active, enjoy the outdoors, and care for your home. But after a long day of digging, planting, or pulling weeds, your back may have a different opinion. Back pain after gardening does not always mean you hurt or damaged your spine. Often, the pain is mechanical. This means it is affected by how you move, the positions you use, and how long your body stays in one position. The good news is that you do not have to give up gardening. A few simple

Travel should be exciting. But hours in a car or airplane seat can leave your back feeling stiff, sore, or painful. Sitting for a long time places your body in one position. You may start to slouch. Your hips can become tight. Your back muscles may have to work harder to support you. If you already have back pain, a long trip may cause it to flare up. The good news is that a few simple steps can help you arrive feeling better. Why Does Traveling Cause Back Pain? Most car and

New Hampshire is home to some of the most beautiful hiking in the country. Whether your goal is your first 4,000-footer or finishing all the NH48, every hike tells a story. For me, that story started in August 2013 on Mount Washington and came full circle in September 2023 on Mount Jefferson, where I completed the New Hampshire 48 4,000-footers. Looking back at Mount Washington from the summit of Jefferson was a full-circle moment I'll never forget. Along the way, I didn't ha

During the World Cup, elite soccer players may compete in several intense matches within a short period. They sprint, cut, kick, jump, and collide with other players, then just days later, they must be ready to perform again. Most of us are not playing in the World Cup. However, many active adults in Dover, NH, and the Seacoast region still place significant demands on their bodies. Whether you're walking, running, hiking, golfing, gardening, lifting weights, playing pickleba

How Early Specialty Physical Therapy Helps Employees Stay Healthy, Productive, and on the Job If you work in construction or another manual labor job, chances are you've had back pain. Many people think it's just "part of the job." They expect to wake up sore every morning, struggle through the workday, and hope the pain goes away over the weekend. It doesn't have to be this way. Most back pain is mechanical pain, which means it comes from the way the joints, muscles, discs,

If you have jaw pain, headaches, clicking, popping, or catching in your jaw, you may have been told you have TMJ or TMD. For many people, these symptoms become part of everyday life. Eating feels exhausting. Long conversations leave your jaw aching. Exercise makes symptoms flare up. Headaches become more common. Before long, you find yourself avoiding activities you once enjoyed. The frustrating part is that many people spend months or even years trying to treat the symptoms

If you have been told your pain is something you will just have to live with, this article is for you. Many adults with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), hypermobility spectrum disorders, and other connective tissue conditions spend years searching for answers. They see specialist after specialist, collect diagnoses, and often hear discouraging messages: "You'll always be in pain." "You need to stop doing the activities you love." "Surgery is your only option." "There's nothing e

If you are over 35, there is a good chance you have experienced this cycle: You start exercising consistently. Something begins to hurt. You are not sure if you should push through it or stop. You become worried about making it worse. Eventually, you stop exercising altogether. Unfortunately, this is one of the biggest reasons people lose strength, bone density, fitness, and confidence as they get older. At 603 PT & Wellness in Dover, NH, we work with active adults every day

Do you find yourself reaching for pain medication every week because of headaches? Maybe you've been told your headaches are caused by stress, hormones, getting older, or simply "part of life." The truth is that headaches are incredibly common, but they are not normal. At 603 PT & Wellness in Dover, NH, we regularly meet people who have been suffering from headaches for months or even years without realizing there may be treatment options available. Many people silently push

By Dr. Holly | 603 PT & Wellness – Dover, NH Most people are surprised when I tell them that my passion for movement started long before physical therapy school. Before I ever thought about becoming a physical therapist, I spent countless hours training and working with dogs. I grew up around dog shows and performance events. One of my favorite memories is sitting outside the show ring with my uncle, watching dogs move and talking about what we saw. We would discuss a dog's s

A car accident does not have to feel “serious” to affect your body. Last weekend, I was rear ended while stopped in traffic. The car that hit me was likely going less than 40 mph. At first, I thought I was lucky because the damage did not seem major. But within minutes, my neck and the muscles between my shoulder blades completely seized up. At first, I thought it was just stress from being hit. But the tightness stayed the rest of the day and into the next morning. I also de

Shoulder pain can be scary. Many people hear the words “rotator cuff tear” and immediately think: “I guess I have to stop working out.” “I probably need surgery.” “My shoulder will never feel normal again.” Thankfully, that is usually not true. At 603 PT & Wellness in Dover, NH, we help active adults recover from shoulder pain and get back to the things they love without immediately jumping to surgery or giving up activity. The good news is this: A rotator cuff tear is often

Have you ever been told: “Stop running, it’s bad for your knees.” “Don’t lift weights, it will hurt your back.” “Avoid that movement if it causes pain.” At first, this sounds helpful. But let’s be honest, if you keep stopping everything that hurts, where does it end? Do you stop exercising? Stop gardening? Stop playing with your kids? Stop doing the things you love? That’s not a real solution. That’s just shrinking your life. There Has to Be a Better Way To Treat Pain At 603

Golf season is back in Dover and every year, I see the same pattern. Motivated golfers get back on the course…And within a few rounds, back pain, stiffness, or nagging injuries start to show up. Some push through it. Some take days off to recover. Some quietly start playing less. It’s incredibly common. But after years of working with golfers, I can tell you this clearly: it’s also preventable. Why Golfers Struggle With Back Pain Golf places a unique demand on your body. It c

You rest your elbow. You ice it. You stop doing the activity that caused the pain. And it starts to feel better… But then you go back to tennis, pickleball, lifting, or even just daily tasks—and the pain comes right back. If this sounds like you, you’re not alone. At 603 PT & Wellness in Dover, NH, we see this all the time—especially in women going through perimenopause and menopause. What Is Tennis Elbow? Tennis elbow (also called lateral epicondylitis) is pain on the outs

Tips from 603 PT & Wellness in Dover, NH If your shoulder has become stiff and painful and it’s getting harder to reach overhead, hook your bra, or put on a jacket, you may be dealing with a frozen shoulder. Frozen shoulder is very common in adults over 35, especially in women going through perimenopause and menopause. Many people are surprised to learn that hormones can play a role in joint pain and stiffness. At 603 PT & Wellness in Dover, NH , we often help adults who want

You’re out walking, hiking, or exercising. Suddenly you feel a sharp pain in your knee. Now it hurts to walk. Stairs feel difficult. You may even feel clicking or catching in your knee. Your first thought might be: “Did I tear my meniscus?” Many people in Dover, NH worry about this. The meniscus is a small piece of cartilage in the knee that helps cushion and protect the joint. When knee pain starts suddenly, many people want an MRI right away to see what happened. But the tr

Spring activities like gardening, walking, and yard work can lead to tendon pain if you jump in too quickly. Learn why rest and ice alone don’t fix tendonitis and how to prevent tendon injuries in Dover, NH.

Many people think about bone health only after they are told they have osteopenia or osteoporosis . But the truth is, the best time to protect your bones is before problems begin . At 603 PT & Wellness in Dover, NH , many adults want to stay active, avoid injury, and keep doing the things they love. The good news is there are simple steps you can start today to keep your bones strong. Why Bone Health Matters for Osteoporosis Prevention Your bones are living tissue. They get s

Why Back Pain Often Starts During Perimenopause Many adults start to notice low back pain in their mid to late 30s . It may feel like stiffness in the morning, soreness after sitting, or pain after lifting or exercising. For many women, these aches become more common during perimenopause and menopause . Hormone changes during this time can affect your: joints muscles ligaments bone health These changes can make the body feel tighter, weaker, or more sensitive to stress. Over