https://superiorperformancept.com/ 2026-05-25 weekly 1.0 https://superiorperformancept.com/philosophy 2026-05-25 monthly 0.8 https://superiorperformancept.com/staff 2026-05-25 monthly 0.8 https://superiorperformancept.com/philanthropy 2026-05-25 monthly 0.7 https://superiorperformancept.com/blog 2026-05-25 weekly 0.9 https://superiorperformancept.com/contact 2026-05-25 monthly 0.9 https://superiorperformancept.com/appointment 2026-05-25 monthly 0.9 https://superiorperformancept.com/legal 2026-05-25 yearly 0.3 https://superiorperformancept.com/blog/entering-into-flip-flop-season-bunions 2017-05-09 yearly 0.7 https://superiorperformancept.com/blog/think-you-have-flat-feet-think-again 2017-05-09 yearly 0.7 https://superiorperformancept.com/blog/what-do-your-nerves-have-to-do-with-your-back-pain 2017-05-09 yearly 0.7 https://superiorperformancept.com/blog/a-manual-physical-therapist-approach-to-sleep-apnea 2017-05-09 yearly 0.7 https://superiorperformancept.com/blog/get-your-voice-back-with-physical-therapy 2017-05-09 yearly 0.7 https://superiorperformancept.com/blog/how-can-manual-therapy-treat-diastasis-recti-abdominis 2017-05-09 yearly 0.7 https://superiorperformancept.com/blog/the-coccyx-more-than-just-a-primordial-tail 2017-05-09 yearly 0.7 https://superiorperformancept.com/blog/why-ive-decided-to-have-a-cash-based-practice 2017-05-08 yearly 0.7 https://superiorperformancept.com/blog/a-manual-physical-therapy-approach-to-infertility 2017-05-09 yearly 0.7 https://superiorperformancept.com/blog/the-mobile-cranium 2017-05-25 yearly 0.7 https://superiorperformancept.com/blog/the-secret-to-a-pain-free-golf-swing-might-in-your-hips 2017-06-22 yearly 0.7 https://superiorperformancept.com/blog/quieting-the-mind-to-quiet-the-pain-power-of-mindfulness 2017-07-20 yearly 0.7 https://superiorperformancept.com/blog/the-future-of-healthcare-through-virtual-reality 2017-06-15 yearly 0.7 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https://superiorperformancept.com/media/podcast/stomach-and-esophagus 2021-08-14 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/media/podcast/liver-and-gallbladder 2021-08-21 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/media/podcast/prostate-and-bladder 2021-08-28 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/videos/medial-knee-pain-saphenous-nerve 2017-02-13 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/images/videos/video-medial-knee-pain.webp Medial Knee Pain: Saphenous Nerve If you're experiencing vague, achy pain on the inside of your knee that's difficult to pinpoint or reproduce, the saphenous nerve may be the culprit. This superficial nerve, branching from the femoral nerve, can cause indescribable discomfort when restricted. Through careful palpation at the point where the nerve emerges through muscle tissue, we can identify if nerve tension is the source of your pain. By releasing the tissues surrounding the nerve and restoring its proper mobility, knee pain often resolves almost instantly, providing relief when the saphenous nerve is the true underlying cause. https://www.youtube.com/embed/8CSWa9Ulag4 80 2017-02-13T00:00:00.000Z yes https://superiorperformancept.com/videos/scar-tissue-and-adhesions-treatment 2017-03-21 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/images/videos/video-scar-tissue.webp Scar Tissue and Adhesions Treatment Scar tissue and adhesions are critical factors that can significantly restrict your body's movement and function. Your body cannot distinguish between problematic scar tissue and healthy tissue, so when it senses pulling on adhesions during movement, it either stops the motion or creates compensatory patterns. These adhesions, whether from surgery or from lack of movement in the abdominal cavity, prevent tissues and organs from moving independently as designed. Without addressing these restrictions through hands-on treatment to separate adhered tissues, joint mobilizations and strengthening exercises cannot achieve their full effect. By manually breaking up adhesions and restoring proper tissue mobility, we create the foundation for lasting joint and muscle function, preventing abnormal pulls that would otherwise rotate bones out of place. https://www.youtube.com/embed/taZnHJLcLc4 156 2017-03-21T00:00:00.000Z yes https://superiorperformancept.com/videos/pnf-proprioceptive-neuromuscular-facilitation 2017-04-15 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/images/videos/video-pnf.webp PNF: Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation After mobilizing joints and soft tissues, strengthening is essential—but not through unsupervised gym exercises that feed into old compensations. Using PNF principles (Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation), developed for polio and stroke patients, we apply hands-on techniques that utilize the body's natural diagonal movement patterns. These patterns create an irradiation effect where stronger muscles facilitate weaker ones, dramatically accelerating strength gains by improving neuromuscular input and motor unit recruitment rather than just building muscle size. This approach refreshes your brain's connection to efficient movement patterns, ensuring that when you do home exercises, you're reinforcing proper mechanics—not the compensatory patterns that brought you to treatment. PNF can also be used for stretching and relaxation, helping both high-tone and low-tone conditions by improving the nervous system's ability to fire muscles efficiently. https://www.youtube.com/embed/srqHy9l_aZ8 188 2017-04-15T00:00:00.000Z yes https://superiorperformancept.com/videos/visceral-manipulation 2017-05-08 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/images/videos/video-visceral-manipulation.webp Visceral Manipulation When treating musculoskeletal dysfunction, we cannot forget the organs—they're crucial for restoring body mobility. People don't realize that treating low back pain involves addressing the large intestine, small intestine, stomach, liver, and reproductive organs, because without organ mobility, joints and muscles can't achieve mobility either. In the organ system hierarchy, musculoskeletal ranks near the bottom while digestive and reproductive systems rank higher. Organ adhesions and improper movement cause musculoskeletal dysfunction and changes. A strained muscle or hurt back pales compared to a perforated bowel, so the body actually alters muscular system alignment to decrease pressure on organs. Treating only joints and muscles without addressing organs ensures issues keep returning—we're just treating the leaking ceiling tile without addressing the leak's source. To prevent recidivism, we must assess organ health and ensure proper, unimpeded movement. Treating the body requires examining muscle, nerve, and joint mobility alongside organ mobility for lasting effects. https://www.youtube.com/embed/gbEpndgXZQQ 134 2017-05-08T00:00:00.000Z yes https://superiorperformancept.com/videos/ligamentous-laxity-and-menstrual-cycle 2017-06-14 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/images/videos/video-ligamentous-laxity.webp Ligamentous Laxity and Menstrual Cycle It's not a myth that more girls and women experience ligamentous tears than men—soccer-playing women have astronomically higher ACL tear rates compared to men. There's a specific time during your monthly cycle when ligamentous problems are more likely: around menstruation. During this time, your body releases relaxin, a hormone that causes ligaments to relax and not hold as tightly, creating instabilities. While relaxin is crucial during pregnancy for body changes and childbirth, it unfortunately also occurs during monthly cycles, causing SI joint pain or knee instabilities around periods. If you experience these problems, track them to see if they correlate with your cycle. We can improve uterus mobility, especially for SI joint or low back pain related to cycles. Otherwise, we ensure proper alignment throughout the kinetic chain—from ankles to tibias to femurs to hips—so when your monthly cycle arrives, you're not at increased risk due to body malalignment. https://www.youtube.com/embed/QFge5Gm4GD4 117 2017-06-14T00:00:00.000Z yes https://superiorperformancept.com/videos/introduction-superior-performance-physical-therapy 2017-07-09 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/images/videos/video-introduction.webp Introduction: Superior Performance Physical Therapy At Superior Performance Physical Therapy in Newport Beach, California, we treat the whole person, not just the diagnosis. Through hour-long one-on-one sessions, we focus on three aspects: First, mechanical dysfunctions—identifying what limits range of motion (soft tissue, joints, nerves, or restricted organs). Second, the neuromuscular component—examining muscle activation efficiency and core connection. Finally, motor control—entire tasks like running, golf swings, or lifting your baby. We ensure proper motion timing, appropriate muscle group usage, and optimal function. We seek efficiency, not normal—we want you living the most efficient life possible. This requires examining the entire body and self: feet, knees, hips, shoulders, head, everything, even for seemingly simple diagnoses. At Superior Performance, we treat you as a person. Each case is different, and we want you to feel heard and part of the healing process. https://www.youtube.com/embed/zkleQIKyiPo 102 2017-07-09T00:00:00.000Z yes https://superiorperformancept.com/videos/diastasis-recti 2017-08-01 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/images/videos/video-diastasis-recti.webp Diastasis Recti Diastasis recti, a common post-pregnancy condition (though men experience it after weight gain too), occurs when the linea alba—the line between six-pack abs—splits as the body expands during pregnancy. This creates serious problems for low back protection since core strength and proper muscle firing are essential for spinal stabilization. Treatment involves clearing soft tissue restrictions along the lateral borders of the rectus abdominis, examining the interplay between internal obliques, external obliques, and transverse abdominis, and treating adhered organs underneath from pregnancy expansion. Latest research shows that instead of simply clamping down, light stretching of these fibers promotes recoil and contraction. This work is best accomplished through manual contacts—hands-on treatment ensuring proper tissue spreading and muscle response—rather than unsupervised gym exercises that might worsen the condition. Manual physical therapy corrects tissue alignment, pelvic alignment, and ensures proper muscle contraction to close the pregnancy-created space. https://www.youtube.com/embed/D-WM25ZIG7A 131 2017-08-01T00:00:00.000Z yes https://superiorperformancept.com/videos/mobilization-of-the-cranium 2017-08-26 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/images/videos/video-cranial-mobilization.webp Mobilization of the Cranium There's a common misconception that the skull is one big bone, when it's actually many bones puzzle-pieced together through sutures (joint lines with interlocking teeth). Motion occurs through these areas. When treating headaches, post-concussion, and facial/head traumas, we mobilize these bones for more efficient movement, improving cerebrospinal fluid flow, reducing headaches, and decreasing compressive forces. We follow a specific sequence, treating certain sutures first, second, and third for maximum effect. I've treated car accident patients whose glasses fit sideways—after mobilizing these bones, symmetry returns. These aren't large shoulder/elbow movements but very small motions. Everything must be adjusted slowly and precisely to fit correctly, restoring symmetry, efficient cerebrospinal fluid pumping, and providing effective relief for headaches and post-trauma patients. https://www.youtube.com/embed/VlZLlRpMV1I 102 2017-08-26T00:00:00.000Z yes https://superiorperformancept.com/videos/introduction-heather-demirci 2017-09-11 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/images/videos/video-introduction-heather.webp Introduction: Heather Demirci I'm Heather Demirci, founder of Superior Performance Physical Therapy in Newport Beach, California. Like many peers, I entered the profession after injury—I was a competitive swimmer in and out of PT offices since age nine with shoulder injuries. Though I was nine and didn't know anatomy, I knew my body. But PTs didn't listen, just boxed me into "swimmer shoulder injury." I never improved. At 15, unfortunately right before my first shoulder surgery, I finally met a functional manual therapist. This place was different—they listened, looked me in the eye, wanted me part of the healing process. They took time to hear how I felt about my body, examining not just my shoulder but my rib cage, pelvis, whole body. That's when I realized PT could be more. I attended Northeastern University in Boston for my doctorate. Afterward, wanting more mentorship, I joined an Institute of Physical Art residency to become a certified functional manual therapist, completing it in 2012 under Dr. Brad Gilden in Greenwich, Connecticut. After more years working, I entered the IPA Manhattan fellowship under Dean Hazama. After a year learning more about functional manual therapy, we moved to Newport Beach, California, where I opened Superior Performance Physical Therapy—a clinic where people feel listened to and part of the healing process. https://www.youtube.com/embed/82Eh7MN4vNc 136 2017-09-11T00:00:00.000Z yes https://superiorperformancept.com/videos/how-a-physical-therapist-can-help-with-infertility 2017-09-27 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/images/videos/video-infertility.webp How a Physical Therapist Can Help with Infertility Infertility treatments are expensive, involving numerous drugs and harsh hormones. Physical therapy offers an alternative approach. If you're experiencing infertility, a functional manual therapist can assess whether misalignment of your uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes is the issue. If the ovary isn't properly positioned, eggs can't enter the fallopian tube; if the fallopian tube is misplaced, eggs can't drop into the uterus. These interconnected soft tissues are assessable. Research on fallopian tube patency (openness) shows manual therapy techniques can reopen adhered tubes. We can affect fertility without harsh drugs that impact system function. If you're struggling with infertility, try physical therapy first. Even if it doesn't result in pregnancy, you'll know that when you do conceive, you have proper, healthy uterine alignment, giving the growing baby adequate room and safety. https://www.youtube.com/embed/NugW30dbxyQ 88 2017-09-27T00:00:00.000Z yes https://superiorperformancept.com/videos/singing 2017-10-08 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/images/videos/video-singing.webp Singing Working with singers from professional artists and Broadway performers to weekend enthusiasts reveals that physical therapy can significantly impact vocal performance. Many singers are surprised to learn we treat far more than just the diaphragm—we can actually treat the vocal cords themselves, testing for weakness and providing exercises to strengthen them. The nose is crucial for singing ability, so we treat all surrounding bones to ensure symmetry and proper pathways. We work inside the mouth on the muscles of mastication (chewing), which affects jaw movement and the notes you can hit. In the clinic, singers often test their range, we treat a specific area, and they immediately retest to discover they can hit notes they haven't reached in years. Beyond fixing immediate issues, we empower singers with self-treatment techniques they can use before performances to ensure their voice performs at its best. https://www.youtube.com/embed/1hJYbgzgP1Q 121 2017-10-08T00:00:00.000Z yes https://superiorperformancept.com/videos/nerve-tension 2017-10-24 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/images/videos/video-nerve-tension.webp Nerve Tension Understanding the hierarchy of organ systems reveals why nerve mobility is crucial for joint function. The cardiovascular, pulmonary, and nervous systems sit at the top of this hierarchy, meaning your body protects these areas first and foremost. Unlike muscles that only cross a few joints, nerves are continuous structures running from your brain through your spinal cord all the way to your extremities. When nerves become adhered and can't move properly, they cause abnormal or limited joint motion. The nervous system protects itself so effectively that you rarely hear about nerve injuries compared to sprains and strains—because without properly functioning nerves, you'd be paralyzed. To achieve truly efficient mobility, we must address nerve mobility alongside joints and soft tissues, ensuring nerves can glide freely from the spinal cord to your fingers and toes. https://www.youtube.com/embed/88UGym3c9HA 112 2017-10-24T00:00:00.000Z yes https://superiorperformancept.com/videos/dura 2017-11-04 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/images/videos/video-dura.webp Dura When examining movement ability, everyone considers joints and soft tissues but overlooks nerve mobility. During treatment you'll hear us discuss mobilizing nerves by mobilizing your dura. What is dura? Many get confused—your dura is the connective tissue casing around nerves, protecting each individual nerve. It's crucial because nerves need protection and must slide and glide through this connective sheath, though it easily adheres. The dura moves continuously throughout your body, following all nerve pathways, and connects at two places: your sphenoid bone (where your brain sits) and your coccyx. When someone's mobility is limited by nerves, we examine these two locations—the coccyx and sphenoid—ensuring neutral positioning. If either is misaligned, it significantly affects one body side's nerve mobility. When discussing moving your nerves, we're focusing on that dura—the connective tissue between muscles and around joints—ensuring free, uninhibited movement. The dura is extremely important and frequently discussed in treatment sessions. https://www.youtube.com/embed/iPprFPe7fHs 101 2017-11-04T00:00:00.000Z yes https://superiorperformancept.com/videos/coccyx 2017-11-13 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/images/videos/video-coccyx.webp Coccyx It's common in our practice to treat your tailbone or coccyx. The coccyx is crucial because it's an anchoring point for your dura—the connective tissue around nerves that's continuous through your entire body. Unlike muscles crossing two or three joints maximum, nerves extend from brain and spinal cord to fingers and toes. If dura is at all adhered and restricted, it decreases motion elsewhere. The two anchor points are your sphenoid bone (where your brain sits) and your coccyx. The coccyx is easily treated with huge impact on your pelvic girdle, and we often see increased shoulder and neck range of motion after treating just the tailbone. We examine the sacrum-coccyx junction for rotation, deviation, anterior/posterior shear, then the coccyx body for side bending or flexion/extension. Improving coccyx alignment alleviates pain by relieving dura pressure. It's a keystone bone requiring treatment for overall effect. When someone presents with all left-sided pain (left shoulder, hip, knee), I immediately consider dura and coccyx. Often neural tension affects these areas, preventing movement. Treating the coccyx easily decreases tension, revealing what we're working with rather than fighting the nervous system. https://www.youtube.com/embed/f2tOGL33l3g 128 2017-11-13T00:00:00.000Z yes https://superiorperformancept.com/videos/bunions 2017-11-22 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/images/videos/video-bunions.webp Bunions When treating bunions or post-bunionectomy patients, it's essential to understand that while the visible deformity appears at the toe, the real problem typically originates in the midfoot, specifically the cuneiforms. Often what seems like flat feet is actually high arches—the cuneiforms sit too high, changing the force distribution through the first toe and altering its angulation, which leads to bone growth and bunion formation. Physical therapy focuses not just on restoring mobility to the first toe and mobilizing post-surgical scar tissue, but more importantly on treating the root cause by addressing midfoot dysfunction. By ensuring the cuneiforms move properly and restoring efficient force distribution through the foot, we can prevent bunion progression and, in cases where a bunion already exists, ensure it doesn't worsen while improving overall foot mechanics. https://www.youtube.com/embed/SgBqa5_MINA 97 2017-11-22T00:00:00.000Z yes https://superiorperformancept.com/videos/homunculus 2017-12-03 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/images/videos/video-homunculus.webp Homunculus The homunculus is the sensory cortex—the brain's body map showing sensory component locations. Search "homunculus man" to see a deformed figure emphasizing hands, feet, face, and mouth—the brain's real estate allocation for these body parts. These areas have more sensations requiring dedicated brain focus. Functional MRIs show that injury "smudges" that area's homunculus representation—it's unclear, poorly defined, with reduced blood flow as the brain forgets that body part. This is dangerous: without sensing an area, instabilities and mistakes occur. We focus on refreshing the homunculus (which constantly remaps sensory components). Research shows chronic injury patients miss circling their injured body part in magazines because their brain stops seeing even others' corresponding body parts—no sensory cortex real estate remains. We refresh the brain by treating mechanical dysfunctions and emphasizing neuromuscular components—getting muscles to fire and stabilize refreshes the homunculus, restoring proper sensory cortex function. https://www.youtube.com/embed/9cSwlB7yj9E 155 2017-12-03T00:00:00.000Z yes https://superiorperformancept.com/videos/diaphragm 2017-12-05 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/images/videos/video-diaphragm.webp Diaphragm Research has demonstrated that the diaphragm is critically important in treating many ailments, from low back pain to shoulder pain to headaches. Positioned between the thoracic and abdominal cavities, the diaphragm creates essential positive and negative pressures that facilitate airflow and mobilize organs—particularly the kidneys, which are significantly affected by diaphragmatic movement. Most people in first-world countries breathe from their chests and necks due to stress, neglecting proper diaphragmatic breathing. Often the diaphragm is simply stuck from disuse and can be mobilized to move naturally again, though sometimes adhesions require manual mobilization techniques. The improvement in pain when people learn proper diaphragmatic breathing is remarkable, yet this crucial muscle is unfortunately often forgotten in treatment despite being essential for addressing common ailments and improving overall efficiency. https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZGBvAuGFrPw 110 2017-12-05T00:00:00.000Z yes https://superiorperformancept.com/videos/flat-feet-video 2017-01-07 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/images/videos/video-flat-feet.webp Flat Feet Many people are surprised to learn they don't actually have flat feet—they have high arches with a compensated supinated foot. In functional manual therapy, we recognize that when arches are too elevated, the body compensates by caving the back of the ankle inward to ensure proper ground contact, particularly of the big toe. This compensation creates ankle instability, leading to frequent ankle sprains and Achilles tendonitis. Rather than spending money on inserts and orthotics to "correct" flat feet, the real solution lies in treating the midfoot—specifically the cuneiforms and cuboid—to bring the arch into a neutral position. By correcting the back of the foot and addressing the true cause of the elevated arch, we eliminate the need for compensation and create stable, efficient foot mechanics. https://www.youtube.com/embed/hRhRPHok5Us 105 2017-01-07T00:00:00.000Z yes https://superiorperformancept.com/videos/pediatrics-working-with-kids-in-physical-therapy 2017-01-23 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/images/videos/video-pediatrics.webp Pediatrics: Working with Kids in Physical Therapy Working with the pediatric population is particularly rewarding because of how quickly children improve—their bodies are still forming and neural connections are still developing, allowing us to genuinely change how their bodies function. Using PNF principles (proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation), we connect the body back to its core and teach muscles to fire efficiently. The key to success with children is making treatment fun—if it's not enjoyable, they won't comply with exercises. Rather than boring, isolated movements, we create engaging activities that activate multiple components simultaneously while keeping children entertained. When kids start complaining of back pain or knee pain, it's the ideal time to address alignment issues while they're young and their systems are still forming, rather than waiting 10-20 years when everything has hardened into place and becomes more difficult to change. https://www.youtube.com/embed/npprgfAxOFM 106 2017-01-23T00:00:00.000Z yes https://superiorperformancept.com/videos/treatment-philosophy 2017-02-01 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/images/videos/video-treatment-philosophy.webp Treatment Philosophy Our hour-long one-on-one treatments focus on three pillars. First, mechanical dysfunction: using functional manual therapy and Barral techniques to affect soft tissues, joints, nerves, and viscera. After clearing motion-restricting restrictions, we address the neuromuscular component—examining muscle contraction efficiency, core connection, and timing. We facilitate proper firing through manual techniques like proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, ensuring desired muscles fire correctly rather than perpetuating old compensatory movements. Finally, we examine motor control—the complete task whether running, picking up your baby, or executing a golf swing. We ensure your whole body connects with perfect timing for efficient motion that prevents system breakdown. https://www.youtube.com/embed/InL4srjOAjY 85 2017-02-01T00:00:00.000Z yes https://superiorperformancept.com/videos/hypermobility 2017-02-19 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/images/videos/video-hypermobility.webp Hypermobility Some people claim they're just really mobile or hypermobile, and while genetic global hypermobility exists, it requires strengthening work focused on dynamic stabilization to prevent breakdown. However, most people aren't truly globally hypermobile—they have localized areas of hypermobility that develop because of areas with hypomobility (insufficient motion). Using a golf swing as an example: without adequate hip motion, the body compensates by taking motion from the back, leading to back problems. Often people seek treatment for hypermobility pain, but lasting improvement only comes from treating the hypomobile areas—the regions not moving enough. Once we address these restricted areas, the hypermobile regions can return to normal motion range. https://www.youtube.com/embed/mSEMlFibnqo 70 2017-02-19T00:00:00.000Z yes https://superiorperformancept.com/videos/what-is-the-core-video 2017-03-07 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/images/videos/video-core.webp What Is the Core? Most patients lack efficient cores—the core doesn't fire automatically and isn't strong. They mistakenly believe strong six-pack abs equal a strong core, not understanding true core muscles. Latest research shows the core actually starts in the throat at the glottis—if the glottis isn't moving properly or neck restrictions exist, you won't achieve true core contraction even down into the pelvic floor. Core treatment may address the neck, but also the diaphragm (a crucial core component acting as the lid), the transverse abdominis wrapping the sides, and the pelvic floor at the bottom. If any area can't contract and hold efficiently, your system has a problem—the core can't stabilize and create necessary pressure to protect the spine, leading to breakdown. Don't be surprised if low back pain treatment involves neck or diaphragm work, or if upper back issues require pelvic floor attention—we address wherever needed to make the core efficient, strong, and properly stabilizing. https://www.youtube.com/embed/v_7Vy1StTl4 91 2017-03-07T00:00:00.000Z yes https://superiorperformancept.com/videos/cross-body-exercises-and-children 2017-03-18 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/images/videos/video-cross-body-exercises.webp Cross Body Exercises and Children Children with higher energy levels and difficulty concentrating can benefit significantly from cross-body exercises that integrate the left and right sides of the brain. Many classrooms are now implementing these activities, having children stand and perform movements like touching opposite arm to opposite knee while marching. This simple technique remarkably refreshes and refocuses the brain by facilitating communication between both hemispheres. If your child struggles with focus, try exercises that cross the midline—whether touching opposite limbs, performing grapevine movements, or engaging in activities with balls that require crossing arms across the body. These cross-body movements help integrate both brain hemispheres and can significantly improve a child's ability to concentrate. https://www.youtube.com/embed/YigivzafUbc 73 2017-03-18T00:00:00.000Z yes https://superiorperformancept.com/videos/tinnitus 2017-04-03 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/images/videos/video-tinnitus.webp Tinnitus Ringing in the ears, known as tinnitus, can often be addressed by physical therapists when it has a mechanical cause. Right behind your eardrums sit your first cervical vertebrae, which can become rotated, side bent, or sheared, causing compression on ear canals that produces ringing. We assess cervical range of motion and treat as needed. The jaw presents another potential source—if it tracks incorrectly or goes too far back when closing, it can impinge on the eardrum and ear canals. We can even treat inside the mouth to reach the Eustachian tube via the muscle that holds it; when this muscle is in spasm, it pulls down and partially closes the tube, but mobilizing it frees the tube to move easier. Unless you have a true neurological cause (which your doctor can identify), physical therapists can be highly effective in treating tinnitus. https://www.youtube.com/embed/aW--mIlrR7I 99 2017-04-03T00:00:00.000Z yes https://superiorperformancept.com/videos/lymphatic-drainage 2017-04-19 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/images/videos/video-lymphatic-drainage.webp Lymphatic Drainage The lymphatic system becomes critically important after surgery. Post-surgical swelling inhibits nerves from making muscles fire and contract—which helps remove swelling. A catch-22. I want post-surgical patients in as soon as possible, not primarily for joint or scar tissue mobilization (though appropriate depending on the surgeon), but to activate the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system removes extracellular fluid that can't fit into veins or capillaries, following the same pathways as arteries and veins. People associate lymphatics with lymph nodes, illness, or cancer (when nodes are removed for testing), but the lymphatic system is much more. I use specific sequencing to move fluid out—not just treating the surgical site (e.g., knee). I start at the collarbone, work to arms, into the abdomen, then down to legs for maximum lymphatic effectiveness. This removes swelling, allowing muscles to fire and strengthen, dramatically improving rehab. The first days post-surgery are crucial for lymphatic mobilization and edema management. This applies equally to injuries with swelling (like ankle sprains)—ankle instability partly results from muscles unable to contract due to swelling. Lymphatic drainage massage improves the area, removes swelling, and enables efficient muscle firing. Though often unaddressed in PT unless by lymphedema specialists, lymphatic techniques are essential for any patient with excessive swelling. https://www.youtube.com/embed/mJkCE0Q_O6Y 166 2017-04-19T00:00:00.000Z yes https://superiorperformancept.com/videos/treatment-philosophy-alt 2017-05-07 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/images/videos/video-treatment-philosophy.webp Treatment Philosophy In our hour-long one-on-one treatments, we focus on three pillars. First, mechanical—using functional manual therapy and Barral techniques to affect change in soft tissues, joints, nerves, and viscera. Once we've cleared motion-restricting restrictions, we address the neuromuscular component: How are muscles contracting? Are they connecting back to your core? Is there efficient timing? We typically use manual techniques like proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation to ensure desired muscles fire properly rather than old compensatory movements. Finally, we examine motor control—the whole task assembled: running, picking up your baby, golf swings, anything that used to cause pain. We ensure your whole body is connected with perfect timing for efficient motion that won't cause system breakdown. https://www.youtube.com/embed/yBWa6qhJkkw 72 2017-05-07T00:00:00.000Z yes https://superiorperformancept.com/videos/jaw-pain-temporomandibular-dysfunction-tmd 2017-05-23 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/images/videos/video-jaw-pain.webp Jaw Pain: Temporomandibular Dysfunction (TMD) Many people suffer from popping jaws during chewing or talking—an audible pop indicating temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction. Physical therapists can restore jaw strength and mobility. First, we determine if it's a motor control issue by having you hold your tongue to the roof of your mouth while opening. If the popping stops, it's neuromuscular—we'll provide strengthening exercises to help muscles hold the joint properly. If popping persists, it's mechanical: the popping side is hypermobile, while the opposite side has hypomobility (restricted motion) requiring treatment first. We work inside the mouth to improve mobility, alignment, and surrounding muscle function, then strengthen to maintain proper jaw position. Popping jaws can be painful and annoying, but they don't have to be—treatment is effective. https://www.youtube.com/embed/A1Z91NtvhEM 109 2017-05-23T00:00:00.000Z yes https://superiorperformancept.com/videos/painful-periods 2017-06-03 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/images/videos/video-painful-periods.webp Painful Periods When I ask women if they have pain with periods, they often say "no, just normal"—but "normal" means cramping on days one and two that's "not debilitating like it used to be." While painful periods may be statistically normal, they're not efficient and don't need to occur. Painful periods typically result from restrictions around the uterus. During menstruation, the uterus contracts to shed its lining, but if scar tissue adhesions hold the uterus in an abnormal position, contractions against these restrictions cause pain—including back pain and even headaches from fascial adhesions in the pelvic girdle. By ensuring mobility of the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries, we can eliminate period pain so women don't notice anything—that's true efficiency. Painful periods don't need to happen. https://www.youtube.com/embed/DrIObo6A3rs 82 2017-06-03T00:00:00.000Z yes https://superiorperformancept.com/videos/incontinence 2017-06-19 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/images/videos/video-incontinence.webp Incontinence Many people suffer from incontinence—not just women, but men and children as well. When treating incontinence, we first assess bladder mobility within the abdominal cavity. If the bladder is adhered, it can't fill fully, causing frequent urination with complete emptying, or restrictions may prevent full contraction and complete voiding. In women, we examine the uterus; in men, the prostate and digestive organs like the rectum. After clearing visceral adhesions, we address the pelvic floor. Leakage problems often stem from pelvic floor dysfunction—if pelvic floor muscles lack proper alignment due to pelvic malalignment, these core muscles that should contract constantly can't maintain proper length-tension relationships to hold urine effectively. We restore pelvic alignment for efficiency and then strengthen pelvic floor muscles to address incontinence. https://www.youtube.com/embed/fBieKLFweB4 94 2017-06-19T00:00:00.000Z yes https://superiorperformancept.com/videos/bulging-discs 2017-07-05 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/images/videos/video-bulging-discs.webp Bulging Discs When patients present with herniated discs, we actually treat the disc itself. The best approach is through the abdomen—though this surprises people initially. Looking at body cross-sections, discs are only halfway through your body, making frontal access through the abdomen easier than pulling from the back. We enter the abdomen, clearing visceral adhesions and calming the psoas muscle (the major hip flexor connecting directly to discs and vertebral bodies). Psoas spasm can pull discs further out of place. Once calmed, we palpate the discs and use functional mobilizations to push them back into place, off the nerves. Bulging disc patients typically have radiating leg pain (lumbar) or arm pain (cervical), indicating nerve irritation near the disc. Beyond repositioning the disc, we address nerve health, decreasing inflammation around the nerve sheath that could cause adhesions and more pain. We ensure proper nerve mobility through the entire leg length wherever restrictions exist. Once cleared, symptoms calm down. We provide home exercises to reinstate our work and strengthen the area to prevent recurrence. https://www.youtube.com/embed/qTJi2OwCE7o 116 2017-07-05T00:00:00.000Z yes https://superiorperformancept.com/videos/low-back-pain 2017-07-23 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/images/videos/video-low-back-pain.webp Low Back Pain Low back pain is a blanket term covering many causes: coccyx, sacrum, lumbar spine issues, or viscera problems. We examine your history to identify when pain started—perhaps an injury that initiated recurring low back pain. Research shows if you've had back pain once, you'll likely have it again because the low back has so many contributing components: feet, knees, pelvic girdle alignment, ribs, and more. We must dissect the source by examining ranges of motion, visceral connections, and nerve connections to identify the main cause. Then we focus on strengthening and restoring core function (from glottis to pelvic floor), ensuring everything fires properly to create the intra-abdominal pressure necessary to stabilize your low back and eliminate pain. https://www.youtube.com/embed/qgw5UTsz1-c 88 2017-07-23T00:00:00.000Z yes https://superiorperformancept.com/videos/could-your-elbow-pain-be-coming-from-your-neck 2017-08-08 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/images/videos/video-elbow-neck.webp Could Your Elbow Pain Be Coming From Your Neck? You might be surprised that elbow, shoulder, or hand pain could originate from your neck. When patients describe vague, hard-to-reproduce pain, it often signals a cervical spine issue. Using axial elongation exercises (engaging deep cervical flexors and multifidi), we can improve upper extremity strength and reduce pain almost instantly by stabilizing the spine. Conversely, placing you in poor posture (forward head position) immediately brings pain back and reduces strength. A positive axial elongation test means we'll focus on neck joint mobility, ensuring nerves exiting the spine move freely without adhesions, and building neck strength. Though it may seem counterintuitive to treat your neck when pain is in your arm, addressing the root cause prevents recurrence and resolves the distal pain effectively. https://www.youtube.com/embed/XKAo_UkBILM 115 2017-08-08T00:00:00.000Z yes https://superiorperformancept.com/videos/headaches 2017-08-19 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/images/videos/video-headaches.webp Headaches Headaches plague many people, and while they can have multiple causes, physical therapy can effectively address cervicogenic headaches—those originating from the neck. These headaches typically stem from alignment problems in the upper cervical spine that create muscle tension, which then refers pain higher up into the head. Even muscles along the side of the neck, like the scalenes, have specific referral points that cause headaches. By asking detailed questions about headache location, patterns, and triggers, we can determine the appropriate treatment direction. While some headaches require pharmaceutical intervention and may need referral back to a physician, many people are surprised to discover that the headache they feel in their head is actually originating from dysfunction elsewhere in the body—dysfunction that physical therapy can effectively address. https://www.youtube.com/embed/UPvkj8rZocA 76 2017-08-19T00:00:00.000Z yes https://superiorperformancept.com/videos/concussions 2017-09-04 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/images/videos/video-concussions.webp Concussions Concussion awareness has increased dramatically with more headlines highlighting their serious effects. Physical therapists now treat more concussion patients, first ensuring no neurological red flags requiring physician referral. After ruling out serious concerns, we examine the vestibular system, cervical neck, and cranium. Head injuries can displace upper cervical spine structures (C1, C2), causing headaches—we restore alignment and ensure neck strength for proper positioning. We mobilize cranial suture lines where bones meet, as head impacts can compress these areas and reduce mobility needed for even cerebrospinal fluid flow. We also address the vestibular system since head blows often impair eye tracking and balance, using in-office techniques and home exercise programs to reincorporate vestibular function. Physical therapy has become integral to modern concussion treatment. https://www.youtube.com/embed/lxk4VyKPCNs 112 2017-09-04T00:00:00.000Z yes https://superiorperformancept.com/videos/ankle-sprains 2017-09-20 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/images/videos/video-ankle-sprains.webp Ankle Sprains People who sprain ankles often experience multiple ankle sprains because repeated rolling changes foot alignment. Treating ankle sprains requires restoring efficient alignment in the subtalar joint, rear foot, and midfoot—ensuring cuneiforms, calcaneus, and especially the talus all move efficiently to relieve ligament pressure. Swelling often persists even with old ankle sprains, typically because alignment issues (usually the talus) block lymphatic vessels, preventing swelling drainage. In acute sprains, properly positioning the talus causes swelling to literally suction out. Once swelling clears, muscles can contract properly and stabilize the joint. After restoring mobility and efficient alignment, strengthening exercises and weight-bearing balance activities improve proprioception (body position awareness), addressing the wobbly foot sensation common after multiple ankle sprains and preventing future occurrences. https://www.youtube.com/embed/CdH6CABIqrg 110 2017-09-20T00:00:00.000Z yes https://superiorperformancept.com/videos/patellofemoral-pain 2017-10-01 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/images/videos/video-patellofemoral-pain.webp Patellofemoral Pain Patellofemoral pain is a common but vague term meaning simply "pain around the knee"—we must identify the actual cause. While I can treat knee pain directly to reduce symptoms, knee dysfunctions typically originate from the foot or hip. The knee serves as a dumping ground for dysfunction in either area. We examine what's affecting knee alignment and causing the slight misalignment that increases pain. Dysfunction could stem from ankle issues—perhaps multiple ankle sprains that altered alignment and affected the leg as it extends upward. Alternatively, pelvic or hip issues where the hip doesn't sit on axis properly can affect how the knee moves via the femur. When addressing patellofemoral pain, we examine the entire leg up and down, not just the pain site. Though we'll treat the pain itself, achieving lasting relief requires finding and addressing the malalignment's root cause. https://www.youtube.com/embed/Tka6_8o3GiY 77 2017-10-01T00:00:00.000Z yes https://superiorperformancept.com/videos/physical-therapy-during-and-after-pregnancy 2017-10-17 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/images/videos/video-pregnancy.webp Physical Therapy During and After Pregnancy Having experienced pregnancy firsthand, I know physical therapists can be a pregnant woman's best friend for managing the significant pain that often accompanies it. As the baby grows, relaxin hormone loosens joints, creating increased motion that causes pain. We ensure muscles are strong, address pelvic or low back torsioning, and provide strengthening exercises. Sometimes SI belts help hold proper positioning, especially late in pregnancy. We can safely treat the stomach without affecting the baby, improving indigestion and rib pain. Post-pregnancy treatment is equally important, particularly after C-sections or difficult labor. We ensure proper movement, prevent C-section scars from adhering and causing future infertility or back pain—many women's long-term back pain actually stems from C-section scar tissue. Physical therapy before and after pregnancy provides essential support. https://www.youtube.com/embed/xTLR8h8fj7k 110 2017-10-17T00:00:00.000Z yes https://superiorperformancept.com/videos/injuries-treating-the-leaking-ceiling 2017-11-04 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/images/videos/video-treat-source.webp Injuries: Treating the Leaking Ceiling Injuries are like a leak through your ceiling—your area of pain is where the dripping hits your head, but that ceiling tile isn't where the leak started. The leak originated somewhere else. If we only keep replacing ceiling tiles by treating just the site of pain, we're addressing symptoms without fixing the source. To create lasting improvement, we must investigate and find where the leak truly started and turn it off at its source. Only by discovering and addressing the root cause can we genuinely improve the body's alignment and efficiency, preventing breakdown and stopping that leaking ceiling for good. https://www.youtube.com/embed/jAA3RxeB7UU 48 2017-11-04T00:00:00.000Z yes https://superiorperformancept.com/videos/scoliosis 2017-11-20 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/images/videos/video-scoliosis.webp Scoliosis Many remember school scoliosis screenings—bending over to check for rib humps. Physical therapists can help significantly. First, we determine if it's genetic or idiopathic (unknown cause). Idiopathic scoliosis has multiple potential causes—research on rats showed changing bite size rotated the first cervical vertebra due to jaw function, causing scoliosis. We examine the entire system, locating the main curve to identify causes from below, above, or adhered viscera (abdominal cavity restrictions). The body prioritizes the digestive system, shifting the musculoskeletal system to prevent perforated bowel, potentially causing lumbar scoliosis. For genetic scoliosis, we ensure joint range of motion, preventing hypomobility areas that lead to hypermobility, which could require future fusions. Maintaining healthy spine mobility prevents future pain. For idiopathic cases, we might identify and correct the cause, allowing the spine to straighten again. https://www.youtube.com/embed/w2bmds-8KpI 124 2017-11-20T00:00:00.000Z yes https://superiorperformancept.com/videos/post-surgical-treatment-in-physical-therapy 2017-12-06 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/images/videos/video-joint-replacement.webp Post Surgical Treatment in Physical Therapy When treating post-surgical patients, getting swelling out is the first priority—often through lymphatic drainage massage or referral to a massage therapist for excessive swelling. Swelling prevents nerves from allowing muscle firing due to inflammatory processes and protective responses. Once excessive inflammation is removed, muscles can fire and contract. Even with surgical restrictions, we begin isometric exercises to keep muscles firing and remembering their function, ensuring strong dynamic joint stabilization as motion returns. We also address surgical scars immediately—even tiny arthroscopic incisions create subsurface scar tissue webs that can extensively adhere and restrict movement. Breaking up these adhesions while they're forming is far easier than addressing solidified scar tissue later. Getting patients in as soon as surgeons allow is crucial for removing swelling, engaging muscles, and managing scar tissue formation. https://www.youtube.com/embed/FopapWRdKPs 118 2017-12-06T00:00:00.000Z yes https://superiorperformancept.com/videos/effects-of-stress-on-the-body 2017-12-10 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/images/videos/video-stress.webp Effects of Stress on the Body Many patients joke that I'm like a psychologist as well as a physical therapist. While not trained in psychology, I recognize the significant connection between life stress and bodily function. Highly stressed patients experience haywire nervous systems with pain responses far more acute than if they were relaxed. Research shows that viewing stress as harmful actually shrinks coronary artery diameter, potentially leading to heart attacks—we must change our stress mindset. Often patients notice their pain worsens, and when I ask about life and work, clear correlations emerge. Recognizing these connections empowers patients—knowledge is power. Understanding that stress might affect how your body feels and reacts gives you control to prevent flare-ups. Life inevitably brings stressful moments, but understanding stress's potential impact on your body and pain levels allows you to manage it rather than being controlled by it. I focus on patients' mental health and clarity alongside physical issues, especially when strong connections exist between mood and bodily pain levels. https://www.youtube.com/embed/olvxKKunghw 107 2017-12-10T00:00:00.000Z yes https://superiorperformancept.com/videos/joint-replacements 2017-12-12 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/images/videos/video-joint-replacement.webp Joint Replacements At a recent shoulder replacement talk, soft tissue mobility wasn't addressed. Orthopedists focus on bone health, but I examine soft tissue health. Years of arthritis before joint replacement cause extensive inflammation, leaving soft tissues stuck together and immobile. Post-replacement patients are surprised they don't instantly gain range of motion—they thought bones were the only issue. When possible, I want patients to come in before surgery so I can mobilize soft tissues and break up adhesions locking them together. Post-op, they move much better and typically have less pain because improved mobility helps swelling drain from the joint more easily. While bone is the main component requiring replacement, I want to shift mindsets: come to PT beforehand for better post-operative outcomes. https://www.youtube.com/embed/yoCJ-i0IBpg 100 2017-12-12T00:00:00.000Z yes https://superiorperformancept.com/videos/1-dysfunction-in-golfers 2017-12-16 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/images/videos/video-golf-dysfunction.webp #1 Dysfunction in Golfers Having treated numerous golfers from professionals to weekend warriors, especially in Orange County where year-round golf is possible, low back pain emerges as the most common complaint. While we treat the back where dysfunction and pain clearly exist, the primary focus targets the hips. The golf swing demands enormous range of motion and rotation—without adequate hip mobility, particularly internal rotation, that motion compensates through the lumbar spine. Tiger Woods exemplifies this: videos before his back pain show fluid strokes with excellent hip rotation, but footage before his first back surgery reveals restricted hip mobility with excessive lumbar torsion. Our lumbar spine isn't designed for that much rotation, leading to disc, joint, and nerve problems with significant pain. To return to golf with an easy, fluid swing, hip rotation must be restored—otherwise, you're demanding too much from a lumbar spine that won't tolerate it. https://www.youtube.com/embed/Q9T_Hrj89lk 88 2017-12-16T00:00:00.000Z yes https://superiorperformancept.com/videos/triathlon-and-endurance-training 2017-12-18 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/images/videos/video-endurance-training.webp Triathlon and Endurance Training Living in the Northeast, I treated many triathletes, especially Ironman competitors enduring 140+ mile events—causing significant body breakdown. These patients commonly complain of low back pain from extended bike time, shoulder issues from long swims, or foot problems from prolonged running. For such lengthy endurance events (marathons, ultra-marathons), ensuring proper core function is essential. Without a working core, strength muscles (not designed for endurance) must handle stabilization too—they can't do both, leading to breakdowns. We focus intensely on core integration throughout the entire body, even to the pinkies. This allows strength muscles (not endurance-designed) to function properly without overload. Only with everything integrated can these athletes complete long, demanding distances while feeling good and connected. Endurance athlete treatment involves extensive PNF and core work ensuring proper integration to last the race distance. https://www.youtube.com/embed/UW7e7lPTUPM 91 2017-12-18T00:00:00.000Z yes https://superiorperformancept.com/videos/sleep-apnea 2024-01-02 yearly 0.6 https://superiorperformancept.com/images/videos/video-sleep-apnea.webp Sleep Apnea Most people don't think of physical therapy for sleep apnea, but as muscle and bone experts, we can provide significant help. Sleep apnea often occurs because the jaw sits too far back when lying down, cutting off the airway. We mobilize all muscles around the jaw, head, and neck to ensure efficient movement, and ensure the jaw joint positions correctly rather than sitting too far back. We also address nasal passage issues by working inside the roof of the mouth to separate the maxillary suture, creating passageways for sinuses and proper airflow. We treat the nose, face, and surrounding areas to open airways for more efficient breathing during sleep. During my fellowship in New York City with Dr. Michael Gelb, a sleep apnea specialist, we treated difficult patients first to set their jawline in the most efficient position before he created oral devices. Physical therapy is crucial for fixing deformities and opening airways, and when combined with dentists and sleep specialists, ensures optimal nighttime breathing. https://www.youtube.com/embed/fL68eKTC5do 139 2024-01-02T00:00:00.000Z yes https://superiorperformancept.com/publications/voyage-la-interview 2021-10-27 yearly 0.7 https://superiorperformancept.com/publications/my-turn-podcast 2025-03-10 yearly 0.7 https://superiorperformancept.com/publications/ipa-fellow-profile 2021-01-15 yearly 0.7 https://superiorperformancept.com/publications/r3-physio-endorsement 2023-06-20 yearly 0.7 https://superiorperformancept.com/publications/global-clinical-education 2019-01-15 yearly 0.7