Why My Approach to Physical Therapy is Different
Osteopathic-Informed Physical Therapy for Chronic Pain, Low Back Pain, and Running Injuries in Boston and Manchester, NH
If you’ve tried physical therapy before and it didn’t fully resolve your pain, you’re not alone.
Many people come to see me after months - or years - of doing all the “right” things: strengthening exercises, stretching programs, imaging, injections, manual therapy. Sometimes those approaches help. But for chronic pain and recurring injuries, they often fall short.
My approach to physical therapy is different because I don’t just treat the painful area. I look at how your entire system is functioning - and what it needs to feel safe, coordinated, and capable again.
Why Traditional Therapy Doesn’t Always Resolve Chronic Pain
Conventional physical therapy is often structured around a simple model:
Identify the painful tissue
Strengthen what’s weak
Stretch what’s tight
Progress exercises
This works well for acute injuries. But chronic low back pain, recurring running injuries, and persistent movement limitations are rarely just local tissue problems. They often involve:
Nervous system sensitization
Reduced load tolerance
Compensatory breathing patterns
Loss of coordination between systems
Fear or uncertainty around movement
When pain persists, the body is usually communicating something broader than “this muscle is weak.”
My Personal Experience with Chronic Low Back Pain
I’ve lived with low back pain on and off since I was 15 years old.
I did everything I was told to do, including chiropractic care, acupuncture, traditional PT, exercise programs, imaging, manual therapy. There was always some improvement, but it never felt complete. I was functioning, but not thriving.
The shift came when I was introduced to osteopathic principles.
Instead of seeing pain as a structural defect to fix, I began to understand it as a signal from a system that had lost coordination or capacity somewhere along the way. That change in perspective transformed both my own recovery and the way I practice physical therapy today.
What Is Osteopathic-Informed Physical Therapy?
Osteopathic-informed physical therapy views the body as an interconnected system rather than isolated parts.
In my practice, this means assessing and treating:
The nervous system’s response to stress
Breathing mechanics and diaphragm function
Load tolerance and recovery capacity
Fascial and connective tissue restrictions
The relationship between organs, posture, and movement
Strength and conditioning readiness
Instead of asking, “What’s wrong with your back?”
I ask, “What is your body currently capable of handling?”
That question changes everything.
How This Approach Helps Chronic Low Back Pain
For chronic low back pain in particular, pushing harder is rarely the answer.
When someone has had pain for months or years, the nervous system is often on high alert. Muscles guard. Breathing becomes shallow. Movement feels unpredictable.
Early treatment may include:
Gentle hands-on manual therapy
Nervous system regulation
Breath retraining
Low-load coordination work
Gradual exposure to movement
Only after the system regains stability do we increase strength and load.
This reduces flare-ups and builds true resilience rather than temporary relief.
Why I Integrate Strength Training Into Physical Therapy
As both a physical therapist and certified personal trainer, I believe strength is essential for long-term movement health.
But timing and dosage matter.
Strength training is introduced when:
The nervous system can tolerate load
Symptoms are stable
Movement patterns are organized
Recovery capacity is sufficient
This prevents the common cycle of “start program → flare up → stop → decondition → repeat.”
Instead, we build progressive resilience.
Education Is Central to My Physical Therapy Practice
My goal is not to make you dependent on treatment.
I want you to understand:
When to push and when to recover
What your flare-ups actually mean
How to regulate your nervous system
How to adapt your training
How to stay active long term
Physical therapy should be a resource—not something you rely on indefinitely.
Who Is This Approach For?
This osteopathic-informed approach to physical therapy may be especially helpful if you:
Have chronic low back pain
Experience recurring running injuries
Feel like you’ve “tried everything”
Are active but dealing with persistent pain
Want long-term movement health, not quick fixes
Live in or near Boston’s South End or Manchester, NH and are looking for individualized care
Physical Therapy for Long-Term Movement and Longevity
My work is not just about reducing pain.
It’s about helping you:
Trust your body again
Move without fear
Return to running or strength training confidently
Support aging well
Build sustainable resilience
This is the kind of physical therapy I wish I had earlier in my own journey.
Ready for a different approach?
If you’re dealing with chronic low back pain, recurring flare-ups, or a running injury that won’t fully resolve, and you’re looking for a more thoughtful, whole-system approach to physical therapy in Boston, this may be a good fit.
My practices in Manchester, NH and Boston’s South End focus on osteopathic-informed physical therapy for:
Chronic low back pain
Persistent or recurring running injuries
Hip, knee, and foot pain in active adults
Complex cases that haven’t responded to traditional treatment
Care is individualized, one-on-one, and designed to help you build long-term resilience - not just short-term relief.
If this approach resonates with you, you can schedule an evaluation or reach out with questions to see if it feels like the right next step.
→ Contact me to learn more about working together
→ Schedule an Initial Evaluation online
You don’t have to keep cycling through flare-ups.
There is another way to approach pain and movement.