Dr. Nick, DPT

Dr. Nick, DPT Doctor of Physical Therapy
Elite Sports Recovery Center

03/27/2026

How to treat your elevated and hypertonic pelvic floor. Based off the clinical features, towel roll tests, and common symptoms if you believe you may have a short and tight pelvic floor here are a few things to try at home.

1.) De-Danger: In regards to the pelvic floor, we always need to address the nervous system first. Do whatever works for you to relax, no wrong answers.

2.) Restore Diaphragm: Work on deep breathing, look at my How to Breathe or Headaches and Pelvic Floor Part 1 video for things to try.

3.) Stretch: Try happy baby, child’s pose, or deep squat to determine which your favorite. Continue your deep breathing and consider what you feel in your pelvis.

Take things slow and remember that real change takes time to achieve. Good luck and as always reach out with any questions!

03/23/2026

Do you know how to assess the status of your pelvic floor? A common frustration with the pelvic floor is how do you figure out if it’s tight, weak, and so on when it’s not something you can just look at. In this series I’m going to discuss the 4 most common pelvic floor presentations in the clinic.

Part 1: Elevated & Hypertonic
- The pelvic floor muscles are stuck in a contracted position, lifting the pelvic floor up into the pelvis, creating a surface unable to yield or accept force.
- Common symptoms are anxiety, chronic headaches, tight hamstrings, and difficulty with squatting. Frequently reports a vague sensation of something being not right.

Remember this video is only to give you tools to help yourself, not a diagnosis. As always, reach out with questions or concerns and watch for part 2 where I explain how you can start to treat your elevated and hypertonic pelvic floor!

03/10/2026

Do you believe in SuperFoods? In this series, I’m going to discuss what actually makes a food super and a little history on how we humans figured it out. First up is one of the most unexpected SuperFoods, Celery!

Celery is actually insane for a vegetable that is 95% water! It contains NBP, a compound that acts similar to NSAIDS (ibuprofen, Advil) by inhibiting pain signaling pathways. It also FIGHTS CANCER!!! Apigenin is able to inhibit tumor growth factor while Luteolin is able to block VEGF pathways to tumor cells, stopping the supply of blood vessels to tumors. Absolutely wild for celery to be that good.

Stay tuned for the next episode of SuperFoods, which food do you think should be next?

03/05/2026

Did you know pelvic floor dysfunction can be a primary driver of chronic headaches and migraines? When new patients complain of migraines and headaches that have not responded to previous treatment attempts, I immediately begin to suspect the pelvic floor.

In part 2, I discuss how weakness of the pelvic floor creates tension on the connective tissue of the spinal cord and pelvic musculature leading to migraines.

Please leave any questions or comments you may have and as always, reach out if you are in need of help!

03/02/2026

Did you know pelvic floor dysfunction can be a primary driver of chronic headaches and migraines? When new patients complain of migraines and headaches that have not responded to previous treatment attempts, I immediately begin to suspect the pelvic floor.

In part 1, I will discuss tightness of the pelvic floor and how it creates tension on the connective tissue of the spinal cord leading to migraines.

Please leave any questions or comments you may have and as always, reach out if you are in need of help!

02/18/2026

Do you know how to breathe correctly? 🫁

As a PT, one of the most shocking things I have found is how many people who are in pain, regardless of what the cause is, have dysfunctional breathing.

This dysfunction most often appears as symptoms like chronic headaches and migraines, shoulder and neck pain, and increased anxiety and stress. Additionally, it is common with conditions like any injury to the spine, postpartum, pelvic floor dysfunction, and many more.

Try the test in this video to see if you are breathing correctly! Lateral costal breathing can require a good amount of brain work to complete vs pure strength, so continuous practice and focus is key. Happy breathing!

02/13/2026

Do you know what the VOR is?

The Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex is an incredible system in our body that allows us to be dynamic beings without constantly losing balance. Incorporating information from the 👁️, 👂🏻, neck muscles, and 🧠 we are able to control the stability of the image on our retinas without losing focus or getting dizzy when turning our heads or looking at a complex scene.

VOR dysfunction is more prevalent than most realize, as dysfunction in a part of the system can cause dizziness, headaches, and even pain. Look through the common complaints in the video and try the test yourself to see if your VOR is functioning properly! This test may cause dizziness, use your best judgement when attempting this on your own. The VOR is much more complex than a 3 minute video allows, but this video should help you understand the basics. As always, feel free to reach out if you need assistance! 💪

02/09/2026

Do you ever have difficulty standing up, or find that you are dizzy once you are standing? You may be holding your breath!

Holding your breath when standing causes
- Pelvic floor held in a descended position, creating an inefficient lever
- Adds additional strain to the pelvic floor
- Increases intra-abdominal pressure, resulting in compression of inferior vena cava
- IVC compression limits blood return to heart, limiting blood output to the brain, leading to dizziness

Try these steps to increase your ease of standing!

01/30/2026

What is the Coccyx?
Have you ever wondered if the little bone at the tip of our spine has a purpose? Yes! It is a key anchor point for our pelvic floor muscles and helps with sitting, standing, walking, breathing, guardian reflex, pooping, and more! 🦴🩻💩🪑🚶🏼

Also, try saying coccyx 10 times fast, it is more difficult than I anticipated 😅
If you have pain in this area of your body or have difficulty with any of the coccyx’s function, schedule a visit today so we can determine together what is going on with your body!

Schedule today ⬇️
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🗺️ ELITE SPORTS RECOVERY CENTER
📍 8534 Heritage Green Way, Bradenton
📲 (941) 761-4500
🌐 www.elitesportsmedicineandrecovery.com

01/26/2026

Treating Headaches & Migraines with Physical Therapy Part 2 🧠

Why is PT the best place to treat your chronic headaches and migraines? We are experts of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems, allowing us to help you determine what the root causes of YOUR pain is and then correct it!

Reach out if you have any questions, and as always please contact your local PT if you are looking for relief from your chronic pain!

Schedule today ⬇️
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
🗺️ ELITE SPORTS RECOVERY CENTER
📍 8534 Heritage Green Way, Bradenton
📲 (941) 761-4500
🌐 www.elitesportsmedicineandrecovery.com

01/20/2026

Do you know your Serratus Anterior?

If there is one muscle that is almost always dysfunctional in patients with shoulder, neck, or back pain the serratus is part of the problem. Watch to learn about the muscle and how to test if yours is working correctly or not!

Schedule today ⬇️
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
🗺️ ELITE SPORTS RECOVERY CENTER
📍 8534 Heritage Green Way, Bradenton
📲 (941) 761-4500
🌐 www.elitesportsmedicineandrecovery.com

01/16/2026

Have you ever wondered if maybe your chronic headaches and migraines aren’t all in your head? 💀🤯🤕

Part 1 is about 4 different types of headaches that are treated with physical therapy. Chronic pain is not normal and may be due to muscular imbalance, hypersensitive nervous system, and lifestyle choices. Look for Part 2 talking about why physical therapy may be the best place for treatment of your headaches.

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8534 Heritage Green Way
Bradenton, FL
34212

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Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 8:30am - 12pm
Friday 9am - 2pm

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