Peak Performance Orthopedic & Sports Physical Therapy

03/16/2026

02/24/2026

💡 Systematic review found that dry cupping for treating musculoskeletal pain compared to placebo is very uncertain.

We would expect high-quality studies to alter that conclusion.

Disclaimer:
👉 Sharing a study is NOT an endorsement.
👉 You should read the original research yourself and be critical.

02/14/2026

🔊 Knee Crepitus – Should We Be Concerned?
👉Many individuals report hearing or feeling a crackling, grinding, or “crunching” sensation in the knee during walking, squatting, or rising from a chair. This phenomenon commonly referred to as crepitus often generates anxiety and assumptions of structural damage.
👉 From a contemporary musculoskeletal perspective, such concern is not always warranted.

📊 What does current evidence suggest?

👉Crepitus is highly prevalent across age groups, including asymptomatic individuals. While it may coexist with structural changes such as cartilage wear or radiographic osteoarthritis, its presence alone does not confirm clinically meaningful pathology.

👉Importantly:
• Structural findings do not consistently correlate with pain or functional limitation.
• Many people with audible knee sounds demonstrate normal strength, mobility, and activity levels.
• Crepitus without pain, swelling, joint locking, or functional decline is frequently a benign finding.

👉In other words, joint noise is not equivalent to joint damage.

💡👀 Clinical interpretation
👉In physiotherapy practice, symptoms not sounds guide clinical reasoning.

👉A knee that produces sound but remains:
• Pain-free
• Non-swollen
• Functionally capable
• Stable during load
does not necessarily require intervention.

👉Conversely, if crepitus is accompanied by persistent pain, progressive stiffness, swelling, mechanical locking, or functional deterioration, further assessment is appropriate to determine contributing factors.

🎯 Take-home message
👉Knee crepitus is common and, in many cases, clinically insignificant.
👉Not every sound signals harm.
👉Understanding this distinction helps reduce unnecessary fear, prevent overmedicalisation, and support confident movement.
👉Listen to the symptoms, not just the sound.

Disclaimer:
👉 Sharing a study is NOT an endorsement.
👉 You should read the original research yourself and be critical.

02/01/2026

A quick reminder of how technology and extended use of cell phones or tablets can compromise the health of your neck.

01/30/2026

One of the most frustrating conditions to recover from. Requires patience and understanding.

12/25/2025

Merry Christmas to our employees and our loyal patients

12/25/2025

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12/22/2025

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💡“𝗜𝘀 𝗮 𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝘂𝗳𝗳 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗡𝗘𝗖𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗔𝗥𝗜𝗟𝗬 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗻?

Let’s examine the clinical evidence:

✅ Rotator cuff tendon degeneration and tearing are highly prevalent, especially with advancing age, and are often considered part of the normal aging process. The majority of these cases do not require surgical repair.

✅ Rotator cuff tears are not always symptomatic — the presence of a tear does not guarantee that it is the source of the patient’s pain.

✅ Structured physiotherapy programs of at least 12 weeks duration can yield outcomes comparable to surgical intervention. Importantly, post-operative protocols still involve a period of immobilization (typically 4–6 weeks) followed by a rehabilitation program that closely mirrors non-operative care.

✅ Re-tear rates are higher following arthroscopic repair compared to open repair (46% vs. 39%).

✅ Post-operative re-tears do not necessarily correlate with poorer clinical outcomes, suggesting that anatomical healing is not the sole determinant of functional recovery.

✅ Surgery may be indicated in specific cases—such as acute, traumatic tears in younger or high-demand individuals—but most degenerative, non-traumatic tears with minimal functional impact do not require surgical intervention.

And importantly…

✅ Elite overhead athletes, such as baseball pitchers, are capable of performing at high levels (in terms of velocity, accuracy, and power) despite having full-thickness rotator cuff tears, often without any pain or functional limitation. Long-term follow-up (up to 5 years) shows sustained pain-free function in many of these cases.

✅ This raises an important clinical question: If high-performance athletes can function without pain despite full-thickness tears, why shouldn’t our patients be able to return to meaningful activities without surgery?

References: Lewis (2016), Lewis (2018), Carr et al. (2017), Brindisino F et al (2025)

09/05/2025

https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=790469586902704&id=100078190083574&mibextid=wwXIfr&rdid=BBEqNtdM7PtVhDjb

We’re thrilled to announce an advancement in orthopedic care right here in Fort Wayne. Fort Wayne Orthopedics’ Dr. Nelson has become the first orthopedic surgeon in the U.S. to perform the groundbreaking BioPoly procedure — a synthetic cartilage implant proven successful in Europe for 13+ years and now part of an FDA clinical trial.

This is a historic step forward for knee care! To learn more about BioPoly visit: https://biopolyortho.com/for-healthcare-professionals/products/knee/.

08/08/2025

LOL…Don’t chalk it up as getting old……Peak Performance will get you moving again without pain.

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02/10/2025

Dr. Sean White, PT, DPT, OCS, Cert MDT, COMT passed his re-certification exam for Orthopedic Certified Specialist (OCS).

BadgeCert Badge Issuance

07/19/2023

Movement is Medicine!
Exercise is Medicine!
Where do you rank?
If you can’t exercise because you can’t move very well due to a joint or muscle problem, then schedule an appointment to see us! We’ll get you moving in the right direction again.

The ACSM American Fitness Index (Fitness Index), a ranking of America’s 100 largest cities, celebrates healthy, active lifestyles. Cities with the highest scores are considered to have strong community fitness, a concept analogous to individuals having strong personal fitness.