PT Squared, LLC

05/26/2025

RUNNERS: Want more power, stability, and resilience? Start here!The Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat (aka Bulgarian split squat) might just be your new best friend.This single-leg strength exercise targets three of the hardest-working muscles when you run: • Glutes: for propulsion and hip stabilization • Quads: for knee control and shock absorption • Soleus: the deep calf muscle that works tirelessly (it's the hardest working running muscle!) during every step to keep you upright and moving forward (to target the Soleus more than what I'm demonstrating, add a heel raise at the bottom of the squat before rising)Unlike traditional squats, the split stance mimics your running stride, challenges your balance, and builds unilateral strength—reducing your risk of injury and improving your efficiency.Add this to your strength routine 2–3x/week, and your stride will thank you!Need guidance on form or how to modify it for your level? I’ve got you! Message me or drop a comment 💪🏼😊(Also I love this song! IYKYK)

04/11/2025

**pictures posted with permission**

Feeling sore after a workout? Cupping might be the recovery boost you need!

Cupping therapy uses gentle suction to improve blood flow, reduce muscle tension, and support your body’s natural healing process. It’s like a reverse massage that lifts the skin and fascia instead of pressing down.

Why try cupping?
• Reduces muscle soreness (DOMS)
• Increases local circulation
• Improves flexibility and range of motion
• Promotes relaxation and recovery

Backed by research:
A 2020 meta-analysis showed cupping can significantly reduce post-exercise soreness compared to rest or stretching alone. Other studies have found increased oxygen delivery to muscles and decreased inflammation after treatment.

As a PT, I'll generally add in movement of the client and/or movement of the cup(s) to get a desired outcome.

In the 2nd picture you can see I had my client move from prone (first pic) into a child's pose position and then you can also appreciate the erythema (redness) that was produced by sliding the cup on the right low back. I did this type of sliding through the calf as well. Please see the comments for a short video demonstration. (I wish Facebook would allow me to post pictures and videos at the same time ☹️)

Whether you’re an athlete or just tight from daily life, cupping could be your new go-to for relief and recovery.

Curious? Let’s talk about how cupping can fit into your wellness plan.

04/07/2025

I have this conversation with somebody nearly every week! If you are open to conservative care and have questions on how physical therapy services might help you avoid surgery, reach out!

04/03/2025

I LOVE educating my clients so as to facilitate healing through a better understanding of their condition. In order to be able to do that in a high-quality way, I've recently added these fun anatomy models to my clinic space! 😍 🦴

For a chance to win a FREE cupping or Graston wellness visit (valued at $75), answer the following questions in the comments. Each correct answer gets you an entry! Tagging a friend to comment gets you a bonus entry 🥰

Drawing will take place in 1 week on 4/10/25 so any comments made before then will be considered!

1) are these models of the right or left side?
2) what 3 bones make up the shoulder complex?
3) what 4 bones make up the knee?
4) what does the blue cushion in the knee model represent?
5) how many bones total are there in the lower leg, ankle and foot combined?

Good luck (and happy googling lol!)

Melissa

03/06/2025

**photo shared with permission**

I'm excited to announce I'm now providing cupping therapy!

Cupping is a technique used in physical therapy to promote circulation, reduce muscle tension, and alleviate pain. It involves placing suction cups on the skin to create negative pressure, which lifts the underlying tissues. This decompression effect may help improve blood flow, reduce fascial restrictions, help soft tissue layers glide and slide better and stimulate healing.

The scientific literature on cupping is mixed but suggests potential benefits, particularly for pain relief and myofascial mobility. Studies indicate that cupping may reduce musculoskeletal pain, improve range of motion, and enhance recovery in conditions like chronic neck and back pain, myofascial trigger points, and post-exercise soreness. The proposed mechanisms include increased local blood circulation, modulation of the nervous system, and reduction of inflammation.

This mostly passive treatment can certainly be used as a stand-alone wellness treatment, but as a physical therapist, I also would have clients perform movements with the cups on so that it becomes more of an active treatment. I generally would also advise on follow-up corrective exercises to fully restore tissue tolerance to load (ie help the tissue not be a source of pain).

Reach out with questions or if you think you might benefit from cupping therapy!

Melissa

03/04/2025

***shared with permission***

This 16-year-old athlete had an unfortunate injury 3 weeks ago resulting in an ACL rupture 😢

Mom, being the advocate that she is, attempted to get her daughter in for PREhab (an essential element for postoperative success) within their healthcare system; however due to clinic out times and a scheduling snafu, she was unable to.

Insert PT squared's direct-pay services to help fill in the healthcare gaps.

Within 48 hours we were able to do a consult and establish a thorough plan that will get the athlete set up for success!

We went through a variety of range of motion and strengthening exercises appropriate for her stage of healing that she will continue via a home program with check-ins by myself to ensure achievement of range of motion and strength goals prior to surgery.

Below are two examples of exercises we went through. On the left is a passive extension stretch with a 5 pound weighted bag and on the right is an active extension quad activation exercise.

To learn more about why working on extension range of motion is essential prior to surgery, continue reading...

Preoperative Importance of Regaining Knee Extension:
1. Prevents Stiffness and Arthrofibrosis – If full extension isn’t restored before surgery, it increases the risk of postoperative stiffness and excessive scar tissue formation (arthrofibrosis), which can severely limit long-term knee function.
2. Optimizes Surgical Outcomes – Going into surgery with full extension helps ensure the reconstructed ligament and surrounding tissues can function properly postoperatively.
3. Promotes Quadriceps Activation – A knee lacking full extension inhibits quadriceps activation due to altered neuromuscular control, leading to weakness and functional deficits.
4. Reduces Risk of Gait Abnormalities – An inability to fully extend the knee leads to compensatory gait patterns, increasing stress on other joints and muscles.
5. Minimizes Postoperative Pain – A knee that already moves well before surgery is less likely to develop painful restrictions afterward.

03/03/2025

great info for my runners! and if you're looking for a solid page to follow, RunningPhysio shares a plethora of valid content!

Stress fractures of the foot and ankle

03/01/2025

this was fun! 💪🏼

11/25/2024

I 🩵 this message I received today! It absolutely made my day! (shared with permission)

Backstory: this client has chronic knee pain (due to an old ACL injury + arthritic changes) and we're working to restore a level of resilience in his knee so that he can feel more confident in the knee's capacity to withstand loads and continue to be active!

If you're looking to improve resilience in a joint so that you can stay (or get!) active, reach out to see how I can help you! 💪🏼☺️

~Melissa

11/14/2024

I don't always enJOY running, but this race-day photo happened to capture a bit of JOY 🩵 (10K run 11.10.24)

Now that race season has come to an end, it's the perfect time to get your off-season strength training regimen up to speed! Reach out if you need help developing your running resilience! (think injury prevention!)

~ Melissa

10/26/2024

***shared with permission***

Imagine that your daughter was hit by a softball resulting in a quad contusion (tear) in July. Because it hasn't fully healed yet, you seek out medical advice and it is recommended that she rest from sport for three months and do physical therapy during that time. While she does want to participate in physical therapy, she can’t get into the traditional system for several weeks and “full rest” from sport does not feel like an option for this active 15-year-old. She (rightfully) wants to continue to play fall ball and transition in a few short weeks into her basketball season.

You, as an advocate for your active daughter, are wondering if there is another approach to the "full rest” advice you had been given the day prior, so you seek out my professional opinion. You reach out on a Tuesday and your daughter is seen in the comfort of your own home 2 days later. She is given a thorough exam to assess tissue sensitivity / tissue tolerance to load as well as taken through a battery of return-to-sport tests including hop testing and running.

At the visit, she is given a home program to load the quad and is given guidance on a running program to help gradually return to full speed running without pain. She is also educated on how to monitor and manage her quad pain so that it continues to head in the right direction - ie so she doesn’t have to be sidelined!

As a result of the assessment of your daughter’s tolerance to activity and her level of maturity to put to practice the advice given on how to monitor and manage her symptoms (“show the quad some love”) as well as carry out a home program (“toughen it back up”), she is given the clearance by myself to participate 2 days later in that weekend’s softball tournament.

You go from the disappointment of being given the over-conservative advice of “full rest” and your disappointment in the traditional healthcare system of having to wait several weeks to start on a program of recovery, to now being satisfied and equipped with a plan to succeed! 💪🏼😃

Note: a check-in with this client revealed that she did indeed successfully compete in that weekend's softball tournament! 🙌🏼

10/16/2024

Inspiring! 🧡

Meet Margaret Johnson, a 98-year-old powerhouse from Denver, Colorado, who’s proving that age is just a number! 💪 Margaret didn’t even start running until she was 65, but now, at 98, she’s smashing records and inspiring everyone around her. On September 5th, at the National Senior Games, she broke two masters sports records, becoming the fastest woman over 95 years old! 🏃‍♀️🌟

Margaret set world records in the 50-meter and 100-meter dashes for the 95-99 age group, and if that wasn’t impressive enough, she also set a new American record for the discus throw in the same category! 🎯 In the 100-meter dash, she clocked in at an incredible 40.12 seconds, beating the previous record by over 2 seconds!

Margaret’s story shows that it’s never too late to chase your dreams, and with passion and determination, you can keep breaking boundaries at any age! 🌟🙌