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Superior Physical Therapy Blog

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Learn about common pain-causing health conditions, their progression paths, their causes, and effective treatment options. Our blog offers valuable information to people who experience pain and anyone who wishes to learn more about long-lasting, safe, and noninvasive treatments.

These articles also explain how Superior Physical Therapy addresses these common health problems through an innovative approach called the Superior Method. This approach aims to accurately identify the underlying cause of pain in order to develop a more tailored and collaborative treatment plan.

Anatomy of Shoulder Pain Relief

Anatomy of Shoulder Pain Relief   Shoulder pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal complaints among adults, often affecting sleep, work, and daily activities. At Superior Physical Therapy, we approach shoulder pain not just by addressing symptoms but by...

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Functional Healing for Shoulder Impingement Syndrome

Functional Healing for Shoulder Impingement Syndrome   Shoulder pain when reaching, lifting, or sleeping on your side? You may be dealing with Shoulder Impingement Syndrome—a common yet often misunderstood condition. While most treatments focus only on the painful joint, the...

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Cortisone Injections vs. Class IV Laser Therapy: Short-Term Relief with Long-Term Considerations

Cortisone Injections vs. Class IV Laser Therapy: Short-Term Relief with Long-Term Considerations   As a physical therapist, I often see patients struggling with persistent musculoskeletal pain—from knee osteoarthritis and tendinopathies to plantar fasciitis. Two common treatment options are cortisone (corticosteroid) injections and Class...

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Why Cortisone Injections are Making Your Shoulder Pain Worse

Why Cortisone Injections are Making Your Shoulder Pain Worse  Shoulder impingement syndrome remains one of the most common musculoskeletal complaints seen in primary care and orthopedic practice. Subacromial corticosteroid injections have long been used to reduce pain and inflammation, often...

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Functional Movement Assessment Prevents Pain and Injury

Functional Movement Assessment Prevents Pain and Injury Pain and injury can usually be traced to one or more movement deficiencies. Most develop slowly, starting with small movement limitations that go unnoticed until the body can no longer compensate. A Functional...

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A Movement Screen Can Keep You Pain Free

A Movement Screen Can Keep You Pain Free Pain rarely shows up out of nowhere. Most aches, stiffness, and injuries are the final chapter of a much longer story—one that starts with small, often invisible movement limitations. A movement screen...

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7 Movement Problems a Functional Movement Screen Reveals

7 Movement Problems a Functional Movement Screen Reveals   We often go through life unconcerned about how well our body is moving, until pain stops us in our tracks. What if you could tell before your back, knee, or shoulder...

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A Smarter Path Forward for Healing Low Back Pain

A Smarter Path Forward for Healing Low Back Pain    Low back pain is rarely caused by a single problem—and it’s almost never solved by a single solution.    Applied Functional Science (AFS) Physical Therapy focuses on understanding how the body...

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You Don’t Have to Live with Stenosis

You Don’t Have to Live with Stenosis    Lower back pain comes in various forms, and one prevalent type is stenosis, derived from the Latin term for narrowing. Also known as arthritis, degenerative disc disease, or disc space narrowing, stenosis involves the...

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Identify and Heal Sacroiliac Pain

Identify and Heal Sacroiliac Pain   Lower back pain is a common ailment, and the second most prevalent form is known as sacroiliac pain or SI pain. Understanding the anatomy and symptoms of the sacroiliac joint (SI joint) can help...

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Healing Disc Herniations with AFS Physical Therapy 

Healing Disc Herniations with Applied Functional Science Physical Therapy   A disc herniation can sound frightening. Words like bulge, tear, or nerve compression often lead people to believe their spine is fragile or permanently damaged. But the truth is, many disc herniations heal successfully—especially...

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Understanding Healing: The Pelvic Floor Process

Pelvic Floor Therapists, Dr. Chupka-Fuson & Dr. Patterson   Understanding Healing: The Pelvic Floor Process   Understanding the Healing Process If you’ve been dealing with pelvic floor problems for a while, it can be hard to imagine a future without...

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Sarah Grizzle
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Jylle Weir
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Staff: Lynn Moody
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Diane MacFarlane
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Staff: Shea Griffith

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Staff: Martha Videan, CPT

Martha has 30 years of experience as a fitness trainer. We are happy to have her bringing her vast experience and knowledge to the Superior team. She loves working with all physical types and adapting her workouts to match the...

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Staff: Dan Tanis

Dan graduated from Baker College in 2016 with an Associates in Applied Science for Physical Therapist Assistant. He is currently pursuing a Bachelors in Sports and Health Science from American Military University as well as becoming a Tactical Strength and...

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Jared Alcorn

Jared Alcorn, DPT, hails from Cleveland Heights, Ohio. His undergraduate degree was obtained from Cleveland State University, where he graduated in 2016 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Sciences. In 2021 he graduated from Andrews University with his Doctorate of...

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Dr. Rachel Ciarkowski

Rachel graduated from the University of Michigan with her bachelors in Movement Science in 2018, then continued her education at Washington University in St. Louis where she received her Doctorate in Physical Therapy in 2021. Being born in Traverse City...

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Dr. Taylor Steinhelper

Taylor joined the Superior staff in March, 2021. Taylor graduated from Lake Superior State University in 2017 with a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science and an Associate’s degree in Health & Fitness. She then went on to receive her Doctorate...

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Staff: Dr. Kaylee Fenton
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Staff: Dr. Taylor Schultz

Taylor graduated from Central Michigan University with her bachelors in biology in 2013 prior to earning her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from The University of Michigan-Flint in 2016. Being born and raised in Traverse City, Taylor decided to return to...

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Superior Physical Therapy (West) 
3899 West Front St., 
Traverse City, MI 49684
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722 Munson Ave, Traverse City, MI 49686
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