Kineci - Health In Motion

So, what actually is sciatica?

Sciatica refers to symptoms that occur when the sciatic nerve, or the nerve roots that form it, become irritated or compressed. Symptoms often travel from the low back or glute into the leg and can include pain, burning, tingling, numbness, or weakness.

But not every case looks the same, and not every pain that travels down the leg is necessarily sciatica.

That’s why understanding where your symptoms are coming from matters. During a physical therapy evaluation, we can look at your symptoms along with your strength, mobility, movement, and neurological signs to help determine what may be contributing to them.

The good news is that many cases of sciatica can improve with conservative treatment. Physical therapy can help you find movements and exercises that work for your specific presentation and gradually get you back to the things you want to do.

Dealing with symptoms that sound like sciatica? Have questions? Let us know below 👇

What if your back hurts AND your neck hurts?

In a traditional insurance-based model, treatment can sometimes be limited by what was authorized, including which diagnosis or body part is being treated. Kineci works differently.

Because we operate through a private network model, we have more flexibility to look at what your body actually needs rather than limiting your visit to a single authorized body part.

So if you come in because of your back, but your neck is also bothering you, we can evaluate how those concerns fit together and address both when appropriate.

That matters because your body doesn’t function as a collection of completely separate parts. Your movement, history, lifestyle, goals, and even what’s happening elsewhere in your body can all be relevant to your care.

Our one-on-one sessions give us the time and flexibility to look at the bigger picture and build treatment around you, rather than around a single diagnosis code.
That’s what we mean when we talk about treating the whole person.

Looking for physical therapy that looks at the bigger picture? Use the button below to schedule with Kineci or give us a call at (805)284-9449. We look forward to talking with you!

When you’re trying to heal or get stronger, what happens outside of your physical therapy appointments matters too. And sleep is a big part of that.

Sleep supports processes involved in tissue repair and recovery. It can also affect pain sensitivity, energy, mood, learning, and how well your body is able to respond to exercise and rehabilitation.

That’s one reason Dr. Steve is a proponent of looking at the whole person, not just the body part that brought you into the clinic.

Physical therapy at Kineci may include conversations about sleep, stress, activity levels, recovery, nutrition, and other parts of your day-to-day life that can influence how you feel and how your body responds to treatment.

You don’t need to have every wellness habit perfectly dialed in. The point is that healing doesn’t happen only during the hour you’re in PT. Your whole week matters.

What helps you get a better night’s sleep? Let us know below.👇

Coming to physical therapy for the first time? Here’s what to expect at your initial evaluation at Kineci with physical therapist, Dr. Steve.

Before your appointment, our staff will make sure you receive the paperwork you need so we have the information to get started.

During your visit, you’ll meet one-on-one with Dr. Steve to talk about what brought you in, what you’ve been experiencing, what activities are difficult right now, and what you want to get back to doing.

Then he'll evaluate how your body is moving. Depending on what's bringing you in, that may include evaluating your mobility, strength, balance, coordination, or movement patterns.

Lastly, Dr. Steve will talk through what he finds and create a treatment plan based on your needs and goals. You'll also leave with a personalized home exercise program so you can start working on your recovery right away!

Ready to get started at Kineci? Use the button below, or contact us at (805)284-9449 to book your initial evaluation.

Ever stand up after sitting for a while and feel like it takes a minute to get everything moving again?

That feeling is common, and it doesn’t necessarily mean something is wrong.
When you stay in one position for a long time, your joints and surrounding tissues aren’t moving through their usual ranges. Movement helps circulate synovial fluid within many of your joints, helping lubricate the joint surfaces as you move.

Your fascia and other connective tissues also respond to movement and load. After being still for a while, things can simply feel a little less mobile until you start moving again.

The answer doesn’t have to be a complicated stretching routine. Stand up. Walk around for a minute. Roll your shoulders. Move your hips. Change positions. Your body generally likes variety more than it likes finding one “perfect” posture and staying there all day.

Save this as your reminder to move a little throughout the day.

“I think I slipped a disc” is something we hear pretty often, but what does that actually mean?

Despite the phrase, spinal discs don’t actually “slip” out of place. They’re held securely between the vertebrae, but changes to a disc can occur. You may hear terms like bulging, herniated, or pr*****ed disc used to describe different types or degrees of disc changes.

And here’s the important part: seeing one of these changes on an MRI doesn’t automatically tell us how much pain someone should have. Disc changes can even show up on imaging in people who aren’t experiencing pain.

That’s why here at Kineci physical therapy we look at the whole picture—your symptoms, movement, strength, function, and goals—not just the words on a scan.

In many cases, people with disc-related back pain can improve and get back to the things they want to do.

Have a question about back pain or physical therapy? Drop it below! 👇

At 67, Andy was preparing for a physically demanding 10-day, 2,300-mile open-ocean sailboat race from California to Hawaii.

He worked with Dr. Steve for over a year to prepare, focusing on his individual abilities, limitations, and goals with a progressive exercise program designed to improve strength and mobility.

Most of his crew followed the physical therapy program Dr. Steve laid out as well, and despite an average age in the 60+ range and several crew members managing previous injuries and limitations, they made it across the ocean without any injuries.

We love seeing the things our patients are able to accomplish at every age. ⛵

Thank you, Andy, for sharing your experience!

You don’t always need a full workout to add more movement to your day. Think of movement snacks as opportunities to move your body just for a few minutes at a time.

Things like:
*A short walk between meetings.
*A few squats while dinner cooks.
*Taking the stairs.
*Stretching for a minute because it feels good.

None of these need to “count” as exercise. They’re simply ways to give your body more opportunities to move throughout the day.

Wellness Wednesday takeaway: A little movement is still movement. 💛

What are some of your own favorite movement snacks? Let us know below!👇

No two people walk into physical therapy with exactly the same problem, so treatment shouldn’t look exactly the same either.

At Kineci, patients spend their sessions one-on-one with Dr. Steve the entire time. That gives him the opportunity to understand not just where something hurts, but how you move, what may be contributing to it, and what you want to get back to doing.

Because he works with you throughout the entire session, treatment can adapt as you do; whether that means hands-on treatment, targeted movement and strengthening, education, or a combination of approaches.

Good physical therapy isn’t about following the same protocol for everyone. It’s about understanding the individual and figuring out what you need to move and feel better.

Ready to get started with Dr. Steve? Call or text us at (805) 284-9449 to schedule a FREE 10-minute consultation.

Sitting is a normal part of everyday life, but spending long periods in the same position can leave your body feeling stiff, uncomfortable, or just ready to move.

The good news? You don’t need to avoid sitting altogether (most of us can't anyways). Small changes throughout the day can help.

Try changing positions regularly, standing up when you can, taking a short walk, or adding a few minutes of movement between longer periods of sitting.

Rather than focusing only on finding the “perfect” posture, think about giving your body more variety throughout the day.

The goal isn’t to never sit , it’s to keep moving.