Functional Rehab Chiropractic

09/29/2026

A lumbar disc bulge can sound a lot scarier than it often is.

One of the biggest things I want patients to understand is this:

Your MRI does not determine your future.

Disc bulges are extremely common — even in people who have absolutely no back pain. And when a disc is contributing to pain or sciatica, symptoms can improve well before the disc looks dramatically different on another MRI.

For many people, the biggest improvements happen over the first 6–12 weeks as inflammation settles, the irritated nerve becomes less sensitive, and movement gradually becomes easier again.

And over the following months, the body may actually reduce or resorb some displaced disc material.

That’s why rehab isn’t about being afraid of your back or waiting for a disc to somehow become “perfect” again.

It’s about:

→ calming the irritated area
→ keeping you moving safely
→ gradually rebuilding strength and tolerance
→ restoring confidence in bending, lifting, sitting and exercising
→ getting you back to the things you actually want to do

I made this infographic to explain what’s really happening — and what the recovery timeline can actually look like.

Save this if you’ve ever been told you have a bulging or herniated disc.

If low-back pain or sciatica has kept you from doing the things you want to do, Functional Rehab Chiropractic focuses on figuring out what you can safely do now and progressively building from there.

09/27/2026

Back feeling cranky after pickleball? Try these 3 easy moves before or after you play. They get your hips doing the work so your low back doesn't have to. Save this for your next session.

Questions about back pain on the court? Drop them below or DM me.

09/15/2026

Neck pain doesn’t always stay in the neck.

A problem in the cervical spine can show up as:

• Headaches or pain behind the eye
• Upper trap or shoulder blade pain
• Aching into the arm
• Numbness or tingling into the hand

The important part is that these patterns don’t all mean the same thing.

Facet joints, irritated nerve roots, and overloaded muscles can each produce different referral patterns — and the treatment approach should change depending on what’s actually driving the symptoms.

I put together this graphic to show some of the most common cervical referral patterns, including C6, C7 and C8 nerve roots, cervical facet joints, and muscles like the levator scapulae, upper trapezius, SCM and suboccipitals.

One key point: pain location alone doesn’t give you a diagnosis. These patterns overlap, and real patients don’t always follow a perfect anatomy chart. But understanding the pattern can help narrow down where the problem may be coming from and what needs to be tested.

If you’ve been treating the shoulder, upper back, or arm but the problem keeps coming back, the neck may be worth a closer look.

Functional Rehab Chiropractic
functionalrehabny.com

09/15/2026

This is the kind of work I want patients doing: learning how to control their body, build capacity, and move with more confidence.

Hands-on care can be useful, but the goal isn’t to keep coming back for the same thing over and over. The goal is to make your body more adaptable so everyday movement, exercise, and sport feel better.

At Functional Rehab Chiropractic, treatment is only part of the process. The bigger piece is figuring out what you need to improve, then progressively building it.

Move better. Get stronger. Break the cycle.

📍 Brooklyn
🔗 functionalrehabny.com

09/09/2026

09/05/2026

Most people think chiropractic means getting cracked and coming back forever.

The research says otherwise. Spinal manipulation works about as well as other recommended treatments for back pain. What actually prevents the next episode is the right movement, plus understanding why it hurts.

The adjustment isn't the point. It's one tool. Full version here:

https://functionalrehabny.com/blog/what-does-a-modern-chiropractor-actually-do

08/15/2026

Could you get through 10 clean reps?

If not, you may be dealing with some combination of limited spinal or thoracic mobility, poor trunk control, stiffness, or pain-related guarding.

This isn’t a diagnosis. But if your back constantly feels stiff, restricted, or painful during everyday movement, there’s usually more to address than just stretching it.

That’s exactly what we work on at Functional Rehab.

Dealing with recurring back pain or stiffness?

DM me “BACK” and tell me what’s going on.

08/13/2026

Severe sciatica doesn’t mean you’re destined to avoid lifting forever.

A few weeks ago, squatting under load wasn’t even on the table for this patient.

Now she’s doing it pain-free.

The goal isn’t just to calm the pain down. It’s to figure out what’s driving it, rebuild your tolerance to movement, and progressively get you back to doing the things you’ve been afraid to do.

If you’ve been dealing with sciatica and feel like you’ve tried everything without a real plan to fix it, DM me “SCIATICA” and tell me what’s going on.

08/12/2026

Why we built Functional Rehab Chiropractic

Pain has a way of shrinking your life. The run you skip. The deadlift you're scared to touch. The workday you spend shifting in your chair, waiting for it to ease up. Most people are told to rest, take something for it, and hope it passes — and when it comes back, they're handed the same advice again.

Dr. Jason Fidler didn't learn movement-based rehab from a textbook. He learned it from decades of asking his own body to do hard things — as a lifelong surfer, former competitive swimmer, everyday city cyclist, and advanced pickleball player. He knows overuse injuries, compensation patterns, and the frustration of being told to "just rest it" from the inside, not just from behind a clinic desk.

That perspective shapes how we work. Dr. Fidler has practiced chiropractic in Brooklyn since 2009 — more than 15 years serving CrossFit South Brooklyn, the borough's fitness community, and active adults across NYC. He holds a doctorate from New York Chiropractic College, has been certified in full-spine Active Release Technique and Kinesio taping since 2006, trained in Elite Sports Science at the Lake Placid Olympic Training Center, and has worked alongside mobility expert Dr. Kelly Starrett on biomechanics and movement protocols. You'll also find him as a regular physician at NYC endurance races and CrossFit competitions.

Our approach is simple to explain and harder to fake: we find out why you hurt before we touch anything. That means looking at how you actually move, not just where it's sore. From there we combine chiropractic care, hands-on muscle work, and rehab that retrains your body to move the way it should. The adjustments and muscle work bring relief fast; the movement work is what makes it last.

Whether you're chasing a personal best, trying to survive a pickleball season, or just trying to sit at a desk without your back seizing up, you'll get treated the way Dr. Fidler would want to be treated: assess the real problem, fix the movement behind it, and get you back to what you love — without needing to see us forever.

Ready to stop managing pain and start fixing it? Send us a message or book a first visit.
597 Degraw St , Brooklyn (above CrossFit South Brooklyn)

08/12/2026

Six weeks ago, sciatica was making everyday movement feel impossible.

Today, we’re deadlifting.

The goal was never just to get the pain to calm down. It was to rebuild confidence, restore capacity, and progressively load the movements his body needs to handle in real life.

With sciatica, avoiding movement forever isn’t the answer. The right movement, at the right dose, at the right time is what gets you back.

Pain relief is step one. Building a more resilient back is the real goal.

If you’ve been dealing with sciatica and feel like you’re stuck in the cycle of flare-ups, DM me SCIATICA and let’s figure out what’s actually keeping you there.