St. Luke's Physical Therapy

06/09/2026

Back in February, Stacy came to Robust Physical Therapy dealing with back pain, knee pain, and pain that was affecting the way he walked.

"I couldn't really walk without a limp. I was constantly in pain."

After committing to his plan of care and putting in the work, Stacy says his life looks very different today.

"It's a complete 180. I don't limp anymore. I can do the basic chores I need to do with hardly any problem at all."

When asked what made him decide to try physical therapy, his answer was simple:

"I got tired of hurting all the time."

We're grateful Stacy trusted our team to be part of his recovery journey. His progress is a reflection of the consistency, effort, and determination he brought to every visit.

Thank you, Stacy, for sharing your story and for allowing us to be a small part of it.

If pain or injury is keeping you from doing the things you enjoy, physical therapy may be able to help.

📍 Morristown | Newport | Greeneville | Kingsport

*Shared with patient permission. Individual results may vary.*

05/28/2026

04/28/2026

Wishing a very Happy 🎂 Birthday to a true East 🧡🧡🧡 Tennessee gem.
Eli, thank you for the heart and soul you pour into your work everyday. Enjoy your day!

04/03/2026

Margaret Brady

03/11/2026

🟡 Why do some young athletes keep spraining the same ankle every season?

🔵 Many parents and coaches see this pattern.

🔵 An athlete sprains an ankle, rests for a few weeks, returns to sport, and then the ankle rolls again later in the season.

🔵 This cycle is common in sports like basketball, volleyball, soccer, and football. In sports medicine, it is often called chronic ankle instability.

🔴 One important reason is that healing the ligament is only part of recovery.

🔵 After an ankle sprain, several body systems may still need to rebuild:

🟢 • Joint awareness (proprioception) — the brain’s ability to sense ankle position can become less accurate after injury.

🟢 • Muscle reaction timing — the stabilizing muscles may respond a little slower during fast movements.

🟢 • Landing mechanics — athletes sometimes land with stiffer legs or rely less on their hips and knees to absorb force.

🔵 When these systems are not fully restored, the ankle may feel like it can “give way” during cutting, jumping, or landing.

🔵 This is why rest and ice alone are rarely enough to prevent repeat injuries.

🟡 Rehabilitation often focuses on:

⚫ • balance and proprioception training

⚫ • strength and control during deceleration

⚫ • retraining landing mechanics

⚫ • return-to-sport testing before full play

🔴 The goal is not just healing the ankle.
🔴 The goal is restoring how the brain and body control the joint during sport.

🔵 A previous ankle sprain does not mean an athlete will always have ankle problems. But rebuilding coordination, strength, and movement control can be an important step in reducing reinjury risk.

🔵 If a young athlete continues to experience ankle instability, a sports physical therapy evaluation may help identify movement limitations and stability deficits.

📍 Robust Physical Therapy works with athletes and families across East Tennessee, including Morristown, Newport, Kingsport, and Greeneville.

03/06/2026

🚨 Your Brain Might Benefit More From Squats Than Crossword Puzzles

For years, the common advice for keeping your brain sharp has been mental exercises—crossword puzzles, Sudoku, or brain-training apps.

Those activities can help. They challenge memory and attention.

But they miss an important part of the brain-health equation.

Your muscles also influence how your brain functions.

When you perform resistance exercises like squats, lunges, or step-ups, your muscles release signaling molecules called myokines. These travel through the bloodstream and communicate with organs throughout the body—including the brain.

Research suggests physical activity may help support:

• neuroplasticity (the brain’s ability to adapt)
• healthy levels of BDNF linked to learning and memory
• metabolic health and blood sugar control

Lower-body strength training may be especially powerful because the largest muscles in the body are in the legs. Squats and similar movements create a large metabolic response.

Several long-term studies have also found that greater leg strength is associated with better cognitive outcomes later in life.

This doesn’t mean puzzles are useless.

Mental challenges train specific skills.

But physical exercise supports broader systems that help the brain function well, including:

• circulation
• metabolism
• hormone signaling
• inflammation regulation

A simple starting point:

• strength train 2–3 days per week
• practice movements like squats or step-ups
• gradually increase resistance over time

Even chair squats can be a good place to begin.

Strong muscles support movement, independence—and may help support long-term brain health.

Robust Physical Therapy
Morristown | Newport | Greeneville | Kingsport

Education only. Not medical diagnosis or treatment.

03/05/2026

Your injury healed months ago. So why does it still hurt?

Most chronic injuries are just "healed" tissues living in "unhealed" movement patterns.

When you get hurt, your brain is a master of protection. If you strain your back or sprain your ankle, your brain "rewires" your movement to avoid pain. You might limp, lean to one side, or stop using certain muscles entirely. This is a smart survival move—at first.

The problem? Once the muscle or ligament is physically repaired, your brain doesn't always "flip the switch" back to normal. You keep moving with those compensations. Over time, these "unhealed" patterns put stress on other joints, leading to a cycle of stiffness and flare-ups.

How we break the cycle:

Identify the "Limp": We find the hidden compensations you don’t realize you’re making.

Rebuild True Strength: We strengthen the muscles that "turned off" during your injury.

Rewire the Brain: We use specific exercises to show your nervous system that it is safe to move normally again.

When to See a PT:
If your MRI is "clear" but the pain is still there, or if you feel like your body is "out of alignment" for more than 3 months, it’s time to stop resting and start retraining.

Quick Questions

Can an injury from years ago be fixed?
Yes. Your brain and muscles are adaptable. We can "delete" old, painful habits and replace them with strong, efficient ones at any age.

Isn't stretching enough?
Stretching might feel good for ten minutes, but it doesn't fix a movement pattern. You need strength and stability to convince your brain the "threat" is gone.

Start Today

1. Check your stance: Stand in front of a mirror. Are you leaning more on one leg than the other?

2. Move slowly: Practice the movement that hurts at 25% speed to see where your body "cheats."

3. Get an assessment: Let a professional map out your movement gaps.

Serving Morristown, Newport, Greeneville, and Kingsport. | Tennessee
Website: www.robustphysicaltherapy.com
Phone: 423-586-6866

03/05/2026

If you’re over 40 and your back feels stuck when you squat, garden, or sit in a deep chair, you’ve probably heard this:

“Your nerve is tight.”

There’s a small piece of truth there.
Nerves do glide when we move.

But the idea that your sciatic nerve is “stuck” is usually not the real problem.

Most of the time, that blocked feeling comes from something simpler:

• hips that haven’t moved through deep ranges in a while
• a spine that hasn’t practiced bending
• bracing your core too hard to “protect” your back

Over time, the body just loses tolerance to those positions.

Neutral spine is a guideline, not a rule.

Problems happen when people turn it into a rigid position:

• locking the spine
• holding their breath
• avoiding spinal movement completely

Your body runs out of places to move.

What helps most people

Instead of chasing a “nerve fix,” focus on restoring movement.

Try this:

• squat slowly and breathe normally
• allow your hips to move instead of locking the spine
• gradually practice deeper sitting or bending

Small, repeatable movement usually beats aggressive stretching.

Where nerve work fits

Neural glides can help if symptoms feel:

• electric
• sharp down the leg
• worse with straight-leg stretching

But they’re just one tool.

See a PT if

• pain travels below the knee
• numbness or tingling appears
• you need your arms to stand up from a chair
• stiffness hasn’t improved in months

Education only. Not medical advice.