Tennessee Back Pain Center

06/18/2026

Can Your Dog Sleeping Against You at Night Cause Low Back Pain?

For many people, sleeping with their dog is part of their nightly routine. It’s comforting, it reduces stress, and honestly—it just feels good. But if you’ve been waking up with low back stiffness or soreness, your four-legged sleep partner might be contributing more than you think.

Your spine is designed to recover at night. While you sleep, your muscles relax, your discs rehydrate, and your nervous system downshifts. This recovery process works best when your spine stays in a relatively neutral position for several hours.

When a dog sleeps against you, especially a medium or large dog, it can:
▪ Put pressure on your pelvis or low back
▪ Force you into a rotated or twisted position for long periods
▪ Reduce your ability to reposition freely during sleep

Even small shifts held for 6–8 hours can be enough to create irritation in the joints, muscles, or discs of the low back.

This is especially important if…
▪ You wake up stiff, but feel better as you move around
▪ One-sided low back tightness that comes and goes
▪ Morning pain that improves within 30–60 minutes
▪ Feeling like you “slept wrong” frequently
▪ Needing to stretch your low back every morning just to feel normal

We aren’t saying you can’t sleep with your dog! But if this image is relatable and you have low back pain, consider moving your dog to the end of the bed.

And if you do deal with low back pain, come see us! We would love to help you get out of pain and back to doing the things you love. Visit our website today to schedule an appointment!

06/16/2026

Tibialis Anterior Eccentrics: A Simple Exercise for Stronger Ankles and Better Mobility

The tibialis anterior runs along the front of your shin and is responsible for lifting your foot and toes toward your body. This movement, called dorsiflexion, is essential for walking, running, climbing stairs, and maintaining balance.

One of the simplest ways to strengthen this muscle is with tibialis anterior eccentrics.

How to Perform the Exercise
1. Sit upright in a chair with both feet flat on the floor.
2. Keep your heels planted firmly on the ground.
3. Lift your toes and the front of your feet as high as possible.
4. Slowly lower your toes back toward the floor over 3-5 seconds.
5. Repeat for 10-15 repetitions.
6. Perform 2-3 sets.

Focus on controlling the lowering movement rather than simply dropping your toes back down.

Benefits of Tibialis Anterior Eccentrics
▪ Improved Ankle Strength
▪ Better Balance
▪ Reduced Shin Discomfort
▪ Enhanced Walking Mechanics
▪ Injury Prevention

Like any exercise, consistency is key. The movement may seem simple, but regularly performing tibialis anterior eccentrics can have a significant impact on ankle strength, stability, and overall mobility.

Ready to start feeling better? Go to our website to schedule an appointment today!

06/11/2026

Have you ever noticed how one person can follow a certain diet and see amazing results, while someone else follows the exact same plan and sees little to no change?

It’s a common frustration — and one of the biggest reasons many people struggle with nutrition.

The truth is, there is no single diet that works for everyone. Each of us processes food differently based on a variety of factors, including our genetics.
Your genes influence things like:
• How well your body processes carbohydrates and fats
• How efficiently you absorb certain vitamins and nutrients
• Your body’s natural inflammation response
• How you metabolize caffeine and other stimulants
• Your detoxification pathways

This is one reason why two people can eat the same foods, exercise the same way, and still experience very different health outcomes.

At our clinic, we now offer DNA-based health testing that helps uncover how your body is genetically designed to function. These insights allow us to create a more personalized approach to nutrition, supplementation, and overall wellness.

Also, your DNA doesn't change, so you only need to take this test ONCE in your lifetime in order to obtain the keys to unlocking your body's full potential.

Instead of guessing which diet might work for you, this testing can help us better understand what your body may actually need.

If you’re curious about learning more about how your genetics may be influencing your health, feel free to email us or ask about our genetic testing at your next visit.

We’re always here to support you in finding the best approach for your health.

06/09/2026

Suffering with headaches??🤕

Adjustments are a great way to help alleviate headaches 😌

Comment the word “Book” or reach out to me through DM 📩 to schedule your appointment to get you out of pain and back to living your life 😁!!!

06/04/2026

Got pain? We all do. Pain is just part of life. But when the pain starts to interfere and impact how you live your life then it's time to get it checked out. Here is a simple checklist that everyone SHOULD be able to do WITHOUT pain.

Are you unable to perform any of these in a pain-free fashion? Or perhaps you do okay with all these activities but there is another activity that elicits your pain and stops you from living out your everyday life. It’s time to see someone about it!

Schedule an appointment with us today and let us help you get out of pain and get back to doing the things you love! You can call us at (615)-900-5187 or schedule on our website at http://www.tennesseebackapincenter.com.

06/02/2026

When you’re in pain, rest can feel like the safest option. And while some injuries do require temporary rest, too much inactivity can actually slow the healing process. One of the most powerful tools your body has for recovery is movement.

Movement is medicine — and it starts with blood flow.

Every time you move, your muscles contract and relax, helping pump blood throughout the body. This increased circulation delivers essential nutrients and oxygen to tissues that need repair.

Even gentle movement such as walking, stretching, mobility exercises, or corrective rehab can stimulate circulation and help your body function better.
Your muscles, joints, ligaments, tendons, and nerves all rely on oxygen and nutrients to heal properly.

Areas with poor circulation often become stiff, irritated, and slow to recover.

When tissues receive adequate oxygen and nutrients, the body can:
▪ Reduce inflammation more efficiently
▪ Repair damaged tissue
▪ Improve joint and muscle function
▪ Decrease stiffness and tension
▪ Restore healthy movement patterns

This is one reason why chiropractic care is often combined with therapeutic exercises and mobility work. Adjustments help improve joint motion, while movement helps reinforce healthy function and circulation.

As healing improves, the body becomes more resilient.

Better movement and circulation can lead to:
▪ Increased strength
▪ Improved flexibility and mobility
▪ Better posture and stability
▪ Reduced pain and tension
▪ Improved overall function

The bottom line: Movement fuels healing.

If you or someone you know is struggling with an injury, aches or pains, or just to get simple movement into their routine, give us a call! We would love to help!

05/28/2026

Omega-3 fats do more than just help your brain and heart. They also help you keep and even build more muscle because they fight muscle breakdown and support muscle growth.

A recent study that looked at many other studies found that taking omega-3 supplements while exercising gives your heart and metabolism an even bigger boost than just exercising alone. This combination can:
▪ Help you lose about 2 pounds of body fat.
▪ Improve your triglyceride (a type of fat in your blood) levels.
▪ Reduce inflammation.
▪ Lower your blood pressure (by 4 mmHg for both the top and bottom numbers).
▪ Make your leg strength better.

You should already be getting enough omega-3 fats (either by taking supplements or eating foods rich in them) to keep your heart and brain healthy. The great thing is that these important nutrients also help you get more benefits from your workouts.

How Omega-3s Affect Your Muscles
1. Omega-3s make it harder for you to lose muscle when you're not using it as much (like when you're recovering from an injury). They can help you lose less muscle and regain it faster afterward.
2. Omega-3s help your body build muscle by making it respond better to insulin and the building blocks of protein (amino acids).
3. Omega-3s can reduce inflammation, which might help with age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia), a condition often linked to ongoing low-level inflammation.
4. Taking omega-3 supplements increases the amount of omega-3 fats in your muscle cell membranes and changes how your muscle cells produce energy.

Besides preventing muscle loss from inactivity, omega-3s also help you build more muscle strength and improve how well you can perform everyday activities when you do resistance training, especially as you get older.

On top of their muscle benefits, omega-3s are also good for your heart and metabolism in many ways. They mainly do this by reducing inflammation through substances made when your body breaks down omega-3s (called specialized pro-resolving mediators or SPMs). They also help by improving blood fats, lowering blood pressure, affecting blood clotting, and keeping your heart rhythm steady.

05/27/2026

Check out this article about Tennessee Back Pain Center!

Today we’d like to introduce you to Teresa Porter. Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?I went to college to pursue biomedical engineering. During that time, I worked to improve the lo...

05/26/2026

If you’ve ever experienced burning, tingling, numbness, or tightness in the front of your hip or thigh, your femoral nerve may be involved. One gentle and effective way to improve nerve mobility and reduce irritation is through a technique called femoral nerve flossing.

What Is the Femoral Nerve?
The femoral nerve originates from the lower back and travels through the front of the hip into the thigh. When this nerve becomes irritated or restricted, symptoms may include:
▪️ Front thigh tightness or burning
▪️ Hip pain
▪️ Tingling or numbness
▪️ Sensitivity when stretching the quadriceps
▪️ Low back discomfort
▪️ Pain with prolonged sitting or standing

What Is Nerve Flossing?
Nerve flossing (also called neural gliding) is a controlled movement technique designed to gently mobilize a nerve through its pathway. This exercise helps the nerve glide more smoothly through surrounding tissues, which may reduce tension, improve mobility, and decrease discomfort.

How to Perform a Femoral Nerve Floss
1. Sit down with your leg straight out in front of you, placing your heel on the floor
2. Point your toe while your tuck your chin towards your chest
3. Slowly pull your toes back towards you and look up towards the ceiling
4. Repeat 10-15 times, alternating between the two movements.
5. Repeat 3-4 times per day.

Femoral nerve flossing is a simple yet effective exercise that can help restore mobility, reduce tension, and improve movement quality when nerve irritation is involved.

When combined with proper movement, strengthening, chiropractic care, and mobility work, it can be a valuable tool for long-term recovery and performance.

If you’re experiencing persistent hip, thigh, or low back discomfort, our office can help determine the root cause and create a treatment plan tailored to your needs. Visit our website today to schedule an appointment!

05/21/2026

Dry needling versus acupuncture. What’s the difference? Most people have heard of acupuncture, but might not be as familiar with dry needling.

Acupuncture and dry needling are similar in which they use the same type of needle. The difference is the reasoning and methodology behind them.

Acupuncture is a form of Chinese Medicine that focuses on changing the energy or Chi of the people. It can also help relax the body and mind by stimulating the nervous system. With acupuncture, the practitioner will needle along meridians of the body. Meaning even if your arm hurts, you might be needled from head to toe.

Dry needling, however, works well for muscle injuries - tightness, stiffness, trigger points, strains, etc. Dry needling works to help release muscle tension, promote blood flow, and accelerate the healing process to the area. With dry needling, the needle is struck directly into the muscle belly at the cause of the pain.

Both dry needling and acupuncture are effective tools for eliminating pain. Currently, our doctors are fully certified in Dry needling and working on their certification for acupuncture. If you want to experience the healing effects of needles, schedule an appointment today! Give us a call at (615)-900-5187 or schedule an appointment on our website at http://www.tennesseebackpaincenter.com