You have pain... treat BOTH sides!!!

We get brainwashed to stretch, release, strengthen, IASTM/Graston, cup, etc. the pain side and the pain area.  While it makes some positive change, does it truly last and has it honestly led to functional change? 

More often than not, the pain side came to be because the opposite side (where you feel no symptoms at all) got so tight/limited that it forced more work/function/compensation where it could; thus, stressing those structures repeatedly and causing the 'pain side'.  With our repeated efforts going to the pain side, we find we've actually created a chronic condition because we further loosened, stretched, released what is already the overworked side so the issue lives on!

Best physical therapy practice is to: 1) change up the treatment/intervention strategy if outcomes are not steadily improving over time, 2) always treat BOTH sides to address the full body issue, 3) educate in habit/lifestyle changes to prevent lapsing into the same movement patterns that invite the same issues to return!