Tweaks: A Better Way to Handle it
🏈 Holiday Tweaks? Here’s Your PT-Approved Action Plan
Between putting that 26lb turkey in the oven, Turkey Bowl games, holiday shopping marathons, and the general chaos of the season, it’s not unusual to tweak your back, strain a hamstring, or flare up your plantar fascia.
So…now what?
As a physical therapist, here’s exactly what I tell my clients when those inevitable holiday aches pop up.
1️⃣ Don’t Hit the Panic Button
First, take a breath. The body is incredibly adaptable, and flare-ups usually happen because something wastoo much, too soon, too fast—not because anything is seriously wrong. (most the time)
Here’s the good news:
90–95% of low back pain isnon-specific, meaning there isno structural damageon imaging.
Most people start feeling noticeably better within a few weeks.
With the right guidance, you can recover even faster and come back stronger.
Think of this as a chance to address weaker links and build long-term resilience.
2️⃣ Resting Completely Is NOT the Answer
It might feel intuitive to stop moving—but full rest can actually delay recovery.
Prolonged rest can:
Increase stiffness and sensitivity
Create fear of movement
Reinforce a “fragile body” mindset
Lead to muscle deconditioning
Lower cardiovascular fitness
Movement is medicine.
Gentle, tolerable movement early on improves circulation, reduces muscle tension, and supports tissue healing—especially for back pain.
3️⃣ My 3-Step PT Process for Navigating a Flare-Up
✔ Step 1: Temporarily Reduce Aggravating Factors
This is a temporary setback. Instead of stopping everything, we modify activities so you can keep moving without poking the pain. Accepting our situation and know it will get better.
✔ Step 2: Find Movements That Feel Good (and Keep Training What You Can)
Use this simple pain guide:
0–3/10 – Green Light:Totally fine. Keep going.
4–6/10 – Yellow Light:Proceed with caution. Adjust load, speed, range of motion, or volume.
7+/10 – Red Light:Skip that movement for now.
The goal:Keep moving, keep training, but train smart.
✔ Step 3: Gradual Reintroduction
As symptoms improve, we reintroduce your usual activities slowly and strategically. ThinkGoldilocks principle—not too much, not too little. Just the right dose of challenge.
✨ How PT Helps You Bounce Back Faster
Physical therapy helps you:
Understand your flare-up with less fear
Identify the root causes (strength deficits, mobility limitations, loading errors, recovery issues)
Build better movement patterns and resilience
Prevent future tweaks
Once the pain settles, addressing underlying issues is what keeps you from repeating the same cycle.
Redefining what you know to be traditional physical therapy.
Feel better, Move Better, Live Better
