In traditional Physical Therapy programs a student is taught 10-15 conventional approaches to be utilized in Hospitals and Medical Centers. These facilities have very strict rules regarding modalities permitted to be used for treatment. For this reason teachers and professors mostly teach traditional therapies and modalities which in turn are FDA approved for Hospitals. An […]
Author Archives: Shmuel Tatz
In response to “The Perils of Toughing It Out”
The Perils of Toughing It Out http://t.co/MbTVudAmVm — NYTimes Well (@nytimeswell) March 3, 2014 Dear Jane, I just finished reading your most recent article and was pleased to see that you mention the importance of physical therapy. For the past 30 years I have really enjoyed reading your articles and found them informative. I […]
Discovering the Source of Pain and Connecting to the Body
Pain in any part of the body is a sign that the body of out of “tune.” For instance one can complain of pain in the knee, but the x-ray, MRI and even manual testing show that there is nothing wrong with the knee. So the question becomes why is this person complaining of knee […]
Student Musicians’ Injury Treatment
I spoke with a client of Dr. Shmuel Tatz’s named Sarah, recently in the office after her treatment. She is a violinist at Mannes conservatory, which is part of the New School; the campus is on the upper West side. She came to Shmuel initially for about 3 months of treatment and by the end […]
Finding relief from rotator cuff soreness and carpal tunnel pain
I came to Dr. Shmuel Tatz’s office after spending 14 months trying numerous remedies for rotator cuff soreness and carpal tunnel pain. I had tried acupuncture, massage, Chinese cupping, chiropractic, and nothing had worked yet, and the problem was getting worse. I was ready to begin physical therapy. Upon entering Dr. Tatz’s welcoming office and […]
How to Choose the Best Physical Therapist
In general patients should be aware that having a physical therapist license does not mean one automatically gets good results. The patient should always do their research before choosing the appropriate physical therapist and then request the full attention and the best possible treatment. Many of the patients that I currently treat have gone to […]
Physical Therapy: Treating the Problem, Not the Symptoms
Everyone experiences muscular or skeletal problems in their lives, no matter what their lifestyle. A dancer will have back problems, as will a couch potato, albeit through very different mechanisms. These aches and pains are part of life. What is worrying however is the number of people who choose to ignore these signs from their bodies and […]
Surgeries to Avoid: Knee Arthroscopy for Osteoarthritis
Reasons to think twice before going under the knife With this procedure a surgeon places a tiny camera in the knee, then inserts small instruments through other incisions to repair torn or aging cartilage. Studies show the operation works well when patients have in fact torn their meniscal tissue, but it is no more successful […]
Surgeries to Avoid: Complex Spinal Fusion for Stenosis
Reasons to think twice before going under the knife With spinal fusion, a surgeon places bone grafts that “weld” two or more vertebrae together to prevent motion and stop pain. The procedure is often used to treat back pain from spinal stenosis, which occurs when the soft tissues between the vertebrae flatten out, creating pressure […]
Herniated Disc Pain Relief: A Sister’s View
In June of 2013, my sister began seeing Dr. Shmuel Tatz. She has been suffering for years with a herniated disc. The misguided treatment had later brought on other issues causing her pain throughout her body. With very little relief from other physical therapists we were not sure what to expect from Dr. Tatz. On […]