In this episode, Dr. Daniel Shapiro explains why classic hamstring stretches can backfire—and what to do instead to calm the system and build durable strength.You’ll learn: • Muscle vs. nerve vs. tendon: how to tell what’s really driving that tight, grabby feeling. • Red flags that stretching is wrong for you right now: burning/zinging below the knee, symptoms that flare for 24+ hours, deep ache with long sitting. • Quick self-screens you can try at home to clue in the true cause. • When to push and when to pause: how to use next-day symptom check-ins so you keep improving without flaring.If you’ve been yanking on a “tight” hamstring for months, this episode gives you a smarter path: less stretch, better load, more relief.Important Note:This is educational content and not medical advice. Speak with your clinician about a safe plan tailored to you.Free Resources & Work With Us🤝 From NY, NJ, FL, or MA and want 1-on-1 help? Book a FREE Discovery Session:⮕ https://projectphysicaltherapy.com/free-discovery-session📸 Instagram (daily tips & behind-the-scenes):⮕ https://www.instagram.com/stories/officialdannyshapiro/🎥 TikTok:⮕ https://www.tiktok.com/@officialmusclewhisperer
Is your physical therapy making you worse instead of better? You’re not alone, and you’re NOT broken. In this episode, Dr. Daniel Shapiro exposes why traditional PT doesn't work and how to get the results your body truly needs. If you're looking for better alternative to typical PT, this is for you.We’ll cover:• Assembly-line care & insurance quotas – how volume targets create 7-minute “drive-by” sessions and cookie-cutter plans.• Passive over active – why heat, stim, and stretching without progressive loading rarely change the root problem.• Chasing symptoms, not causes – the missed diagnoses behind “tight hip flexors,” “weak glutes,” and forever “core work.”• No dosage, no progression – why exercise without intensity, reps, and measurable milestones = no durable results.• Education gap – how fear of movement is reinforced—and how pain science + graded exposure rebuilds trust in your body.💪 Want real progress? Learn what good physical therapy truly involves and how to advocate for your recovery.
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Free Resources & Work With Us🤝 From NY, NJ, FL, or MA and want 1-on-1 help? Book a FREE Discovery Session:⮕ https://projectphysicaltherapy.com/free-discovery-session/📸 Instagram (daily tips & behind-the-scenes):⮕ / officialdannyshapiro 🎥 Youtube:⮕ https://www.youtube.com/@TheMuscleWhisperer
Are your pain pills quietly making your pain worse? In today’s episode, I reveal the little-known cycle that keeps millions stuck in chronic pain...even when they’re doing everything “right.” If you’ve relied on opioids or even “safe” over-the-counter meds (NSAIDs, acetaminophen) for months, this could be the missing piece.
In this episode you’ll learn:- The “rebound” trap: how long-term painkiller use can sensitize your nervous system- Acute vs chronic use: when meds help…and when they quietly backfire- Red flags your body is stuck in the loop (needing more for the same effect, widespread sensitivity, headaches, poor sleep)- Safer paths forward: evidence-informed strategies to reduce pain without dependence (movement dosing, sleep resets, pacing, stress downshifts, nutrition, targeted PT)- How to talk to your provider about next steps Important Note:This video is educational and not medical advice. Do not start, stop, or change medications without your prescriber. If you suspect medication-overuse or opioid-induced hyperalgesia, speak with your clinician about a safe plan tailored to you.
Imagine going to your doctor for pain relief… and all you hear is “Lose weight.” Frustrating, right?In this episode, Dr. Daniel Shapiro explains what to do when weight is the only “solution” you’re given. You’ll learn how to advocate for yourself, what questions to ask, and which strategies can actually help you manage pain—without being reduced to just a number on the scale.✅ What to do if your doctor only blames weight✅ How to advocate for better care and real answers✅ Practical strategies for pain relief beyond the scale👉 If you’ve ever left an appointment feeling dismissed or shamed, this episode is for you.
You were told “nothing is wrong”. Or you were told you had plantar fasciitis, you start treatment, but nothing is working. Your back hurts but treatment doesn’t seem to make your life easier… You’re not alone. Chronic pain is often misunderstood, dismissed, or blamed on stress, weight- leaving people searching for real answers.In this episode, Dr. Daniel Shapiro explains why misdiagnosis is so common in chronic pain, how to advocate for yourself when doctors don’t listen, and what steps you can take to finally uncover the root cause of your pain.You’ll learn:✅ Why chronic pain is often misdiagnosed✅ How to handle it when doctors say “it’s all in your head”✅ Practical ways to push for the right tests and treatments👉 If you’re still in pain with no diagnosis, this episode is for you.
Are you suffering from frozen shoulder? Tried everything but can't get rid of it? Today we'll talk about why that might be the case and what to do about it. Tune in to learn more about what you can do to take charge of your own health!
Are you still having back pain despite going to the doctor, chiropractor, or PT? Today we'll talk about why that might be the case and what to do about it. Tune in to learn more about what you can do to take charge of your own health!
Are you still in pain despite going to the doctor? Chronic pain is a disorder caused by negligence. Tune in to learn more about what you can do to take charge of your own health!
Are you still in pain despite going to physical therapy? Physical therapists can be bad at finding the problem... Find out why and how to make sure you don't waste time at physical therapy. Plus Q&A! Tune in to learn more about what you can do to take charge of your own health!
Do you really need surgery? Back surgery, knee surgery, shoulder surgery...many times it's not necessary! We'll discuss how people are convinced it's their only option and what to do about it. Tune in to learn more about what you can do to take charge of your own health!
Today, we're talking about Chiropractors! We'll discuss how they can help or how they can take things from bad to worse.
Tune in to learn more about what you can do to take charge of your own health!
Today, we discuss what health insurance companies are doing to keep you in pain and why their goal isn't to get you better.
Tune in to learn more about what you can do to take charge of your own health! Plus Q&A with the audience!
MRIs are thought to be the "Be all, Tell all" scan for musculoskeletal injuries, but while it does provide an image of what's inside, it doesn't really portray the whole picture. Our body is very complex, and making sure we make decisions on how it feels rather than just by what is shown is crucial to making sure we can avoid procedures we don't need.
This is exactly what I discuss in this episode!
Uriah Celauro, my colleague, joins the episode!
Where you go matters. Who you go to matters.
Clinics that're only after your insurance money with no true desire to guide you and help you are a plague to society and don't provide any true, long-lasting change.
While not all insurance-run clinics are bad, we go into detail on why choosing the right place for YOU matters so much.
Fear and anxiety play a big role in pain relief and providers who neglect that aspect of care do a MASSIVE disservice to their patients. One of the first things I like to focus on is breaking down false beliefs, fear, anxiety, and subconscious compensated movement patterns. These MUST be addressed alongside the factors that cause pain to truly help someone get out of the 'pain hole' that they're in, especially if we're talking about those with chronic pain.
I always encourage my patients to ask questions and so should YOUR providers!
You are entitled to answers and a clear path forward. It's so important to be involved with your care and advocate for yourself within a system that is ready to chew you up and spit you out with very little support!
I hope this episode is helpful for you in showing how you can do that!
Most believe that by standing at work, it'll solve all of their problems. And perhaps, in the short term, it does. However, what does your long-term situation look like?
In this episode, we answer that question! As long as you do what I tell you to, it wont matter whether you sit or stand!
Contrary to popular belief, weight has very little impact on musculoskeletal/neuromuscular pain!! As someone who treats people of all sizes, the one thing I found across all people was that the root cause was always missed and THAT was what held people in pain.
In this episode, we dive deeper into this topic and what people should be looking out for when looking for care, regardless of body size!
This might be hard to process but it doesn't make anything I say here less true!
Arthritis isn't the end of the road or guarantee you need surgery. Just like it doesn't guarantee that your pain is coming from it either!
Take a listen and let me know what you think. I hope this information helps you!
A lot of people ask me what they should do for their pain. Usually, there's a million and one things you can do. But the worst thing you can do is..... DOING NOTHING. Your body responds to movement!
I'm not saying to go out and run if your knee hurts, but bending and straightening it or other tolerated movements are a must. The same goes for your low back, shoulders, and any other part of your body!
I hope this episode was helpful. Please share with friends and family! Let's reach and heal the world!
