Dr. Christopher Ellis PT, DPT

I wanted to write a blog about a few conditions that are cited as “rare” online, but patterns I see fairly often. Pain in the back of the shoulder is often blamed on the rotator cuff or labral tears. However, a few conditions can be missed with these assumptions, particularly with gym-goers and over

There are certain muscles that just seem prone to cramping, particularly the hamstrings and calves. There are several reasons why they cramp (which we’ll cover), but one of them is positional. It’s called active insufficiency.

Most disorders of the body are either a state of too much, or too little. While not enough copper in the body can cause problems, too much copper can create a lot of nasty issues. It can cause liver problems, mental health issues, and neurologic symptoms. The telltale sign is what is known as a Kays

I don’t know why this is a controversial topic, but I’ve literally had social media posts removed when I bring up this topic. Our current “wear and tear” paradigm has never sat well with me. It just doesn’t make physiological sense. It’s one thing if you just like a cushion shoe. And I’ll contend th

One of the most common questions people ask when they are struggling with pain, fatigue, dizziness, inflammation, or chronic symptoms is: “Where do I even start?” Should you see a physical therapist? A functional medicine practitioner? Or both?

When people think about gut problems they usually imagine symptoms like bloating, diarrhea, reflux, or stomach pain. While those can certainly occur, gut inflammation often shows up in ways that seem completely unrelated to digestion. In fact, many people with significant gut dysfunction have very f

Hippocrates said that all disease begins in the gut. Turns out he was right. Modern medicine is revealing what ancient traditions always suspected: your gut and your joints are deeply connected. This bidirectional relationship, known as the gut-joint axis, links the microbiome, immune system, and in

My wife and I have a rule when we travel; only 1 main activity per day. And we’re getting massages at some point too. Why? Downregulation. The last thing I want when on vacation is to come home, and feel like I need another vacation from the vacation. Too many times, I’ve spent vacations running aro

Most people come to physical therapy for one reason. Something hurts. A shoulder that won’t lift. A back that keeps locking up. A knee that never feels quite right. So we treat the pain, calm the tissue, and restore strength and range of motion. Although this often works, it doesn’t necessarily mean

Why is that achy knee acting up again? Is it that last set of lunges you did? Or what caused your autoimmune disease to flare up? It’s easy to blame that one thing, but the truth is, it’s been a slow burn going on in the background and you reached a tipping point. When it comes to any maladies; pain

Gut testing has become an important tool for understanding health beyond basic symptoms and routine lab work. Many people struggle with digestive issues, fatigue, skin problems, autoimmune conditions, or chronic inflammation for years without clear answers. Because the gut plays a central role in di

Researchers studying pilots in the United States Air Force noticed something curious. Pilots are exposed to intense gravitational forces (G-forces) during flight maneuvers. These forces can cause blood to pool away from the brain, increasing the risk of blackouts. To stay conscious, pilots instincti

I frequently hear people say things like, “I have a fast metabolism”, or “I don’t know what’s going on with my weight gain, my metabolism is slow I guess”. Well you don’t have to guess. There are clues that can easily be obtained on a thyroid panel. The only problem is, typical bloodwork only tests

Inflammation is one of those words that gets thrown around a lot and ends up feeling vague. Inflammation is bad, right? But it’s also a stage of healing, so that must be good…right? The truth is, inflammation isn’t simply good or bad. Context matters. To understand when it helps and when it becomes