Your Most Surprisingly Common PT Questions

In today’s “You Asked, We Answered,” we’re covering some of the surprisingly common questions we get about movement, pain, and injury prevention.

1. “Why does one side of my body always feel tighter or weaker?”

Great question — and an extremely common one.

Most people have a “dominant pattern,” meaning one side takes over during daily movement. We use that side more for:

• reaching

• carrying

• bending

• stepping

• bracing

Over time, the nervous system leans into what feels easiest. One side becomes your “go-to,” while the other side becomes your “backup.”

You’re not broken — you’re simply asymmetrical, just like every human. PT works by helping you restore balance and retrain both sides to share the workload.

2. “Why does my pain move around instead of staying in one spot?”

Pain isn’t always a location problem — it’s often a communication problem.

When one area gets tired or overloaded, your body recruits the next available muscle or joint to help. That can make pain show up as:

• low back pain one day

• hip or knee pain the next

• shoulder tension by the weekend

It’s usually the result of a movement chain that needs tuning, not multiple unrelated injuries. PT identifies which part of the chain is actually creating the issue.

3. “Do popping joints mean something is wrong?”

Not necessarily.

Joint popping (knees, hips, back, neck, ankles) often comes from:

• pressure changes within the joint

• tendons sliding over bony areas

• muscles re-centering during movement

If it pops without pain, it’s usually just your body adjusting.If it pops with pain, stiffness, or swelling, that’s when PT can help assess what’s overloaded.

Either way — popping doesn’t automatically equal damage.

4. “Why does sitting hurt even though I’m not ‘doing’ anything?”

Because sitting is something — it’s a sustained posture.

Your body prefers movement. When you sit for long periods:

• muscles become underactive

• others become overactive

• circulation slows

• joints stiffen

• your posture collapses gradually

This creates discomfort not because you’re weak, but because your body isn’t meant to stay in one position for hours. Movement resets make a huge difference.

5. “Is my posture actually causing my pain?”

Short answer: Posture matters — but not in the way people think.

There’s no single “perfect” posture.The real issue is staying in any posture for too long.

It’s less about:

❌ “Am I sitting wrong?”and more about:

✔ “How long have I been stuck here?”

Your body thrives on variability, not rigidity. PT helps you strengthen the postures you live in, and teaches you how to move out of them before they cause irritation.

6. “If my scans were ‘normal,’ why do I still hurt?”

Because imaging doesn’t measure how well you move.

X-rays and MRIs show:

• structure

• shape

• tissue health

But they don’t show:

• timing

• stability

• muscle activation

• compensations

• nervous system patterns

You can have normal imaging and still have real, valid pain caused by movement issues — and PT is often the missing link to solving it.

7. “Why do I feel weaker after I stop working out for just a week?”

You’re not actually losing strength — you’re losing neuromuscular sharpness.

Your brain and muscles communicate constantly. When you take time off from lifting or training:

• the connection becomes a little “sleepier”

• muscles fire less efficiently

• coordination drops slightly

This is why the first workout back feels rusty, not weak. It’s like refreshing a browser — your body just needs a quick reminder.

8. “How do I know if I should push through discomfort or stop?”

A general rule of thumb:

Good discomfort:

• muscle fatigue

• a stretching sensation

• mild warmth or effort

Not-so-good discomfort:

• sharp pain

• pain that alters your movement

• swelling

• numbness/tingling

• pain that lingers or worsens afterward

If the sensation changes your form, stop. If it’s simply effort, you’re usually fine.

9. “Why does stress make my pain worse?”

Stress ramps up your nervous system — and your nervous system controls muscle tension, breathing, pain sensitivity, and posture.

When stress rises, the body shifts into “protect and brace” mode:

• breathing gets shallow

• muscles tighten

• movement becomes guarded

• pain signals get louder

You’re not imagining it — stress truly affects movement. Breathwork and gentle mobility help reset that response.

10. “Do I have to be injured to go to physical therapy?”

Definitely not.

PT helps with:

• prevention

• mobility training

• movement efficiency

• posture conditioning

• stability & strength development

• ergonomic guidance

• performance optimization

You can come in before something hurts, not just after.

These questions represent what many people feel but don’t always know how to ask. Your body is complex, smart, and adaptive and sometimes it simply needs guidance to move the way it was designed to.

If you ever find yourself wondering, “Is this normal?” or “Should this feel like this?” — we’re always here to help you navigate your movement and wellness journey.