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Aspire PT & Wellness

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Aspire PT & Wellness

Prevention & Rehabilitation

02/11/2026

Feeling exhausted months after orthopedic surgery can be confusing and discouraging, especially when you’re doing everything you were told to do.

That lingering fatigue, low energy, or brain fog is often your body telling you it’s still under‑resourced and working harder than it appears on the surface.

Surgery is a major metabolic stress. Recovery requires energy, nutrients, stable blood sugar, hormonal balance, and a regulated nervous system. When any of those systems are overwhelmed, fatigue becomes one of the earliest signs that your body needs more support.

If you’re still wiped out after basic activities, struggling to concentrate, or feeling mentally foggy, here are a few supportive steps that can help your system recover more efficiently:
• Eat enough protein and calories throughout the day to give your body the building blocks it needs
• Stabilize blood sugar by pairing carbs with protein and healthy fats
• Prioritize sleep quality with consistent routines and wind‑down habits
• Incorporate gentle nervous system regulation like slow breathing, grounding, or short rest breaks
• Support gut health with fiber‑rich foods and hydration to improve nutrient absorption
• Reduce overall stress load where possible to help lower cortisol and improve energy
• Add light, circulation‑boosting movement to improve oxygen delivery and reduce inflammation

When you begin to listen to what your body is asking for, you can support healing in a way that feels more sustainable and less frustrating.

Save this for the days when you feel wiped out.

02/09/2026

Swelling after orthopedic surgery is normal. But swelling that keeps coming back months later is your body waving a flag that it needs more support, not necessarily a sign that you’re overdoing it.

Swelling should gradually decrease as tissues repair. When it doesn’t, it often means your body is struggling to regulate inflammation and fluid balance. Common contributors include low protein intake, poor lymphatic drainage, blood sugar instability, and chronic low‑grade inflammation. All of these factors can quietly stall recovery.

Swelling isn’t always a local tissue issue. It reflects how well your whole system is managing repair, circulation, and recovery demands. When those systems are overloaded, healing becomes inefficient and progress slows.The good news: there are supportive steps that can help reduce inflammation and improve fluid movement.

A few places to start include:
• Eating enough protein throughout the day to support tissue repair and stabilize inflammation
• Supporting lymphatic flow with gentle walking, diaphragmatic breathing, or light self‑massage
• Balancing blood sugar by pairing carbs with protein and healthy fats
• Staying hydrated to help your lymphatic system move fluid more efficiently
• Incorporating slow, rhythmic movement to encourage circulation without stressing healing tissues

If swelling keeps returning, it’s not always a setback. It’s information. And when you understand what your body is asking for, you can support healing in a more effective, whole‑body way.Save this for your recovery toolkit.

02/05/2026

Pain after orthopedic surgery is expected but pain that doesn’t steadily improve is your body asking for more support, not a sign that you’re doing anything wrong.

If your pain flares with light activity, lingers long after PT, or feels unpredictable, it often reflects deeper systems that are still overwhelmed. Things like unresolved inflammation, a sensitized nervous system, elevated stress hormones, disrupted sleep, or inadequate nutritional support can all slow healing, even when you’re following every instruction.

Pain isn’t just about the surgery itself. It’s a whole‑body signal and when the internal environment isn’t supported, progress stalls.

The good news: there are ways to help your body get back on track. A few supportive places to start include:
• Prioritizing consistent protein intake to give your tissues the raw materials they need
• Supporting your nervous system with slow breathing, grounding, or short relaxation breaks
• Improving sleep quality so your body can repair and regulate inflammation
• Stabilizing blood sugar with balanced meals and regular eating windows
• Adding gentle circulation‑boosting movement like walking or diaphragmatic breathing

If this sounds familiar, then it is time to look a little closer at what your body needs in order to continue to heal efficiently and effectively.

Save this for your recovery toolkit.

02/02/2026

Orthopedic surgery is supposed to move you forward.

Less pain. More function. A clear path back to life.
But when weeks turn into months and recovery still feels slow, unpredictable, or stuck, that’s not something to brush off. That’s your body communicating.

I see this often.

People who did everything right.

They rested. They went to PT. They followed the plan.

Yet pain lingers. Swelling returns. Energy stays low. Strength doesn’t come back the way it should.

When healing stalls, it’s rarely about effort or motivation. It’s usually about the internal environment. Inflammation, sleep, stress hormones, nutrition, blood sugar, gut health, and nervous system regulation all play a role in how well tissues repair. If those systems aren’t supported, progress slows no matter how consistent rehab is.

This carousel breaks down four common signs your body may be struggling to heal after orthopedic surgery and why PT alone isn’t always enough.

If this resonates, I go much deeper in today’s blog. I explain what these signs are really telling you and why addressing the whole system can change the recovery trajectory.

👉 Read the full blog (link in bio)

01/27/2026

Low back pain with leg symptoms often gets labeled as a lumbar disc herniation, but that label alone rarely tells the whole story.

Did you know that it is common for people to have leg symptoms without any back pain at all. In those cases, the disc itself may not be the source of pain. The symptoms can also come from irritation or sensitivity of a nerve, which can show up as pain, tingling, numbness, or weakness down the leg even when the low back feels fine.

Disc herniations live on a spectrum. Some settle with time, movement, and the right support. Others need injections, meds or even surgical intervention.

What matters is how the nervous system, inflammation, movement patterns, and overall healing capacity are being supported along the way.

Education matters.
Context matters.
And recovery is never one-size-fits-all. (That's why the exercises your friend gave you may not work for you).

In my next post, I’ll break down what post-operative care actually looks like after disc herniation surgery and the factors that make the biggest difference in long-term healing.

01/20/2026

Surgery fixes the problem. Recovery shapes the result.
Most people go home with vague instructions and are left to figure healing out as they go. Pain, fatigue, poor sleep, and uncertainty can slow progress more than expected.

I wrote this blog to explain why post-surgical recovery works best with a clear, personalized plan. And if you didn’t prepare before surgery, you haven’t missed your chance. There’s still a lot you can do.

Learn more about supporting your recovery. Full blog linked in bio.

01/15/2026

Are you a woman in midlife wondering why your shoulder hurts or is getting stiff? I see this all the time, and it’s one of the most frustrating conditions I treat. Chances are, you may be dealing with adhesive capsulitis, also known as frozen shoulder. This usually shows up in your 40s and 50s, when tendons become stiffer and are slower to heal as estrogen levels drop. You may be wondering why this happens. It is because tendons have estrogen receptors, so when estrogen declines, the tendon’s ability to stay flexible and repair efficiently is affected. That’s why even simple shoulder movements can start to feel stiff or painful and why the usual “stretch and strengthen” approach alone often isn’t enough.

The traditional PT approach helps, but it rarely addresses the full picture. However, with a comprehensive functional medicine approach, I also consider the role of sleep, stress, inflammation, blood sugar, and nutrition and how it impacts healing. Supporting the body this way, alongside smart movement, mobility, strengthening, and stretching, makes recovery smoother and less frustrating. When these pieces are addressed together, the progress feels more manageable.

Want to learn more? Follow me for insights on surgical and non-surgical recovery, midlife joint health, and PT strategies that get lasting results.

*** Disclaimer: not all frozen shoulders are due to hormonal shifts but this what I wanted to address in this post***

01/05/2026

Did you delay your surgery until after the new year and now it’s coming up? You’re not behind.

What you do before your orthopedic surgery can make a real difference in how prepared you feel and how smoothly your recovery goes. Strength, sleep, stress, nutrition and simple planning all matter more than most people realize.

In my latest blog, I share practical ways to start preparing now, even if surgery feels close and you’re not sure where to begin.

Read the blog and take the next step with more clarity and less overwhelm.
Link in bio.

01/02/2026

A few days into the new year can be a helpful time to pause and check in. Setting intentions doesn’t have to mean fixing yourself or starting over. It can be about noticing what you want more of, what you’re ready to leave behind, and how you want to feel as you move through your days.

These ideas are meant to support a steady, realistic start to the year. Small choices, made with care, can add up over time. If you’re easing into 2026 rather than rushing it, you’re right on time.

12/31/2025

5 Tips for a Healthy and Happy New Year’s Eve

End the year feeling your best with a few simple choices that keep the celebration fun and your body steady.

1) Drink more water than wine: Sip water between the bubbly so you can enjoy the night and still feel good tomorrow.

2) Practice mindful indulgence: It’s a celebration, not an eating marathon. Pick the foods you love, add some nutrient-rich options, and enjoy without overdoing it.

3) Rest up before the party: A solid night of sleep helps you stay awake for the countdown without fighting yawns. Give yourself a head start by getting some real rest.

4) Move your body: Dance, walk, or just get the blood flowing. A little movement lifts your mood and keeps your energy up through the night.

5) Take a breath and reset: A few deep breaths or a quick stretch can bring your stress down and keep you feeling grounded as the excitement ramps up.

Cheers to closing out the year with gratitude and good energy. Here’s to health and happiness in the year ahead.

Address

7825 Tuckerman Lane Suite 211
Potomac, MD
20854

Opening Hours

Monday	7am - 5pm
Tuesday	7am - 5pm
Wednesday	7am - 5pm
Thursday	7am - 5pm
Friday	7am - 5pm

Telephone

+13014614851

Website

http://www.aspireptandwellness.com/

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