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Back & Neck Pain Physical Therapy in Lake Charles, LA

Fri, 23 Oct 2026 01:52:40 GMT

Back & Neck Pain Physical Therapy in Lake Charles, LA

Physical therapy for back and neck pain in Lake Charles, LA combines manual therapy with targeted rehabilitation exercises to address the root cause of your discomfort rather than just masking symptoms.

How Does Physical Therapy Treat Back and Neck Pain?

A physical therapist evaluates your movement patterns and identifies the specific structures contributing to your pain, then builds a plan using hands-on techniques and guided exercise.

Manual therapy is a core part of back and neck pain treatment. Your therapist uses controlled pressure and movement to reduce joint stiffness, improve circulation to irritated tissues, and restore normal range of motion. Many people notice a meaningful difference in how freely they can move after just a few sessions.

Rehabilitation exercises are added progressively to strengthen the muscles that support your spine. Weak or poorly coordinated muscles around the neck and lower back are a common reason pain returns after it initially improves, so building that support is a key part of lasting recovery.

When Should You Seek Help for Back or Neck Pain?

You should consider physical therapy when pain limits your daily activities, disrupts sleep, or has persisted for more than a few weeks without improvement.

Acute pain from a sudden movement or minor strain often settles on its own, but pain that lingers or keeps coming back usually signals an underlying issue with posture, muscle balance, or joint mobility. Waiting too long can allow compensatory movement habits to develop, which sometimes create new pain in other areas like the hips or shoulders.

If you have been searching for back or neck pain relief near me, a physical therapy evaluation can clarify what is driving your symptoms and whether conservative treatment is the right first step before considering imaging or other interventions.

What Does a Typical Treatment Session Look Like?

Sessions typically include a brief reassessment of your symptoms, hands-on manual therapy, and a set of exercises tailored to where you are in your recovery.

Your therapist will adjust the plan as you progress. Early sessions often focus more on reducing pain and restoring basic movement, while later sessions shift toward building strength and teaching you how to manage your condition independently. This progression helps you stay active and reduces the chance of re-injury.

How Louisiana's Climate Can Affect Back and Neck Pain

Southwest Louisiana's high humidity and heat can influence how muscles and connective tissue feel, and many people in the Lake Charles area report that their pain feels different across seasons.

Prolonged sitting in air-conditioned environments during hot months can cause muscles to tighten, especially in the neck and upper back. Physical therapy helps you develop habits and movement strategies that hold up regardless of the season, so you are not constantly reacting to flare-ups driven by environmental changes.

Working with a local provider who understands the activity patterns and physical demands common in this region means your rehabilitation plan reflects your real daily life, not a generic template.

Getting consistent care makes a real difference in how quickly you recover and how well you maintain those gains over time. Schedule a visit with Thrive Physical Therapy in Lake Charles, LA to start building a plan that fits your specific back or neck pain needs.

We Are Much Better Mommas When We Are Taken Care of and Are Feeling Our Best

Fri, 16 Dec 2022 22:35:30 GMT

We Are Much Better Mommas When We Are Taken Care of and Are Feeling Our Best

After sailing through my first pregnancy 3 years ago, I thought that my second one would go pretty much the same way.

39 weeks into pregnancy Number 2 I can say I was wrong.

There could be a lot of reasons that this time my experience has been completely different than the first, but one of the biggest is that I now have a two and a half year-old little girl to chase around and occupy my time.

When I was pregnant for her, I was able to work out and stay strong and fit right until I had her. I read everything I could to better prepare myself and my mind for this new experience that my body and our family was about to undertake. I learned all there was to know about breastfeeding. I did all of the recommended stretches. I had the nursery complete and everything in place as soon as we found out we were having a girl.

I was ready!

I was able to work full time in my job as a Physical Therapist with no pain or issues until my delivery.

Because of my profession, I have had the opportunity to work with women during their pregnancies for the past 10 years. My job has awarded me the wonderful opportunity to learn everything I can about what happens to our bodies during and after our pregnancies and how to encourage and promote a healthy, pain-free pregnancy for all Moms expecting little ones.

One of the most important areas that I have learned to help Moms with is the phase after pregnancy. This time immediately after our delivery is referred to as the Fourth Trimester or the Postpartum recovery stage. This is arguably one of the most important times in our lives as women having gone through pregnancy and delivery .

So, I was completely at a loss when even after taking every precaution and doing everything to prevent it, I developed diastasis recti during my first pregnancy. (Stay tuned for more information on this in the coming weeks!)

Many of you have probably never heard of this, but it is basically a separation of your belly muscles.

If you have heard of this before, you have probably thought or been told that there isn’t anything that you can really do about it.

The good news is that you actually can recover from it!

As soon as I was able, I started the recovery process the help my body heal from the diastasis recti that I had developed.

The thing is though that it can return during subsequent pregnancies.

So, this time around I developed it much sooner than I did during my previous pregnancy, even though I did take all of the precautions to prevent it.

I began to experience back, pelvic, and hip pain very early on in my second trimester. This was completely new to me. I never really had issues before and I pretty much brushed them off and kept working and doing what a Mom does…..putting everyone and everything else before herself.

It would get to a point to where when I would get home from work, I could barely get out of my car or I would not be able to get up from a chair after I sat down to eat with my family.

You would think that of all people, I would know how important it is to address these things. And, I do know how important it is. My job is to encourage people to live a healthy, pain-free life! I just never took the time to heed my own advice. I kept brushing my own health and well being off because I didn’t feel that I had the time to see about it.

I knew what needed to be done, and I knew that I would feel better for doing it….I just never made myself a priority.

My business partner and fellow PT, Katherine, finally had to force me to stop and allow her to perform an assessment and begin treatment for my pregnancy related issues. It wasn’t long after she required me to take time to care of myself, I soon began to experience relief and feel like myself again.

I no longer cringed when I thought about getting up from a chair, walking across the room, or even picking up my little girl.

Now, I have the necessary tools and support to actually make it through a day without pelvic and hip pain stopping me from enjoying my day at work and with my family.

So, I want to encourage all Moms out there to not brush their health off.

Hip, back, and pelvic pain are very common during pregnancy, but the good news is they don’t have to be.

Many women find relief quickly with a few simple solutions that can make a huge difference in your life during your pregnancy. All we have to do is just take a step to get ourselves assessed and get the right plan put into place to get back to enjoying life again.

Just remember that you and your health are important, and we are much better Mommas when we are taken care of and are feeling our best.

We have so much more to give to others when we take the time to fill ourselves!

Ask a Specialist

Speak With A Board Certified Specialist Today!

Is your pain making it difficult for you to concentrate?

Are you hoping it will just go away but it’s still hurting you?

If you answered “Yes” to any of those questions, you should call us and make an appointment to see one of our qualified Physical Therapist. We will interview you, find out your problem, layout the customized plan for you and work with you personally.

Call one our offices now at (337) 990-5621 or request an appointment:

SI Joint Pain During and After Pregnancy and How PT Helped Me

Fri, 16 Dec 2022 12:51:59 GMT

We Are Much Better Mommas When We Are Taken Care of and Are Feeling Our Best

A true story about pregnancy/postpartum pain – in the patient’s own words:

At the very end of my pregnancy I started to have severe low back/hip pain. I didn’t know what it was(sciatica, a strained muscle, hip pain, slipped disc in my back?), but just attributed it to the typical troubles associated with any pregnancy , compounded by the fact I had a clingy 1.5 year old at home. My due date was rapidly approaching and I figured this pain would go away as soon as I delivered. My obstetrician also was under the impression it would resolve on its own after baby was born and tried a course of steroids to see if this would ease my symptoms.

The pain just continued to get worse and as I was 2 weeks from my due date I could barely walk from my bedroom to the den! I even started using a walking cane in the house to help me get around! It was to the point I would sit and decide if it was worth it to make the “long” trip across the house to get my phone I had left in the other room!

To my disbelief, once I delivered the baby the pain continued to get worse! My obstetrician did not have a good answer for this pain and thought over time the pain would go away. After a few hours at home with a newborn and 1.5 year old competing for my attention I decided I needed immediate help! I was really hurting to the point where I just couldn’t take another step.

I put a lot of thought into where to go next, who could help me with this pain? I decided to start with a physical therapist first- I was confident they would be able to diagnose and treat this type of condition, although I was still unsure what it was exactly.

I had seen a few advertisements about Thrive Physical Therapy and had noticed one of their therapists, Katherine, had received additional training in pregnancy and post-partum ailments. I called right away and limped through the door to my first appointment a few days later. I was quickly diagnosed with sacroiliac joint misalignment/inflammation and started treatment right away.

After only a few sessions the pain started to ease up, a few weeks later I was able to take the stairs up to her office rather than the elevator! This pain had such severe impacts on my current life- I couldn’t pick up my daughter or even walk to the next room without severe pain. These are small quick tasks I wouldn’t have even thought about before.

I was so thankful for Katherine’s help. Once she described what was going on and how to resolve the issue, it made so much sense to me and I had wished I would have seen her sooner for the pain or been treated throughout my pregnancy to prevent it!

I think a lot of pain/issues caused by pregnancy are thought of as par for the course, but I realized it doesn’t have to be that way, these issues can be treated and even prevented with the help of Katherine and the team at Thrive Physical Therapy!

Ask a Specialist

Speak With A Board Certified Specialist Today!

Is your pain making it difficult for you to concentrate?

Are you hoping it will just go away but it’s still hurting you?

Call one our offices now at (337) 990-5621 or request an appointment:

What is a Pelvic PT and What Can I Expect at My First Treatment?

Fri, 16 Dec 2022 12:49:11 GMT

We Are Much Better Mommas When We Are Taken Care of and Are Feeling Our Best

I love my job and one of the reasons that I do is because I love seeing RESULTS and there’s not too many times that we don’t see results with what I do. The statement I get from a lot of people is “what exactly do you do?”, which is a valid question being that not many people know what a Pelvic PT is. Most people think I make people do “Kegels” or just talk to patients about their lady parts, but being a Pelvic PT is much more.

Some of the main diagnoses that I treat are Sciatic/SI joint pain in pregnancy, painful intercourse, and urinary incontinence/frequency. I have treated patients that have other diagnoses including constipation, fecal incontinence, and interstitial cystitis as well.

No matter what the diagnosis is, all patients have one thing in common… Pelvic Floor Dysfunction , and this is where I come in.

Pelvic Floor Dysfunction can mean a few different things. It can mean that your pelvic floor is weak, tight, or just having a hard time activating or coordinating with your breathing ( I will talk more about this is a later blog on urinary incontinence). On your first visit, this will be the first thing we need to find out.

Figuring out what is the root cause of your incontinence, pelvic pain, constipation, etc. will help guide us through the process of getting you better.

So, exactly how do we find out what your problem is?

There are a few different ways that we can determine the dysfunction in your pelvic floor. The first is an internal examination. An internal examination will help us know exactly what your pelvic floor is doing. Some of the things we feel for are muscle tone, quality of the tissue, scarring, atrophy, trigger points, and your muscle function. If you are unsure about undergoing a pelvic exam, we can try other options to further assess you.

Another option is biofeedback. With biofeedback, we use a small prob (that does go intervaginally) that can read the electrical activity of your pelvic floor muscle. It can tell us objectively how much you can “squeeze” and “let go”. I love doing biofeedback because, although an internal exam does give me a further understanding of your pelvic floor, you can actually SEE what your pelvic floor is doing.

The third option is to palpate your muscles externally. The pelvic floor muscles can be felt in different positions externally and I can teach you how to feel for that as well.

Whatever way you feel the most comfortable with the exam, the next step is where I educate you on what we found upon our examination. This is where I can help you with instructing you on exercises, relaxation techniques, or manual techniques.

The outcome of every session is for you to feel more confident in returning to doing the things you love. I want you to leave everyday with an understanding of what is actually going on and how we can fix it together.

If you have any questions about anything I discussed in this blog, please feel free to ask me anytime.

The best way to contact me is through email katherine@thriveptla.com

I look forward to being able to get to know you!

Ask a Specialist

Speak With A Board Certified Specialist Today!

Is your pain making it difficult for you to concentrate?

Are you hoping it will just go away but it’s still hurting you?

Call one our offices now at (337) 990-5621 or request an appointment:

Everyone Has A Different Birth Story- Patient Testimonial

Fri, 16 Dec 2022 12:44:11 GMT

We Are Much Better Mommas When We Are Taken Care of and Are Feeling Our Best

Everyone has a different birth story, but everyone’s birth story is THEIR story.

I recently asked a patient to share her story to let other women know about her success with physical therapy . She talked about her struggles, her obstacles, and the challenges that she faced during her pregnancy, but mostly after the delivery of her son. After reading it, I asked her if I could share her story with everyone because I know that many women feel as if they are alone or the only ones that had to go through an experience during or after birth that they weren’t expecting.

If you can relate to her story, know that you are not alone in your journey. There are many other women struggling to find ways to cope, physically and emotionally, to becoming a new mom and there are people to help.

“Once I had my son, I naively believed my struggle with pregnancy-related issues was over. He was out and I would be on the road to a swift any easy recovery. That’s what we see all the time, right? Those moms that have their baby and post selfies looking stunning with their one week old infant… well, the was not even close to my reality.

Let me backtrack. My pregnancy was relatively normal. I got diagnosed with pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy (PUPPS) around 16 weeks. Basically, its an allergic reaction on steroids that does not just go away. I had a rash that covered my body literally everywhere but my face. Nothing specifically causes it but I was one of the lucky women out of 150 that got to deal with it. I also had a high amount of amniotic fluid but not enough that was considered threatening to babies health.

I was induced on the morning of November 28th 2017. My water broke on its own almost an hour after. I had my epidural and next thing I knew it was time to push. After hours of pushing I had nothing left in me. The baby was half way out and my doctor looked at me and told me it was time to get him out with forceps. Out comes my son who is blue and not breathing. His umbilical cord was wrapped around his next inhibiting airflow. The doctor unwrapped him and the nurses took my son over to a table. I looked at my husband in terror as the Doctor stitched me up and gave a look to the nurses and back at me to see if I was freaking out.

He was breathing.

I could breathe.

Everyone was breathing.

I gave birth to a 7lb 3oz healthy baby boy.

We stayed one night and went home to begin our journey of parenthood.

Of course the part they don’t tell you about is what happens once you get home.

Being as this is my first (and will be my only) child, I had no idea what to expect from my body after delivery. Those aren’t the things your doctor and friends tell you about. Once that baby is out it’s not about you or your health anymore, it’s about your child’s.

Between breastfeeding and pumping I was not getting any sleep. Honestly, I was miserable. As women however, we are not “allowed” to have these feelings. We should be thrilled and overjoyed that we have welcomed a beautiful new life into this world.

I would ask my husband to take my son because I was not bonding with him. I could not understand nor deal with the emotions that took over my body and mind at that point in time.

About three weeks after having my baby, my husband found me on the bathroom floor.

I was sobbing. (I am not one to cry). He asked me what was wrong as I heard my son’s wrenching cry from the next room. I told him I was done and couldn’t do it anymore. I needed the baby to leave. I could no longer be a mother or a wife and I was done with life.

He scooped me up in his arms and put me in our bed and immediately called my OBYGYN and told me I needed medication as soon as possible. I sobbed in the bed feeling like a failure needing to be medicated to just function in life.

It was the best thing he could have ever done for me and I am absolutely certain he saved my life that day.

At that point I was formally diagnosed with PPD.

Medication helped and I was still able to breastfeed.

I was having pain when wiping after peeing. It felt like something was poking my labia. I went to the doctor; another surprise!

I had a stitch that did not dissolve like the rest and my skin grew over most of it. I got a lidocaine shot right there in the doctors office in my vagina and they dug that sucker out right there on the exam table.

Problems gone, right? Wrong.

So, so wrong.

Flash forward to about four months PP. I was cleared by my doctor for sex.

Well once again I imagined it to be amazing to finally be able to have sex again without a giant belly! Sure, a mom-bod now but, no. Giant. Belly. Those dreams were shattered quickly.

When I say intercourse was painful I mean I began crying from physical pain. Something wasn’t right. However, I assumed that this was normal PP and we continued to try. It typically ended in me asking to stop and frustrations throughout the marriage.

Finally, I had enough and went back to the doctor. I was 11 months PP at this point. I let my doctor know that I was in excruciating pain and it was taking a toll on my marriage. It felt like someone was literally ripping me open anytime there was any sort of penetration.

I got scheduled for perineorrhaphy the week before my sons first birthday. My OBGYN explained that I had a piece of tissue that would not heal the size of a fingernail in my vaginal wall that needed to be removed and that would end my pain. I told him the sooner the better.

Basically I got to have a second episiotomy.

I went in for my final check-up post-surgery. The doctor went to check everything and my vaginal wall contracted. The doctor said while physically I was clear and would be good for sex, I was suffering from vaginismus. Vaginismus is involuntary contraction of muscles around the opening of the vagina in women with no abnormalities in the genital organs. The tight muscle contraction makes sexual intercourse or any sexual activity that involves penetration painful or impossible. Mine, personally was caused by PTSD. My body was telling me, “NO MORE” and I was referred to Thrive for pelvic floor therapy.

My first session was December 31st, 2018. I sobbed and cried talking about the toll painful sex (at this point no sex) was taking on my marriage and my own feelings as a woman. I repeated over and over how amazing and supportive my husband was (which he is). Katherine Prevost Stewart listened without judgement and let me have my moment.

After that it was time to work. Birthfit exercises, biofeedback, kegals, mental exercises, rhythmic breathing, and dilators became my life for a few months.

10 sessions.

10 sessions was all it took to change my life back to normal.

TODAY WAS MY DISCHARGE DAY.

I am now able to have painless intercourse with my husband. I am now able to look at my son and not be resentful. I am no longer taking medication for depression. I am now able to share this journey with others who are too afraid to talk about their bodies.

I know this was a long, personal read, but if it even encourages one person to take control of their body then I am grateful! Please if anyone has questions I am an open book.

Your mental and physical health are intertwined and so important to take care of. A better mind will lead to a better you.” — Katy

Here is her story…

If you have felt any of these emotions that Katy spoke about or any of the physical pain that she experienced after childbirth, be sure to speak to someone about this and know that you are not suffering alone.

I do offer free Discovery visits so we can sit down and discuss YOUR birth story or challenges that YOU are facing and then come up with a plan to improve it TOGETHER.

Email me at  info@thriveptla.com  or call  (337) 990-5621  to schedule a visit.

Ask a Specialist

Speak With A Board Certified Specialist Today!

Is your pain making it difficult for you to concentrate?

Are you hoping it will just go away but it’s still hurting you?

Call one our offices now at (337) 990-5621 or request an appointment:

Recovering from Having Your Baby: Diastasis Recti

Fri, 16 Dec 2022 12:29:18 GMT

We Are Much Better Mommas When We Are Taken Care of and Are Feeling Our Best

This week I had my Six Week follow up after my delivery of Cooper.

Overall, I am recovering well, but it comes as no surprise that I have something in common with a lot of women at this point in my recovery…I have Diastasis Recti (DR). Even 6 weeks after my delivery, I still have a large gap in my abdominal muscles.

This separation of the muscles in your belly is known as Diastasis Recti. Specifically, it is the separation of the “Six Pack” muscles of your abdomen, called the Rectus Abdominis.

What Is Diastasis Recti?

How Does It Happen?

Diastasis Recti occurs as your body produces hormones (relaxin and estrogen) that allow the muscles and ligaments to become loose as your body begins to prepare for childbirth. As your baby grows, the connective tissues are stretched as your uterus expands, and in some cases this causes a separation at the linea alba between the muscles.

How Can I Tell If I Have Diastasis Recti?

The Physical Therapists at Thrive are trained at assessing for DR and there is also a way that you can check at home to see if you may have it. Check out the video below, as we explain how you can quickly and easily see if you have DR.

If you discover that you do have DR, contact your healthcare professional for a full assessment and treatment options.

How Common Is Diastasis Recti?

Statistics show that up to 60% of women have DR present at the 6 week point of their recovery. At 6 months, there are still 45.4% of women that have it, and a full year after their delivery, 32.6% of women still have DR present. (statistics from altmetric.com)

The thing is that many women have never heard about it, so they don’t even know they have it.

What Does It Mean For Me?

Many women notice that they have a “pooch” in their belly that they just can get rid of. This can be one of their first clues that something isn’t quite right. The separation of the muscles affects their ability to contract and results in a “pooch.”

Our core and abdominal muscles are designed to control pressure. It needs to be able to generate tension to perform lifting and other activities. It also needs to have the ability to relax to allow for normal urination and bowel movements.

Over time, this can lead to a variety of issues from back and hip pain to urinary incontinence.

What Can I Do About It?

Too often people are told that nothing can be done about it!

While you can’t repair the tissue without surgery, the condition is very manageable and most people are able to significantly improve their DR and live symptoms-free without undergoing surgery!

There are simple techniques and exercises that address the deeper core muscles that can decrease the width of the separation and improve how your muscles work.

There are also many things you can do day to day to improve your recovery.

Call Today to schedule your appointment for an assessment with one of our trained Experts!

Or ask about our Free Report on 4 Secrets to Help You Recover from Diastasis Recti!

Ask a Specialist

Speak With A Board Certified Specialist Today!

Is your pain making it difficult for you to concentrate?

Are you hoping it will just go away but it’s still hurting you?

Call one our offices now at (337) 990-5621 or request an appointment: