By Shane Oliver, MPT What do most people do when they have a headache? Reach for a pain reliever? Lie down in a dark, quiet room? Few people will consider the pain’s source. And when a source is considered, the headache is usually attributed to stress.   There are many conditions that can cause headaches. Today, we’re going to focus on one condition typically overlooked: TMJ Disorders. Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders can contribute to headaches due to the joint's connection between your jaw and skull. When this joint malfunctions, it can result in headaches, extending pain from t ..read more

Strong cores aren’t just for aesthetics and it is important for everyone to maintain a strong core. By training your core, you can decrease lower back pain, improve posture, and lower the risk of falls by increasing overall stability (Mayo Clinic 2022). The benefits of a strong core are applicable to people of all ages, athletes and non-athletes alike. We, at California Therapy Solutions, are here to help you learn how to strengthen your core on your own and at home! What are the core muscles and what do they do? The most commonly known core muscles are the abdominis muscles and obliques. Ther ..read more

BrainPlus™ is a comprehensive concussion management program unique to California Therapy Solutions and offered in conjunction with preferred partners and providers, select athletic organizations, and school systems in the Orange County area. After a suspected concussion, clinicians at CTS can be accessed immediately for follow-up testing. This testing is completed in advance of seeing a physician and allows the clinician to compare post-injury data with baseline measures previously collected. This information is then shared with the physician to support diagnostic decision-making and the creat ..read more

Trick question! Going to physical therapy both before and after a total joint replacement can improve your recovery outlook. It is commonly believed that physical therapy is best done after a procedure. However, studies have shown that attending physical therapy before a procedure can improve your joint functionality before the operation as well as positively impact your recovery up to 12 months post-operation ,(Jahic et al., 2018). Prehabilitation is a term used to describe physical therapy in a pre-operative context. During prehabilitation, the team at CTS focuses on strengthening muscles s ..read more

  We are excited to announce the addition of an occupational therapist at our Irvine location! Please join us in welcoming Dr. Hannah Mansour Morad, OTR/L, M.A., OTD to our team. Hannah completed her Bachelor of Kinesiology degree at California State University Northridge, where she found her love for exercise physiology and biomechanics. Her volunteer experiences and belief in holistic approaches led her to pursue a career in Occupational Therapy. Hannah completed her Master’s and Doctorate of Occupational Therapy at the University of Southern California. During her doctoral residency, she ga ..read more

It's well known that athletes hide injuries, but they're not the only group known to do this. Performers like dancers keep injury secrets, and so do workers in all types of jobs. These groups might seem diverse, but they have a lot in common when we look at the reasons they hide injuries. Stigma is the first reason people hide injuries. There have been big improvements in the culture around sports, performing arts, and worker's comp, but some people still have the old "no pain, no gain" attitude. To some people, reporting an injury is an act of weakness, or a way of letting the team down. In ..read more

While it is important for all ages to exercise and maintain levels of physical activity, it is of high importance that older adults stay active for their own health and well-being. As we age, the risk becomes higher for various chronic diseases. This means it becomes even more important to continue moving forward in your wellness journey, even as you get older. The best way to stay preventative and combative around these illnesses and diseases is to keep your body moving with activity, and daily. Activity and exercise can extend to a variety of movement, physical activity increasing at any ag ..read more

When you get a concussion, it's not just your head that's impacted. Your whole life and body are affected. In this blog, we'd like to share and explore just what happens to your body following a concussion and explore why exercise is so important. ANS: Autonomic Nervous System Following a concussion (mild TBI), your autonomic nervous system (ANS) can be disrupted due to the involvement of the brain on this system. You might wonder how are the ANS and concussion related? The ANS regulates many involuntary processes such as heart rate, body temperature, blood pressure, blood flow, breathing, an ..read more

So often, we can assume the role of physical therapy happens after an operation. This is a valid assumption however, did you know there are treatment plans that consist of pre-operative physical therapy as well? This means you're starting a therapy journey and working towards your recovery goal before you even step foot towards an operation. Some might have the following questions: How will this benefit me? What is the point of starting a physical therapy session before I get an operation? Why should I start physical therapy if I don't feel like I necessarily need it? To get these answers, we ..read more

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/26c4df_8414c5df72cd4fe5b0bbae064226c684/1080p/mp4/file.mp4 Here at California Therapy Solutions, we pride ourselves on the amazing team of therapists we have and how they truly impact the community in wellness and inspiration amongst all ages and people. While we all dream of gold, we wanted to celebrate an amazing team member that truly exemplifies this. On June 26th our very own Costa Mesa Clinic Director, Bill Gabriel coached 10-year-old Kai Reynolds to victory to not one, not two, but THREE gold medals and the ultimate title, National Weight-Lifting Champi ..read more