David Perna, D.C.

The shoulder is one of the largest and most complex joints in the body. It’s actually three joints—the AC or acromioclavicular joint (the collar bone/acromion of the shoulder blade joint), the glenohumeral joint (the ball-and-socket joint), and the scapulothoracic joint (the shoulder blade/rib cage “joint”)—all of which involve the scapula to some degree. The rotator [..]

In the face of musculoskeletal pain, it’s common to restrict activity. Unfortunately, doing so can weaken the muscles and joints in the affected area, which can prolong pain and elevate the risk for future injury. Patients with osteoarthritis of the knee often fall into this trap. So, what type of exercises are best for improving [..]

Musculoskeletal conditions drive millions of patients to doctor’s offices each year, with back and hip pain being among the most common. Because the hip and low back neighbor one another in the body, these conditions often overlap, with only one of the two being diagnosed. This can lead to inadequate treatment, unnecessary costs, and unsatisfying [..]

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis and is caused when the smooth cartilage surface of an articulating/moving joint wears away until there is bone-on-bone contact that results in both loss of movement and pain. Although OA most commonly affects the joints under the greatest load (the hips and the knees), it can [..]

Patellofemoral pain (PFP) is commonly associated with running, jumping, squatting, and walking up/down stairs. It’s thought that PFP is caused by excessive rubbing between the back of the patella and groove, or track, that it rides in. Besides overuse, additional causes for PFP pain include muscle imbalance or weakness or direct trauma. The condition is [..]

As we grow older, stretching becomes a more important part of our routine, especially when hip pain is present. Whether you are about to engage in a sport, a job, weight lifting, or errands, it’s best to prepare your muscles for activity. With that said, stretching can be broken down into two main types: static [..]

When people say, “My shoulder hurts,” they often point to different areas in the vicinity of the shoulder such as the base of neck, the collar bone, the scapula (shoulder blade), the chest, and/or their arm. The challenge with the shoulder is that it’s anatomically comprised of three joints: the glenohumeral joint, or GHJ (ball-and-socket); [..]

While chiropractic care commonly focuses on improving function in the spine to reduce neck pain and back pain, in many cases achieving a successful outcome is only possible when treatment addresses conditions elsewhere in the body. For example, ANY painful condition of the knee can alter one’s gait pattern, which can result in abnormal movement [..]

Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) is a pathological hip condition found in 17% of the population, and it’s caused by abnormal contact between the ball of hip and the socket. To be more precise, it’s the head-neck junction that impinges against the rim of the acetabulum. There are three types of FAI: cam, pincer, or a combination [..]

When people think of chiropractic care, they usually imagine back pain, neck pain, and headaches, as research STRONGLY supports chiropractic treatment for these complaints. But what about chiropractic care for shoulder pain? In 2010 and again in 2014, the United Kingdom government published landmark studies that reviewed previously published research on various forms of treatment [..]