Patient Background
30-year-old patient presented with a history of bilateral hip pain, instability, and difficulty with exercise and daily activities.
His symptoms had progressively worsened over the past few months after he visited a chiropractor. He experienced significant shaking in his trunk and extremities. Although he was able to do a lot of high level of physical activities before, now he experiences a lot of shaking in his body with light exercises such as bird dogs.
The patient also reported bilateral hip and shoulder pain after physical activities like playing basketball.
Assessment
Rather than focusing only on the painful hips and shoulders, we evaluated how the entire body was controlling movement.
One important finding was poor diaphragm (abdominal) control during breathing. He had difficulty maintaining coordinated trunk control while performing diaphragmatic breathing.
We also found poor cervical stabilization. His neck was not providing an efficient, stable foundation during movement, which appeared to affect his ability to coordinate his trunk and abdominal muscles.
This was an important part of our treatment approach.
Why Does Neck Stability Matter?
The neck and trunk work together as part of the body’s overall postural and movement-control system.
When cervical control is poor, it can become more difficult to maintain efficient alignment and coordinate the muscles of the trunk during movement. In some patients, improving cervical stability can help create a better foundation for abdominal and whole-body control.
For this patient, we therefore did not focus exclusively on his hips and shoulders. Instead, we worked on improving his breathing, cervical stability, and core control as part of a whole-body approach.
Treatment
During the session, we focused on:
- Diaphragmatic breathing to improve breathing mechanics and abdominal control
- Cervical stabilization exercises in different body positions to improve neck control during movement
- Resistance training using a red TheraBand around the mid-to-lower cervical region
- Abdominal isometric training to improve trunk control
- Movement retraining to help integrate these changes into functional movement
The goal was not simply to strengthen individual muscles, but to improve how the muscles worked together.
Before & After
Following the cervical stabilization and core-control work, the patient demonstrated a noticeable improvement in movement stability.
The shaking and instability during movement decreased, and he was able to perform the movement with better control.
This case is an example of how we treat root cause of the symptoms, not just focusing on the painful areas.
When someone presents with hip pain or instability, we also need to consider how the neck, breathing, pelvis, trunk, and extremities are working together.
By addressing the underlying movement strategy rather than focusing only on the painful area, physical therapy can help patients develop better control and efficiency throughout the body.
Our Approach at FuncPhysio
At FuncPhysio Physical Therapy in NYC, we use a whole-body approach to evaluate movement dysfunction. Depending on the patient, treatment may incorporate Functional Manual Therapy (FMT), Postural Restoration concepts, breathing exercises, manual therapy, and therapeutic exercise.
For patients dealing with chronic pain, movement instability, or sports-related problems, our goal is to understand why the body is having difficulty moving efficiently—not simply where it hurts.
This case study describes one patient’s treatment experience and does not guarantee the same results for every patient. Treatment is individualized based on each patient’s evaluation and clinical needs.
