Cassidy Boelk, D.C.

There are over 3 million registered youth soccer players in the United States. While playing organized sports offers many benefits to children and teens, the activity also comes with the possibility of injury—especially knee injuries among female players. There are two types of injuries associated with soccer: acute and overuse. Acute injuries have an immediate [..]

Hip pain is a VERY common problem among older adults that can affect their ability to remain independent. While it’s common to assume that hip osteoarthritis (HOA) is responsible for the prevalence of hip pain in the aging population, the Framingham Osteoarthritis Study (FOS) found this isn’t always the case. The authors of the FOS [..]

While the anatomy of the shoulder allows for a wide range of motion and movement, it comes at the cost of a less stable joint, especially for those who routinely perform activities that require lifting the arms. This is likely why shoulder pain is one of the leading reasons patients seek chiropractic care, trailing behind [..]

Running is one of the most popular forms of exercise, largely because it can be done almost anywhere at any time and it doesn’t require much in the way of equipment (other than a pair of running shoes). While there is a common belief that running always leads to osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee, the [..]

The hip is a very important region of the body, especially since our upright, weightbearing activities rely on a properly functioning hip joint.  With the expansive growth of youth athletic programs, the incidence of hip-related injuries and the associated disability has markedly increased.  But is there a difference between young male and young female hip [..]

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 [..]