Explore back, neck and bone-health education from Mindful Movement PT. Start with the question that matters to you, then learn about care with Dr. Emily Warren, DPT, Cert. MDT, at our Holladay clinic, serving the Salt Lake City area. Virtual coaching appointments are also available.
Back pain, sciatica and disc questions
Find explanations of symptoms, recovery and treatment decisions. A diagnosis on a scan does not replace an individual assessment of your symptoms and function.
- Back pain physical therapy: what an assessment and treatment plan involve
- Sciatica care for back and radiating leg symptoms
- Herniated versus bulging discs
- Disc recovery: milestones and reasons to reassess
- Your MRI shows a herniated disc: questions to ask next
- What to discuss when physical therapy has not helped
- Back pain warning signs and when to seek medical care
Neck pain and arm symptoms
Watch Dr. Emily explain back, neck and bone-health care
Sometimes it helps to hear an explanation or see a movement. Start with the topic that matches your question; each guide includes context and a next step.
- Persistent back pain: understanding pain and sensitivity
- Sciatica: an example of movement guided by symptoms
- MRI findings: putting the scan in context
- Neck pain: see a neck-retraction example
- Shoulder-blade discomfort and neck movement
- Dry needling: an introduction from Dr. Emily
- Bone Builder: meet Dr. Emily and hear Rebecca’s story
- Bone-health exercises: lifting and impact demonstrations
Would you like help choosing where to start? Request a free 15-minute consultation.
Osteopenia, osteoporosis and stronger movement
Start with your DEXA questions, then explore individual care or supervised classes. Your fracture history, balance, symptoms and current activity help determine the appropriate starting point.
- Understand the terms in your DEXA report.
- Learn about individual osteoporosis physical therapy.
- Explore the roles of strength, loading and balance exercise.
- See whether Bone Builder classes or one-on-one PT fit your needs.
Related reading: Is walking enough? · Lifting with osteoporosis · Exercise modifications and safety questions.
Meet Dr. Emily: an introduction to online care and coaching
Get to know Dr. Emily through her introduction to hybrid care and coaching. This is an overview of an appointment format, not a demonstration of treatment for a particular condition.
Persistent pain and movement confidence
Free tools and practical next steps
Preparing for your first appointment
What should I bring?
Bring your main goals, a brief symptom history, a list of current medications and relevant medical information, and any imaging or DEXA reports you already have. Note previous treatment and what did or did not help. You do not need to obtain new imaging simply to complete this preparation list; ask the clinic about your situation.
What happens during the evaluation?
You and Dr. Emily discuss your concerns, daily activities and goals. The examination is selected for your situation and may include movement, strength, balance or symptom-response testing. You discuss the findings, appropriate next steps and how to assess progress. If another type of care is needed, that becomes part of the discussion.
What should I wear?
Choose comfortable clothing that allows you to move. Ask when booking if you have accessibility needs, difficulty getting onto the floor, or concerns about a particular movement.
How will we track progress?
Choose meaningful activities to monitor, such as sitting through work, walking farther, sleeping more comfortably or lifting with confidence. Discuss changes in function alongside symptoms. Bring concerns about worsening symptoms, an unmanageable home plan or lack of progress to your follow-up.
What is a free 15-minute consultation?
It is an initial conversation about your goals and whether an appointment may fit your needs. It is not a diagnosis, an examination or emergency care. Request a free 15-minute consultation and ask about the appointment format and location you prefer.
Two practical guides to help you get started
You do not need all the answers before asking for help. Use these guides to organize what matters to you. Copy the prompts into your own notes or use your browser’s print option. Keep completed health notes private and bring them to your appointment.
Preparing for a back-pain evaluation
Start with one activity you want back. “I want to walk the neighborhood comfortably” gives us a more useful goal than a pain score alone.
- Describe your starting point. What can you do now? Note a practical example: sitting through part of a workday, walking a certain route or lifting a grocery bag.
- Notice patterns. What brings symptoms on, what settles them, and do symptoms stay in your back or travel into a leg? You do not need to deliberately provoke pain to gather information.
- Bring your treatment story. List what you have tried, what helped and what did not. Bring existing imaging reports if relevant; preparing for an appointment does not mean you need a new scan.
- Choose three questions. What might be contributing? What can I keep doing? How will we decide whether the plan is working?
- Leave with a usable plan. Ask what to practice, what response to expect, how to adjust a flare-up and when to follow up.
Your notes: My goal: __________. My starting point: __________. What I want to understand: __________.
For a walking or hiking goal, describe distance, hills and how you feel afterward. For lifting, bring an example of the task or exercise you want to return to. We can use those details to plan a progression.
New loss of bladder or bowel control, numbness around the groin/saddle area, or rapidly worsening leg weakness needs urgent medical evaluation. Read about back-pain warning signs.
Explore our approach to back-pain care · Request a free 15-minute consultation
Your first steps after a low bone-density result
A DEXA result can leave you wondering whether exercise is safe or where to begin. We can help you turn those questions into a practical strength and balance plan.
- Bring the report into the conversation. Bring your DEXA report, if available, and discuss fracture history, falls and relevant medical care. Learn what the terms on a DEXA report mean.
- Take stock of your routine. What walking, resistance exercise or balance practice do you already do? What have you stopped because you are unsure it is safe?
- Choose a meaningful strength goal. Getting out of a chair, carrying groceries or feeling steadier on a trail gives us something practical to work toward.
- Choose the right starting format. If pain, a recent fracture or major balance concerns make exercise difficult, discuss individual assessment first. If you are ready for supervised group training, ask about Bone Builder.
- Plan for progression. Ask how exercise technique, resistance and balance challenges will be adapted for you and how progress will be tracked. A heavier weight is only useful when it fits your current ability and plan.
Your notes: My activity goal: __________. My current routine: __________. Questions about lifting or balance: __________.
Walking can be part of an active life; a bone-health plan also considers strength, balance and appropriate loading. You do not have to work out the starting weights or progressions alone.
Explore individual bone-health PT · Explore Bone Builder: Tuesday and Thursday, noon–1 p.m.
Choose in-person care or a virtual appointment
New in-person patients are currently being scheduled in Holladay, serving the greater Salt Lake City area. Virtual coaching covers general movement education, wellness goals and accountability. Clinical virtual PT is a separate service; the clinic confirms suitability and eligibility before booking.
Explore virtual appointments and setup · Ask about appointments and locations · Call (385) 332-4939
These resources provide general education and do not diagnose your symptoms or replace individual medical advice.