Written by Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD — Board-Certified Sports Medicine Physician Published: March 4, 2026 | Last Updated: March 4, 2026 Back pain is one of the most common complaints I encounter in my sports medicine practice — and one of the most misunderstood. Patients arrive convinced they have a serious spinal problem, that their MRI findings explain their symptoms, or that rest is the only safe path forward. These beliefs are not only unsupported by current evidence; they ac

Written by Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD — Board-Certified Sports Medicine Physician Published: March 3, 2026 | Last Updated: March 3, 2026 One of the most common and overlooked causes of low back pain is not actually in the low back at all — it is in the gluteus medius muscle. In my practice, I frequently see patients who have been treated for lumbar spine problems for months or even years, only to discover that the true source of their pain is myofascial trigger points in the glute

Written by Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD — Board-Certified Sports Medicine Physician Published: March 2, 2026 | Last Updated: March 2, 2026 If you have ever been told that an MRI holds the key to understanding your joint pain, you may be surprised to learn that it might not be telling you the full story. In my practice, I frequently see patients who come in with MRI reports showing tears, arthritis, or degenerative changes — fully expecting these findings to explain their pain. But i

Written by Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD — Board-Certified Sports Medicine Physician Published: March 1, 2026 | Last Updated: March 1, 2026 Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections are increasingly marketed as a natural, regenerative treatment for sciatica and low back pain — promising to reduce inflammation, promote tissue healing, and provide lasting relief without the downsides of steroids. But does the science actually support these claims? A brand-new systematic review and meta-ana