By Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD · Published March 4, 2026 · 8 min read Watch the Full Video Frozen shoulder — clinically known as adhesive capsulitis — is one of the most frustrating conditions I treat in my sports medicine practice. Patients often arrive having received conflicting advice: some were told to wait it out, others to get surgery, and many were never informed about the full range of evidence-based options available today. In this comprehensive guide, I break down every

Medically reviewed by Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD — Board-Certified Sports Medicine Physician Knee osteoarthritis is one of the most common conditions I treat in my sports medicine practice, and it is also one of the most misunderstood. Patients frequently arrive with beliefs about their diagnosis that are not only inaccurate but are actively preventing them from getting better. Misinformation about osteoarthritis can lead to unnecessary fear of movement, delayed treatment, and a l

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 4, 2026 | Last Updated: March 4, 2026 In my practice, I frequently see patients managing prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, or elevated blood sugar levels who are overwhelmed by the complexity of lifestyle modification. The idea that controlling blood sugar requires radical dietary changes or multiple medications can feel daunting. What many of my patients don't realize—and what a growing

Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD — Board-Certified Sports Medicine Physician Published: March 3, 2026 | Last Updated: March 3, 2026 In my practice, one of the most common questions I hear from patients with knee arthritis is whether exercise is safe — and more specifically, whether strength training will make their joints worse. The evidence is clear: not only is strength training safe for most people with knee osteoarthritis, it is among the most effective interventions we have for red

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 4, 2026 | Last Updated: March 4, 2026 Knee osteoarthritis is one of the most common conditions I treat in my sports medicine practice, and one of the most important conversations I have with patients is about exercise. Many people with knee pain assume they should avoid physical activity altogether, but the evidence tells a very different story. Among all forms of aerobic exercise, c

Written by Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD — Board-Certified Sports Medicine Physician Published: March 3, 2026 | Last Updated: March 3, 2026 Maintaining muscle mass and strength becomes increasingly difficult with every passing decade. In clinical practice, I see the consequences of age-related muscle loss — known as sarcopenia — on a regular basis. Sarcopenia is not merely a cosmetic concern. It is associated with higher rates of falls, loss of independence, difficulty performing dai

Written by Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD — Board-Certified Sports Medicine Physician Published: March 3, 2026 | Last Updated: March 3, 2026 If you have been diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis, you are likely wondering what you can do to keep it from getting worse — and whether surgery is inevitable. In my practice as a sports medicine physician, I meet patients every day who are anxious about their diagnosis and overwhelmed by conflicting advice. The good news is that there are three

Written by Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD — Board-Certified Sports Medicine Physician Published: March 3, 2026 | Last Updated: March 3, 2026 Knee cracking, popping, and grinding are among the most common concerns I hear from patients in my sports medicine clinic. These sounds — collectively known as knee crepitus — can be alarming, especially when they seem to appear out of nowhere. The good news is that in most cases, noisy knees are completely harmless. However, understanding when c

Written by Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD — Board-Certified Sports Medicine Physician Published: March 3, 2026 | Last Updated: March 3, 2026 If you have been told that surgery is the only way to fix your rotator cuff tear, you may not have the full picture. While surgical repair is necessary in some cases, the majority of rotator cuff tears can be successfully managed without an operation — provided you take the right steps to support your recovery. As a sports medicine physician, I h

Written by Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD — Board-Certified Sports Medicine Physician Published: March 3, 2026 | Last Updated: March 3, 2026 Push-ups are one of the most basic exercises in fitness, but they may reveal far more about your health than you realize. In my practice as a sports medicine physician, I frequently see how muscular strength — or the lack of it — directly impacts long-term health outcomes. A landmark study published in the Journal of the American Medical Associat

Written by Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD — Board-Certified Sports Medicine Physician Published: March 2, 2026 | Last Updated: March 2, 2026 If you live with arthritis, you may have been told — or simply assumed — that pain is a sign of ongoing joint damage. This belief is not only inaccurate in many cases, but it can actually make your arthritis worse. The fear of pain leads to avoidance of movement, which sets off a cycle of weakness, stiffness, and accelerated joint decline. In my

Written by Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD — Board-Certified Sports Medicine Physician Published: March 2, 2026 | Last Updated: March 2, 2026 Obesity is the single most powerful modifiable risk factor for developing knee osteoarthritis — and it could be quietly damaging your joints every single day. While many patients assume arthritis is simply an inevitable part of aging, research consistently shows that excess body weight plays a far larger role than most people realize. The good ne

Written by Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD — Board-Certified Sports Medicine Physician Published: March 2, 2026 | Last Updated: March 2, 2026 Knee osteoarthritis is one of the most common causes of joint pain in adults, affecting mobility, independence, and overall quality of life. Exercise remains one of the most effective non-pharmacological treatments for managing symptoms—but patients frequently ask which type of exercise is best. Strength training has long been considered the gold

Written by Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD — Board-Certified Sports Medicine Physician Published: March 1, 2025 | Last Updated: March 1, 2025 Most people who struggle with joint pain are focused on the wrong things. They wait for the pain to go away on its own. They rest for weeks—sometimes months—hoping time will fix the problem. They stretch when they should be strengthening. And they treat the symptoms without ever addressing the underlying system. In my practice, I see these patter

Written by Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD — Board-Certified Sports Medicine Physician Published: March 1, 2025 | Last Updated: March 1, 2025 Shoulder pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal complaints I encounter in my sports medicine practice, and it is also one of the most misunderstood. Most shoulder problems do not develop from a single dramatic injury. Instead, they build gradually over time from tight muscles, poor movement habits, and the cumulative effects of everyday w

Written by Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD — Board-Certified Sports Medicine Physician Published: March 1, 2025 | Last Updated: March 1, 2025 Maintaining strength, mobility, and independence as you age is not only possible — it is well within reach for most people. Whether you are in your 60s, 70s, or beyond, the same foundational principles apply: move consistently, train with intention, and prioritize recovery. In my practice, I work with patients every day who are proving that age i

Written by Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD — Board-Certified Sports Medicine Physician Published: March 1, 2025 | Last Updated: March 1, 2025 Movement is medicine — but most people with arthritis do the exact opposite. When joint pain flares, the instinct is to stop moving: skip the walk, avoid the stairs, rest as much as possible. The problem is that avoidance does not protect your joints. In my practice, I see this pattern regularly — patients who stop moving in an effort to manage t

Written by Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD — Board-Certified Sports Medicine Physician Published: March 1, 2026 | Last Updated: March 1, 2026 If you've recently had a hyaluronic acid injection for knee arthritis—or you're considering one—you're probably wondering what comes next. Questions like "Is this soreness normal?" and "When will I start feeling better?" are among the most common things I hear from patients in my clinic. In this guide, I'll walk you through everything you need to