“Screamin’ Steve” Barlotta is a fixture at the Jersey Shore. As the saxophone player for the Sensational Soul Cruisers, he typically performs 200 shows a year. This spring, however, he was struggling to breathe while battling COVID-19. Following a round of antibiotics for strep throat in mid-March, Steve, 57, [...]
Mobility and function are among the key indicators of good health across the lifespan, according to Brian Mason, PT, DPT, clinical director of rehabilitation services at CentraState. If you notice you’re having any issues in these areas, CentraState now offers a new Movement Disorder Program that’s designed to detect any [...]
On the last day of a 39-year career in New York City, Joe Santos was ready to enjoy his retirement. But just several hours later, as he was folding laundry at his home in Freehold, his left arm and left leg began tingling and became difficult to move—and he [...]
As a woman living with multiple sclerosis (MS) for more than 25 years, Rachel Wichansky of Freehold never had “riding a horse” on her to-do list—that is, until she signed up for a new CentraState program, CentraStrides for MS. “It was something new to challenge my [...]
Years after Toms River resident John Cicolella served our country in Vietnam, he began to experience severe jaw, back, and shoulder pain and excruciating headaches. Now, after years of debilitating pain, he is back to riding his motorcycle, thanks to physical therapy. John, 68, spent two years in Vietnam, [...]
You better put down those barbells for this one: Exercise can be bad for you. Yes, it’s true—that is if you have undiagnosed bone loss, also known as osteopenia or osteoporosis. “Doing the wrong kinds of exercises when your bones are weak and compromised can put you at risk [...]
When Abbey Olexa collided with another soccer player during a game last May, she pushed through the pain and continued playing. However, after two weeks of rest, the elite soccer striker still had pain. Abbey’s mother, Elizabeth, took the 14-year-old to orthopedic surgeon Gerardo Goldberger, DO. An MRI found [...]
Annemarie Duncan always led an active lifestyle, from golfing and gardening to joining her grandchildren on the trampoline. But more recently, severe back pain related to double scoliosis, spinal stenosis, arthritis, and bulging disks put many of her activities on hold. Last year, the 68-year-old Freehold resident traveled to [...]
Sixty percent of adults over age 60 have an underlying musculoskeletal disorder such as osteoporosis, but many aren’t aware until they experience a bone fracture. Unfortunately, a fracture increases a person’s risk of death nearly three times. The good news is that you can take steps to decrease your [...]
Good posture can keep you looking and feeling more youthful than any anti-aging serum. But the benefits are more than skin deep. Proper posture can help: Prevent or reverse kyphosis (the rounding of the upper back) Relieve back/neck pain and stiffness Prevent bone loss Improve balance and reduce falls [...]
