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You've been told it's arthritis. Maybe your knee, maybe your hip, your lower back, your shoulder, or your hands - arthritis rarely picks just one spot. And the advice so far has probably sounded something like this: take the anti-inflammatories, lose a few pounds if you can, try to stay active, and come back when it gets bad enough to talk about surgery.
That's a long runway of "deal with it" for something actively changing how you live.
If you've been putting off the stairs, canceling the walks you used to love, sleeping badly because nothing feels comfortable, or switching to shoes you can actually wear - you already know arthritis isn't something you just get used to. It progresses. The stiffness in the morning stops going away by noon. The knee that used to hurt after a long day starts hurting when you stand up from the couch.
At NJ Sports Spine and Wellness in Aberdeen, NJ, we help patients with arthritis get back to living their actual lives - without rushing to surgery, without depending on daily medication, and without accepting that this is just how it has to be. Our combination of advanced therapeutic tools, targeted physical therapy, chiropractic care, and a real multidisciplinary team gives us a broader set of options than most practices have.
Let's talk about what's driving your pain and what can actually change it.
Arthritis isn't a single disease - it's an umbrella term for more than 100 conditions that cause joint pain, stiffness, and inflammation. The two broad categories most people have in mind are osteoarthritis (by far the most common) and inflammatory arthritis (rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and others).
Osteoarthritis is a mechanical condition. The cartilage that cushions your joints gradually wears down from years of use, injury, or abnormal loading. As the cushioning thins, bones start rubbing more directly against each other, which causes inflammation, stiffness, and pain. The body often responds by forming bone spurs - small bony projections that can further limit motion and compress nearby nerves. Osteoarthritis typically affects weight-bearing joints (knees, hips, lower back) and heavily used joints (hands, thumbs, neck).
Inflammatory arthritis is an immune system problem. The body's immune cells mistakenly attack joint tissue, causing widespread inflammation, pain, and eventually joint damage. These conditions need to be managed by a rheumatologist, because the core treatment involves medications that modulate the immune system. Our role in inflammatory arthritis is supportive - helping manage pain and maintain function alongside the rheumatology care.
The majority of the arthritis we treat in Aberdeen, NJ is osteoarthritis, and that's where conservative treatment has the most to offer. What follows focuses primarily on osteoarthritis, with notes on the inflammatory types where relevant.
The most common arthritis we see. Cartilage breakdown in the knee joint causes pain with stairs, difficulty standing up from chairs, stiffness after sitting, swelling, and a grinding or catching sensation. Often develops after years of sports, physical work, previous knee injury, or cumulative wear.
Pain typically felt in the groin, outer hip, or buttock. Hip arthritis often presents as stiffness first (the feeling that you can't put your socks on the same way you used to), then progresses to pain with walking, prolonged sitting, and sleep positioning.
Facet joint arthritis in the lower back and neck causes stiffness, reduced range of motion, and localized pain. When bone spurs encroach on nerve openings, spinal arthritis can also cause radiating pain into the arms or legs - a condition closely related to stenosis and radiculopathy.
Pain and stiffness that limit reaching overhead, reaching behind your back, or sleeping on the affected side. Common in patients with a history of shoulder injuries or repetitive overhead activity.
Pain and stiffness in the small joints of the fingers and at the base of the thumb. Makes gripping, opening jars, writing, and fine motor tasks progressively harder.
Often follows previous sprains or fractures. Pain with walking, morning stiffness, and difficulty with uneven surfaces. Frequently coexists with plantar fasciitis or bunions.
Arthritis that develops in a joint after a previous injury - a knee that was surgically repaired years ago, an ankle badly sprained in college, a shoulder never quite right since a fall. Often hits younger patients who don't fit the usual arthritis profile.
We provide supportive musculoskeletal care for patients who are already being managed by a rheumatologist - helping manage joint pain, maintain strength and mobility, and reduce the impact on daily function.
Arthritis progresses faster when untreated. Early intervention slows progression, preserves function, and produces better long-term outcomes than waiting.
The standard arthritis advice - anti-inflammatories, weight management, low-impact exercise - isn't wrong. It's just incomplete. Those things help, but they don't address the specific biomechanical problems accelerating joint wear in your particular body.
If your knee arthritis is partially being driven by weak glutes letting your knee collapse inward with every step, generic advice to "stay active" won't fix that - and may actually accelerate the damage. If your lower back arthritis has a significant piece of hip stiffness contributing to it, a general fitness routine won't address the hip piece. If your shoulder arthritis is being aggravated by compensatory posture from an old injury, nobody's going to fix that unless they look for it.
Effective arthritis treatment finds the specific factors accelerating your joint wear and changes them. It reduces the inflammation you're already dealing with, strengthens the structures that support the joint, and improves the movement patterns that overload it. That's what makes the difference between arthritis that slowly steals your function and arthritis that stabilizes so you can keep doing the things that matter.
Our therapeutic laser delivers deep, photobiomodulating light into arthritic joints to reduce inflammation, support cellular repair, and significantly reduce pain. It's one of our most effective tools for osteoarthritis of the knee, shoulder, hip, and hands, and it's well-tolerated by patients who can't use anti-inflammatories long-term.
Acoustic-wave treatment stimulates healing in soft tissues around arthritic joints, reduces inflammation, and can improve pain in cases where laser alone isn't enough. Particularly useful for knee, shoulder, and foot/ankle arthritis with associated tendon involvement.
For arthritis of the lower back - especially when facet arthritis is combined with disc degeneration or stenosis - spinal decompression gently reduces pressure on compressed nerves and discs. It's often the piece that finally provides meaningful relief for patients with long-standing spinal arthritis.
Targeted adjustments restore motion to joints that have become restricted and compensation patterns built up over years. For spinal arthritis, neck arthritis, and the low-grade stiffness that accompanies most arthritic conditions, chiropractic care is often part of what keeps patients moving.
The single most evidence-supported intervention for osteoarthritis is appropriate strengthening of the muscles that support the affected joint. For knee arthritis, that means building glute and quad strength. For hip arthritis, glute medius and core. For spinal arthritis, deep core stability and hip mobility. Our in-house physical therapy team builds arthritis programs around exactly this work - and the difference it makes is substantial.
For knee and hip arthritis patients, the AlterG allows walking and light running at a fraction of your body weight. That means rebuilding conditioning, maintaining cardiovascular fitness, and retraining gait without loading the painful joint. For many patients, this is what breaks the cycle of "I can't exercise because it hurts, so I'm getting weaker, so it hurts more."
Arthritic joints are almost always surrounded by tight, compensating muscles. Hands-on techniques - including instrument-assisted soft-tissue mobilization and cupping - release that tension and restore the mobility that protects the joint itself.
There's a substantial evidence base for acupuncture in osteoarthritis, particularly knee OA. We use it as a standalone option or alongside other treatments, especially for patients who've relied heavily on NSAIDs and are looking for other ways to manage pain.
For arthritis of the knee, hip, ankle, or lower back, how your foot strikes the ground matters. Custom orthotics correct biomechanical issues that are quietly overloading the arthritic joint with every step. Often a small change here produces a disproportionate improvement upstream.
When needed, our pain management team can provide targeted interventions to control acute flare-ups while the mechanical treatment takes effect. The goal is to help you get moving again - not to build dependence on medications.
For advanced arthritis - particularly bone-on-bone knee or hip osteoarthritis that hasn't responded to thorough conservative care - joint replacement surgery can be genuinely life-changing. When that's the path, we coordinate with orthopedic surgeons who use modern, minimally invasive techniques. Smaller incisions, less tissue disruption, and lower infection risk than traditional approaches.
But here's the honest framing: a lot of arthritis patients are told they need surgery significantly earlier than necessary. Before any surgical conversation, we want to know that laser therapy, structured physical therapy, AlterG-assisted rehabilitation, and (where relevant) spinal decompression or custom orthotics have all been genuinely tried. For most patients, that changes the picture.
Arthritis rarely involves just one joint or one contributing factor, which is why single-provider approaches often fall short. Our chiropractors, physical therapists, occupational therapists, acupuncturists, pain management specialists, and podiatrist all work in the same building, on the same chart, toward the same plan. If your knee arthritis has a hip component, a foot component, and a back component (and many do), we can address all of it at once.
We've invested in the tools that move the needle for arthritis: LiteCure Class IV laser, shockwave therapy, DRX9000 spinal decompression, AlterG anti-gravity treadmill, and on-site imaging. These aren't add-ons - they're central to how we treat this condition.
When a flare-up is keeping you from doing your job or sleeping through the night, you don't want to wait three weeks. We offer same-day appointments whenever the schedule allows.
Arthritis is chronic, but your treatment shouldn't be indefinite. We build plans with clear phases: reduce the current pain, strengthen what needs strengthening, address the contributing factors, and transition you to a maintenance approach you can manage on your own. The goal is a stable, functional baseline and periodic check-ins - not a permanent spot on the schedule.
Your first arthritis evaluation at our Aberdeen, NJ office is thorough. We'll ask when your symptoms started, which joints are involved, what makes them better or worse, what you've already tried, and how arthritis is affecting the specific things you want to do. Then we'll do a detailed exam - assessing range of motion, strength, gait, and biomechanics of the affected joint and the related structures above and below it. If imaging would clarify the picture, we can often do it on-site.
From there, we walk you through what we think is going on and what the treatment plan looks like. You'll leave knowing the next steps, what's realistic to expect, and roughly how long before you notice real improvement.
If arthritis is limiting what you can do - and "just live with it" hasn't worked for you - let's take a look. For most patients, we can significantly reduce pain, restore function, and delay or avoid surgery.
Call our Aberdeen, NJ office at (908) 866-7246 to schedule. Same-day appointments available.
It depends what you mean by "treated." Arthritis itself - the underlying joint changes - typically doesn't reverse. But the pain, stiffness, and functional limitation absolutely can be reduced, often significantly. The goal isn't to turn back the clock on the joint; it's to address inflammation, restore mobility, rebuild supporting strength, and change the factors accelerating the wear. Done well, this approach stabilizes many patients for years and keeps them doing the things they want to do.
Not necessarily, and usually much later than you've been told if you do. Joint replacement is reserved for advanced cases where bone-on-bone changes have significantly compromised function, and many patients never reach that point with good conservative care. For those who do eventually need it, non-surgical treatment in the meantime keeps you stronger and more mobile going into surgery - which meaningfully improves surgical outcomes and recovery.
Class IV therapeutic laser delivers specific wavelengths of light into the tissues around an arthritic joint. At the cellular level, the light reduces inflammatory signaling, supports mitochondrial function, and accelerates tissue repair. For patients, that typically translates into meaningful pain reduction and improved function. It's drug-free, non-invasive, and well-suited to patients who can't use anti-inflammatories long-term.
Rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory arthritis conditions need to be managed by a rheumatologist, because the core treatment involves immune-modulating medications. What we provide for patients with RA is supportive musculoskeletal care - laser therapy, physical therapy, manual work, and acupuncture to help manage pain and maintain function alongside their rheumatology treatment.
The right exercise is essential. The wrong exercise can make things worse. "Stay active" is incomplete advice if nobody's telling you which movements strengthen the supporting structures of your affected joint, which ones load it in a way that accelerates wear, and which ones to avoid for now. That's what our PT and AlterG programs address - and why patients told to "just exercise" without specifics often end up more frustrated than when they started.
It's looking more and more like October, according to news site the Sayreville Insider. Other websites report a late September or early October opening."You're gonna blink and the store's gonna be open," the store's general manager told News 12 in this sneak peek video tour of the store this summer while it's still under construction.Sayreville Insider attended the August meeting of the Sayreville Economic & Redevelopment Agency (SERA), and at that meeting, a SERA engineer reported that the store is working...
It's looking more and more like October, according to news site the Sayreville Insider. Other websites report a late September or early October opening.
"You're gonna blink and the store's gonna be open," the store's general manager told News 12 in this sneak peek video tour of the store this summer while it's still under construction.
Sayreville Insider attended the August meeting of the Sayreville Economic & Redevelopment Agency (SERA), and at that meeting, a SERA engineer reported that the store is working towards an October opening.
A spokeswoman for Bass Pro Shop would not confirm the October opening date, only saying they are anticipating to open sometime this fall.
The store will be located at Riverton, the 400-acre town home community planned to be built at the mouth of Raritan Bay. In addition to condos, Riverton will have a boat marina, walking trails along the Raritan River and an outdoor plaza. A QuickChek and Starbucks plan to open at Riverton. Sayreville town hall will relocate there, too.
The Bass Pro Shop is the first part of Riverton that will open and it will be an anchor of the development.
The 200,000-square-foot Sayreville store will be the largest single-level Bass Pro Shop in the country. The only other Bass Pro Shop in New Jersey is in Atlantic City.
The store will be really neat inside: It will have a 65,000-gallon indoor aquarium and a 12,000-gallon touch pool with sting rays, which children will be able to touch. There will be a hunting section, a firearms section and the store will sell boats. The store will have an archery range.
Bass Pro Shops said they've designed their Sayreville store to welcome kids and will have hands-on learning opportunities for kids and teens.
Riverton will take up 418 acres of what is currently marshland. The developer of Riverton is Cincinnati-based North American Properties, working with PGIM Real Estate, the global investment arm of Prudential bank.
The developer previously said Riverton could not be built without "critical" financing from the state.
That's why it was such big news when, in 2023, the state of New Jersey announced Riverton was approved for tax breaks of up to 50 percent of project's costs, up to $400 million total. It was given the tax breaks under the state's Aspire Program, which is meant to increase affordable housing in New Jersey.
A big chunk (20 percent) of the 1,300 condos planned there will be affordable housing.
Riverton will have:
originally published: 05/20/2026(MATAWAN, NJ) — . is currently rehearsing for their inaugural book musical production, She Loves Me, which will be presented July 10-12, 2026 at Matawan Regional High School. Photographer John Posada was at a rehearsal to take photos.She Loves Me features music by Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick (Fiddler on the Roof) and book by Joe Masteroff (Cabaret), It’s a charming and heartfelt musical comedy set in a 1930s perfume shop in Budapest. The story f...
originally published: 05/20/2026
(MATAWAN, NJ) — . is currently rehearsing for their inaugural book musical production, She Loves Me, which will be presented July 10-12, 2026 at Matawan Regional High School. Photographer John Posada was at a rehearsal to take photos.
She Loves Me features music by Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick (Fiddler on the Roof) and book by Joe Masteroff (Cabaret), It’s a charming and heartfelt musical comedy set in a 1930s perfume shop in Budapest. The story follows two feuding coworkers, Georg and Amalia, who have no idea they are falling in love through anonymous letters.Filled with wit, romance, and unforgettable melodies, this beloved musical reminds audiences that true love might be closer than they think.
It was nominated for five Tony Awards in 1964 and the 1993 Broadway revival won the Olivier Award for Best Musical, the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival of a Musical, and the 1994 Critics Circle Award for Best Musical.
The production is directed by Christopher J. Guell, with musical direction by David F. Shirley, and choreography by Lizbeth Mongone.
Performances take place Friday, July 10 at 8:00pm; Saturday, July 11 at 8:00pm; and Sunday, July 12 at 2:00pm. Tickets are $25 and online. Matawan Regional High School is located at 450 Atlantic Avenue in Aberdeen, New Jersey.
Dedicated to producing bold, entertaining, and accessible theater for audiences of all ages, the “Misfits” celebrate the unexpected while embracing the beautifully imperfect. The company brings together talented local performers and artists to create memorable live theatrical experiences for the community.
“With a live orchestra, original choreography, and a passionate cast and creative team, She Loves Me marks an exciting new chapter for Misfits Theatre Co.,” said Dr. Angela Ronan. “We are thrilled to present a production that celebrates both artistry and community.”
Here are some more photos from the rehearsal.
Founded in 2022, . is a nonprofit community theater company serving Monmouth County. The organization was established by Dr. Angela Ronan along with fellow Manalapan residents Diane Greaves, Nichole Lorusso, Susan Garland, and Margaret Saulon. Together, they sought to create a welcoming creative outlet for adults ages 18 and over.
“We created Misfits Theatre Co. to be a welcoming home for anyone who loves theater,” said Dr. Angela Ronan. “Our goal has been to foster creativity, collaboration, and connection in a judgment-free environment.”
She Loves Me is licensed by Music Theatre International.
About the author:
John Posada is a New Jersey based photographer specializing in photographing live theatre and music performances. Currently, John has spent the last 6 years concentrating on photographing almost 400 theater productions at over 70 different NJ theatres. Click here for John's website.
EVENT PREVIEWS
(HOLMDEL, NJ) -- In 2022, as the world was finally coming out of COVID-19, Aaron Lazar was invited to return to the stage to lead the cast of The Bridges of Madison County, playing opposite Kate Baldwin at the Axelrod Performing Arts Center in Deal. Just days into rehearsal, Lazar received a diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, a progressive neurological disease with no known cure. Thus began Lazar's "extraordinary" journey. (HADDONFIELD, NJ) -- What happens when fantasy meets 50-something reality? Find out when Haddonfield Plays & Players presents Marrying George Clooney: Confessions from a Midlife Crisis from September 4-6, 2026. This is a sharp-witted, satirical play written by Amy Ferris and adapted from her best-selling memoir. (MAPLEWOOD, NJ) -- SOMA Stage presents the fifth annual Broadway in the Park concert on Labor Day, Monday, September 7, 2026 at the Memorial Park Amphitheater in Maplewood. This year's concert, Broadway in the Park: Let's Rock!, features Broadway's biggest rock and pop hits from the 1950s through today. Showtime is 4:30pm. (NUTLEY, NJ) -- Fifteen years after leaving her family and stagnant marriage, Henrik Ibsen's Nora returns home in Lucas Hnath's A Doll's House Part 2. Nutley Little Theatre presents this sequel to Ibsen's classic play across three weekends from September 11-26, 2026. (OCEAN GROVE, NJ) -- Center Players of Freehold will present The Realistic Joneses by Will Eno as its first Signature Series production of the 2026-27 season. Directed by Center Players’ Artistic Director Michael Tota, the production will run from October 2-4 at the Herbst Theatre at the Jersey Shore Arts Center in Ocean Grove, marking the first time Center Players has performed in the venue. (ORADELL, NJ) -- Fresh off being named the #1 Theater Venue in Bergen County by (201) Magazine's Best of Bergen poll, the Bergen County Players (BCP) will open its 2026/27 season with Mel Brooks' The Producers. As one of America's longest-running little theater companies, BCP returns for its 94th season to present this area premiere at the Little Firehouse Theatre from September 19 through October 10, 2026. (MILLVILLE, NJ) -- Following sold out performances and rave reviews across the country, The Golden Girls are back and better than ever with a stage show that's more exciting than a trip to the Rusty Anchor. Golden Girls: The Laughs Continue is returning with a US Fall Tour in 2026 that comes to The Levoy Theatre on Tuesday, October 13, 2026. Doors are at 6:00pm, showtime is 7:00pm. (UNION, NJ) -- American Theater Group (ATG) presents the East Coast premiere of Destroying David at the DMK Theater at Union Arts Center from October 9-18 and at the Sieminski Theater from October 23-25, 2026. Destroying David is a thrilling, witty and heartfelt solo show about the power of art to help us through our darkest hours. The play is written and performed by Emmy Award-nominee Jason Odell Williams. ATG's new Producing Artistic Director Charlotte Cohn will direct.
FEATURED EVENTS
It includes discussions about a potential bond referendum next year. That means the school district may borrow money to make improvements.Updated Tue, Aug 18, 2026 at 8:37 pm ETMATAWAN-ABERDEEN, NJ — The Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District is inviting all community members to complete a brief survey to help shape the future of the school district, and inform the district’s long-range planning.This includes discussions about a potential bond referendum next year. That means the school district may borr...
Updated Tue, Aug 18, 2026 at 8:37 pm ET
MATAWAN-ABERDEEN, NJ — The Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District is inviting all community members to complete a brief survey to help shape the future of the school district, and inform the district’s long-range planning.
This includes discussions about a potential bond referendum next year. That means the school district may borrow money to make certain capital improvements.
Will property taxes go up to pay for it? Since the school district is at the very early planning stages of this process, it doesn't know yet if there will be a tax increase. The MARSD school district is nearing the end of payments on debt from a previous bond referendum. Timing new borrowing as existing debt declines may help reduce the tax impact of a potential referendum, says the school district.
The survey will remain open until Friday, Sept. 25: English and Spanish.
The survey is part of the district's long-range planning process to evaluate needs and determine whether a bond referendum should be considered to fund future improvements. The district is also working with an architectural firm to conduct a comprehensive assessment of all school facilities and identify current and future project areas.
No final project list, cost estimate, financing plan or referendum question has been determined or approved.
“This community engagement process is about more than facilities,” said Superintendent Dr. Nelyda Perez. “It is an opportunity to identify strategic improvements that can enhance teaching and learning, expand opportunities for students, support student success, strengthen safety and security, and ensure our schools are prepared to meet the evolving needs of students and staff for years to come.”
Throughout this process, the Board of Education and district administration remain committed to fiscal responsibility while maximizing available state aid to offset local costs. If a referendum is pursued, renovation projects may qualify for state funding, which would reduce the local share of construction costs.
The timing of this planning also presents a unique opportunity. The district is nearing the end of payments on debt from a previous bond referendum. Timing new borrowing as existing debt declines may help reduce the tax impact of a potential referendum.
“The Board of Education is committed to being thoughtful stewards of taxpayer dollars, and that starts with listening to our community,” said MARSD school board President Sheetal Werneke. “To determine the most responsible path forward, it's important to evaluate how best to both preserve and enhance our schools, so they remain well-positioned to serve the community for years to come. The survey helps us understand community priorities and where residents believe investments should be made as part of this early planning process.”
After the survey closes, the school board and administration will carefully review all responses. The community will be regularly updated on next steps.