Kineci - Health In Motion

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Kineci - Health In Motion We help people gain freedom from pain to do what they love with comfort and confidence. Welcome to KINECI
Thank you for finding us.

Our KINECI team works with people from all walks of life who are dealing with movement and/or pain related problems. Each has their own unique situation but all simply want to be able to feel better and do more with confidence. We’re here to help you heal and hone your physical wellbeing. Doing so is a special honor and privilege that we value greatly and take seriously. KINECI specializes in Movement Health & Performance. We do more than just treat symptoms or offer generic exercise protocols. Rather, we identify problems, find causes and fix them using your movement as medicine. Most movement related symptoms have a biomechanical cause, not biochemical. Medications can help relieve symptoms, for a while, but only a personal, movement-prescription will fix the problem.

Feeling heard matters—especially when you’ve been living with pain for years.Lorraine shared these words about her exper...
10/09/2026

Feeling heard matters—especially when you’ve been living with pain for years.

Lorraine shared these words about her experience with Dr. Steve Politis after years of chronic Achilles tendinopathy. Thank you, Lorraine, for taking the time to share what that care meant to you. 💚

At Kineci, we take time to listen, explain what we find, and help you understand your next steps.

Ready to talk about what’s been holding you back? Contact us to schedule a visit or a free 10-minute call.

Do you need an MRI or X-ray before starting physical therapy for low back pain or sciatica?In many cases, no.MRIs and X-...
09/30/2026

Do you need an MRI or X-ray before starting physical therapy for low back pain or sciatica?

In many cases, no.

MRIs and X-rays can provide useful, detailed information about what the anatomy inside your body looks like. But imaging is only one piece of the puzzle.

Research has found that many people without back pain have imaging findings such as disc degeneration, arthritis-related changes, bulging discs, and other age-related changes.

That means finding something on an MRI doesn’t automatically mean it’s the reason you’re experiencing pain.

The information from an MRI needs to be considered alongside your symptoms, history, and physical examination to understand whether those findings are actually relevant to what you’re experiencing.

There are situations where imaging is important, particularly when there are concerning symptoms, certain neurological changes, or when the results could change your care. But for many people with low back pain or sciatica, you can begin physical therapy without waiting for imaging first.

Have another PT question you’d like us to answer? Drop it below 💬

Source: Brinjikji et al., Systematic Literature Review of Imaging Features of Spinal Degeneration in Asymptomatic Populations. View the study on PubMed

So, what actually is sciatica?Sciatica refers to symptoms that occur when the sciatic nerve, or the nerve roots that for...
09/28/2026

So, what actually is sciatica?

Sciatica refers to symptoms that occur when the sciatic nerve, or the nerve roots that form it, become irritated or compressed. Symptoms often travel from the low back or glute into the leg and can include pain, burning, tingling, numbness, or weakness.

But not every case looks the same, and not every pain that travels down the leg is necessarily sciatica.

That’s why understanding where your symptoms are coming from matters. During a physical therapy evaluation, we can look at your symptoms along with your strength, mobility, movement, and neurological signs to help determine what may be contributing to them.

The good news is that many cases of sciatica can improve with conservative treatment. Physical therapy can help you find movements and exercises that work for your specific presentation and gradually get you back to the things you want to do.

Dealing with symptoms that sound like sciatica? Have questions? Let us know below 👇

What if your back hurts AND your neck hurts?In a traditional insurance-based model, treatment can sometimes be limited b...
09/25/2026

What if your back hurts AND your neck hurts?

In a traditional insurance-based model, treatment can sometimes be limited by what was authorized, including which diagnosis or body part is being treated. Kineci works differently.

Because we operate through a private network model, we have more flexibility to look at what your body actually needs rather than limiting your visit to a single authorized body part.

So if you come in because of your back, but your neck is also bothering you, we can evaluate how those concerns fit together and address both when appropriate.

That matters because your body doesn’t function as a collection of completely separate parts. Your movement, history, lifestyle, goals, and even what’s happening elsewhere in your body can all be relevant to your care.

Our one-on-one sessions give us the time and flexibility to look at the bigger picture and build treatment around you, rather than around a single diagnosis code.
That’s what we mean when we talk about treating the whole person.

Looking for physical therapy that looks at the bigger picture? Use the button below to schedule with Kineci or give us a call at (805)284-9449. We look forward to talking with you!

When you’re trying to heal or get stronger, what happens outside of your physical therapy appointments matters too. And ...
09/23/2026

When you’re trying to heal or get stronger, what happens outside of your physical therapy appointments matters too. And sleep is a big part of that.

Sleep supports processes involved in tissue repair and recovery. It can also affect pain sensitivity, energy, mood, learning, and how well your body is able to respond to exercise and rehabilitation.

That’s one reason Dr. Steve is a proponent of looking at the whole person, not just the body part that brought you into the clinic.

Physical therapy at Kineci may include conversations about sleep, stress, activity levels, recovery, nutrition, and other parts of your day-to-day life that can influence how you feel and how your body responds to treatment.

You don’t need to have every wellness habit perfectly dialed in. The point is that healing doesn’t happen only during the hour you’re in PT. Your whole week matters.

What helps you get a better night’s sleep? Let us know below.👇

Coming to physical therapy for the first time? Here’s what to expect at your initial evaluation at Kineci with physical ...
09/21/2026

Coming to physical therapy for the first time? Here’s what to expect at your initial evaluation at Kineci with physical therapist, Dr. Steve.

Before your appointment, our staff will make sure you receive the paperwork you need so we have the information to get started.

During your visit, you’ll meet one-on-one with Dr. Steve to talk about what brought you in, what you’ve been experiencing, what activities are difficult right now, and what you want to get back to doing.

Then he'll evaluate how your body is moving. Depending on what's bringing you in, that may include evaluating your mobility, strength, balance, coordination, or movement patterns.

Lastly, Dr. Steve will talk through what he finds and create a treatment plan based on your needs and goals. You'll also leave with a personalized home exercise program so you can start working on your recovery right away!

Ready to get started at Kineci? Use the button below, or contact us at (805)284-9449 to book your initial evaluation.

Ever stand up after sitting for a while and feel like it takes a minute to get everything moving again?That feeling is c...
09/17/2026

Ever stand up after sitting for a while and feel like it takes a minute to get everything moving again?

That feeling is common, and it doesn’t necessarily mean something is wrong.
When you stay in one position for a long time, your joints and surrounding tissues aren’t moving through their usual ranges. Movement helps circulate synovial fluid within many of your joints, helping lubricate the joint surfaces as you move.

Your fascia and other connective tissues also respond to movement and load. After being still for a while, things can simply feel a little less mobile until you start moving again.

The answer doesn’t have to be a complicated stretching routine. Stand up. Walk around for a minute. Roll your shoulders. Move your hips. Change positions. Your body generally likes variety more than it likes finding one “perfect” posture and staying there all day.

Save this as your reminder to move a little throughout the day.

“I think I slipped a disc” is something we hear pretty often, but what does that actually mean?Despite the phrase, spina...
09/15/2026

“I think I slipped a disc” is something we hear pretty often, but what does that actually mean?

Despite the phrase, spinal discs don’t actually “slip” out of place. They’re held securely between the vertebrae, but changes to a disc can occur. You may hear terms like bulging, herniated, or pr*****ed disc used to describe different types or degrees of disc changes.

And here’s the important part: seeing one of these changes on an MRI doesn’t automatically tell us how much pain someone should have. Disc changes can even show up on imaging in people who aren’t experiencing pain.

That’s why here at Kineci physical therapy we look at the whole picture—your symptoms, movement, strength, function, and goals—not just the words on a scan.

In many cases, people with disc-related back pain can improve and get back to the things they want to do.

Have a question about back pain or physical therapy? Drop it below! 👇

At 67, Andy was preparing for a physically demanding 10-day, 2,300-mile open-ocean sailboat race from California to Hawa...
09/11/2026

At 67, Andy was preparing for a physically demanding 10-day, 2,300-mile open-ocean sailboat race from California to Hawaii.

He worked with Dr. Steve for over a year to prepare, focusing on his individual abilities, limitations, and goals with a progressive exercise program designed to improve strength and mobility.

Most of his crew followed the physical therapy program Dr. Steve laid out as well, and despite an average age in the 60+ range and several crew members managing previous injuries and limitations, they made it across the ocean without any injuries.

We love seeing the things our patients are able to accomplish at every age. ⛵

Thank you, Andy, for sharing your experience!

You don’t always need a full workout to add more movement to your day. Think of movement snacks as opportunities to move...
09/09/2026

You don’t always need a full workout to add more movement to your day. Think of movement snacks as opportunities to move your body just for a few minutes at a time.

Things like:
*A short walk between meetings.
*A few squats while dinner cooks.
*Taking the stairs.
*Stretching for a minute because it feels good.

None of these need to “count” as exercise. They’re simply ways to give your body more opportunities to move throughout the day.

Wellness Wednesday takeaway: A little movement is still movement. 💛

What are some of your own favorite movement snacks? Let us know below!👇

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1731 State St
Santa Barbara, CA
93101

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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