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Fresh healthcare insights
Ice vs. heat for pain: a modern guide to healing
It’s one of the oldest questions in pain care: should I use ice or heat? If you’ve ever twisted your back, pinched a nerve, or woken up with aching knee pain, you’ve probably reached for an ice pack, then thought maybe you should use a heating pad. Knowing whether to use heat or cold to speed recovery can be confusing. Does heat help nerve pain? Does ice help joint pain? Should you use ice and heat together? The truth is, both ice and heat can help in certain situations. They just work in different ways. Choosing the right option at the right time can make a big difference in how fast you feel better.
October 22, 2025 • 10 min read
Megan Hill, PT, DPT
What is TENS? Does TENS therapy work to cure pain?
For more than 50 years, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) therapy has been used as a non-pharmacological way to manage pain. Traditionally, a TENS device was offered as a method of reducing pain while it was in use. But as musculoskeletal (MSK) care has advanced, so has our understanding of what TENS can and cannot deliver. TENS stands for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (often written as T.E.N.S.) and involves non-invasive, wireless patches placed on the skin. These patches deliver mild electrical pulses to stimulate sensory nerve roots. By doing so, the therapy aims to reduce or “distract” pain signals as they travel to the brain. People often refer to the TENS device and accompanying treatment patches as a TENS unit or a TENS machine. A TENS unit is a small, battery-powered device designed to deliver low-voltage electrical impulses through adhesive electrode pads placed on the skin. Often called a TENS machine, this device is used to provide temporary pain relief by stimulating the nerves near the area of discomfort and interfering with the way pain signals are sent to the brain. While TENS units can help mask pain during use and are widely available over-the-counter and in clinical settings, they do not treat or resolve the underlying issue that triggers the pain.
October 22, 2025 • 8 min read
Megan Hill, PT, DPT
Physical therapy for vertigo: Does it work?
Let’s get straight to it. Yes, physical therapy for vertigo is real. And yes, physical therapy is a proven treatment, and often the best option for a fast recovery. For individuals living with vertigo, life becomes a delicate balance, both physically and emotionally. While vertigo can be unsettling, what many people don’t know is that help is available, and it's very effective. Physical therapy is one of the most recommended treatments for certain types of vertigo, especially when the cause lies in the body’s balance systems. Better yet, digital care models mean you don’t need to leave your home to get expert medical support. Through guided movement specifically designed according to your vertigo symptoms, people can regain control, confidence, and comfort in their daily lives. Let’s explore how this works and how digital physical therapy is making it easier than ever to get care from the comfort of home.
October 22, 2025 • 12 min read
Sword Editorial Team
How women’s health physical therapy can help
Every woman’s body tells a story. It is shaped by life experiences, hormones, pregnancies, stress, and the countless demands of modern life. Through all of it, your body works hard, often without thanks. But when something feels “off,” when pain, pressure, or leakage appear, it can be hard to know where to turn. Women’s health physical therapy is a specialized branch of physical therapy that supports women through every stage of life, from adolescence to postmenopause, helping them move comfortably, recover from change, and reconnect with their bodies. Unlike traditional physical therapy, which often focuses on injury recovery, women’s health physical therapy is built around the unique physical and hormonal transitions that women experience. It is about restoring balance, strength, and confidence so you can live fully, without pain or hesitation.
October 22, 2025 • 13 min read
Jennesa Atherton
Pelvic therapy: how it works
If you leak a little when you laugh, feel pressure in your lower abdomen, or notice pain during daily activities or intimacy, you are absolutely not alone. These symptoms are common, and so many women are suffering in silence with the challenges of pelvic floor dysfunction. But you don't have to settle for living with these symptoms. Pelvic therapy is an effective, surgery-free treatment option that is clinically proven to help women find relief. For years, women have been told that bladder leakage, pelvic pressure, or pain are simply part of aging or something to “manage” after childbirth. But modern science has shown something different. These symptoms are treatable. With the right kind of support, you can rebuild comfort, strength, and confidence in your body. That support begins with pelvic therapy, a gentle, guided process that strengthens and restores the muscles supporting your bladder, bowel, and reproductive organs. Pelvic physical therapy is one of the most effective, evidence-based ways to relieve pelvic pain, prevent leakage, and restore function. In recent. years, new medical technology is delivering huge advancements. Bloom by Sword Health is a digital pelvic care program that allows you to work on a personalized care plan with 24/7 access from the comfort of your home. Read on to explain how pelvic care programs work and how you can start reducing your symptoms from home with Bloom.
October 22, 2025 • 12 min read
Jennesa Atherton
Your women’s health benefits checklist
For many years, employer health benefits defined “women’s health” narrowly, focusing mainly on maternity and family-building. Today, that definition is expanding rapidly, and rightly so. Women make up nearly half of the U.S. workforce, and their health needs span far beyond pregnancy. From menstrual health and menopause to musculoskeletal pain, mental well-being, and pelvic health, these issues directly influence productivity, engagement, and retention. Yet too often, they go unaddressed in benefit designs. When women’s health is not supported, the consequences ripple across organizations. Pain, fatigue, and untreated symptoms lead to absenteeism, presenteeism, and lower participation in preventive care. The costs are significant, both human and financial. In contrast, companies that invest in comprehensive women’s health benefits consistently see higher retention, improved satisfaction, and measurable ROI. This checklist offers a step-by-step framework for HR and benefits leaders to evaluate and build a modern women’s health benefits strategy. It combines the latest evidence, clinical insights, and digital innovations, showing how employers can deliver care that is equitable, effective, and empowering.
October 22, 2025 • 11 min read
Sword Editorial Team
Pelvic pain anxiety
Pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) is far more common than most people realize. One in three women in the U.S. will experience some form of PFD during her lifetime, and prevalence rises to 40–50% among postmenopausal women.¹ ² Conditions like incontinence, prolapse, and chronic pelvic pain may seem physical in nature, but their effects reach well beyond the body. Depression is common in women with pelvic-floor dysfunction, at up to 25–35% depending on the specific condition.³ The link between pelvic floor and mental health is profound. Leaks, urgency, pain, and feelings of loss of control create constant stress. Over time, this erodes confidence, alters self-image, and fuels a cycle of shame and avoidance. For too long, these issues have been dismissed as inevitable or “just part of aging.” The reality is that pelvic health and mental health are inseparable, and ignoring this connection has serious consequences for women and for employers who rely on them.
October 22, 2025 • 9 min read
Liz Santo
How employers can improve support for postmenopausal health
Most benefits teams are confident in their maternity and fertility support offerings. But have you considered the proportion of female team members in your organization who within the menopause or postmenopause age range? This gap in women's health support coverage sees millions of employees struggling in silence during a stage of life that can define both their personal wellbeing and their professional trajectory. Nearly 20 percent of the U.S. workforce—about 27 million women—are in menopause or postmenopause¹. This stage is not a brief transition but a third of a woman’s life², often overlapping with her peak career years. Symptoms linked to menopause and pelvic health, such as bladder leakage, fatigue, hot flashes, and sleep disruption, directly affect daily comfort and performance³. Yet the workplace is rarely designed to accommodate these needs. One in five women has quit or considered quitting her job due to unmanaged symptoms⁴, and global productivity losses tied to menopause are estimated at 150 billion dollars annually⁵. These are not marginal figures; they represent a systemic business issue hiding in plain sight.
October 17, 2025 • 7 min read
Sword Editorial Team
How early intervention physical therapy delivers huge savings
Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions are one of the biggest and most preventable cost drivers in employer health plans. Back pain, knee injuries, and joint issues affect nearly half of all adults and account for hundreds of billions in direct and indirect costs each year.¹ Too often, these conditions are managed reactively. Employees wait for pain to worsen, move through costly imaging and specialist referrals, or even undergo unnecessary surgery. The opportunity for employers lies in a simple shift: act earlier. Early intervention physical therapy addresses pain and injury before it becomes acute or chronic. Proactive MSK care programs delivered at scale can help employees recover faster, prevent avoidable surgeries, and significantly reduce overall healthcare costs.
October 16, 2025 • 6 min read
Sword Editorial Team
What is the Sword Bloom Pod?
Don’t have time for the full workout? We’ve got you covered with a quick, high-intensity session. Here’s the key takeaways: The Sword Bloom Pod is a small, FDA-listed, medical-grade device used for your exercise sessions to provide instant biofeedback on your pelvic floor movement. About the size of a tampon, the pod is made of soft, medical-grade silicone, is BPA-free, waterproof, and has passed rigorous safety tests. The Pod connects wirelessly to the Sword Health app on your smartphone. As you complete short, guided exercises, feedback from the pod to the app makes it easy to see that you are doing the exercises correctly, helping you stay motivated and confident as you progress.
October 16, 2025 • 14 min read
Liz Santo
What is the Sword Move wearable?
You already know movement is good for you. But between long workdays, family responsibilities, and the fatigue of modern life, finding time to stay active can feel impossible. That’s when the pain, stiffness, and fatigue starts to creep in, quietly building until they interfere with daily life. If you ignore small discomforts, you risk being left with chronic pain that can lead to injuries that take months of recovery. Traditional fixes like gym memberships, personal trainers, or physical therapy appointments can feel expensive, intimidating, or hard to fit into a busy schedule. Sword created Move to change that. Powered by the Move Wearable and supported by real experts, Move helps you build strength, reduce pain, and stay active without disrupting your life. The Move system combines a lightweight wrist-worn wearable, personalized plans in the Sword App, and a supportive Physical Health Specialist to help you build confidence and consistency.
October 16, 2025 • 11 min read
Morgan Hollis, MS, RDN
Meet Thrive Pad: Recovery just got smarter
Living with pain can make everyday life feel smaller. Commutes, meetings, chores, and hobbies become harder when your back, joints, or muscles are not cooperating. Many people know they need help, but traditional care can be tough to access. Appointments require time off work, travel across town, and energy you might not have. It is easy to delay, then weeks turn into months, and pain becomes part of the routine.¹ The Sword Thrive Pad was built to change that story. It brings AI physical pain care into your home, guided by a dedicated Doctor of Physical Therapy, so recovery becomes accessible, consistent, and personal. With the newest generation of the Sword Thrive tablet experience, we took what we learned from millions of sessions and created a smarter, more intuitive device designed for real life.² The Sword Thrive Pad is the FDA-listed tablet that powers Thrive, Sword’s AI physical pain care program. The Pad’s in-built wide-angle cameras use computer vision so Phoenix, our AI care agent, can see how you move. You get visual and audio guidance in real time to help you complete your exercises correctly. You follow along on a bright display that shows what to do and how to do it, then you get quick feedback on your form and progress.²
October 15, 2025 • 11 min read
Sword Editorial Team
For employers
Workplace health advice
How Digital Physical Therapy Improves Employee Retention
Did you know that fear of pain can be more disabling than pain itself? Chronic pain and employee turnover prevention are critically linked, but with the right MSK benefits coverage, employers can help their team members recover from pain to increase workplace productivity. Nearly 28% of people in the workplace will take leave for MSK pain over the course of a year. Patients who suffer the two most common conditions of low back and neck pain have an average return to work of 7 days. Overall, MSK conditions are responsible for 44 missed work days each year on average.
October 24, 2025 • 6 min read
Sword Editorial Team
How to evaluate and select the best digital MSK vendors
Musculoskeletal (MSK) disorders are one of the most expensive and under-addressed cost centers facing U.S. healthcare providers. MSK disorders affect 1 in 2 Americans and cost over $190 billion per year, more than heart disease, cancer, or mental health conditions. For employers and health plans, MSK claims are often among the top 3 cost drivers. And for members, chronic pain reduces quality of life, drives absenteeism, and often leads to costly downstream interventions. That’s why digital MSK solutions have surged in popularity. The promise is compelling: better access, which drives stronger engagement, delivers better outcomes, and therefore lowers overall healthcare costs.
October 24, 2025 • 6 min read
Sword Editorial Team
Reduce MSK costs with more effective digital MSK care plans
You’ve likely seen numerous digital health solutions that promise to lower medical spend. You’ve probably zeroed in on the top conditions with significant digital solutions in the marketplace: musculoskeletal (MSK), mental health, and diabetes. For most companies, prioritizing MSK care over other digital health solutions will drive the biggest benefits for your employees and your bottom line when it comes to savings. Given the multitude of vendors, platforms, and solutions available, prioritization can be a daunting task. How do you choose from among the thousands of digital health tools? What combination of condition focus and solution selection will drive the best outcomes for your population and the biggest return for your business?
October 24, 2025 • 5 min read
Sword Editorial Team
Tackling the #1 driver of employers’ health costs: MSK
The phrase ‘musculoskeletal disorder’ may not ring a bell — but the feeling might. The term refers to any type of pain in the muscles or joints, from chronic pain to injuries to post-surgical pain. Many of us have suffered from a musculoskeletal (MSK) issue at some point in our lives. In fact, one in two Americans is struggling with an MSK condition right now. And it’s causing economic ripples, especially in the workplace.
January 20, 2020 • 6 min read
Sword Editorial Team
Expert guidance
From the experts: Ask a physical therapist
Ask a PT: when is the best time to do my exercises?
Before I joined Sword Health, I worked in brick-and-mortar clinics. I never worked weekends, and rarely worked past 6 pm. My schedule was great...for me. But for my patients, it was a real challenge. Attending a physical therapy appointment might require leaving work early or slipping out at lunch. Even patients with more flexible schedules would sometimes lament about finding childcare or arranging transportation. A thirty-minute appointment could easily take an hour or even 90 minutes once travel was taken into account. When I was in a clinic, the “best” time for a patient to do their exercises was the time that worked for me, not for them. Sword's virtual model gives our members the power to do their exercises when AND where it's most convenient for them. Now that I work remotely for Sword, I’m able to help our members figure out the best time to do their exercises at home. Now, when my members ask me when they should do their exercises, I tell them - the best time is when you’ll actually do them!
February 11, 2021 • 6 min read
Megan Hill, PT, DPT
Ask a PT: Does walking really help with pain?
If you’ve ever stood on the sidelines of a sporting event, you’ve likely witnessed many falls, trips and tackles. Whether the players are small children or professional athletes, the advice from the coach may have simply been to “walk it off.” While that is not always the best solution after an acute injury, walking can be a really effective way to manage chronic pain. Motion is lotion. Movement increases blood flow, which brings nutrients to our tissues. It also helps those that don’t have blood flow, like cartilage. Cartilage lines our joints, absorbing impact. It’s surrounded by a liquid which provides it with nutrients, flowing in and out of it like a sponge. Exercise, like walking, causes loading that fills and squeezes that sponge, particularly in the joints of our legs and spine.
August 13, 2020 • 5 min read
Megan Hill, PT, DPT
Ask a PT: What Is Causing My Shoulder Pain?
When your shoulder hurts, it can be difficult to tell exactly what’s gone wrong. You’ve probably heard of pinched nerves and rotator cuff tears. Perhaps you’ve also heard about shoulders being ‘impinged’ or ‘frozen.’ It’s not easy to keep these various shoulder conditions straight, especially when they all cause similar pain symptoms. The first step towards fixing a problem is identifying it. This article, written by a team of Doctors of Physical Therapy, is designed to help you figure out what’s causing your shoulder pain — so you can begin the process of healing it. We will dive into the five most common causes of shoulder pain and how to differentiate them. Cervical refers to the neck, and radiculopathy is pain that radiates to another body part. Hence, cervical radiculopathy: a pinched nerve in the neck, which can cause radiating pain affecting the shoulder. It occurs when the cervical spine becomes damaged due to sudden injury or degeneration over time, and squeezes or puts pressure on a nearby nerve.
November 1, 2023 • 6 min read
Megan Hill, PT, DPT
Healthcare contributors
Meet Sword's expert authors
Dr. Vijay Yanamadala, MD, MBA, FAANS
Chief Medical Officer at Sword Health
Dr. Fernando Correia, M.D.
SVP Clinical & Regulatory Affairs at Sword Health
Megan Hill, PT, DPT
Director, Clinical Specialists
Morgan Hollis, MS, RDN
Head of Clinical Strategy, Sword Move
Jennesa Atherton
Head of Clinical Affairs, Sword Bloom
Liz Santo
Senior Clinical Program Manager, Sword Bloom ·
