88: Physical Therapy, Chronic Pain & Autoimmune Disease: What Progress Looks Like | David Jeter, PT

When you live with chronic illness, it's easy to feel like you're stuck between two impossible choices: push through the pain or stop moving altogether. But what if there was another way? In this episode of Autoimmune Adventures, we sit down with David Jeter, PT, to explore the role physical therapy can play in helping people with autoimmune disease, chronic pain, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), Ankylosing Spondylitis, and other conditions improve mobility, build confidence, and redefine what progress really looks like. David shares practical insights on movement, strength, endurance, flexibility, pain management, and why success is about far more than simply reducing pain. We discuss how to work within your body's current capacity, why "doing what you can do" is often the right answer, and how physical therapy can help you reclaim function and quality of life—even when symptoms don't disappear completely. If you've ever felt frustrated by setbacks, discouraged by limitations, or unsure how to move forward safely, this conversation is for you. In This Episode ✔ How physical therapy can help people living with autoimmune disease ✔ Ankylosing Spondylitis, EDS, and movement limitations ✔ Why doing more isn't always the answer ✔ Building strength, endurance, and mobility safely ✔ The biggest misconceptions about chronic pain ✔ Why pain isn't the only measure of success ✔ Understanding musculoskeletal health ✔ Creating realistic expectations for healing and progress ✔ Finding movement that works for your body ✔ How small improvements can create meaningful change About David Jeter, PT David Jeter is a licensed physical therapist dedicated to helping people improve movement, function, and quality of life. His work focuses on practical, individualized approaches to physical therapy that help patients build strength, increase mobility, improve endurance, and work toward their personal goals while respecting the realities of chronic illness and chronic pain.