Podcast Category: Physical therapy

Welcome to Episode 181 of The Optimal Body Podcast  Pelvic Organ Prolapse Surgery & Recovery with Katie Goss Going through pelvic organ prolapse? Considering surgery? Thinking about pregnancy? Katie Goss takes us through her story

Dr. Laura, doctor of physical therapy, preaches optimal foot functionality by spending time barefoot, but with safety and slow progression. As a gymnast, she spent much of her upbringing barefoot, however, with several foot fractures, she briefly speaks into how combining the use of the minimal shoe and conventional shoe can be beneficial in transitioning to going fully barefoot! She provides insight into why your feet may be in pain after wearing barefoot shoes, and how minimalist shoes differ from the conventional shoe. She speaks about movement diets and the importance of introducing variety and reflection in approaching movement and health! Let’s dive into the world of optimal foot health and physical therapy with Dr. Laura!

Tim Reynolds and Bryan Guzksi, physical therapists, take you from PT school to clinical practice as they hone in on how their curiosity drove their career path. Tim & Bryan share how physical therapy can support back pain and the best ways in which you can address your back pain as you navigate the world of physical therapists to find your optimal one. They discuss the importance of shifting language around the medical diagnosis and how language plays a role in instilling fear in patients. As psychology plays an immense role in pain perception, they provide their best tips to navigating the fear around back pain, how to set yourself up for success at your medical appointments.

We have Dr. Alex Anderson on to break down the shifts in pain science and why pain is important.  Using the biopsychosocial model, Dr. Alex addresses pain through a biomedical perspective, and how psychosocial factors can affect pain perception too. Then, she dives into chronic pain and how pain is interpreted in the brain through inputs of threat stimuli. Discussing chronic pain modulation, she dives into the physiology of  Fibromyalgia and how plasticity in the brain makes pain plastic too! Finally, she provides insight into how manual therapy techniques modulate pain, specifically looking at joint mobilizations, trigger points, and dry needling.

DocJen & Dr. Dom have got you covered with their best tips to finding the best physical therpist for you. Providing you with a few questions that will help you understand a physical therapist’s approach, method, and understanding, they discuss the importance of education, the ability to listen, and how they use in-clininc tools. Then, they describe what physical therapy actually is, and how home exercises may differ from in-clinic experiences. Dr. Dom hones in on behavior changes as Dr.Jen explains the purpose and intention behind physical therapy. Finally, they discuss the nuances in insurance versus cash-based physical therapy, and reassure that switching professionals is okay! Let’s dive in and unravel the power of comnection between you and your physical therapist!

We have Dr. Kelly Starrett back on the podcast to provide you an insightful rundown on his journey with his knee replacement journey, and how you can optimally navigate online education to optimize your health. With an overemphasis on the ways in which function drives purpose, Dr. Kelly speaks into the importance of education, honing in on finding independence within your own health. Then, Dr. Kelly walks the path of his knee journey, having pushed off knee replacement surgery for 7 years, and why he decided to eventually get surgery after years of training for function. Honing in on educating for function after surgery, Dr. Kelly debunks myths around icing and rest and provides the truth surrounding optimal rehabilitation.

Consistency, awareness, accountability/community, grace/compassion, individuality. Do these resonate with you? To DocJen ad Dr.Dom, these ideas mold the path to finding what’s optimal within your body and how you can truly begin to feel something different. They dive into The Optimal Body Membership and the Jen Platform, and how these concepts manifest through the toolbox they provide you and empower you with. Let’s tune in!

DocJen describes her journey with her diagnosis story, she shares her experience with attributing her pains and limitations to her scoliosis and how her diagnosis wasn’t necessarily the source of her pain. DocJen & Dr. Dom speak into imaging and degrees of Scoliosis and how movement can change your symptoms and allow you to truly feel something different. They describe the types of scoliosis, the effects of surgery, and explain the naturally-existing asymmetries within our bodies. Finally, they provide their top tips for addressing your Scoliosis, leaving you with a heartful takeaway that you won’t want to miss! 

Dr. Chris Daprato walks us through his path to and experience with cupping. Soon after, he deciphers the science behind cupping, addressing range of motion, blood circulation, and fascial lubrication. Then, Dr. Chris explains the term ‘fascial decompression,’ and how cupping can pull in fascial slings. Furthermore, he debunks myths around cup coloration, the ultimate goal of cupping, and his best tips on how to perform cupping on yourself. He provides insight into heat and non-heat cups.

In this episode, Dr. Kyle unpacks pain science and how it relates to the nervous system. With a high emphasis on protection and survival, Dr. Karl deciphers how modulating pain relates to breathing, novel movement, stress threshold. He discusses the dichotomy on the origin of pain, the role neuro-tricks play in the rehabilitation process, how tools can optimize an individual’s rehabilitation journey, and how touch may help you pain.