The Body Mechanic

Amazing new research from JAMA, a top-10 research journal, indicates narcotics for chronic pain sufferers do not improve outcomes, and in some ways are much worse - why?  From the lens of the Body Mechanic Podcast, we explore why the body responds this way and how we can use this knowledge to best approach chronic pain.  

When something happens to us, we have many ways we can respond.  Some people are "natural" optimists or pessimists - but this episode explores how we can CHOOSE what we think, so we can feel better and live better.  Choose Curiosity over Judgement.  

Many struggle daily with feelings of chronic fatigue, insomnia, the "two-o'clock-feeling" and exhaustion.  What if most of those difficulties were preventable by applying some simple practices into your daily life?  We believe if you sleep better, you'll be empowered to live better. 

This series focuses on 5 critically misunderstood and unknown topics every person should know about their bodies, so they can make better decisions and live better.  Part 5: What is the #1 predictor sciatica, pinched nerves, and referred pain from the neck are getting better? Are you doomed to cross your fingers and leave it up to fate, or is there something you can do to understand and control this common problem?  The Body Mechanic Podcast encourages you to "Know Thyself, Know Health."

What if your stubborn pain is stubborn because it's coming from somewhere else?  This episode explores referred pain, a poorly-understood, but terribly common phenomenon.  You have to know where your pain is coming from to fix it correctly.  

Part 3: Know pain, know gain. We all have to deal with pain in our lives, but it probably doesn't mean what you think it does. Learn how to treat pain as a guide to live a better life, instead of an enemy.  

This series explores the 5 most common damaging misunderstandings of the body. This episode covers the pain rules - is it really "no pain, no gain?" Or is it, "know pain, know gain"? Ryan explains the simple Stoplight Rule so you can learn when you're right to keep pushing through soreness, when to stop to prevent further harming yourself, and how pain can actually be your guide towards living better.

This series focuses on 5 critically misunderstood or unknown topics every person should know about their bodies, so they can make better decisions and live better.  Part 1 - Imaging does NOT equal diagnosis. Everyone knows someone or has personally been struck with bad news from an MRI or x-ray. But how significant are these findings on a picture? This episode dives into research and stories about how imaging can actually get in the way of people making a full recovery.          

How do you look at food? Is it simply something that satisfies your occasional hunger, or the fuel you need to work, accomplish your goals, and have energy left over for friends and family? And if food IS fuel, what kind of fuel have you been burning? Today we talk about this concept as I interview Clay and Katie Brinks, who have dramatically changed how to they eat and are living better as a result.

Who really is more likely to get arthritis, runners or their couch potato counterparts? In this episode, we review a brand-new meta-analysis and systematic review (essentially a super summary of multiple studies) which delivers a strong opinion. Then, I add three of my favorite running injury-prevention tips. So which will it be? Tune in to find out.

Low back pain is the common cold of body pain. It's prevalent, recurrent, and for many, uncontrollable. But what if you could learn how your back was made to be used, and have control over your pain? Today we introduce this topic we will continue to explore in future episodes, with an interview of Amy Schenkel, a person who has experienced great breakthrough in her own pain history.

In this episode, Ryan shares his vision for the podcast and relevant examples of knowing how your body "machine" was designed to be used can make a big difference in your quality of life.  What if you never changed the oil in your car?  What if you didn't put gas in the gas tank?  And most importantly, what if your body had similar simple acts of maintenance that could make you live better?