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Healing Chronic Pain - what will it take for you? chronic pain healing mind-body painfreeathlete thepainfreeathlete Jan 10, 2023

 

Chronic pain is a complex experience. I like to say that it is a whole person experience affecting many aspects of one's life that goes far beyond an unpleasant physical sensation. 

On my client intake form, I ask, “Do you have any ideas about what it is going to take for you to...

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3 Exercises to Relieve Neck Pain kyphosis lordosis military neck neck pain neck tension posture alignment posture exercises spine thepainfreeathlete Dec 15, 2022

This is the second blog in a two-part series on neck pain. Read the first blog: Neck Pain and Posture. This is a collaboration with Dr. Michael L. Rothman, M.D. Dr Rothman is a former orthopedic surgeon and Advanced Exercise Therapist (AET), certified by the Egoscue Institute. 

 

Neck...

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Neck Pain and Posture cervical pain military neck neck pain painfreeathlete posture alignment Nov 10, 2022

 

Please enjoy this guest blog by Dr. Michael L. Rothman, M.D. Dr Rothman is a former orthopedic surgeon who now helps his patients overcome chronic pain using posture alignment therapy. He is an Advanced Exercise Therapist (AET), certified by the Egoscue Institute, who practices in...

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Join the Pain Revolution! gothedistance lorimer moseley painfree painrevolution painscience thepainfreeathlete Oct 18, 2022

 

The Pain Revolution is a grassroots movement that strives to change people’s understanding of chronic pain. The genesis of this evolution in our understanding of pain is based in Australia. Specifically, the Pain Revolution started in South Australia, in the city of Adelaide at the...

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Why Stress Feels Good and Relaxing is Hard parasympathetic nervous system pns relaxation response relexation sns stress stress management stress relief stress response sympathetic nervous system thepainfreeathlete Sep 13, 2022

While I was recently talking with a client, she remarked, “I don’t know how to relax. And when I try, I worry that I am doing it wrong. After a few minutes (of sitting still and breathing) I get antsy and start doing something. It is uncomfortable to be still.”

Not surprisingly,...

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Racing: Chase Results or Enjoy the Experience? cycling gravelcyclist oregontrailgravelgrinder otgg stageracing thepainfreeathlete Aug 08, 2022

After a two-year delay due to Covid-19, my husband and I were excited to finally be on the start line for the 2022 Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder (OTGG). The OTGG is a 5-day stage race in the Cascade mountains. Our trek included nearly 350 miles and more than 30,000 feet of climbing. A bonus of our...

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Prevent Injuries: Ease Back Into Exercise injury kneepain running runninginjury sportsinjury thepainfreeathlete Jul 13, 2022

Let’s say you’re a runner, because the person who inspired this blog is, and this is her story. I’ll call her Kate, although it’s not her real name. In a nutshell, Kate took a week off of running, then she went back to it at the same intensity and duration as before. The...

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Which shoes do I recommend? gaitcycle hruskaclinic painfreeathlete pri prination pronation runningshoes supination walkingshoes Jun 08, 2022

Shoes, shoes, shoes! There are so many to choose from, making it hard to select the right pair. As a result, I am often asked for advice on this purchase. So, here’s what I usually say: Your shoes provide the interface between your feet and the ground. Good posture and movement patterns...

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End Chronic Knee Pain Through Alignment bow leg knee arthritis knock knees meniscus tear osteoarthritis painfreeathlete May 12, 2022

We learned everything we needed to know about our skeleton in kindergarten . . . Recall a section of the lyrics from the children’s song Dem Bones:

“The ankle bone's connected to the leg bone,
. . .
The leg bone's connected to the knee bone,
The knee bone's connected to the thigh...

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3 Gentle Back Extension Exercises back extension back pain end back pain lower back posture exercises relieve back pain thepainfreeathlete Apr 13, 2022

 

Back extension is a normal human movement! However, doing back extension exercises, particularly of the lumbar spine (low back), is not universally practiced or accepted. In fact, people have strong opinions about this issue. I have had students refuse to do these types of exercises in ...

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How You Think Affects Your Pain cbt cognitive behavior therapy distorted thinking mind traps pain free pain management thepainfreeathlete Mar 09, 2022

 

Listen to the audio version of this blog Here.

 

Thoughts are inputs into the nervous system that can increase or decrease your sensation of pain.

Have you ever noticed your pain decrease when you are having fun, in a beautiful place, or engaged in a meaningful activity?

Conversely,...

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Clamshells and Balancing the Gluteus Medius chronicpain coaching functionaltraining glutepain healchronicpain healyourself hippain posturealignmenttherapy thepainfreeathlete Feb 08, 2022

The clamshell is a classic exercise that’s typically given to strengthen the gluteus medius through external hip rotation. Unfortunately, many people often perform the exercise without proper positioning, muscle integration, and breathing. Something I often tell my clients is, We...

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