Unlock the secrets to a pain-free life - recent research reveals that retraining your brain is the key to saying goodbye to chronic back pain without surgery. But is life without pain possible? Even if you have an x-ray or MRI that says the only fix is surgical? Here's a revelation: MRI studies on people without back pain consistently reveal a significant percentage with disc issues but zero pain. This challenges the idea that disc issues are always correlated with pain. And I know this goes against what most of us have been told about back pain — which is precisely why I recorded this episode. There is an increasing amount of data and research that has found decreases in pain with mindfulness-based stress reduction techniques but it seems that information has yet to reach orthopedic surgeons in practice. So if you believe that life without pain is possible, but you’re not quite sure how to get there — today’s episode is for you! ? (all research and references are available in the show notes at aewellness.com) You’ll learn: The surprising link between pain and your brain The transformative power of the mind-body connection in overcoming pain. How therapy balls and activations can help you get out of pain All the links: Magnetic resonance imaging of the lumbar spine in people without back pain. New England Journal of Medicine 331.2 (1994) Systematic literature review of imaging features of spinal degeneration in asymptomatic populations. American journal of neuroradiology 36.4 (2015): 811-816. Reattribution to Mind-Brain Processes and Recovery From Chronic Back Pain: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2023 Join me for the next Movement Mavens Retreat! www.aewellness.com/retreat/ 30 days to more strength + flexibility with the Mobility Mastery Toolkit www.aewellness.com/podcast - Show notes, links and more. Come hang out with me on Instagram @hollaformala : https://instagram.com/hollaformala/ TikTok @ aewellness Bodywork Starter Guide - learn the 6 places you need to roll right now for quick relief, plus the reason why what you’ve tried so far has only given you a temporary fix. Download the guide for free now at www.aewellness.com/bodywork 818-396-6501 is the Body Nerd Hotline - how do you build consistency and/or where are you getting stuck? Drop me a line and let me know your body nerd hacks - you might just hear your voice on a future episode! Today’s episode is brought to you by Mobility Mastery Toolkit. Forget icing and stretching - and get a simple program you can do on your own that actually works. The Toolkit includes 30-days of exercises so you know exactly what to do to improve the mobility of your hips, lower back, feet, neck and shoulders. With video demos and a full-body mobility workout calendar, you’re just 15-mins a day from feeling stronger and more flexible. Get $20 off when you use the code MASTERY at www.mobilitytoolkit.co