Pain Free Living

Welcome to the latest episode of the Pain Free Living podcast! This episode was lost in the archives and features my curious and brilliantly inquisitive co-host Louise Gordon , before she moved on to focus on becoming an even more brilliant change coach. Together, we’re diving into one of the most common complaints I see and hear about: lower back pain . In this episode, you’ll find out why around...

In this episode, your hosts, Bob Allen , osteopath since 2011, and Clare Elsby , therapy coach, take on one of the most misunderstood topics in health: posture . If you’ve ever been told to “sit up straight” or felt guilty for slouching, this conversation is for you. You’ll find out why there’s no such thing as good or bad posture — only postures you stay in for too long. Bob explains how our bodi...

In this episode, Bob and Clare team up to explore the art and science of aging well. Bob brings his background in physical health and movement, while Clare brings the positive psychology perspective to help you rethink what it means to grow older. The duo busts the myth that aging equals inevitable decline. Bob introduces the difference between chronological age (the number on your birth certifica...

You may have heard of the placebo and nocebo effects, but I suspect you may not appreciate how powerful they can be. In this episode, your hosts, Bob Allen , an osteopath since 2011, and Clare Elsby , a therapy coach, explore these fascinating and often misunderstood concepts and how they might already be influencing your health. You’ll find out how the placebo effect can produce genuine changes i...

Breathing is something we do around 20,000 times a day, but most of us never stop to consider how it might be affecting our health. In this episode of the Pain Free Living podcast, your hosts, Bob Allen, an osteopath since 2011, and Claire Elsby, a therapy coach, take a deep dive into the science and simple power of how you breathe, not just how often . You’ll find out why nasal breathing is so im...

In this hectic 24/7 always switched-on world that we live in, stress is often seen as the price that must be paid until we inevitably gain fame and fortune "later"! The good news is that stress doesn't have to be a bad thing as long as we understand the causes and, more importantly, how to manage it. This episode is a deep dive into the topic of stress, covering its dual nature as both a necessary...

Making it to Episode 21 of the Pain Free Living podcast means that we are now in the top 1% of all podcasts currently being produced so A HUGE THANK YOU for helping us to join that elite group. This episode marks the start of a new era of the podcast with a change in emphasis, thanks to our new co-host, Clare Elsby. Clare, is an experienced accountant who a few years ago made the decision to move...

Welcome to Episode 20 of the Pain Free Living podcast. It's a milestone because, according to the internet (so it must be true 👀🤔) 90% of podcasts never make it past episode 3, and of the remaining 10%, 90% never get past episode 20. Episode 21 has already been recorded, so we will soon join the group of 1% of podcasts that achieve this HUGE milestone. When I started this podcast, I didn't appre...

Do your knee joints make lots of noise when you go upstairs, or your neck when you turn your head? If the answer is yes, you are not alone and the aim of this episode of the Pain Free Living podcast is to provide you with a clear, jargon-free explanation of what causes those sounds and whether or not you should be worried. The correct medical term for the crackling, grinding, clicking, or popping...

You know the nervous system is complicated but do you appreciate how truly complicated it is? The aim of this episode of the Pain Free Living podcast is to provide you with a clear, jargon-free introduction to the nervous system and how it can affect your pain levels and overall health whether you are an athlete, work in an office, or are an older adult. The nervous system is complex and is respon...

Think of exercise as movement medicine rather than something that will leave you sweating and breathless, and you are more likely to do it. In this episode of the Pain Free Living podcast, osteopath Bob Allen talks about the benefits of exercise but from a different perspective than the usual fitness industry conversations and he never says "No Pain, No Gain" (mostly because it's not true!). The f...

You are not alone if you have ever been to a medical appointment and left it feeling frustrated and confused. As an osteopath, I regularly see clients who have no idea why they are in pain because their healthcare professional has used lots of jargon and complex medical terms to explain their treatment. In this podcast episode, I share some practical strategies to help you get the most from your m...

As an osteopath I regularly see clients that like to exercise whether that's a park run, ice hockey, powerlifting or some other activity. If they have an injury they will often ask if it's safe to continue training. The answer that I always give is that "it depends"... Welcome to the Pain Free Living Podcast with me, your host Bob Allen. I am an osteopath who has been successfully treating people'...

Everyone knows that ice is good for managing pain but most don't know how it works or when to use it. There are many protocols for using ice ranging from old skool RICE (rest, ice, compression & elevation) to the latest PEACE & LOVE (Protection, Elevation, Avoid anti-inflammatories, Compression, Education & Load, Optimism, Vascularisation, Exercise). I will cover the difference in appr...

You have woken up with a sore neck, thrown something, and hurt your shoulder or twisted your ankle, then gone straight onto the Internet looking for the best way to treat the problem. These days, when we have an injury, we either ask Dr. Google, YouTube, or Tik Tok for a solution, and we are guaranteed to get thousands of options for what to do next. Welcome to this week’s episode of the Pain Free...

Did you know that unless you have had a trip, fall, or some other trauma, there is a good chance that your knee pain is not due to a problem with your knee. Welcome to the Pain Free Living Podcast with me, your host Bob Allen. I am an osteopath who has been successfully treating people's pain problems since 2008. In this episode, I cover the topic of knee pain, which is a problem that I treat almo...

If you've been struggling with hip pain, groin pain, or even low back pain, this episode of the Pain Free Living Podcast may give you the answers you have been looking for. Join osteopath and health educator Bob Allen as he gives you the 101 on the psoas which is one of the most overlooked muscles in the body. It's a deep hip flexor that connects your lower back to the top of your thigh bone and p...

You may be wondering what the Region Beta Paradox is, and think it might not be relevant to you, but it is. It sounds complicated, but it isn’t, and although you might have never heard of it, I can guarantee that you will be able to relate to it, so give this episode a listen and you will see what I mean. Introduction Welcome to the Pain Free Living Podcast, hosted by Bob Allen, an osteopath who h...

If you hate exercise but still want to burn calories and improve your health this podcast is for you. The solution you have been looking for is non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) and if you don't know what that is or how it works your hosts Bob Allen and Louise Gordon will tell you all you need to know. Bob is an osteopath who has been treating people's pain problems since 2008. while Loui...

If you have seen the brightly coloured tape that is worn by lots of athletes and sporting superstars and wondered what it is and how it works this is the podcast for you. We take a close look at kinesio tape and have done the research into how effective it is so you don't have to. Introduction Welcome to the Pain Free Living Podcast with your hosts Bob Allen and Louise Gordon. Bob is an osteopath...

Wondering what osteopaths actually do? Bob Allen explains treatment, back pain, neck pain, dry needling, exercises, chronic pain and what to expect at your first visit. If you think Osteopathy is all about cracking joints and can only be used to treat low back pain you need to listen to this episode of the Pain Free Living podcast. Join your hosts Bob Allen, osteopath, and Louise Gordon, change co...

If you’ve been living with pain for weeks, months, or even years, and have had a scan only to be told that it's “clear” this episode of the Pain Free Living Podcast is for you. Join osteopath Bob Allen and change coach Louise Gordon as they unpack one of the most frustrating experiences many people face: being in genuine pain while tests show “nothing wrong.” Bob explains the difference between ac...

The medical term for being double-jointed is hypermobility and that is what is covered in this episode of the Pain Free Living podcast. Bob Allen is an osteopath who has been treating pain problems since 2008. and Louise Gordon, is a change coach who helps individuals and businesses navigate change. While 30% of the population has some degree of hypermobility with no issues, it can be a cause of j...

Introduction to the podcast and host Welcome to the first episode of the Pain Free Living podcast, where host Bob Allen offers a sneak peek into some of the topics designed to help you manage and reduce pain. As an osteopath with over a decade of experience, Bob discusses his background, the motivation for starting the podcast, and the wide range of subjects he plans to cover. While he is flying s...

If you're struggling with back pain, neck pain, joint stiffness, sciatica, or a sports injury, you may have wondered whether you should see an osteopath, chiropractor, or physiotherapist. In this episode of the Pain Free Living Podcast, osteopath Bob Allen and change coach Louise Gordon tackle one of the most common questions in musculoskeletal healthcare What is the difference between the three p...