The Back Pain Podcast by Core Balance

Why does walking help some people with back pain, but make it worse for others? In this episode, we unpack walking, one of the most commonly recommended yet poorly understood solutions for chronic lower back pain and explain why the results vary so dramatically depending on your body and your condition. From herniated discs and SI joint dysfunction to spinal stenosis, the way you walk matters just...

What exercises make lower back pain worse and why do so many “recommended” movements actually slow down your recovery? In this episode, we unpack a counterintuitive idea that most people never question: not all exercise is helping your back. You’ve probably been told to stretch when your muscles feel tight, to move more, to “loosen things up.” But what if that tightness isn’t the problem? What if...

If you’ve ever struggled to sit comfortably for even a few minutes without your lower back tightening, aching, or flaring up, this episode will change how you think about sitting forever. In this conversation, we break down the science behind sitting and spinal pressure, including why sitting actually places more stress on your discs than standing and how certain positions can increase that pressu...

Can a herniated or degenerated disc actually heal, and do you really need surgery to recover from back pain? This episode breaks down one of the most common and fear-driven questions in back pain: whether a damaged disc can fully heal and whether that’s even the right question to be asking. Dr. Ryan Peebles explains why most people are focused on the wrong goal, trying to “fix” the disc itself, in...

SI joint pain is one of the most overlooked yet highly correlated causes of chronic lower back pain, often driven not by isolated injury, but by instability, asymmetry, and long-term muscle imbalance patterns in the pelvis and spine. In this episode, Dr. Ryan Peebles breaks down exactly what the SI joint is, why it becomes painful, and the most effective strategies to stabilize it, reduce flare-up...

 Exercise is often prescribed as the solution for back pain, but what if it’s actually making things worse? In this episode, Dr. Ryan Peebles breaks down why exercise can both help and harm your lower back, depending entirely on how you move. He explains the hidden role of muscle imbalances, why highly fit individuals often struggle more with chronic pain, and how strengthening the wrong patt...

Kyphosis is a natural forward curve in the upper spine, but when that curve becomes exaggerated, it can change the way the entire body moves. In this episode, Dr. Ryan Peebles, Doctor of Physical Therapy and founder of Core Balance Training, explains how hyper-kyphosis can contribute not only to neck tension and rounded shoulders, but also to chronic lower back pain by forcing extension and compen...

 Deep core stability training is not about bracing harder, lifting heavier, or isolating surface ab muscles, and this episode explains why activating the deep core may be the missing link in both peak athletic performance and long-term back pain recovery. Dr. Ryan Peebles, Doctor of Physical Therapy and founder of Core Balance Training, shares the story of an NFL off-season experiment where p...

Core balance training is not about bracing harder, isolating more muscles, or pushing through pain, and this episode explains why the right mindset may be the most important factor in recovering from chronic back pain. Dr. Ryan Peebles, Doctor of Physical Therapy and founder of Core Balance Training, addresses what he calls the “curse of knowledge”, how previous training in Pilates, physical thera...

Most people trying to fix back pain either hold their abs too tight or not at all, and this episode breaks down exactly how much abdominal activation is actually needed for spinal stability and why more tension often makes things worse. Dr. Ryan Peebles, Doctor of Physical Therapy and founder of Core Balance Training, addresses a common question from students: how much abdominal activation is appr...

Chronic back pain is rarely solved by resting, avoiding movement, or “protecting” the spine, and this episode explains why continued use of the back, when done correctly, is often essential for long-term recovery rather than harmful. Dr. Ryan Peebles, Doctor of Physical Therapy and founder of Core Balance Training, addresses one of the most common and misunderstood questions in chronic pain recove...

Chronic back pain is rarely caused by damaged discs or poor posture, and this episode explains how mindset, fear-based movement, and nervous system responses often drive pain persistence instead.  Dr. Ryan Peebles, Doctor of Physical Therapy and founder of Core Balance Training, explores the psychology of chronic back pain and how mindset directly influences movement, muscle activation, and p...

In this episode, Dr. Ryan Peebles, Doctor of Physical Therapy and founder of Core Balance Training, explores how predictable muscle imbalance patterns, not isolated injuries or “bad posture”, drive most cases of chronic low back pain. Dr. Ryan explains how the body enters a full-body protection pattern after injury, stress, or prolonged sitting, and why this pattern pulls the spine into exaggerate...

In this episode, Dr. Ryan Peebles, Doctor of Physical Therapy and founder of Core Balance Training , breaks down one of the most common yet misunderstood contributors to back pain: how sleeping positions, mattress choice, and fear-based protection patterns can worsen pain instead of relieving it. Dr. Ryan explains why there is no single “perfect” way to sleep, how different positions affect t...

In this episode, Dr. Ryan Peebles , Doctor of Physical Therapy and founder of Core Balance Training, breaks down a critical but often misunderstood issue: how prolonged rest and inactivity can quietly turn acute back pain into a chronic problem. Using a real-world example of a patient told to stop all physical activity for three months, Ryan explains why inactivity accelerates spinal instability,...

In this episode, Dr. Ryan Peebles, Doctor of Physical Therapy and founder of Core Balance Training, breaks down the right strategy for back pain exercises and why lasting recovery has far more to do with mindset and movement quality than chasing the “best” exercise. He explains why exercises are tools, not the solution, and how true progress comes from relearning how to move with deep core support...

In this episode, Dr. Ryan Peebles, Doctor of Physical Therapy and founder of Core Balance Training, explains why “pushing it harder” is often the worst possible strategy for chronic back pain recovery. Drawing from his clinical experience and a real conversation with a longtime friend struggling with severe back pain, Ryan breaks down why intensity, heavy resistance, and rushing the process can ac...

In this episode, Dr. Ryan Peebles, Doctor of Physical Therapy and founder of Core Balance Training, breaks down how to make real progress while living with back pain, without fear, flare-ups, or setbacks. Drawing from his own decade-long journey through chronic lower back pain, Ryan explains how to safely progress exercise and daily movement even when pain is present. You’ll learn how to distingui...

In this episode, Dr. Ryan Peebles, Doctor of Physical Therapy and founder of Core Balance Training, explores the mind–body connection in back pain and addresses a common question from students, “How emotional and psychological factors interact with physical causes of pain.” Drawing from clinical experience, student questions, and influential ideas such as Dr. John Sarno’s work, Ryan explains why b...

In this episode, Dr. Ryan Peebles, Doctor of Physical Therapy and founder of Core Balance Training, takes a clear and compassionate look at setbacks on the healing journey. He covers why they happen, why they’re normal, and how to respond in a way that accelerates long-term progress instead of derailing it. Drawing from student questions and real examples, Dr. Ryan explains the psychology behind s...

In this episode, Dr. Ryan Peebles, Doctor of Physical Therapy and founder of Core Balance Training, breaks down an often-overlooked contributor to chronic lower back pain: tendonitis. While people frequently associate tendonitis with knees, elbows, or Achilles pain, Dr. Ryan explains why inflamed, overworked spinal and hip tendons are extremely common in back-pain sufferers and why they’re rarely...

In this episode, Dr. Ryan Peebles, Doctor of Physical Therapy and founder of Core Balance Training, explains the single most valuable skill anyone can develop to reverse chronic back pain: listening to your body. Drawing from years of clinical experience and his own recovery journey, he breaks down why pain is communication, not an enemy, and how learning to interpret your body’s signals can guide...

In this episode, Dr. Ryan Peebles, Doctor of Physical Therapy and founder of Core Balance Training, breaks down acupuncture and dry needling: what they are, how they work, who they help, and where their limitations lie. Drawing from personal experience, clinical knowledge, and years of observing thousands of back-pain cases, he explains why both treatments can feel amazing yet rarely solve chronic...

In this episode, Dr. Ryan Peebles, Doctor of Physical Therapy and founder of Core Balance Training, takes a balanced look at chiropractic care: its potential benefits, limitations, and risks. Sharing his personal experience of both healing and harm through chiropractic adjustments, he explains when spinal manipulation can help and when it can actually make things worse. You’ll learn how to identif...

In this episode, Dr. Ryan Peebles, Doctor of Physical Therapy and founder of Core Balance Training, explores one of the most misunderstood aspects of recovery, the psychology of pain. He breaks down how pain is not just a signal from the body, but an experience created in the brain, influenced by beliefs, emotions, and learned neural patterns. Drawing from neuroscience and the work of Dr. John Sar...