Dr. Tom Walters, a board-certified orthopedic physical therapist and the founder of Rehab Science, returns to talk through two of the most common complaints after 40: knee pain and back pain.
We get into why rest alone rarely fixes either one, how cartilage actually gets its nutrients through movement, and how to tell a tendon problem from something deeper in the joint.
Tom explains load management, the real reason most aches show up without a specific injury, walks through the red flags that mean you should see someone for back pain, and covers how stress and sleep feed into chronic pain.
He also shares his three tactics for staying well: social support, exercise, and sleep.
05:01 The Rehab Science book series and why it was split by body region
07:09 Why knee and back pain are so common after 40
10:05 Telling a tendon problem from a cartilage problem
13:40 Managing flare-ups with rest, heel slides, and gentle mobility
16:17 Load management: why most pain is too much too soon, or too little
19:29 Red flags in back pain that mean see a professional
24:19 Chronic pain, nociplastic pain, and neuroplasticity
26:39 How stress can trigger and sustain back pain
29:51 Nerve pain and sciatica, and how treatment differs
32:47 Sleep, social support, and exercise for staying well
Dr. Tom Walters / Rehab Science:
Website: https://rehabscience.com
Instagram: @rehabscience (https://www.instagram.com/rehabscience/)
YouTube: search "Rehab Science"
Books: the Rehab Science series, on Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Rehab Science app (rehab programs by body region)
Coach Allan / 40+ Fitness:
Daily wellness tips newsletter: https://40plusfitness.com/tips