The Pain Free Athlete Podcast Podcast By Dana Jones cover art

The Pain Free Athlete Podcast

The Pain Free Athlete Podcast

By: Dana Jones
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Ready to break free from pain and take control of your recovery? Whether you're bouncing back from surgery or simply want to stay active without discomfort, this is the place for you! I'll share proven tips and strategies to help you move safely and confidently while working out. Plus, you’ll hear from top experts in fitness, rehabilitation, and pain management who are here to inspire and empower your journey to a pain-free, active lifestyle. Let’s get started!Dana Jones Hygiene & Healthy Living
Episodes
  • Why Runners Keep Getting Injured (And How to Fix It) - Replay of Episode 89

    Why Runners Keep Getting Injured (And How to Fix It) - Replay of Episode 89
    Mar 27 2026

    Replay ep 89: Run Smarter, Stay Stronger – Injury Prevention & the Mind-Body Connection with Denise Smith


    What if the key to running stronger, longer, and pain-free had less to do with mileage—and more to do with how you move?

    In this replay episode, I sit down with physical therapist and movement expert Denise Smith to break down what most athletes are missing when it comes to performance and injury prevention.

    With over 20 years of experience, Denise shares how analyzing movement patterns, improving balance, and training reaction time can completely change the way you run—and help you avoid the injuries that sideline so many athletes.

    But we didn’t stop there…

    This conversation goes deeper into the mind-body connection, the role of mental health in performance, and why athletes—especially endurance athletes—need more than just a training plan to truly thrive.


    In this episode, we cover:

    • Why most runners are undertraining balance (and why it matters more than you think)
    • How learning to fall safely could actually prevent serious injuries
    • The difference between overuse vs. misuse injuries
    • Simple ways to improve reaction time and agility (no fancy equipment needed)
    • What ultra runners can teach us about grit, identity, and mental toughness
    • Why building a support team (PT, mental health, nutrition) is a game-changer
    • How fear, pain, and mindset can keep you stuck—and how to break that cycle


    Denise's Bio:

    Denise Smith has been a physical therapist for over 20 years and has spent her years obtaining certifications that allow her to treat each patient as an individual with a focus on hands-on manual therapy techniques, functional movement patterns, and advanced treatment of athletes of all levels. She specializes in treating runners with a focus on running technique teaching with the use of video analysis and individualized drills to teach proper movement to help runners run faster, run longer, and run without pain. Denise believes our bodies were made to move and sitting is a disease that will cause long term damage to our bodies.


    Denise's Links:

    • ⁠Website⁠
    • ⁠LinkedIn⁠
    • ⁠Instagram⁠
    • ⁠Facebook⁠



    Dana’s Links:

    ⁠⁠https://www.painfreeathletepodcast.com⁠⁠


    ⁠⁠10 Day Journaling Journey⁠⁠


    Podcast Disclaimer:

    The Pain-Free Podcast is presented solely for general information, education, and entertainment purposes. Any information presented in this podcast is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional diagnosis. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast or website is at the user’s own risk. As always, users should not disregard or delay obtaining medical advice for any medical or mental health condition that they may have and should seek the assistance of their healthcare professionals for any such conditions.
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    34 mins
  • Power of the Pause: Menopause, Pain & Your Nervous System (ep 133)

    Power of the Pause: Menopause, Pain & Your Nervous System (ep 133)
    Mar 20 2026
    In this episode of The Pain Free Athlete Podcast, Dana is joined again by longtime mind-body and women’s health expert Jennifer More, creator of The Dolphin Method and founder of the Power of the Pause menopause community on Facebook. They dive into how hormonal shifts in perimenopause and menopause impact the nervous system, pain perception, and everyday symptoms like anxiety, hip pain, sleep issues, and mysterious itching.Drawing on over 30 years of experience supporting women through pregnancy, postpartum, and now menopause, Jennifer explains why our generation is the “guinea pig generation” that is finally talking openly about this transition—and how that knowledge alone can calm an overactive fight-or-flight response. Dana and Jennifer share personal stories of panic attacks, chronic migraines, hip pain, and caregiving stress, and how nervous-system tools helped them move from fear and symptom chasing to curiosity, compassion, and choice.You’ll learn why estrogen interacts with neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin, how it changes pain perception, and why many women are told “everything looks fine” even when their bodies hurt. Jennifer breaks down simple, accessible nervous-system practices you can do in 2–5 minutes a day, plus why movement, rotation work for hips and shoulders, and thoracic mobility are essential in this season of life.They also talk about the power of community healing—how sharing symptoms and stories in safe spaces reduces shame, quiets anxiety, and helps women stop suffering in silence. Jennifer shares details about her menopause-focused retreats in Sedona, Sonoma, and Monterey, where women get personalized nervous system support, corrective exercise, and time away to resetAbout Jennifer:Jennifer More is a global leader in prenatal and postnatal wellness, with over 30 years of experience as a yoga teacher, doula, childbirth educator, and clinical and medical hypnotherapist. She is the creator of The Dolphin Method, an integrative approach to pregnancy, birth, and postpartum recovery that weaves together yoga, corrective movement, hypnosis, and nervous system education. She is also the Executive Director of Prenatal International, a nonprofit supporting pregnant and postpartum people through trauma-informed care, with ambassadors in nine countries.Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PrenatalyogaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/Prenatalyoga/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@prenatalvinyasayogaWeb: https://prenatalinternational.org/https://dolphinmethod.teachable.com/www.dolphinmethod.comThe Power of the Pause is a space for navigating perimenopause, menopause, and beyond — a place to ask questions, share experiences, and feel supported during a powerful (and often confusing) chapter of life.This is a space for learning, shared experience, and community — not medical advice.SEDONA APRIL 29-MAY 3.https://www.retreatswithjennifer.com/sedona2026/If you’re curious but unsure whether it’s the right fit, connect for a short Zoom conversation to see if this is aligned for you. Schedule here: https://calendly.com/prenatal/retreat-consultDana’s Links:⁠⁠https://www.painfreeathletepodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠10 Day Journaling Journey⁠⁠Podcast Disclaimer:The Pain-Free Podcast is presented solely for general information, education, and entertainment purposes. Any information presented in this podcast is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional diagnosis. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast or website is at the user’s own risk. As always, users should not disregard or delay obtaining medical advice for any medical or mental health condition that they may have and should seek the assistance of their healthcare professionals for any such conditions.
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    37 mins
  • Revolutionizing Orthopedics: The Future of Regenerative Medicine (ep 132)

    Revolutionizing Orthopedics: The Future of Regenerative Medicine (ep 132)
    Mar 13 2026

    In this insightful interview, Dr. Trevor Turner shares his journey from trauma surgery to regenerative orthopedics, emphasizing innovative treatments like PRP and laser therapy. Discover how personalized, minimally invasive approaches are transforming musculoskeletal care and empowering patients to regain mobility and avoid surgery.


    Dr Trevor’s Bio:


    Dr. Trevor Turner is a nationally recognized physician specializing in regenerative orthopedics, biologic therapies, and performance-focused musculoskeletal care. As the founder of CartiNova™, he has treated elite athletes, high-performance professionals, and active adults seeking minimally invasive alternatives to orthopedic surgery.


    Dr. Turner’s work bridges sports medicine, regenerative biologics, precision diagnostics, and recovery science, forming the clinical foundation of the CartiNova system.

    Dr. Turner attended UT Southwestern Medical School, completed a General Surgery internship at UCSF, and finished his Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation residency at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where he participated in ACL injury research with the American Sports Medicine Institute.


    He then spent four years training under Dr. James Andrews at the Andrews Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Institute, caring for professional and collegiate athletes, Olympic competitors, military special operations personnel, and active adults seeking elite-level musculoskeletal care.

    Dr. Turner founded CartiNova to bring together precision laser technology, advanced biologic medicine, and movement-based diagnostics with athlete-level rehabilitation principles, creating a comprehensive approach to long-term joint and spine preservation.


    His goal is to make advanced regenerative care, once reserved for elite athletes, accessible to individuals seeking to move better, heal more efficiently, and avoid unnecessary surgery.


    Dr. Trevor’s Links:


    Cartinova - Regenerative Orthopedics - https://cartinova.com/

    Dr. Trevor Turner on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-turner

    PRP Therapy Explained - https://www.healthline.com/health/prp-therapy





    Dana’s Links:

    ⁠⁠https://www.painfreeathletepodcast.com⁠⁠


    ⁠⁠10 Day Journaling Journey⁠⁠


    Podcast Disclaimer:

    The Pain-Free Podcast is presented solely for general information, education, and entertainment purposes. Any information presented in this podcast is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional diagnosis. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast or website is at the user’s own risk. As always, users should not disregard or delay obtaining medical advice for any medical or mental health condition that they may have and should seek the assistance of their healthcare professionals for any such conditions.
    Show more Show less
    32 mins
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