Ep 87 How to Reduce Your Physical Pain without Weight Loss as a Requirement | Danny Schapiro, PT

Jul 5, 2022

You may have been led to believe that increased weight is the cause of increased pain. You repeat to yourself what you may have been often told by others and even medical professionals: “If I could only lose weight, then I would be pain-free. It’s my fault and I can change this by just losing the weight if I try hard enough.” 

 

But is that really the truth?

 

We dive into this struggle in today’s podcast episode with former ballroom dance champion and Physical Therapist Danny Schapiro. 

 

Danny focuses on helping everyBODY move and feel good, no matter their size. Because everyone’s body is different and all bodies deserve to feel better and move without pain. It’s not about the size of the person, but about how they are moving and he shares actionable tips on how you can do just that starting right now, not X pounds from now!! 

 

Danny joins us to share the “connection” between pain and weight, the reasons you should ask “why” when seeing a medical professional, and the importance of focusing on what is happening inside the body instead of what size the body is.

In this episode we cover: 

• [3:30] The connection between the mechanics of movement and how they are (or are not) influenced by weight
• [12:45] Simple movement changes that can help with knee pain
• [15:00] How to know that joint pain is not connected to the mechanics of movement
• [22:02] Common Physical Therapy modifications that can be done to help accommodate larger bodies
• [32:12] Danny’s advice on how to advocate for yourself in a health care setting and red flags that should send you looking for a new provider
• [47:05] Danny’s final advice on being an investigator of your own health