Pain Free Performance with Dr. John Rusin
Rehab Science
In this episode of the Rehab Science Podcast, Dr. Tom Walters interviews Dr. John Rusin, a physical therapist and injury prevention specialist. They discuss the concept of pain-free performance, which is a movement system designed to help individuals transition from pain to optimal performance. Dr. Rusin shares his background in professional athletics and how it shaped his approach to training and rehabilitation. The conversation delves into the importance of individualized training, movement quality, and the six foundational movement patterns. They also explore the significance of movement...
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Cervical Radiculopathy: Diagnosis & Treatment strategies
Rehab Science
In this episode of Rehab Science, Dr. Tom Walters, DPT, breaks down cervical radiculopathy—a common condition involving compression or irritation of the nerve roots in the neck. He explores the relevant cervical spine anatomy, including how disc herniations or degenerative changes like bone spurs can narrow the neural foramina and impinge nerve roots, leading to symptoms that radiate from the neck into the arm and hand. Dr. Walters reviews hallmark symptoms such as radiating pain, numbness, tingling, and muscle weakness, and discusses how these typically follow a dermatomal distribution...
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Chronic Pain Rehabilitation with Dr. Mark Kargela
Rehab Science
In today's episode, I speak with Dr. Mark Kargela, a seasoned clinician and educator, about chronic pain—its complexity, its impact, and how practitioners can better support patients struggling with it. The discussion focuses on shifting clinical approaches from tissue-centric models to ones that integrate contemporary neuroscience and lived experience. Key topics include: Understanding Chronic Pain: The conversation defines chronic pain not simply by duration (e.g., beyond three months), but as a biopsychosocial phenomenon that fundamentally changes the nervous system. Dr. Kargela...
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Supraspinatus Tendinopathy: Diagnosis & Treatment Strategies
Rehab Science
The supraspinatus is one of the four muscles that make up the rotator cuff, originating from the supraspinous fossa of the scapula and inserting onto the greater tubercle of the humerus. Its primary function is to initiate shoulder abduction and contribute to dynamic stability of the glenohumeral joint, particularly by resisting excessive superior translation of the humeral head. Due to its position and role, the supraspinatus is highly susceptible to mechanical compression beneath the acromion, especially in individuals with poor scapular control or altered rotator cuff coordination. ...
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Gluteal Tendinopathy - Diagnosis & Treatment Strategies
Rehab Science
In today's podcast episode, we are going to look at a condition called gluteal tendinopathy, which is a common cause of lateral hip pain due to an irritation of two of the gluteal tendons (gluteus medius & gluteus minimus). Previously, this type of pain was thought to be caused by trochanteric bursitis, but more recent research has shown that bursitis only accounts for approximately 20% of these cases (see references below). The majority of lateral hip pain cases are now thought to be due to gluteal tendinopathy or irritation of the gluteal tendons where they attach on the side of...
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Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) Versus Calf Strain (Case Study)
Rehab Science
Today's episode covers a case I saw in the clinic in which a patient presented with symptoms consistent with a calf muscle strain, but ended up having a blood clot or deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Deep Vein Thrombosis or DVT describes a situation in which a blood clot (thrombus) forms in one of our deep veins. In many instances, this occurs in the calf region and happens after a person has undergone a surgical procedure. Typical symptoms include pain, swelling and warmth in the region. Besides surgery, blood clots can occur when we have been sedentary for extended periods (plane flight, bed rest...
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Become a Successful Online Practitioner with Dr. Caleb Burgess
Rehab Science
In today's episode, I speak with orthopedic physical therapist, content creator and entrepreneur, Dr. Caleb Burgess. Caleb is a licensed Doctor of Physical Therapy, a certified specialist in Orthopedic Physical Therapy through the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties, and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. In 2014, Caleb received his Doctorate in Physical Therapy (DPT) from Azusa Pacific University. The next two years he completed a Residency in Orthopedic Physical Therapy and then a Fellowship in Sports and...
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Evidence-Based ACL Rehabilitation with Dr. Wesley Wang
Rehab Science
In today's episode, I interview physical therapist and ACL rehabilitation specialist, Dr. Wesley Wang, DPT. This episode covers much of the current research regarding ACL rehab and will be helpful to both individuals who have suffered an ACL injury or want to prevent one from happening and practitioners who treat patients who have undergone an ACL recontruction. Wesley is a physical therapist at Healthy Baller, which is located in Rockville, MD. He specializes in treatment of sports injuries and ACL reconstructions. The majority of his patients are middle and high school athletes as well...
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Sacroiliac Joint (SIJ) Dysfunction: Diagnosis & Treatment Strategies
Rehab Science
Today's episode covers sacroiliac or SI joint pain, which is a type of low back pain. The sacroiliac joints are two small synovial joints located on the right and left sides of the low back between the sacrum and the ilium bone of the pelvis. These joints are surrounded by numerous ligaments, which makes them very strong and capable of supporting body weight. Because of their joint shape and the surrounding ligaments, the sacroiliac joints move very little, but are thought to account for a small percentage of back pain cases. Pain associated with sacroiliac joint irritation is usually located...
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Journey From Full-Time Clinician to Successful Inventor & Entrepreneur with Pete Holman
Rehab Science
In Today's episode, I interview clinician, entrepreneur and inventor, Pete Holman. Pete is a physical therapist, Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), international presenter, author, fitness product inventor and former US National TaeKwonDo champion living in Colorado. He graduated from the University of Colorado with a Master’s of Science degree in Physical Therapy in 1997 and went on to work at the renowned Aspen Sports Medicine clinic prior to opening up his own private practice in 2001. His client list has included Fortune 500 hundred business owners from Jones...
info_outlineIn today's episode, I talk with my friend and colleague, Dr. John Rusin. Dr. Rusin is one of the fitness and sports performance industry’s leading experts in the pain-free performance training model that blends the world of strength and conditioning with clinical movement based diagnostic medicine to provide the ultimate results based methods, programming and practice for an impressively diverse demographic of elite athletes and general fitness clients.
His innovative vision for the future of elite level sports performance physical therapy and injury prevention based training protocols are highlighted by the synergy of high-performance strength and hypertrophy programming with a cutting-edge, pain-free training methodologies, are revolutionizing the way his athletes and clients look, feel, function and perform.
With more than a decade of elite-level training experience and advanced degrees in both exercise science and physical therapy, Dr. Rusin has developed performance, regeneration, and aesthetics programs for some of the world’s best strength, power, and endurance athletes. Dr. Rusin’s present and past client list include MLB All-Stars, NFL All-Pros, Olympic Gold, Bronze and Silver Medalists, World-Record-Holding Powerlifters, Elite Bodybuilders and Figure Competitors, All-World IronMan Triathletes, and top professional athletes from eight of the major American professional sports leagues.
Dr. Rusin is an internationally recognized strength coach, speaker, and writer, whose work has been popularized throughout the sports performance and fitness industries in some of the most prestigious media outlets in our industry such as Men’s Fitness, Men’s Health, Testosterone Nation, Bodybuilding.com, Stack Magazine, and Muscle & Strength, to name a few. His innovative pain-free performance training systems have been taught to thousands of personal trainers, strength coaches and rehabilitation professionals from across the world.
I hope you enjoy the episode and find it be be helpful! You can learn more about John's work at the following link.