Pain Free Living

You may have heard of the placebo and nocebo effects, but I suspect you may not appreciate how powerful they can be.

In this episode, your hosts, Bob Allen, an osteopath since 2011, and Clare Elsby, a therapy coach, explore these fascinating and often misunderstood concepts and how they might already be influencing your health.

You’ll find out how the placebo effect can produce genuine changes in pain, mood, and function, even when there’s no active medical ingredient involved. From sugar pills to sham surgery, Bob shares clinical examples and surprising research that reveal just...

Breathing is something we do around 20,000 times a day, but most of us never stop to consider how it might be affecting our health.

In this episode of the Pain Free Living podcast, your hosts, Bob Allen, an osteopath since 2011, and Claire Elsby, a therapy coach, take a deep dive into the science and simple power of how you breathe, not just how often. You’ll find out why nasal breathing is so important for being at your best, from improving oxygen uptake and supporting your immune system to boosting sleep quality and protecting oral health.

...

In this hectic 24/7 always switched-on world that we live in, stress is often seen as the price that must be paid until we inevitably gain fame and fortune "later"!

The good news is that stress doesn't have to be a bad thing as long as we understand the causes and, more importantly, how to manage it.

This episode is a deep dive into the topic of stress, covering its dual nature as both a necessary and potentially harmful part of everyday life.

The hosts, Bob Allen, an osteopath since 2011, and Claire Elsby, a...

Making it to Episode 21 of the Pain Free Living podcast means that we are now in the top 1% of all podcasts currently being produced so A HUGE THANK YOU for helping us to join that elite group.

This episode marks the start of a new era of the podcast with a change in emphasis, thanks to our new co-host, Clare Elsby.

Clare, is an experienced accountant who a few years ago made the decision to move into the mental healthcare arena.

In a change from our usual format, I'm doing the interviewing while...

Welcome to Episode 20 of the Pain Free Living podcast.

It's a milestone because, according to the internet (so it must be true 👀🤔) 90% of podcasts never make it past episode 3, and of the remaining 10%, 90% never get past episode 20.

Episode 21 has already been recorded, so we will soon join the group of 1% of podcasts that achieve this HUGE milestone.

When I started this podcast, I didn't appreciate how much work would be involved in getting an episode out every week. With my osteopathy day job, things have been very hectic at times, including me writing these...

Do your knee joints make lots of noise when you go upstairs, or your neck when you turn your head?

If the answer is yes, you are not alone and the aim of this episode of the Pain Free Living podcast is to provide you with a clear, jargon-free explanation of what causes those sounds and whether or not you should be worried.

The correct medical term for the crackling, grinding, clicking, or popping sounds when you move your joints is crepitus.

It is something that affects millions of people worldwide, particularly adults...

You know the nervous system is complicated but do you appreciate how truly complicated it is?

The aim of this episode of the Pain Free Living podcast is to provide you with a clear, jargon-free introduction to the nervous system and how it can affect your pain levels and overall health whether you are an athlete, work in an office, or are an older adult.

The nervous system is complex and is responsible for coordinating your body’s 11 systems, including cardiovascular, digestive, skeletal, and respiratory functions.

It consists of the Central Nervous System (CN...

Think of exercise as movement medicine rather than something that will leave you sweating and breathless, and you are more likely to do it.

In this episode of the Pain Free Living podcast, osteopath Bob Allen talks about the benefits of exercise but from a different perspective than the usual fitness industry conversations and he never says "No Pain, No Gain" (mostly because it's not true!).

The fitness industry always seems to prioritise how you look and aesthetic outcomes over any actual health benefits. While there is nothing wrong with having a 'Love Island' body...

You are not alone if you have ever been to a medical appointment and left it feeling frustrated and confused.

As an osteopath, I regularly see clients who have no idea why they are in pain because their healthcare professional has used lots of jargon and complex medical terms to explain their treatment.

In this podcast episode, I share some practical strategies to help you get the most from your medical appointments, ensuring you leave with an understanding of what your problems are and how they are going to be addressed.

The most...

As an osteopath I regularly see clients that like to exercise whether that's a park run, ice hockey, powerlifting or some other activity. If they have an injury they will often ask if it's safe to continue training.

The answer that I always give is that "it depends"...

Welcome to the Pain Free Living Podcast with me, your host Bob Allen. I am an osteopath who has been successfully treating people's pain problems since 2008.

This week's podcast covers what "it depends" on and why "no pain, no gain" is a useless myth.

Everyone knows that ice is good for managing pain but most don't know how it works or when to use it.

There are many protocols for using ice ranging from old skool RICE (rest, ice, compression & elevation) to the latest PEACE & LOVE (Protection, Elevation, Avoid anti-inflammatories, Compression, Education & Load, Optimism, Vascularisation, Exercise).

I will cover the difference in approaches in another podcast but for now let's look at when you should use ice and when you shouldn't.

In this episode, I explain when ice can be helpful, its physiological effects, and the trade-offs...

You have woken up with a sore neck, thrown something, and hurt your shoulder or twisted your ankle, then gone straight onto the Internet looking for the best way to treat the problem.

These days, when we have an injury, we either ask Dr. Google, YouTube, or Tik Tok for a solution, and we are guaranteed to get thousands of options for what to do next.

Welcome to this week’s episode of the Pain Free Living Podcast with Bob Allen, your friendly neighbourhood osteopath and pain management expert.

Today, we’re looking at t...

Did you know that unless you have had a trip, fall, or some other trauma, there is a good chance that your knee pain is not due to a problem with your knee.

Welcome to the Pain Free Living Podcast with me, your host Bob Allen. I am an osteopath who has been successfully treating people's pain problems since 2008.

In this episode, I cover the topic of knee pain, which is a problem that I treat almost as frequently as low back pain, especially with older clients.

While I will always be a...

Did you know that your psoas hip flexor could be a source of your hip

and groin pain?

Welcome to the Pain Free Living Podcast with me, your host Bob Allen. I'm an osteopath who has been successfully treating people's pain problems since 2008.

During that time, I have treated a few clients who came to me with hip and groin pain with no clue why, after many examinations, including MRI scans. The results of all the testing came back negative, so they generally came to me while still in pain with no idea...

You may be wondering what the Region Beta Paradox is, and think it might not be relevant to you, but it is.

It sounds complicated, but it isn’t, and although you might have never heard of it, I can guarantee that you will be able to relate to it, so give this episode a listen and you will see what I mean.

Introduction

Welcome to the Pain Free Living Podcast, hosted by Bob Allen, an osteopath who has been treating people's pain problems since 2008.

In this episode Bob will be ta...

If you have seen the brightly coloured tape that is worn by lots of athletes and sporting superstars and wondered what it is and how it works this is the podcast for you.

We take a close look at kinesio tape and have done the research into how effective it is so you don't have to.

Introduction

Welcome to the Pain Free Living Podcast with your hosts Bob Allen and Louise Gordon. Bob is an osteopath who has been treating people's pain problems since 2008. while Louise, is a change coach and business consultant.  A...

If you hate exercise but still want to burn calories and improve your health this podcast is for you.

The solution you have been looking for is non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) and if you don't know what that is or how it works your hosts Bob Allen and Louise Gordon will tell you all you need to know.

Bob is an osteopath who has been treating people's pain problems since 2008. while Louise is a change coach who helps individuals and businesses to navigate change. Although she has no clinical experience she has been in pain...

If you think Osteopathy is all about cracking joints and can only be used to treat low back pain you need to listen to this episode of the Pain Free Living podcast.

It is a treatment approach that has been around since 1857 and can be used to treat much more than muscle and joint problems so tune in to find out more.

Introduction

Welcome to the Pain Free Living Podcast with your hosts Bob Allen and Louise Gordon. Bob is an osteopath who has been treating people's pain problems since 2008. while Louise, is...

Pain is one of the most misunderstood responses that the body has and if you are in pain you need to understand why and what your options are for getting rid of it!

If you want a better idea of how to manage your acute and chronic pain problems this is the podcast for you.

Bob is an osteopath who has been treating people's pain problems since 2008. while Louise, is a change coach who helps individuals and businesses navigate change. Although she has no clinical experience she has been in pain and is qualified to...

If you are double-jointed and have a favorite party trick my osteopathy tutor used to say "one person's party trick is another person's trip to A & E!" While the relaxed ligaments in your jaw let you fit your fist in your mouth and make your friends laugh if your muscles go into spasm or your jaw dislocates it will be less funny waiting for the ambulance.

The medical term for being double-jointed is hypermobility and that is what we cover in this episode.

Bob is an osteopath who has been treating people's pain problems since 2008...

We have all experienced pain, but did you know it can cause issues after the original problems have gone away? If you didn't know, you need to listen to this podcast as it's all about Kinesiophobia which is the fear of movement causing pain.

Welcome to the Pain Free Living Podcast with your hosts Bob Allen and Louise Gordon.

Bob is an osteopath who has been treating people's pain problems since 2008. while Louise, is a change coach who helps individuals and businesses to navigate change. Although she has no clinical experience she has been in...

If you think that getting older means more muscle and joint pain you are doing it wrong! You need to listen to this podcast as it might just change your mind...

Welcome to the Pain Free Living Podcast with your hosts Bob Allen and Louise Gordon.

Bob is an osteopath who has been treating people's pain problems since 2008. while Louise, is a change coach who helps individuals and businesses to navigate change. Although she has no clinical experience she has been in pain and is qualified to ask the questions you would if you had...

Introduction to the podcast and host

Welcome to the first episode of the Pain Free Living podcast, where host Bob Allen offers a sneak peek into some of the topics designed to help you manage and reduce pain.

As an osteopath with over a decade of experience, Bob discusses his background, the motivation for starting the podcast, and the wide range of subjects he plans to cover.

While he is flying solo in this episode, he will be joined by co-host Louise Gordon in the others where they will cover future topics including <...

You have low back pain, a headache, shoulder pain, or some other muscle or joint problem and need to see a physical therapist how do you decide whether you need an osteopath, chiropractor, or physiotherapist?

If you have ever wondered which one would be the best for you listen to this podcast and all will be revealed.

Introduction

Welcome to the Pain Free Living Podcast with your hosts Bob Allen and Louise Gordon.

Bob is an osteopath who has been treating people's pain problems since 2008. while Louise, is a change coach...