Pathology Bias: Is this right?

Does pain always come from what we see on imaging? In this episode, Dr. Fred Bagares breaks down why common MRI and X-ray findings—like arthritis or meniscus tears—are often wrongly blamed for pain. He discusses how younger patients with knee pain are diagnosed differently than older patients, why the same injury can lead to different conclusions, and how we can improve our approach to diagnosing and treating musculoskeletal pain.

Timestamps for Key Topics:

⏳ [00:00] – Introduction: Why do we assume imaging findings always explain pain?
⏳ [01:00] – Two types of pathology: Traumatic injury vs. wear and tear
⏳ [02:00] – Why knee pain in your 20s is called a contusion, but in your 40s it’s blamed on arthritis
⏳ [04:00] – The problem with imaging: Findings don’t always correlate with pain
⏳ [06:00] – The MRI dilemma: Are we chasing the wrong cause?
⏳ [08:00] – Why some people recover faster than others—factors beyond imaging
⏳ [10:00] – The biggest shift in thinking: Correlation does not equal causation
⏳ [11:30] – Final thoughts: Treating the patient, not just the scan

🔍 Key Takeaways:
✔ Pain is not always caused by what appears on imaging
✔ Arthritis and meniscus tears don’t always lead to pain—so why do we blame them?
✔ A movement-based mindset can influence recovery time more than imaging results
✔ Physicians need to rethink their approach and avoid anchoring diagnoses on imaging alone

🎧 Listen now and subscribe to the Talking Rehab Podcast.

This version accurately reflects the length of the podcast. Let me know if you’d like any other refinements!