The Truth About Pain and Injury with Dr. Dan Pope

In this episode of the Always Adaptive Podcast, I sit down with Dan Pope, a Doctor of Physical Therapy, Strength Coach, and host of Fitness Pain Free to dive into his journey in fitness, the importance of evidence-based training, and the complexities of pain management. We get into his transition from personal trainer to physical therapist, how that shift shaped his coaching philosophy, and the practical takeaways from his new book.

We also tackle some of the most debated topics in strength training—including spinal flexion, valgus collapse, and the fine line between injury risk and building resilience. Dan shares his approach to assessments, movement quality, and injury prevention, breaking down what really matters when coaching athletes and general population clients alike.

This conversation is packed with real-world insights for coaches, therapists, and anyone interested in optimizing performance while keeping longevity in mind.

Buy Dans Book: Rock Solid Resilience - https://a.co/d/ix35HbB
Follow Dan:
YouTube - https://a.co/d/ix35HbB 
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/fitnesspainfree/

00:00 Introduction to Dan Pope and His Journey
03:10 The Motivation Behind Writing a Book
06:06 Transitioning from Personal Trainer to Physical Therapist
09:00 Understanding Pain and Movement in Fitness
11:46 The Complexity of Pain: Bio-Psycho-Social Model
15:08 Back Pain: Commonality and Treatment Approaches
18:14 Assessing Back Pain: The Role of Physical Therapy
20:53 Fitness Assessments: FMS vs. SFMA
23:49 Common Injuries in Strength Athletes
27:03 The Debate on Squatting Depth
30:03 Training Modalities: Flexion vs. Neutral Spine
35:05 Understanding Motion and Load Management
38:21 The Nuances of Spinal Flexion and Injury Risk
41:56 Pain Perception and Movement Patterns
45:51 Symmetry vs. Asymmetry in Movement
48:36 Research Challenges in Strength Training
55:20 Valgus Collapse and Knee Health
01:02:13 Promoting Safe Strength Training Practices

Coaching inquiries email me at randall@alwaysadaptive.com or visit alwaysadaptive.com

Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction
• 9:00 Understanding Pain and Movement in Fitness
• 15:08 Back Pain: Commonality and Treatment Approaches
• 20:53 Fitness Assessments: FMS vs. SFMA
• 27:03 The Debate on Squatting Depth
• 30:03 Flexion vs. Neutral Spine
• 35:00 Understanding Motion and Load Management
• 45:51 Symmetry vs. Asymmetry in Movement
• 55:00 Valgus Collapse and Knee Health