Sometimes having pain seems very straightforward - you have a tear/bulge/strain in X so it hurts.

But what about when you have surgery to fix that thing… and you still have pain?

Or if you have pain, but nothing is structurally wrong?

The link between pain and the body isn't a straight line, so I'm grateful to be joined by physical therapist Dr. Ashley Mak to help us understand the science of pain.

Because if getting out of pain were as simple as stretching your hamstrings, you wouldn't need either of our services.

Dr. Ashley has been a licensed physical therapist for 10 years and is the founder of ifixyoursciatica.com, a platform for people suffering from low back pain and sciatica.

We share the belief that you can live pain-free without the use of surgery and medications.

So if you have tried all the things, but are still struggling with pain, today's episode is for you.

You'll learn:

• Why pain isn't just structural - and the role of the brain in pain
• How tissue healing happens
• and why you might still have pain, even if there's nothing "wrong"

All the links:

• IFixYourSciatica.com [Ashley's website]
• @ifixyoursciatica on Instagram
• The Sciatica Protocol [free 7-day text support]
• Explain Pain by by David Butler & Lorimer Moseley
• Motor Homonculus Illustration
• 30 days to more strength + flexibility with the Mobility Mastery Toolkit
• Movement Mavens has the tools and strategy to support you on your path to enjoying life without pain - www.aewellness.com/mavens
• www.aewellness.com/podcast - Show notes, links and more.
• Come hang out with me on Instagram @hollaformala : https://instagram.com/hollaformala/
• TikTok @ aewellness
• Bodywork Starter Guide - learn the 6 places you need to roll right now for quick relief, plus the reason why what you've tried so far has only given you a temporary fix. Download the guide for free now at www.aewellness.com/bodywork
• 818-396-6501 is the Body Nerd Hotline - how do you build consistency and/or where are you getting stuck? Drop me a line and let me know your body nerd hacks - you might just hear your voice on a future episode!

Today's episode is brought to you by Mobility Mastery Toolkit. Forget icing and stretching - and get a simple program you can do on your own that actually works. The Toolkit includes 30-days of exercises so you know exactly what to do to improve the mobility of your hips, lower back, feet, neck and shoulders. With video demos and a full-body mobility workout calendar, you're just 15-mins a day from feeling stronger and more flexible. Save 50% when you use the code MASTERY at www.mobilitytoolkit.co