The Crackin' Backs Podcast

In a world where women follow the same training, nutrition, and recovery advice as men—and still feel off, overtrained, or under-recovered—this episode changes everything you thought you knew.

Today we’re joined by Dr. Stacy T. Sims, PhD, a world-renowned exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist who has spent over two decades challenging the idea that “women are small men.” Instead, she’s helped pioneer a female-focused science of performance, health, longevity, and hormones.

In this conversation we explore:
• What top trackers like HRV and hormones actually mean for women
• Why traditional strength programming may be holding women back
• The physiology behind stress, adaptation, and burnout unique to women
• How hydration, sodium, and recovery shift through the menstrual cycle and menopause
• Nutrient timing, macronutrient needs, and performance fueling that truly works

This episode is for women who are successful, driven, and quietly frustrated—you’re not weak, you’re just following the wrong blueprint. If you’ve ever felt like your body wasn’t matching your effort, this episode will help you train, eat, and recover with confidence based on real female physiology.

About Dr. Stacy Sims

Dr. Stacy T. Sims, PhD is a forward-thinking international exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist whose research has transformed how women train and fuel for performance and long-term health. She has directed programs at Stanford University, AUT University, and the University of Waikato focused on female athlete health and performance. Her best-selling books ROAR and Next Level explain how women should match training and nutrition to their physiology—not generic male models. She’s also known for her influential Women Are Not Small Men TEDx talk.

Learn More

 Dr. Stacy Sims Official Website: HERE
ROAR, Revised Edition Book Info: HERE
Stacy Sims YouTube Channel: HERE
Next Level Book Info: HERE

We are two sports chiropractors, seeking knowledge from some of the best resources in the world of health. From our perspective, health is more than just “Crackin Backs” but a deep dive into physical, mental, and nutritional well-being philosophies.

 Join us as we talk to some of the greatest minds and discover some of the most incredible gems you can use to maintain a higher level of health. Crackin Backs Podcast

Fix This and Radically Reduce Your Shoulder Pain | Dr. Josh Satterlee

If shoulder pain were truly a shoulder problem, we would’ve solved it by now.
Yet millions of people—and even athletes—are stuck chasing rotator cuff diagnoses, endless rehab exercises, and generic advice that never fully works.

In this episode of the Crackin Backs Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Josh Satterlee, a nationally recognized sports chiropractor, educator, and performance clinician known for challenging outdated thinking around shoulder pain, movement assessment, and rehab.

Dr. Satterlee has worked with high-level athletes and trained clinicians around the world, and his message is simple—but uncomfortable: most shoulder rehab fails because we’re asking the wrong questions.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• Why most shoulder pain isn’t actually a shoulder issue
• The critical first fork in the road when someone presents with shoulder pain: stiff, unstable, irritated, or referred
• 2–3 simple daily-life “tells” you can notice right now (sleeping, reaching, putting on a jacket)
• Why chasing the rotator cuff often misses the real problem
• The upstream drivers Dr. Satterlee evaluates first: rib cage, thoracic spine, scapular control, and neck function
• The truth about frozen shoulder—and a simple decision tree to determine if it’s truly frozen
• The gym debate answered honestly: Is overhead pressing bad for your shoulders?
• How to bulletproof shoulders for rotational athletes (golf, tennis, baseball) by building the right capacities in the right order

This is not a conversation about chasing symptoms or labels. It’s about movement patterns, capacity, and asking better questions—whether you’re an athlete, an active adult, or a clinician trying to get better results.

If you’ve tried everything for shoulder pain…
If you’ve been told, “It’s just your rotator cuff”…
Or if you want to train, lift, and perform without fear—

This episode will change how you think about shoulders.

 Subscribe, listen, and learn why fixing this can radically reduce your shoulder pain.

We are two sports chiropractors, seeking knowledge from some of the best resources in the world of health. From our perspective, health is more than just “Crackin Backs” but a deep dive into physical, mental, and nutritional well-being philosophies.

 Join us as we talk to some of the greatest minds and discover some of the most incredible gems you can use to maintain a higher level of health. Crackin Backs Podcast

Your feet hit the ground thousands of times a day—yet most people treat them like fashion accessories instead of foundations.

Toe spacers. Barefoot shoes. Miracle insoles. Bunion fixes.

Social media has turned foot health into a trend—but pain, plantar fasciitis, bunions, and heel issues keep rising.

In this episode, we cut through the noise with Dr. Courtney Conley, one of the most trusted voices in foot health and human movement. We break down what’s actually supported by biomechanics and evidence—and what’s just well-marketed hope.

This is a practical, no-nonsense conversation for people who are active, successful, and quietly frustrated that their feet keep holding them back.

In this episode, we cover:

• How to spot foot health red flags that signal marketing—not real biomechanics
• Toe spacers: what they help, what they don’t, and how to use them safely
• Barefoot and minimalist shoes—who they help, who they hurt, and how to transition without injury
• Bunions: what can improve pain and function conservatively—and what usually won’t reverse
• Orthotics: when they’re smart, when they’re a distraction, and how to pair them with real foot strength
• Plantar fasciitis and heel pain: the highest-ROI strategies people overlook
• Heel spurs explained—and whether injections actually make sense
• Why walking is a longevity skill, and the 3 foot metrics that matter most for life

If foot pain has been limiting your workouts, your walking, or your confidence in movement, this episode will change how you think about your feet—and your shoes.

About the Guest

Dr. Courtney Conley is a foot and ankle specialist, educator, and co-founder of Gait Happens, a globally recognized foot health education platform. She specializes in biomechanics, gait analysis, injury prevention, and helping people build stronger, more resilient feet through evidence-based strategies. Dr. Conley is widely known for translating complex foot science into practical tools athletes, clinicians, and everyday people can actually use.

 Learn more about Dr. Courtney Conley and her work:
 https://gaithappens.com

To pre order her new book click HERE

We are two sports chiropractors, seeking knowledge from some of the best resources in the world of health. From our perspective, health is more than just “Crackin Backs” but a deep dive into physical, mental, and nutritional well-being philosophies.

 Join us as we talk to some of the greatest minds and discover some of the most incredible gems you can use to maintain a higher level of health. Crackin Backs Podcast

Your dog’s health advice no longer comes from your veterinarian alone—it comes from your social media feed.

Longevity chews. “Stem cell” drops. CBD everything. Miracle arthritis injections. PEMF mats. Laser wands. Every ad promising “10 more years” with your dog.
But how much of it is real… and how much is just marketing wrapped in hope?

In this episode, we do something rare in modern pet health conversations: we slow down, remove the hype, and look at the evidence.

To help cut through the noise, we’re joined by Dr. Sonja Friedbauer, a highly respected veterinarian known for blending natural medicine, clinical experience, and evidence-based decision making. Dr. Friedbauer returns to help pet owners understand what actually works, what’s overpromised, and where caution is warranted.

We dig into some of the most controversial and misunderstood topics in canine health today, including:

• How to spot red flags when a product claims to be “clinically proven” to reverse arthritis or extend lifespan
• What real evidence looks like in veterinary medicine—and what doesn’t qualify
• The truth about Librela: when it can be a powerful option, what’s still unknown, and how owners should monitor dogs month to month
• How Librela compares to NSAIDs, weight loss, rehab, and supplements
• If you want a natural-first approach, which supplement ingredients actually have meaningful evidence in dogs—and which ones don’t
• Omega-3 dosing that matters, how long it takes to see change, and why most owners underdose
• UC-II vs glucosamine and chondroitin—explained simply and practically
• How to avoid junk supplements by understanding sourcing, testing, and quality control

We also explore the growing obsession with dog longevity, including the buzz around rapamycin and other anti-aging candidates—what we truly know today, and what pet owners should not assume yet.

Gut health is another major focus. With probiotics, postbiotics, and microbiome testing flooding the market, we discuss what’s promising, what’s premature, and how gut and immune inflammation often show up as joint pain, skin issues, and accelerated aging.

As veterinary costs rise faster than inflation, we also tackle a difficult but necessary conversation: how pet parents and clinicians can work together to create care plans that are financially realistic and medically responsible—without sacrificing long-term health.

And for new and future dog owners, we shift gears to puppies:

• What the latest research says about puppy nutrition from 8 weeks through adolescence
• The science behind puppy food vs adult food and feeding frequency
• Why early gut health can shape lifelong wellness
• The behavioral and developmental milestones that matter more than most people realize
• How early socialization and structured learning influence confidence, resilience, and long-term behavior

This episode is for dog owners who love deeply, think critically, and want to make decisions based on clarity—not fear or marketing.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by pet health trends, confused by conflicting advice, or unsure where to spend your money wisely, this conversation will change how you look at your dog’s care.

We are two sports chiropractors, seeking knowledge from some of the best resources in the world of health. From our perspective, health is more than just “Crackin Backs” but a deep dive into physical, mental, and nutritional well-being philosophies.

 Join us as we talk to some of the greatest minds and discover some of the most incredible gems you can use to maintain a higher level of health. Crackin Backs Podcast

She Survived a 113-MPH Crash — Kali Parkinson’s Story of Trauma, Healing, and Becoming Someone New | Crackin’ Backs Podcast

One moment, you’re a college student planning your future.
The next, you’re in a car going 113 miles per hour, rolling 15 times down a 300-foot canyon in rural Utah.

On this powerful episode of the Crackin’ Backs Podcast, we sit down with Kali Parkinson, a college student whose life changed in a single, violent moment—and whose story of survival, recovery, and identity will stay with you long after the episode ends.

The driver of the car died on impact.
Kali survived—but only because of a chain of unlikely “coincidences” that defy explanation.

Random hikers happened to be out on a Wednesday night in a remote canyon.
Despite minimal cell service, they were able to call 911.
A medical helicopter was already in the area on a training flight and arrived in less than 25 minutes.
One hiker carried a pocket knife with a seatbelt cutter, just in time to free Kali as the belt tightened around her neck and began to suffocate her.

This episode isn’t about shock value.
It’s about what happens after—when survival becomes the starting line, not the finish.

In this conversation, Kali shares:

• What she remembers from the moment everything changed—and the first clear thought that cut through the chaos
• How surviving a near-fatal car accident affects not just the body, but the mind
• The hardest emotions she faced once the dust settled
• What it’s like when your body becomes something you must relearn instead of trust
• The challenge of going from independence at college to suddenly needing help in ways most young adults never experience
• Whether accepting help—or trusting herself again—was the harder battle
• How facing mortality at such a young age changed her relationship with time, priorities, and what truly matters
• Who she hopes people sense she is today—not what she survived, but who she has become

This episode speaks directly to anyone who has experienced trauma, loss, or a life-altering event—and to anyone navigating the quiet, unseen work of healing.

Why This Story Matters

Kali Parkinson’s story reminds us that healing isn’t linear, strength isn’t loud, and survival is not the same as living. Her experience offers insight not only for those recovering from physical trauma, but for anyone re-learning trust—in their body, their mind, and their future.

This is not just a story about what happened.
It’s a story about who you become afterward.

 Watch or Listen

Available on YouTube and all major podcast platforms.

We are two sports chiropractors, seeking knowledge from some of the best resources in the world of health. From our perspective, health is more than just “Crackin Backs” but a deep dive into physical, mental, and nutritional well-being philosophies.

 Join us as we talk to some of the greatest minds and discover some of the most incredible gems you can use to maintain a higher level of health. Crackin Backs Podcast

Are medical students and young doctors really becoming better clinicians — or just better prompt engineers with stethoscopes? In this episode of Crackin’ Backs, we go deep with Dr. Ti Pence to unpack AI in healthcare, how it’s reshaping medical training, clinical decision-making, ethical responsibility, bias, and what the next decade of medicine might look like.

From daily AI use in study and documentation to hospitals quietly embedding tools into clinics, we ask the hard questions:

• What happens when medical training prioritizes AI fluency over clinical judgment?
• How can future physicians use AI to augment — not override — human expertise?
• Where does bias pose the greatest risk in real-world medicine?
• Who should be held accountable if AI harms a patient?
• And what does an ideal AI-powered healthcare system look like by 2030?

Whether you’re a clinician, medical student, health professional, patient advocate, or curious about the future of medicine and technology, this episode challenges assumptions and shows the human side of AI in health care.

About Our Guest — Dr. Ti Pence

Dr. Ti Pence, DC is a clinician, healthcare strategist, and thought leader at the intersection of artificial intelligence, clinical judgment, and medical education. With advanced training in healthcare administration and cutting-edge insight into how AI tools are shaping practice, Dr. Pence explores the balance between technology and human expertise — especially in how doctors are trained, evaluated, and held accountable today.

He’s been featured talking about AI’s impact on manual therapy, chiropractic education, and the future of clinical skills — challenging traditional norms and offering practical, big-picture insight into where medicine is headed next.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

 Why AI is already embedded in how medical students study, write notes, and plan care
 One real example where AI impressed — and one where it missed the mark
How bias in healthcare data can harm real lives
What professionalism with AI should actually look like
The “rules of engagement” every future physician should follow
A hopeful — and a cautionary — vision of medicine in 2030

Whether you’re preparing for med school, navigating clinical practice, or just curious about AI + human judgment, this episode makes complex ideas feel understandable and urgent.

Listen, Subscribe & Share

Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube, and wherever you get your podcasts.

If this episode made you think differently about medicine and AI, please subscribe, rate, and leave a review — it helps other curious minds discover the show.

We are two sports chiropractors, seeking knowledge from some of the best resources in the world of health. From our perspective, health is more than just “Crackin Backs” but a deep dive into physical, mental, and nutritional well-being philosophies.

 Join us as we talk to some of the greatest minds and discover some of the most incredible gems you can use to maintain a higher level of health. Crackin Backs Podcast

What if the hormone you’ve been ignoring your entire life… is the one that could save it?

In this electrifying episode of The Crackin Backs Podcast we welcome back hormone-game-changer Dr. Devaki Lindsey Berkson — a global thought-leader whose career spans nearly four decades of clinical breakthroughs in hormones, nutrition and gut-health.

Known for calling Oxytocin “the most misunderstood hormone in modern medicine” — not just the so-called “love hormone,” but a whole-body regulator — Dr. Berkson pulls back the curtain on how oxytocin might be the missing link behind loneliness, inflammation, hormone decline, disconnection, anxiety, burnout, mood disorders, trauma, menopause, male aging, intimacy and longevity.

Why have we excluded oxytocin from the women’s health conversation (menopause, pelvic floor, estrogen/progesterone interplay)? What does the science actually reveal about oxytocin’s power to rewire the brain, heal trauma, support male cardiovascular health, and rewrite the aging script? Dr. Berkson explains it all — with the kind of clinical depth and personal insight that only comes from someone who has lived the story as both doctor and patient.

If you’re ready to challenge everything you’ve been told about hormones and discover the regulatory molecule that may hold the key to emotional connection, physical resilience, and the longer, better life you deserve — you cannot skip this episode.

 Want to dig deeper? Grab Dr. Berkson’s latest book, explore her full bio and research, and watch/listen to this episode now — your future self will thank you.

Learn more about Dr. Devaki Lindsey Berkson:
Dr. Berkson’s Official Site

Be sure to subscribe, rate and share so you don’t miss our next deep-dive into hormone science, performance, wellness and transformation.

We are two sports chiropractors, seeking knowledge from some of the best resources in the world of health. From our perspective, health is more than just “Crackin Backs” but a deep dive into physical, mental, and nutritional well-being philosophies.

 Join us as we talk to some of the greatest minds and discover some of the most incredible gems you can use to maintain a higher level of health. Crackin Backs Podcast

Spines don’t just bend — they reveal who we are, how we adapt, and where modern medicine is still failing. Today on Crackin’ Backs, we sit down with a man who’s been inside those hidden curves, seen what the X-rays don’t show, and is rewriting the entire narrative around scoliosis.
Meet Dr. Jeb McAviney: chiropractor, researcher, speaker, and CEO of ScoliCare. With over two decades in non-surgical spinal deformity care, Dr. McAviney holds a Master of Chiropractic and a Master of Pain Medicine—he’s also developed breakthrough programs like ScoliBalance® and ScoliBrace® and now sits on the board of the International Society on Scoliosis Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation Treatment (SOSORT).

What we’ll uncover in this episode:

• Why scoliosis is not just a teenage issue—and how adult curves are being ignored.
• The biggest shifts in scoliosis treatment in the last 2–4 years that many clinicians or parents don’t know—and why that lag can be dangerous.
• The emotional and identity weight that sits on someone’s spine—what the image can’t tell you, but Dr. McAviney sees.
• The sacred cows of scoliosis care: What practices will we look back on in 10 years and say, “How did we ever think that was acceptable?”
• The global scoreboard: Which countries are getting scoliosis care right, which ones are shockingly behind, and what explains the difference.

If you’ve ever wondered what your spine really says about you—this is the episode you can’t skip.

 Learn more about Dr. McAviney & join the mission:

• ScoliCare

Tune in now—because the curve in your spine might be writing the story you haven’t yet heard.

We are two sports chiropractors, seeking knowledge from some of the best resources in the world of health. From our perspective, health is more than just “Crackin Backs” but a deep dive into physical, mental, and nutritional well-being philosophies.

 Join us as we talk to some of the greatest minds and discover some of the most incredible gems you can use to maintain a higher level of health. Crackin Backs Podcast

Most people fear one life-changing setback. Matt Blanchard has survived two. And today on Crackin’ Backs, we’re not just talking about recovery — we’re talking about life after paralysis. What happens when the crowds fade, the rehab ends, and an entirely new version of living begins?

Matt’s story is as raw and real as they come. In 2006, a rollover accident left him with a T-12 spinal cord injury, paralyzed from the waist down. After 15 years of relentless therapy he defied the odds and walked again. Then in 2021 a head-on collision with a drunk driver erased his progress — the jaws of life, an air-lift to a trauma center, paralysis again. Through it all, Matt founded St. George Adaptive Sports, became a nationally recognized motivational speaker, and rewrote what resilience, strength and real living mean.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• How identity dies and is reborn when you rebuild life twice after paralysis — the truth behind “starting over.”
• The smallest, most overlooked daily habit that keeps Matt grounded, mentally resilient and strong — still to this day.
• What happens after the world stops watching: how do you create momentum when no one is cheering and your body still carries the load?
• What healthcare providers still get wrong about the long-term physical realities of paralysis — and the hidden mental load they often miss.
• A perspective every fully-mobile athlete would gain if they lived just one day in Matt’s body — about training, gratitude and physical mastery.

Connect & Support the Mission
If you feel inspired by Matt’s journey and want to join the cause:

• Visit St. George Adaptive Sports (Utah-based nonprofit) to donate, volunteer or learn how adaptive golf and inclusive recreation are rewriting strength HERE
• Follow Matt on Instagram: @mattyblanch3 & Facebook: Matt Blanchard 333 to stay updated, share his message and support his speaking mission.
• Book Matt as a speaker or connect for collaboration via BlanchardInspires.com

We are two sports chiropractors, seeking knowledge from some of the best resources in the world of health. From our perspective, health is more than just “Crackin Backs” but a deep dive into physical, mental, and nutritional well-being philosophies.

 Join us as we talk to some of the greatest minds and discover some of the most incredible gems you can use to maintain a higher level of health. Crackin Backs Podcast

On today’s episode of the Crackin’ Backs Podcast, we sit down with one of the most quietly powerful humans we’ve ever met—Dennis Lappin, a career firefighter, father, and American Ninja Warrior who embodies what real strength looks like when no one’s watching.

Dennis runs toward burning buildings for a living…
and for fun, he runs straight into obstacles most people wouldn’t ever attempt.

But his story isn’t about the spotlight.
It’s about the moment the lights went out.

While competing on American Ninja Warrior, Dennis tore his Achilles and calf—an injury known to end athletic careers, especially for tactical athletes who rely on explosive strength and stability. Doctors told him he might never compete again. Most people would’ve taken that as their cue to step back.

Dennis didn’t.

He didn’t fight his way back for cameras, applause, or a redemption storyline.
He came back because ordinary people don’t do extraordinary things—extraordinary decisions do.

In this raw, emotional, and deeply human conversation, we explore:

 The exact moment he decided “I’m not done”

Was it in the firehouse, during rehab, or alone at home when doubt got loud? Dennis opens up about the internal line he refused to cross.

 How he built elite-level fitness around 24-hour firefighter shifts, stress, trauma, and unpredictability

Firefighting isn’t structured—so neither was his training. His system wasn’t built on convenience… it was built inside chaos.

 How he balanced three identities: firefighter, athlete, and father

What happens when the heaviest “hat” isn’t the one people see? Dennis talks about emotional load, fatigue, and showing up even when you’re empty.

 Why his rehab philosophy wasn’t to “get back,” but to LEVEL UP

He breaks down the one rehab principle everyone ignores—and why it completely changed his recovery.

 The real fear he faced—on a fire call and on the Ninja Warrior course

And the exact mindset tool he used to get through the type of fear you don’t talk about.

 His message for anyone who says: “I’m too tired, too old, too busy, too late”

Dennis doesn’t give motivational clichés. He gives truth earned in smoke, sweat, and setbacks.

 What healthcare providers often misunderstand about firefighters and tactical athletes

If you treat firefighters, law enforcement, or military personnel—this is a masterclass in understanding stress load, biology, and performance under pressure.

 The one life lesson he hopes his kids remember from watching him fall and rise again

A moment that will hit every parent, coach, and athlete right in the chest.

This episode isn’t about Ninja Warrior.
It isn’t about firefighting.

It’s about every human being who has ever been knocked down and had to decide whether today is the day they stay down… or rise.

We are two sports chiropractors, seeking knowledge from some of the best resources in the world of health. From our perspective, health is more than just “Crackin Backs” but a deep dive into physical, mental, and nutritional well-being philosophies.

 Join us as we talk to some of the greatest minds and discover some of the most incredible gems you can use to maintain a higher level of health. Crackin Backs Podcast