The Pain Free Athlete Podcast

On this episode of the Pain Free Athlete Podcast, Dana Jones talks with Dr. Matthew “Matt” Siow, a fellowship-trained orthopedic sports medicine surgeon in San Diego and former Division I tennis player at Princeton.

From knee pain and hip injuries to Tommy John surgery and repeat ACL procedures, we explore how an athlete’s diagnosis, goals, and expectations shape treatment decisions. Dr. Siow also shares how his own athletic background helps him understand the pressure to return to sport.

We get into a surprising conversation about young pitchers viewing Tommy John surgery as a path to better performance—and why Dr. Siow disagrees with treating surgery as a preventive strategy.

IN THIS CONVERSATION:
• The athlete mindset and the pressure to push through an injury
• How doctors weigh conservative treatment and surgery
• Tommy John surgery, throwing velocity, and recovery expectations
• Knee pain, arthritis, and finding the right treatment approach
• Hip impingement, labral tears, and joint preservation
• What revision surgery means and why it can be more complicated
• Staying active while thinking about long-term joint health

Whether you’re training, recovering from an injury, or trying to stay active as you get older, this conversation explores the decisions that can help you keep doing what you love.

CHAPTERS:
00:00 Meet Dr. Matt Siow
00:30 From Princeton tennis to sports medicine
03:31 Playing through pain and the pressure to return
05:45 Tommy John surgery and the pursuit of throwing harder
10:10 Knee pain: conservative treatment or surgery?
12:09 Hip impingement, labral tears, and joint preservation
14:54 How hip replacement recovery has changed
17:06 What is revision surgery?
19:28 Joint replacement longevity and staying active
20:30 Finding options after multiple ACL surgeries
22:49 Thinking about long-term joint health
24:28 Connect with Dr. Siow

CONNECT WITH DR. MATT SIOW:
Visit Dr. Siow’s website

Enjoyed this conversation? Subscribe to the Pain Free Athlete Podcast, like this video, and share it with someone navigating an injury or a return to sport.

What activity do you want to keep doing for years to come? Tell us in the comments.

About Matt:

Dr. Matthew Siow is an orthopaedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine at Ortho 1 Medical Group in San Diego. He is passionate about helping patients of all ages return to the activities they love—whether that’s competing at the highest level, staying active on the weekends, or simply enjoying everyday movement without pain.

Dr. Siow completed his orthopaedic surgery residency at UC San Diego Health and went on to advanced fellowship training in sports medicine at the renowned Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in Los Angeles. During residency, he provided care for San Diego High School varsity football and was actively involved in leadership roles, research, and resident education. During his fellowship, he served as an assistant team physician for professional organizations including the Los Angeles Dodgers, Rams, Angels, Galaxy, and Anaheim Ducks, as well as collegiate athletes at Loyola Marymount University.

Matt’s Links:

sandiegosportssurgery.com

https://www.siowortho.com/

Dana’s Links:

⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.painfreeathletepodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠10 Day Journaling Journey⁠⁠⁠⁠

Podcast Disclaimer:

The Pain-Free Podcast is presented solely for general information, education, and entertainment purposes. Any information presented in this podcast is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional diagnosis. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast or website is at the user’s own risk. As always, users should not disregard or delay obtaining medical advice for any medical or mental health condition that they may have and should seek the assistance of their healthcare professionals for any such conditions.

In this episode of the Pain Free Athlete Podcast, host Dana Jones sits down with Dr. Jeff Sankoff, emergency physician, triathlon coach, Ironman finisher, and host of The TriDoc Podcast, for a candid, coach-to-coach conversation about training smarter, recovering better, and separating science from marketing hype.

Jeff shares his journey from a beginner who couldn't swim to an accomplished triathlete and coach. Together, Dana and Jeff explore why athletes struggle to take rest days, how to navigate injuries without panicking about lost fitness, and why training should fit into your life—not the other way around.

They also tackle the pressure athletes put on themselves, the fear of missing workouts, and the endless stream of products promising faster recovery and better performance.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why training should fit your life instead of taking it over.
• How to approach injuries, rest days, and the fear of losing fitness.
• Why a short training break doesn't erase years of hard work.
• How to manage race-day anxiety by focusing on what you can control.
• What to consider when returning to exercise after an illness.
• Why expensive recovery products and performance gadgets aren't always worth the investment.
• How sleep, nutrition, and consistent training can make a bigger difference than the latest fitness trends.

The big takeaway: You can't buy your way to better fitness. Investing in yourself, respecting recovery, and staying consistent will take you further than chasing every new trend.

Whether you're a triathlete, runner, recreational athlete, or someone simply trying to stay active without burning out, this conversation offers a refreshing reminder that smarter training doesn't have to be complicated.

Listen, subscribe, and share the Pain Free Athlete Podcast with someone who needs a reminder that rest is part of training and the best investment you can make is in yourself.

About Dr Jeff:

Dr. Jeff Sankoff, also known as the TriDoc, is an emergency physician, triathlon coach, multiple Ironman finisher, and host of The TriDoc Podcast. With more than two decades of experience in triathlon, Jeff combines his medical knowledge with firsthand athletic experience to help athletes train smarter, recover effectively, and achieve their goals.

Through TriDoc Coaching, Jeff emphasizes evidence-based training, realistic expectations, and finding a healthy balance between athletic ambitions and everyday life. He's passionate about helping athletes cut through marketing hype, avoid unnecessary spending, and focus on what truly matters: consistent training, proper nutrition, adequate sleep, and long-term health.

Dr Jeff’s Links:

• Instagram: @tridoccoaching
• Coaching: www.tridoccoaching.com
• Podcast: www.tridocpodcast.com

Dana’s Links:

⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.painfreeathletepodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠10 Day Journaling Journey⁠⁠⁠⁠

Podcast Disclaimer:

The Pain-Free Podcast is presented solely for general information, education, and entertainment purposes. Any information presented in this podcast is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional diagnosis. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast or website is at the user’s own risk. As always, users should not disregard or delay obtaining medical advice for any medical or mental health condition that they may have and should seek the assistance of their healthcare professionals for any such conditions.

In this episode of the Pain Free Athlete Podcast, Dana Jones welcomes Dr. Leia Rispoli, a former Division I soccer player and double board-certified interventional pain medicine physician, for an honest conversation about aging, athletic identity, and the challenge of slowing down enough to listen to your body.

Together, they explore the shift from pushing through pain to making room for recovery, the value of cross-training, and why meaningful goals matter when navigating pain. Dana also shares how her relationship with yoga and body awareness changed after decades of migraines.

This conversation is about finding ways to keep doing what you love—with adjustments that support the athlete you are today.

About Dr Rispoli:

Dr. Leia Rispoli is a double board-certified interventional pain medicine physician specializing in non-surgical pain management. With a compassionate, patient-centered approach, she helps individuals overcome chronic and acute pain using advanced, evidence-based treatments. Her goal is to restore function, reduce discomfort, and enhance quality of life.

She treats a wide range of conditions, including low back pain, neck pain, joint pain, pelvic pain, and headaches. By utilizing minimally invasive techniques, Dr. Rispoli empowers patients to regain mobility and improve their well-being.

Dr Rispoli's links:

https://leiarispolimd.com/

Dana’s Links:

⁠⁠⁠https://www.painfreeathletepodcast.com⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠10 Day Journaling Journey⁠⁠⁠

Podcast Disclaimer:

The Pain-Free Podcast is presented solely for general information, education, and entertainment purposes. Any information presented in this podcast is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional diagnosis. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast or website is at the user’s own risk. As always, users should not disregard or delay obtaining medical advice for any medical or mental health condition that they may have and should seek the assistance of their healthcare professionals for any such conditions.

In this episode of the Pain Free Athlete Podcast, I’m joined by Joanna Chodorowska, holistic sports nutrition coach, Ironman finisher, and founder of Nutrition in Motion, for a conversation about fueling, recovery, and learning to listen to your body instead of constantly asking more of it.

Joanna shares how overwhelming exhaustion during endurance training changed her approach to food, stress, and taking care of herself. We explore her approach to everyday nutrition, starting with manageable changes rather than overhauling everything at once. We also talk about what happens when exercise becomes your only way to manage stress.

We get into the realities of endurance training, experimenting with nutrition before race day, and the mindset that food is something you have to “earn” through exercise. I also share my own experience of training without fueling properly—and continuing to push through anyway.

About Joanna:

Joanna Chodorowska  (HOTERASKA) is a holistic sports nutrition coach, an expert on Gastro-Intestinal issues, inflammation, arthritis and chronic pain, and all things athlete because she is one herself! She is also a prayer minister, certified Eating Disorder Recovery Coach, and owner of Nutrition in Motion.

Joanna discovered through her own healing journey from adrenal exhaustion and arthritic hips, that the body can heal given the right tools.   The keys to better health are going back to the basics:  eat more real food, balance the blood sugar, and managing stress better.  Get those down pat and  you can enjoy more of your body and your life!

She provides more than hope for you to get back to your active life better than you thought possible.  Fuel your whole body, mind, spirit and sport and discover the power of real food nutrition and anti-inflammatory diet.

Joanna's Links:
Nutrition in Motion: www.nutritioninmotion.net

Enjoyed this conversation? Follow the Pain Free Athlete Podcast, leave a review, and share this episode with the athlete in your life who has a hard time taking a rest day.

Dana’s Links:

⁠⁠⁠https://www.painfreeathletepodcast.com⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠10 Day Journaling Journey⁠⁠⁠

Podcast Disclaimer:

The Pain-Free Podcast is presented solely for general information, education, and entertainment purposes. Any information presented in this podcast is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional diagnosis. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast or website is at the user’s own risk. As always, users should not disregard or delay obtaining medical advice for any medical or mental health condition that they may have and should seek the assistance of their healthcare professionals for any such conditions.

In this episode of the Pain Free Athlete Podcast, Dana is joined by health coach and fellow athlete Amanda Lim for an honest conversation about fueling, strength, and what happens when being an athlete starts to look different. Amanda shares how a gymnastics injury at age 12 led her into diving—and helped her discover that changing sports didn’t mean losing her athletic identity.

About Amanda:

Amanda Lim is a metabolic health coach, certified perinatal strength expert, and director of LIFT Clinic, Singapore’s first comprehensive metabolic health center. A lifelong athlete, Amanda has moved through gymnastics, springboard diving, endurance sports, CrossFit, and competitive weightlifting while managing scoliosis for nearly 30 years. She now uses strength, mobility, nutrition, and behavior change to help women build healthier and more adaptable bodies. Amanda is also the co-host and co-creator of the award-winning podcast *The Forties Formula* and is writing a book on perinatal fitness and nutrition.

Amanda's links:

Instagram: @coachamandalim

*The Forties Formula*: https://thefortiesformula.com/

*The Forties Formula* on Instagram: @thefortiesformula

LIFT Clinic: https://liftclinic.org/

Subscribe to the Pain Free Athlete Podcast for more conversations about movement, recovery, performance, and building a healthier relationship with your body.

Dana’s Links:

⁠⁠⁠https://www.painfreeathletepodcast.com⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠10 Day Journaling Journey⁠⁠⁠

Podcast Disclaimer:

The Pain-Free Podcast is presented solely for general information, education, and entertainment purposes. Any information presented in this podcast is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional diagnosis. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast or website is at the user’s own risk. As always, users should not disregard or delay obtaining medical advice for any medical or mental health condition that they may have and should seek the assistance of their healthcare professionals for any such conditions.

On this episode of the Pain Free Athlete Podcast,  Dana is joined by Alexandra Winn-Marvin, LCSW, a Lexington-based therapist specializing in trauma, anxiety, life transitions, and athlete mental health. Drawing on her experience as a competitive dancer, longtime dance teacher, and therapist, Alexandra explains how a “push through the pain” culture can cause children to lose their love of sports—and carry unhealthy beliefs about performance into adulthood.

They discuss the early signs of burnout, why rest must be taught and modeled, and how over-scheduling can leave young athletes without the time to develop friendships or an identity away from competition. Alexandra also offers practical guidance for athletes learning to advocate for themselves, parents who recognize they may be adding to the pressure, and coaches who want to develop successful athletes without harming their well-being.

About Alexandra Winn-Marvin

Alexandra Winn-Marvin, LCSW, is a therapist based in Lexington, Kentucky. She specializes in trauma, anxiety, life transitions, and athlete mental health. A former competitive dancer and longtime dance teacher, Alexandra brings personal and professional insight to the pressures young athletes experience.

Connect With Alexandra

• Website: https://www.awmlcsw.com/
• Instagram: @its.giving.therapy

The Pain Free Athlete Podcast explores the physical and emotional realities of sports, helping athletes, parents, and coaches build healthier relationships with training, performance, recovery, and pain.

If this conversation resonated with you, consider contacting a licensed mental-health professional. If you are experiencing a mental-health crisis in the United States, call or text 988.

Dana’s Links:

⁠⁠⁠https://www.painfreeathletepodcast.com⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠10 Day Journaling Journey⁠⁠⁠

Podcast Disclaimer:

The Pain-Free Podcast is presented solely for general information, education, and entertainment purposes. Any information presented in this podcast is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional diagnosis. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast or website is at the user’s own risk. As always, users should not disregard or delay obtaining medical advice for any medical or mental health condition that they may have and should seek the assistance of their healthcare professionals for any such conditions.

Former WNBA player and UCLA Hall of Famer Lisa Willis joins Dana Jones on the Pain Free Athlete Podcast for an honest conversation about career-ending injury, identity loss, and finding purpose beyond performance.

Lisa shares how a devastating knee injury ended her basketball career—and why filling her schedule with meaningful work couldn’t replace everything basketball had given her. She opens up about grieving the game, defining success on her own terms, and learning to acknowledge that she could love basketball while building a new life.

Dana and Lisa also explore mental performance training, staying connected to your team during injury, and finding your next step when life changes the plan.

About Lisa:

Lisa C. Willis spent her career performing under the most unforgiving pressure in professional sports, as a retired WNBA three-point leader, UCLA Hall of Famer, and USA Basketball Gold Medalist. Resilience wasn't a concept she learned. It was a survival skill she developed.

After making history as a trailblazer with the New York Knicks organization, the first woman to coach in that organization, Lisa C. Willis channeled a decade of elite performance experience into a mental performance coaching practice, and eventually, a speaking career built around one simple truth: resilience is not random. It is a repeatable system.

Her S.P.O.R.T. Method has helped Fortune 500 leaders, professional athletes, and high-stakes executives close the gap between pressure and performance, not by avoiding the heat, but by learning to transform inside of it.

Lisa’s Links:

https://lisacwillis.com/

Dana’s Links:

⁠⁠⁠https://www.painfreeathletepodcast.com⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠10 Day Journaling Journey⁠⁠⁠

Podcast Disclaimer:

The Pain-Free Podcast is presented solely for general information, education, and entertainment purposes. Any information presented in this podcast is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional diagnosis. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast or website is at the user’s own risk. As always, users should not disregard or delay obtaining medical advice for any medical or mental health condition that they may have and should seek the assistance of their healthcare professionals for any such conditions.

In this episode of the Pain Free Athlete Podcast, Dana Jones speaks with visionary alchemist, author, and aromatherapy expert Adora Winquist about using nature, scent, breath, and intentional practices to support nervous system regulation.Adora shares how nature became a sanctuary during her childhood and how her experiences with anxiety, depression, endometriosis, herbalism, essential oils, and energy medicine shaped her life’s work. She also explains how she adapted these practices for veterans, active-duty service members, first responders, and wounded-warrior athletes.

Together, Dana and Adora explore the parallels between athletes and military personnel—including discipline, hypervigilance, ignoring pain, and suffering in silence. They discuss why skills that help us perform under pressure can make it difficult to rest and recover once the mission, competition, or immediate threat has passed.

Adora introduces the idea of “training the transition”: helping the nervous system move intentionally between focus, energy, recovery, rest, and readiness. She explains how aroma and slow breathing can serve as sensory cues that interrupt familiar stress patterns and help create healthier habits through repetition.

In this episode

• How Adora’s childhood connection with nature inspired her work
• Her personal experiences with anxiety, depression, chronic pain, and endometriosis
• Why athletes and service members may become stuck in fight-or-flight mode
• The connection between scent, memory, mood, and emotion
• How essential oils can become cues for rest, focus, or recovery
• Why readiness includes patience, clarity, sleep, and restoration
• Adora’s work with veterans, active-duty personnel, and wounded-warrior athletes
• The role of repetition and neuroplasticity in creating new nervous-system patterns
• Why healing does not have to mean suffering in silence
• How to begin “training the transition” with breath and sensory awareness

Try the breathing practice

Inhale gently for a count of four, then exhale through the mouth for a count of six. Repeat at a comfortable pace and notice whether your body begins to soften or settle.

Connect with Adora Winquist

Website: https://adorawinquist.com/
Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/adoraOConnerWinquist/
https://www.facebook.com/adorawinquistmodernalchemist/

Dana’s Links:

⁠⁠⁠https://www.painfreeathletepodcast.com⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠10 Day Journaling Journey⁠⁠⁠

Podcast Disclaimer:

The Pain-Free Podcast is presented solely for general information, education, and entertainment purposes. Any information presented in this podcast is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional diagnosis. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast or website is at the user’s own risk. As always, users should not disregard or delay obtaining medical advice for any medical or mental health condition that they may have and should seek the assistance of their healthcare professionals for any such conditions.

This episode of the Pain Free Athlete Podcast features Marissa Axel, founder of Action Fitness and Coaching, for an empowering conversation about helping women over 40 become stronger, faster, and more resilient athletes.Marissa explains why the training strategies that worked in our 20s and 30s may no longer produce the same results as our bodies and hormones change. She and Dana discuss the importance of moving beyond endurance-only training and building a foundation that includes strength, power, proper fueling, and intentional recovery.They also explore the warning signs of underfueling and Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S), including persistent fatigue, poor performance, frequent illness, injuries, and difficulty recovering. Marissa shares practical ways athletes can fuel before, during, and after training without making nutrition overly complicated.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why strength training becomes essential for women beginning around age 35How strength work supports cycling, triathlon performance, bone health, and longevityWhy fasted training may create additional stress for women over 40How to match carbohydrate intake to the length and intensity of a workoutWhy recovery nutrition should include both protein and carbohydratesHow underfueling can contribute to fatigue, injuries, illness, and declining performanceWhy the scale doesn’t tell the full story of your health or athletic potentialHow to shift your focus from becoming smaller to discovering what your body can doMarissa’s message is simple but powerful: stop chasing a number on the scale and start building a body that can support your goals and adventures for decades to come.About Marissa:Marissa Axell is the founder of AXN Fitness and Coaching and a coach for women over 40 who want to improve cycling performance through strength, power, skill, fueling, and recovery. Her work focuses on helping athletes move beyond endurance-only training and build the kind of resilience that supports speed, injury prevention, and long-term performance.Connect with Marissa:Instagram and Facebook: @marissa.axellWebsite: https://axnfitnessandcoaching.comDana’s Links:⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.painfreeathletepodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠10 Day Journaling Journey⁠⁠⁠⁠Podcast Disclaimer:The Pain-Free Podcast is presented solely for general information, education, and entertainment purposes. Any information presented in this podcast is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional diagnosis. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast or website is at the user’s own risk. As always, users should not disregard or delay obtaining medical advice for any medical or mental health condition that they may have and should seek the assistance of their healthcare professionals for any such conditions.

This episode of the Pain Free Athlete Podcast features Marissa Axel, founder of Action Fitness and Coaching, for an empowering conversation about helping women over 40 become stronger, faster, and more resilient athletes.

Marissa explains why the training strategies that worked in our 20s and 30s may no longer produce the same results as our bodies and hormones change. She and Dana discuss the importance of moving beyond endurance-only training and building a foundation that includes strength, power, proper fueling, and intentional recovery.

They also explore the warning signs of underfueling and Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S), including persistent fatigue, poor performance, frequent illness, injuries, and difficulty recovering. Marissa shares practical ways athletes can fuel before, during, and after training without making nutrition overly complicated.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why strength training becomes essential for women beginning around age 35
• How strength work supports cycling, triathlon performance, bone health, and longevity
• Why fasted training may create additional stress for women over 40
• How to match carbohydrate intake to the length and intensity of a workout
• Why recovery nutrition should include both protein and carbohydrates
• How underfueling can contribute to fatigue, injuries, illness, and declining performance
• Why the scale doesn’t tell the full story of your health or athletic potential
• How to shift your focus from becoming smaller to discovering what your body can do

Marissa’s message is simple but powerful: stop chasing a number on the scale and start building a body that can support your goals and adventures for decades to come.

About Marissa:

Marissa Axell is the founder of AXN Fitness and Coaching and a coach for women over 40 who want to improve cycling performance through strength, power, skill, fueling, and recovery. Her work focuses on helping athletes move beyond endurance-only training and build the kind of resilience that supports speed, injury prevention, and long-term performance.

Connect with Marissa:

Instagram and Facebook: @marissa.axell
Website: https://axnfitnessandcoaching.com

Dana’s Links:

⁠⁠⁠https://www.painfreeathletepodcast.com⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠10 Day Journaling Journey⁠⁠⁠

Podcast Disclaimer:

The Pain-Free Podcast is presented solely for general information, education, and entertainment purposes. Any information presented in this podcast is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional diagnosis. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast or website is at the user’s own risk. As always, users should not disregard or delay obtaining medical advice for any medical or mental health condition that they may have and should seek the assistance of their healthcare professionals for any such conditions.