BPL7: How Cathryn Jakobson Ramin Trains to Beat Back Pain

Welcome to the second half of the interview with Cathryn Jakobson Ramin. If you haven’t heard part one then I recommend that you get up to speed here.
This time she talks about some common mistakes and misunderstandings around:
- core training
- flexibility
Cathryn goes on to tell us the approach that helps her to train a strong, functional core and beat back pain.
We also talk about the worrying lack of physical activity in children, why conventional medical practice fails patients and where the money really goes in the US back pain industry.
EXCERPTS FROM THE SHOW

What Is the Difference between Core and Abs?
Cathryn gives us some core training tips. What do we mean when we talk about core training?
- People think of something around the lower abdomen…..it’s a mistake…..to focus on the transverse abdominus exclusively.
- The core goes from the top of the thighs….up to your neck….all of that needs to be strong – and not particuarly flexible.
Can Your Back Be Too Flexible?
- There’s this notion that a flexible back is a healthy back.
- A flexible back without muscle is a back that’s in danger.
Mind and Body Exercise
- Doing these exercises requires your brain because it is your brain that is going to allow you to recruit the proper muscles.
- It’s essential that you focus on what you’re doing.
- If you’re not thinking about what you’re doing, you’re not doing it.
- Walking’s something, but it’s not enough for me. I could walk five miles; it doesn’t really work the muscles that need working.
- (on finding the best way to train for YOU) That often involves trying a number of different things.
The Importance of Exercise for Children’s Growth and Development
Cathryn worries that the prevalence of back pain will only get worse for the iPad generation. These days children tend to play outside less and spend hours looking down at a screen.
- We need to teach kids a better, more relaxed and cleaner use of the body.
- Kids are getting very little exercise.
- This lack of physical fitness is really scary.
The Crooked Back Pain Industry
- It’s really the hospitals, the device manufacturers and the pharmaeutical companies that make a fortune.
- (on surgery) The hospital charges $100,000-$110,000 and there are eight organisations in the chain who are going to get paid from that. They ‘re going to do it!
- Insurance companies make money by increasing the flow of money through their organisations, which allows them to raise their rates.
- I only fault the medical community for having so little idea what the other solutions are and how to execute them.
- Rehabilitation through intensive exercise is not even on (their) radar. That’s bad.
- It’s still a very siloed business.
- That pain managment doctor came to me and said “We have 80 pain management people and one rehab person in our department. That’s got to change.”
Today’s Guest
Investigative journalist and author Cathryn Jakobson Ramin
Thanks for Listening!
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Thanks to Cathryn Jakobson Ramin for joining me this time.
Best,
Iain