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Welcome to the 30 th episode of the Building a Bulletproof Back podcast.

To Build your own Bulletproof Back go Here

This podcast aims to empower listeners with HOPE that healing is possible when you know how. We discuss strategic tools addressing mindset, movement & emotional health.

I am your host, Marion McRae, physiotherapist, psychedelic assisted therapist, & movement addict on a mission to see the existing model of treating back pain evolve.

Our feet are more than shock absorbers. They are a neurosensory foundation that shapes posture, breath, pelvic floor timing and the way the spine loads. In this conversation, Dr Emily Splichal (functional & regenerative podiatry) breaks down how foot type (flat, neutral, high/rigid), sensory input, and fascia chains from toes to tongue influence low-back stability, and how to build a stable “neutral foot” before you train. We also explore movement literacy, why small, safe reps beat hero sets, and how to keep people moving even with chronic presentations.

What you’ll learn

• How foot posture and the foot tripod (1st/5th met heads + heel), toe purchase, and hip-led arch lift create a stable base for the spine
• Why sensory stimulation of the feet/hands can improve awareness, muscle activation, and circulation
• Movement literacy: layering alignment, breath, pelvic floor and gait so the nervous system says “yes”
• Practical starting points for flat, neutral and high-arched feet (support, strength, mobility—often a blend)

Dr Emily — functional & regenerative podiatrist, clinician-educator, founder of Barefoot Strong; creator of NABOSO neurosensory products; host of the Root to Rise podcast. She sees patients virtually worldwide.

Resources & links mentioned -

https://www.naboso.com/
https://dremilysplichal.com/
https://www.youtube.com/@NabosoTechnology

Books by Dr Emily

• Barefoot Strong — foot-to-core sequencing for balance, strength and movement
• Sensory Sapiens — fascia, emotion, gait and nervous-system-led movement

We’ve just launched a brand new fan mail feature on our podcast!

Now, you can drop us a comment, or ask us any burning questions you have about back pain. I’ll be taking those questions and answering them over on our Bulletproof Backs YouTube channel.

We’ve just launched a brand new fan mail feature on our podcast! Now, you can drop us a comment, share the podcast with your friends, or ask us any burning questions you have about back pain. I’ll be taking those questions and answering them over on our Bulletproof Backs YouTube channel.

So, don’t be shy! Send in your comments and questions, and let's keep the conversation going. Your feedback means the world to us, and we can't wait to hear from you!

Support the show

🔎 What could your back pain blindspot be? Take the free two-minute quiz to discover whether a mental, emotional, movement or load pattern may be keeping your pain cycle going.

Take the quiz: https://bulletproofbacks.com/back-pain-blindspot-quiz-page?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=blindspot_quiz

💬 Keep the conversation going: send Fan Mail through your podcast app or email hello@bulletproofbacks.com.

Send us Fan Mail

Welcome to the 29 th episode of the Building a Bulletproof Back podcast.

To Build your own Bulletproof Back go Here

This podcast aims to empower listeners with HOPE that healing is possible when you know how. We discuss strategic tools addressing mindset, movement & emotional health.

I am your host, Marion McRae, physiotherapist, psychedelic assisted therapist, & movement addict on a mission to see the existing model of treating back pain evolve.

In this round-table with Dr Guy Bewick (Univ. of Aberdeen), Prof Chih-Cheng Chen (Academia Sinica), Dr Robert Banks (Durham University), and Dr Jiann-Her Lin (Taipei Medical University Hospital), we explore research showing that chronic, muscle-type soreness, called “sng” in Taiwanese/Mandarin, runs on a separate physiological pathway from sharp, injury-type pain. The team describe how glutamate released in muscle can drive a distinct circuit, why standard painkillers often miss it, and how a newly identified glutamate receptor target could open drug development for conditions like fibromyalgia, DOMS, rheumatoid arthritis pain, and persistent pain post surgery.

Research Link - https://www.abdn.ac.uk/news/24440/

What we cover

• What “sng” means culturally and clinically, and how it differs from sharp pain.
• Evidence that proprioceptive pathways (not classic nociceptors) can carry sng-type signals.
• The muscle glutamate → unusual receptor mechanism; blocking it stopped chronic pain signalling in models.

Key takeaways

• Different pathway, different tools: The “ache/sour” sng signal often doesn’t respond to common analgesics because it’s not the same pathway as sharp pain. New drug targets are now on the table.
• Why some patients don’t fit the script: Post-surgery or long-standing back pain can persist as sng even when scans look fine and sharp pain has eased.

Guests

• Dr Guy Bewick, University of Aberdeen (neuroscience of muscle receptors & glutamate signalling).
• Prof Chih-Cheng Chen, Academia Sinica (pain biology; led the broader sng program).
• Dr Robert Banks, Durham University (long-time collaborator on muscle spindle physiology).
• Dr Jiann-Her Lin, Taipei Medical University Hospital (spine surgery; clinical observations of sng in patients).

We’ve just launched a brand new fan mail feature on our podcast! Now, you can drop us a comment, share the podcast with your friends, or ask us any burning questions you have about back pain. I’ll be taking those questions and answering them over on our Bulletproof Backs YouTube channel.

So, don’t be shy! Send in your comments and questions, and let's keep the conversation going. Your feedback means the world to us, and we can't wait to hear from you!

Support the show

🔎 What could your back pain blindspot be? Take the free two-minute quiz to discover whether a mental, emotional, movement or load pattern may be keeping your pain cycle going.

Take the quiz: https://bulletproofbacks.com/back-pain-blindspot-quiz-page?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=blindspot_quiz

💬 Keep the conversation going: send Fan Mail through your podcast app or email hello@bulletproofbacks.com.

Send us Fan Mail

Welcome to the 28th episode of the Building a Bulletproof Back podcast.

To Build your own Bulletproof Back go Here

This podcast aims to empower listeners with HOPE that healing is possible when you know how. We discuss strategic tools addressing mindset, movement & emotional health.

I am your host, Marion McRae, physiotherapist, psychedelic assisted therapist, & movement addict on a mission to see the existing model of treating back pain evolve. The current model is broken. It focusses almost entirely on the physical body, neglecting the fact that we are all both thinkers and feelers. When the thoughts in our head, and the emotions in our bodies are less than optimal, we fail to thrive.

In Episode 28 of the Bulletproof Backs Podcast, Marion sits down with Bianca — a courageous young woman who went from months bedridden with severe back pain to rebuilding her life through patience, persistence, and self-compassion.

Bianca shares her deeply personal journey of numbness, loss of mobility, over-medication, and the emotional toll of pain. More importantly, she offers hope to anyone currently struggling. Her story is one of radical acceptance, learning to do the “next best thing,” and using simple routines to regain strength and confidence.

Bianca’s Top 3 Back Pain Tips:

1. Do the Next Best Thing – Progress isn’t perfect; even the smallest step counts.
2. Radical Acceptance – Acknowledge your reality without judgment to move forward.
3. Build Small Routines – Daily goals, no matter how tiny, restore control and confidence.

If you’re seeking inspiration and practical wisdom on your back pain journey, this episode is not to be missed.

We’ve just launched a brand new fan mail feature on our podcast! Now, you can drop us a comment, share the podcast with your friends, or ask us any burning questions you have about back pain. I’ll be taking those questions and answering them over on our Bulletproof Backs YouTube channel.

So, don’t be shy! Send in your comments and questions, and let's keep the conversation going. Your feedback means the world to us, and we can't wait to hear from you!

Support the show

🔎 What could your back pain blindspot be? Take the free two-minute quiz to discover whether a mental, emotional, movement or load pattern may be keeping your pain cycle going.

Take the quiz: https://bulletproofbacks.com/back-pain-blindspot-quiz-page?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=blindspot_quiz

💬 Keep the conversation going: send Fan Mail through your podcast app or email hello@bulletproofbacks.com.