At some point in midlife, many of us are given a diagnosis that changes how we move — not because of pain, but because of how the words land.

“Bone on bone.”
“You have arthritis.”
“Degenerative.”

In this episode, I share my take on how medical diagnoses are meant to inform — but how they often end up making people feel broken.

We talk about:

• What “bone on bone” actually means on imaging
• Why arthritis does not reliably explain pain
• How common disc bulges and degeneration are with age
• Why imaging findings and pain don’t always match
• How fear and loss of trust — not damage — often change how we move
• Why doctors still recommend movement and exercise, even with arthritis
• How to rebuild confidence in your body without ignoring medical reality

This is not about dismissing medicine.
It’s about understanding context — and learning how to move forward without letting a diagnosis become a verdict.

Research & references mentioned:

• Brinjikji et al., 2015 — American Journal of Neuroradiology: Systematic review showing disc bulges, degeneration, and herniations increase with age and are present in both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals; imaging findings alone do not reliably explain pain.
• Bedson & Croft, 2008 — Arthritis Research & Therapy: Radiographic osteoarthritis findings do not consistently correlate with pain severity.
• Hunter & Bierma-Zeinstra, 2019 — The Lancet: Osteoarthritis pain is multifactorial and poorly explained by imaging alone.

• 
  

  Intro to Plyometrics for Women 50+: Sign up here

  Where to find me or work with me:

  • Website: IronStrongFitness.net
  • Instagram: @IronStrongFit
  • Small group strength training in Jersey City: View schedule

  New episodes drop once a week.

Jumping for bone density matters. But it’s not the whole story.

After watching my 86-year-old dad trip and fall, I started thinking differently about what actually prevents falls as we age. It’s not standing still and balancing on one leg — it’s how fast you can react when something unexpected shows up.

In this episode, I talk about:

• Why “jump for bone density” advice is incomplete

• What plyometrics really train (and why stomping misses the point)

• Reaction time, fast muscle fibers, and staying quick on your feet as we age

• Why most falls happen while moving — not balancing

This is a conversation about training to stay nimble, responsive, and upright in real life.

Intro to Plyometrics for Women 50+ Early-bird registration opens this week! Join the waitlist here for early bird savings:👉 https://straightupstrong.kit.com/2026-plyo-waitlist

Where to find me or work with me:

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠IronStrongFitness.net⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@IronStrongFit ⁠⁠⁠⁠

My small group strength training schedule in Jersey City: https://www.ironstrongfitness.net/schedule

Episodes drop once a week.

This episode is a timely reflection on the murder of Alex Pretti, the VA ICU nurse, and why events that happen “far away” still affect us deeply.

I talk about:

• Why the news feels heavy, anxiety-producing, and hard to look at

• How silence and avoidance can increase feelings of powerlessness

• Three simple ways I take action when I’m not a volunteer or organizer type of person

• Why “echo chambers” can be a place of empowerment, not weakness

This is about feeling, naming what matters to you, and taking one small action — even when everything feels overwhelming.

Organization I mentioned in the episode: 5calls.org

Where to find me or work with me:

Intro to Plyometrics for Women 50+ waitlist: https://ironstrongfitness.net/9-week-online-intro-to-plyo

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠IronStrongFitness.net⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@IronStrongFit ⁠⁠⁠⁠

My small group strength training schedule in Jersey City: https://www.ironstrongfitness.net/schedule

Episodes drop once a week.