Are you tired of your joints holding you back, or told your only options are pills, injections, or just “living with it?”

This episode of The Pain-Free Formula Podcast invites you to ditch the resignation and discover a science-backed pathway to true relief. Host Stacey Roberts, bestselling author and physical therapist, tackles the burning question: what’s the real most effective treatment for arthritis and why has nobody told you?

This episode unpacks powerful, surprising insights: why movement (done right) outperforms medications and surgery, how gut health and daily habits can radically change your pain, and what to do if “nothing seems to work.” Want less pain and more control? Don’t wait. Tune in now and stop wasting years on ineffective quick fixes. This episode reveals what truly empowers lasting change, hope, and movement.

Listen now before your next appointment or prescription. These practical truths could change your life, and you’ll only hear them here.

1. [00:00] – Why most people still believe pills and surgery are the “answer” and what they’re missing
2. [00:02:05] – The headline that rewrote Stacey Roberts’s approach: “It’s not a pill or surgery…”
3. [00:04:12] – Your arthritis isn’t just “wear and tear”—discover the unexpected factors that really drive progression
4. [00:06:10] – Rest versus movement—why doing less is making joints worse, not better
5. [00:08:31] – Tried exercise and failed? The secret reason it “doesn’t work” for so many
6. [00:11:31] – The untold story of muscle function: Why knee and joint pain respond to smarter strength
7. [00:14:40] – Real-life success: From “bone on bone” to moving better than ever. Here’s what works
8. [00:18:09] – Gut, food, and “can it really matter?” The proof (and a dramatic personal story)
9. [00:22:59] – Don’t fear arthritis: Science says you have more options than ever and you’re not broken

1. Toomey, C. (2026, January 26). The most effective treatment for osteoarthritis isn’t a pill or surgery. SciTechDaily. https://scitechdaily.com/the-most-effective-treatment-for-osteoarthritis-isnt-a-pill-or-surgery/
2. Bennell KL, Wrigley TV, Hunt MA, Lim BW, Hinman RS. Update on the role of muscle in the genesis and management of knee osteoarthritis. Rheumatic Disease Clinics of North America, 2013 Feb;39(1):145-76. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rdc.2012.11.003 PMID: 23312414
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1. Pain-Free Formula Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-pain-free-formula/id1802518411

Ever find yourself thinking, “I’m doing everything right, so why does my pain keep coming back?” If pain feels like a stubborn villain sabotaging your workouts, sapping your energy, and making you question your body, you’re not alone.

In this empowering solo episode, Stacey Roberts blends science and empathy to unveil the hidden reasons pain lingers after 40, from sneaky hormonal shifts to misunderstood gut triggers and what most PTs never discuss. You’ll discover why “just push through” makes things worse, what actually works to calm an inflamed system, and how to reframe pain as your body’s call for change, not a personal failure.

Don’t wait! Every day spent guessing is a day lost to joy. Listen now to unlock hope and next steps that could change everything. This approach is compassionate, practical, and simply not taught anywhere else.

1. [00:00] – Why “powering through” your pain may actually set you back for years
2. [00:01:46] – You’re stretching, exercising, doing ALL the right things… so why is your body still screaming?
3. [00:03:13] – What started as an injury may not just be about your muscles or joints anymore—prepare to unlearn what you thought you knew
4. [00:04:41] – How aging unlocks a “layer cake” of inflammation, nervous system sensitivity, and hormonal chaos
5. [00:05:44] – The massive blind spot around hormones—even the cleanest eaters can hurt if this is off
6. [00:07:59] – When standing, food, or your old workouts suddenly unleash pain: what changed, and what you can control
7. [00:09:04] – Eating “healthy” doesn’t guarantee relief: the gut-joint link that’s quietly driving pain
8. [00:13:47] – When exercise hurts instead of helps: breaking the myth of “no pain, no gain” in your 40s and 50s

Using These Common Painkillers After Surgery May Be Slowing Recovery – New Study Finds. https://scitechdaily.com/using-these-common-painkillers-after-surgery-may-be-slowing-recovery-new-study-finds/

RICE Method – Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/rice-method

Laumet, S., Edwards, A. M., Inyang, K. E., & Laumet, G. (2025). Unexpected Role of TNFα Signaling in the Resolution of Postoperative Pain in Mice. Journal of Pain Research. DOI: 10.2147/JPR.S543971

Tazreean, R., Nelson, G., & Twomey, R. (2022). Early mobilization in enhanced recovery after surgery pathways: current evidence and recent advancements. Journal of Comparative Effectiveness Research, 11(2), 121–129. https://doi.org/10.2217/cer-2021-0258

Ever find yourself thinking, “I’m doing everything right, so why does my pain keep coming back?” If pain feels like a stubborn villain sabotaging your workouts, sapping your energy, and making you question your body, you’re not alone.

In this empowering solo episode, Stacey Roberts blends science and empathy to unveil the hidden reasons pain lingers after 40, from sneaky hormonal shifts to misunderstood gut triggers and what most PTs never discuss. You’ll discover why “just push through” makes things worse, what actually works to calm an inflamed system, and how to reframe pain as your body’s call for change, not a personal failure.

Don’t wait! Every day spent guessing is a day lost to joy. Listen now to unlock hope and next steps that could change everything. This approach is compassionate, practical, and simply not taught anywhere else.

1. [00:00] – Why “powering through” your pain may actually set you back for years
2. [00:01:46] – You’re stretching, exercising, doing ALL the right things… so why is your body still screaming?
3. [00:03:13] – What started as an injury may not just be about your muscles or joints anymore—prepare to unlearn what you thought you knew
4. [00:04:41] – How aging unlocks a “layer cake” of inflammation, nervous system sensitivity, and hormonal chaos
5. [00:05:44] – The massive blind spot around hormones—even the cleanest eaters can hurt if this is off
6. [00:07:59] – When standing, food, or your old workouts suddenly unleash pain: what changed, and what you can control
7. [00:09:04] – Eating “healthy” doesn’t guarantee relief: the gut-joint link that’s quietly driving pain
8. [00:13:47] – When exercise hurts instead of helps: breaking the myth of “no pain, no gain” in your 40s and 50s

1. Pain-Free Formula Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-pain-free-formula/id1802518411
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3. Free eBooks - https://newyouhealthandwellness.com/ebooks
4. Biomechanics: When Movement Matters
5. Heal Your Gut, Heal Your Pain - The Gut Joint Axis: A Missing Link to Joint and Muscle Health
6. Hormones: A Missing Piece in Pain Relief
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