Fixing Rehab: Smarter Healing, Pain Relief & Strength Training with Dr. Tom Walters

In this powerful episode of The Body Pod, host Hailey sits down with Dr. Tom Walters, physical therapist, creator of Rehab Science, and social media educator to over a million followers, to unpack why traditional physical therapy and rehab models often fail—and how to fix them for good. You’ll learn how to heal smarter, not harder, by understanding the science of recovery, strength training, and pain management. Dr. Walters breaks down the insurance-based rehab system, the latest research on tendinopathy, mobility, and load management, and how to build resilience through heavy, slow resistance training. This episode is perfect for anyone struggling with chronic pain, overuse injuries, or midlife fitness plateaus.

We cover:

• Why traditional rehab fails and what evidence-based recovery looks like

• Strength training for pain relief and injury prevention

• Women’s health and midlife fitness strategies

• Psychology of pain — why pain doesn’t always mean injury

• Smart prehab for knees, shoulders, elbows, and feet

• A preview of the upcoming Rehab Science app for guided exercises and mobility tools

Whether you’re a physical therapist, fitness coach, athlete, or someone dealing with pain, you’ll walk away with actionable tools to understand your body, manage pain, and train for lifelong movement and health.

🎙️ Listen to the episode here, or wherever you get your podcasts.