#279 Move Better, Live Longer: Why 80% of Back Pain Is a Fixable Alignment Issue | David Starbuck Smith

What if the spot that hurts is not actually the problem? After 26 years fixing bodies, David Starbuck Smith says most chronic pain starts somewhere else entirely.

Exercise therapist and functional anatomist David Starbuck Smith rebuilt the bodies of NFL, ATP, and WTA athletes and consulted for the San Francisco 49ers. In this episode he explains why non-traumatic pain is almost always a whole-body alignment problem, how to spot your own imbalances at home, and why varied movement keeps you strong and pain-free as you age.

Meet our guest

David Starbuck Smith is a former pro tennis player turned exercise therapist, trained under Pete Egoscue. He is an expert on posture, alignment, and joint mechanics, has written three books on relieving pain, and now coaches clients worldwide through The Daily Motion Lab.

Thank you to our partners

Outliyr Biohacker’s Peak Performance Shop: get exclusive discounts on cutting-edge health, wellness, & performance gear

Ultimate Health Optimization Deals: a database of of all the current best biohacking deals on technology, supplements, systems and more

Latest Summits, Conferences, Masterclasses, and Health Optimization Events: join me at the top events around the world

FREE Outliyr Nootropics Mini-Course: gain mental clarity, energy, motivation, and focus

Key takeaways

The site of pain is rarely the cause; imbalance and compensation move it around the body.

An MRI tells you the what, not the why, and misses the imbalance behind the injury.