Click Here to learn more about The LBP Intensive™
Getting back to lifting after an acute sciatica/LBP flare can be really messy and a whole different clinical game.
In this episode, I break down how to deal with the fear of re-injury, one of the biggest mental roadblocks performance PTs & patients face when returning to training.
This episode isn’t just about the psychology behind fear, it’s about what to do when that fear slows progress in the clinic or stalls your strength plan.
I’ll walk you through:
Why so many patients (and coaches) hesitate to lift again after sciatica
What to notice in the clinic that may be that fear rearing its head.
The 12-week S&C progression I use to rebuild trust through smart progressive training.
You’ll also hear the exact high-level structure I teach inside the Low Back Pain Intensive to transition patients from sensitive to savage without guesswork.
⏱️ Timestamps:
[00:00] Intro + why fear of re-injury after sciatica still gets overlooked
[01:40] How poor S&C education fuels hesitancy in PTs and patients
[03:10] Why fear sticks around even after the pain is gone
[04:40] Subtle signs of fear in the clinic: hesitation, overbracing, breath-holding
[06:20] A common mistake: overfocusing on movement instead of readiness
[08:00] Patient story: hinge progression flopped, aerobic work saved the plan
[10:15] Building trust with fitness — not just “corrective” exercises
[12:30] Overview of my 12-week strength & conditioning strategy
[13:30] Phase 1 (Weeks 1–5): Build aerobic base + tissue tolerance
[15:00] Transition Phase (Weeks 6–7): Begin ramping up load
[16:30] Phase 2 (Weeks 8–12): True strength training & bone adaptation
[18:30] Breathwork as a threat gauge and nervous system readiness tool
[20:00] Coaching cues to reduce bracing and restore trust under load
[22:00] Reframe: fear of re-injury isn’t a clinical flaw, it’s a training gap
[24:00] Why most post-rehab flare-ups are actually S&C programming issues
[26:00] Your job: build trust through reps, time, and progress
[28:00] Reminder to join waitlist for The LBP Intensive™, who the program's for and what the goal is.
Click Here to learn more about The LBP Intensive™