To learn more about The LBP Intensive™ program ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click Here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this episode, Mez pulls back the curtain on one of the most common (and costly) mistakes physical therapists make with sciatica patients & what PTs can learn from strength & conditioning principles.

You’ll get a sneak peek inside the second core curriculum of The Low Back Pain Intensive™, where Mez overviews the 3 key phases of a strength and conditioning he teaches clinicians to help patients transition from pain to performance.

If you’ve ever wondered:

• “When should I start loading my patient?”

• “What’s the right entry point into strength training after acute sciatica?”

• “How do I avoid re-flaring someone… without babying them?”

This episode will give you clarity.

You’ll learn:

• The 3 critical phases of a post-sciatica S&C program

• The first step to long-term spine resilience

• The difference between concentric and eccentric cardiac adaptations (and why it matters)

• How to avoid jumping the gun with heavy loads too soon

If you’re a performance-minded PT who wants your patients to walk out stronger than when they came in, not more fragile & de-conditioned, this episode is for you.

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🕰️ Timestamps:

[00:00]
Why loading patients too soon can backfire — especially with sciatica

[00:17]
The real problem: patients leave PT weaker than they started

[00:36]
Why sciatica patients return to the gym more fragile than before

[01:06]
3 questions every PT should ask before discharging a patient

[01:27]
Common mistakes with load progression inside the clinic

[01:43]
Clip context: this is from the Strength & Conditioning core module inside The LBP Intensive™

[02:00]
Part 1 vs. Part 2 of the LBP Intensive explained — from acute care to progressive loading

[02:18]
Why most PTs were never trained in strength & conditioning (and why that’s a huge problem)

[02:34]
What “pain-free performance” should mean in the clinic

[03:01]
Program overview: a 12-week roadmap from pain to performance

[03:27]
Benefits of offering a rehab-to-fitness bridge (even in insurance-based care)

[04:03]
Cohort 6 of the LBP Intensive opens soon — waitlist details

[04:19]
The goal: breaking down the 3 S&C phases post-sciatica

[04:47]
Who influenced this framework: Joel Jamieson, Boyle, Cressey, Cosgrove

[05:48]
Phase 1 (Weeks 1–5): Aerobic capacity & tissue tolerance

[06:25]
Why Zone 2 training matters for spinal rehab

[07:33]
Vascular adaptations & slow-twitch muscle fiber development

[08:18]
Phase 2 (Weeks 6–7): The transition phase (low-load → moderate-load ramp)

[09:13]
Phase 3 (Weeks 8–12): Strength, tension, and anaerobic loading

[09:54]
The biggest mistake PTs make post-discharge

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To learn more about The LBP Intensive™ program ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click Here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠