35. Mobility vs. Stability: What Your Pain Treatment Might Be Missing, with Dr. Mike Melander

If you've done months of physical therapy or chiropractic care and your pain still hasn't moved, you're not imagining it, and you're not doing it wrong. Something in the plan was probably missing from day one.Why this episode matters: Most pain treatment starts with the same assumption: get stronger. But strength only works within the range of motion you actually have access to. If a joint can't move the way it's supposed to move, no amount of strengthening will fix it, and in some cases, it can make things worse. Dr. Su sits down with Dr. Mike Melander, a chiropractor and Active Release Technique instructor, to explain the question almost no one asks before starting treatment.What you will learn:The difference between a mobility problem and a stability problem, and why it changes everything about a treatment planWhat "tissue quality" means, and why pain itself is an unreliable way to judge what's happening in a muscleWhy fibromyalgia and chronic Lyme patients often carry real, findable tissue issues, even when the root cause isn't musculoskeletalWhy chiropractic care and physical therapy work best together, not as competing approachesKey themes:Root-cause thinking applied to pain, not just complex chronic illnessThe overlap between structural pain and systemic conditions like Lyme and fibromyalgiaWhy "call me if you need me" is sometimes the best plan a provider can offerDr. Su's perspective: Dr. Su draws a direct line between what Dr. Melander does with tissue and joints and what RootSeek does with labs and systems. The tools are different, but the instinct is the same: don't stop at the first plan, look for what's actually driving the problem. If this conversation named something you've been living with, whether it's pain that won't resolve or a chronic illness that hasn't had a clear answer, Dr. Su opens one hour a month to five people for real, direct guidance. Book your spot: rootseekhealth.com/askdrmarkFree Lab Guide: rootseekhealth.com/opt-inLinks:North Shore Spine and Sport: northshorespinesport.comRootSeek Health: https://rootseekhealth.com/Guest bio: Dr. Mike Melander, DC is a chiropractor with 16 years in clinical practice and a multi-time Best of Boston winner. He has served as an Active Release Technique instructor since 2017 and practices at North Shore Spine and Sport in Newport, Massachusetts.Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only.  Information discussed is not intended for diagnosis, curing, or prevention of any disease and is not intended to replace advice given by a licensed healthcare practitioner. This podcast and its guests may have direct or indirect financial interests associated with products mentioned.