You’re Breathing Wrong and It’s Causing Your Pain

What if most chronic pain isn’t caused by injury but by how we breathe, move, and compensate every day?In this episode of The Griswold Method, Dr. Matt Griswold sits down with nationally certified Pilates instructor Michelle Johnson to break down why Pilates is a core pillar of the Total Human Protocol and why real healing requires breath, alignment, and movement to work in harmony.Michelle shares how Pilates saved her career after 30 years as a dental hygienist left her with debilitating pain and numbness and how the same principles now help clients avoid surgery, restore function, and move without fear.Together, they explore:Why breath is the foundation of all movementHow improper breathing shuts down the core and destabilizes the spineThe difference between Instagram Pilates and clinically-applied PilatesWhy x-rays, measurements, and diagnostics matter in movement workHow the rib cage, diaphragm, and pelvis control pain and postureThe three-core system (upper, central, lower) and why harmony matters more than balanceHow Pilates rewires the nervous system and retrains the brainWhy guessing in healthcare is no longer acceptableHow customized movement prevents degeneration and surgeryThe power of practitioner collaboration (chiro + Pilates + training)This episode is a masterclass in movement as medicine when it’s done with intention, breath, and precision.Because the body doesn’t break randomly. It breaks when systems stop working together.