Are our tools any good?

Talking Rehab with Dr. Fred Bagares

Content provided by Fred Bagares. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Fred Bagares or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://staging.podcastplayer.com/legal.

14d ago 16:35

MP3•Episode home

Are Our Tools Any Good?

Are our tools really the problem—or are we just not using them well?

In this thought-provoking episode, Dr. Fred Bagares, DO, takes a closer look at a recent study questioning the effectiveness of common spine injections like epidurals and facet blocks. While headlines suggest these tools are failing, Fred challenges the deeper issue: our mindset and misuse of short-term solutions in chronic care.

Drawing from over a decade of experience in musculoskeletal medicine, he unpacks the flaws in current research design, the burnout these studies provoke in physicians, and what truly leads to lasting recovery for patients in pain.

If you've ever wondered why spine care feels stuck—or how to bridge the gap between short-term relief and long-term function—this episode is for you.

🔑 What You'll Learn:

Why injections are misunderstood in both research and real-world care
The difference between tool failure and clinical failure
How to help patients thrive between months 4–12, not just days 1–30
The long-term value of coupling procedures with lifestyle changes

🩺 Ready for care that looks beyond the quick fix?
Visit mskdirectvb.com to work with Dr. Fred and get a personalized plan that moves you from pain to progress—one joint and tendon at a time.

Let me know if you'd like versions for Instagram, YouTube, or your newsletter too!

🗺️ Plan (Episode Breakdown):

[00:00:00] — Introduction
Dr. Fred opens by reflecting on the enduring challenges and evolving questions in musculoskeletal medicine.

[00:00:33] — New BMJ Study Sparks Debate
A recent study questions the efficacy of interventional spine procedures, igniting pushback from pain physicians.

[00:01:59] — The Real Worry: Insurance & Burnout
Research impacts reimbursement. Physicians feel pressure from both science and the system.

[00:03:20] — The Central Question
Are our tools truly failing—or are we failing to use them effectively?

[00:04:00] — Generational Gaps in Practice
Younger clinicians chase high-tech procedures; Dr. Fred prefers effective, simple tools that fit his population.

[00:05:53] — Short-Term Tools, Long-Term Goals
Injections are short-term tools—but they have a clear role when properly explained and integrated.

[00:06:57] — Unrealistic Expectations in Research
Comparing short-term treatments over long timelines leads to misleading conclusions.

[00:08:59] — Missing Piece in the Research
Why aren’t more studies looking at injections + therapy instead of one or the other?

[00:09:48] — Our Job is to Guide Through the Middle
Short-term tools should be the bridge to long-term solutions—like movement, nutrition, ergonomics, and lifestyle.

[00:10:58] — The Bigger Healthcare Cost Crisis
Spine care is expensive. And without deeper change, the system keeps cutting and blaming the wrong things.

[00:11:41] — New Tools, Same Problem
Fancier devices and techniques won’t fix the real issue: a lack of long-term follow-through.

[00:13:02] — A Lesson from Surgeons
Veteran clinicians succeed not because of new tools—but because they know how to choose and support the right patients.

[00:14:58] — Final Thought: The Real Question
It’s not whether the tools work—it’s whether we’re using them to their fullest potential, in service of long-term health.

Support the show

64 episodes

#Fitness #Medicine #Fred Bagares #Sports Medicine #Physiatry #Physio #Physical Therapy #Rehabilitation #Pm&r