Posts Tagged ‘The Pain-Free Program’

Relax the Lower Back with Both Versions of the 90-90

Wednesday, July 17th, 2024

Have you ever been standing at a cocktail party, or Christmas shopping and your back just starts to get achey and tired? Or, after awkwardly lifting your baggage from the overhead compartment, your back tightened up?

Sometimes the muscles of the lower back just need a break NOW. And sometimes lying down is not an option. Using the infamous Wall Sit as an option when your back is not cooperating may be the short term reprieve your lower back needs.

In this brief video, Anthony shares why and how this could be your “break glass in emergency” option. Taken from his book, The Pain Free Program: A Proven Method to Relieve Back, Neck, Shoulder and Joint Pain, you’ll quickly understand the value of these two options.

Femur Rotations for Hip and Lower Back Care

Wednesday, April 26th, 2023

Golf, pickleball, tennis are all rotational sports. But so is tying your shoe. OK, it’s not a sport, but it is a rotational activity…one of thousands we perform every day. And because the hip is the largest joint responsible for rotation in the body, it makes sense to keep that rotational function highly tuned.

Two primary reasons for this:

1. Like every joint, the hip is optimized for longevity and function when it can spread and dissipate stress throughout the entire joint surface. This only happens if the joint is free to move in all of its designed directions.

2. Adequate rotation of the hips keeps unnecessary and potentially stressful rotation out of the lower back. The lower back is not designed for much rotation, but often is expected to absorb it when the hips lack needed rotation.

This video will demonstrate and explain one of the exercises from The Pain-Free Program that is great for the hips while keeping the lower back stress free.

If you are interested in a copy of The Pain-Free Program: A Proven Method to Relieve Back, Neck, Shoulder and Joint Pain, email us directly and we can help get you a copy.

Corrective Exercise Creates a Positive Cascade for Change with Chronic Pain

Thursday, October 28th, 2021

The pain itself is almost always the primary focus. But their are multiple inputs that can lead to a downward cascade in the quality of life of those challenged with chronic pain. And equally, the sum of many inputs can also lead to a positive cascade and opportunity for improvement.

This clip taken from a live webinar I did with the American Council on Exercise, sheds some light on how the right exercises, for the right person, at the right time can be a catalyst for positive change.

If we can appreciate and impact through exercise, more of the dynamic systems involved in the pain experience , we provide our clients with a path to positive change.

Lower Back Pain Relief

Friday, March 5th, 2021

This non-technical video is directed toward our clients and readers of The Pain-Free Program or anyone else looking for an accurate way to perform this familiar, lower back exercise exercise. Anthony gives you the nuances with the execution and the “why” behind the value (hint: It is probably not why you think it helps).

Anthony also suggests the best place to add to an existing lower back pain care exercise program.

Anthony Carey on the LifeTime Fitness Podcast

Tuesday, December 22nd, 2020

From the show notes:
Join Industry Veteran Anthony Carey and Jason Stella Discuss…
1. Why he has spent the majority of your career working on how to help people decrease their pain.
2. Discuss his PRACTICAL book called: “The Pain-Free Program: A Proven Method to Relieve Back, Neck, Shoulder and Joint Pain.
3. WHAT have you found to be the best ways to help, staying within the scope of being a trainer?
4. Explain the following concepts in his book
1. The Body’s Interrelatedness
2. Our Self-Healing Bodies
3. The need to take responsibility
4. Anthony’s unique way of putting exercises is specific groups called Form & Category
– What’s the differences between them
– Show some of the exercises within each area and how they may be able to help specific people?
5. Explain and show your invention, The CORE-TEX.
a. Why and how did you come up with this?
b. Can you show us some of the common ways you use this to help clients improve
3. Explain the course that you put together called the “Pain Free Movement specialist

An Overview of a Function First Initial Visit

Sunday, June 3rd, 2018

We are regularly asked, “what does a visit at Function First look like?”.

Function First founder Anthony Carey takes you through an overview of what that first 2 hour appointment is all about and why it is so pivotal for so many.

Be sure to take note of the differences of how we approach our process compared to what you might experience elsewhere. Even if you are an existing Function First client, this video will be great to share with friends who you know can be helped by what we do.

Please pass along to those that are ready to take a powerful step forward with a movement based program that is backed by science.

David Snodgrass Client of the Month

Thursday, October 13th, 2016

I started with function First in April of 2012. My wife was already attending and encouraged me to give the program a chance. My experience with ‘gyms’ had been less than productive, so my first response wasn’t exactly positive, but I decided to give it a chance. As it ends up, this was a totally different experience for me. Instead of a dry, boring routine, I was immediately part of an enthusiastic and friendly group of people. I was totally pleased with the guidance and direction of the instructors. The routines were creative and always changing. Nothing boring about it!

Being age 64, I was beginning to feel less energetic with less mobility and more discomfort. I knew I needed to add some exercise to my daily routine. But, not the typical lift some weights and run a while on the treadmill. The Function First instructors solved that problem with what seems to be an endless supply of varying exercises. I also soon discovered the ability of the staff to be able to modify the group routines to fit my personal needs.

Private Sessions were invaluable in starting me in the correct direction for better physical health. Issues my physician was trying to mask were alleviated with the appropriate exercise problems. I’ve found the instructors to be incredibly knowledgeable, concerned, and capable.

Function First has allowed me to continue with an active lifestyle of hiking, back packing water-skiing and boating.

Dave Snodgrass

Happy David

Happy David

Your Circle of Influence for Pain

Wednesday, July 23rd, 2014

From Chapter 2 of The Pain-Free Program: A Proven Method to Relieve Back, Neck, Shoulder and Joint Pain

First, let’s begin with your doctor. Your doctor is there for you. He or she is not you. In other words, no doctor knows your body better than you do. When you go to the doctor with a complaint about your body, your doctor examines you, runs tests if necessary and then applies a diagnosis to your problem. This diagnosis is based on what the doctor sees, feels with his hands and sometimes hears. Your doctor may also come to a conclusion based on the answers you provide him to targeted questions. But your doctor can never experience what you experience. The pain, the limitations, the inconveniences are all unique to you. There may be similarities to others with a like condition, but never will their experiences be identical to yours. Therefore, this well-educated, well meaning (hopefully) individual is much more limited in how he can affect your circle of influence than you probably thought. Although limited, his influence is still an important part of the route to recovery.

The doctor has four main options with you once a diagnosis has been made. He can send you to some form of therapy, prescribe medication for pain and/or inflammation, perform surgery or some combination of the 3. Once this decision has been made, the role of the doctor becomes more of an evaluator. He evaluates the impact of the intervention he prescribed and determines to continue, modify, stop or apply one of the other 3 options available. The doctor’s role becomes smaller and smaller after an accurate diagnosis has been made.

Sometimes the doctor’s evaluation and your personal assessment of progress may not match. The case usually being that the doctor feels you have progressed or improved more than you think you have. This difference in opinion brings us to a critical crossroads in your history book. Because if you are not as improved as the doctor thinks you are, or should be, and are still struggling with the pain, then there must be a reason. The possible reasons that run through most people’s minds are that the doctor made the wrong diagnosis. The drugs prescribed weren’t effective or the therapist didn’t “make me well”.
Perhaps it is to your advantage as an individual seeking an improved quality of life, to consider some other possibilities -possibilities outside the contemporary “menu” of options most adhere to. Medications top the list on this contemporary treatment menu, just look at the profit margins for the pharmaceutical companies in this country. If medication is part of your daily regimen for coping with musculoskeletal pain, it doesn’t have to be.

From page 23 of The Pain-Free Program


Medications are nothing more than an adjunct to your path to a pain free life. They are not the foundation. And they are certainly not the ultimate answer to your problems. There is not a single medication on this earth that on its own, relieves pain, stops inflammation, fights infections, etc. The only way medications can do their job, is to assist the other systems in the body to do their jobs more effectively.

Am I telling you to flush all of your medication down the toilet right now? No. But I am going to give you hope as to why you should be able to one day. That hope should be inspiration to start formulating a plan to get off your anti-inflammatories and pain killers. Of course I am going to add, “check with your doctor first”. But keep in mind, pain pills and anti-inflammatories are not life and death drugs, as say, blood pressure medication might be. So getting off of these drugs is as much your decision, if not more, as it is your doctor’s.

Pain-Free Movement Specialist Backstage Peak

Thursday, May 15th, 2014

You asked for it so we put together a backstage peak for you to get a glimpse of more of the content of the Pain-Free Movement Specialist. Many thanks to all who have signed up and inquired about this one-of-a-kind educational program.

If you have not gotten started and plan on attending Level II in San Diego on September 13-14, don’t delay. You’ll want plenty of time to get proficient with the material.

Questions? Email education@functionfirst.com

Need more info? Go here

Want to get started? Go here

Hip Twist from The Pain-Free Program

Thursday, October 28th, 2010

A non-technical explanation of the Hip Twist exercise for the person using The Pain-Free Program: A Proven Method to Relieve Back, Neck, Shoulder and Joint Pain