The Modern Pain Podcast
The Modern Pain Podcast
This isn’t another show about fixing people. Modern Pain Care Beyond the Fix is where clinicians, thinkers, and changemakers come to explore a more human, evidence-aligned, and sustainable approach to helping people in pain. Real conversations. Practical insights. No fluff. If you’re ready to grow beyond protocols and start practicing with more clarity, confidence, and connection—you’re in the right place.
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The Modern Pain Podcast
Latest Episode

Chronic Pain: When Biomechanics Isn’t the Answer

What if biomechanics isn’t the reason your patients improve? And what if your best “tool” isn’t a tool at all?

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Recent Episodes

Chronic Pain: When Biomechanics Isn’t the Answer
March 1, 2026

Chronic Pain: When Biomechanics Isn’t the Answer

What if biomechanics isn’t the reason your patients improve? And what if your best “tool” isn’t a tool at all?
Chronic Pain Care: When Guidelines Don’t Fit
Feb. 22, 2026

Chronic Pain Care: When Guidelines Don’t Fit

What if the guideline isn’t wrong—but incomplete? And what if your patient isn’t “non-compliant”—just complex? In this episode, I’m joined by Joost Van Wijchen to explore the tension between clinical guidelines and the messy reality of practice. We unpack the concept of mindlines—the experience-sha…
Mindfulness for Chronic Pain: The Neuroscience Clincians Miss
Feb. 15, 2026

Mindfulness for Chronic Pain: The Neuroscience Clincians Miss

Mindfulness for pain isn’t candles and breathing apps. It’s measurable, mechanism-based analgesia. In this episode, we break down what the neuroscience actually shows about mindfulness and pain modulation—and why it works through pathways completely independent of opioids. You’ll learn: How mindful…
Chronic Pain Care: When Pain Reduction Keeps Patients Stuck
Feb. 8, 2026

Chronic Pain Care: When Pain Reduction Keeps Patients Stuck

What do you do when a patient says, “I don’t care about goals—I just want less pain”? This moment shows up every day in pain care—and how you respond can either reinforce stuckness or help someone get their life back.
HLH Nearly Killed Me—Here’s What It Taught Me About Care
Feb. 1, 2026

HLH Nearly Killed Me—Here’s What It Taught Me About Care

🎙️ What happens when a clinician becomes the patient—and almost doesn’t survive?💥 HLH. ICU. Life support. Then… powerlifting again.
Why Imaging Misses Chronic Pain: Structural vs Physiologic Thinking (Part 2)
Jan. 11, 2026

Why Imaging Misses Chronic Pain: Structural vs Physiologic Thinking (Part 2)

Part 2 goes from definitions to implications. Bottom-up pain does not mean “it’s in the tissues.” This episode is a recording of a live interview with pain researcher and clinician Asaf Weissman. If you haven’t watched Part 1, start there—we laid the foundation: why pain semantics matter, how mixed…

About the Host

Mark Kargela Profile Photo
Mark Kargela

Host / Clinician / Faculty / Father / Husband

Mark Kargela is a physical therapist, educator, and founder of Modern Pain Care. With over two decades of clinical experience, Mark brings a refreshing, human-first approach to pain care—one that ditches the fix-it model and empowers both patients and clinicians to engage with complexity, uncertainty, and meaningful change. This podcast is where clinical skill meets real-life context, challenging outdated norms and offering conversations that help you grow your practice, your mindset, and your impact.

Reviews

Treat yourself to this podcast!

"I’ve loved this podcast from its birth and so happy to hear Dr Kargela is not letting it go! The topics are always relevant to my day to day experiences as a physical therapist and I find the discu…"

Feb. 4, 2023 · John Tyschyk

Top Physical Therapy Podcast

"Great, informative podcast. All orthopedic PTs who treat patients with persistent pain should listen."

Feb. 4, 2023 · Christie Pong

Love it!

"The MPC crew consistently provide an up-to-date and nuanced take on the state of pain management and the physical therapy landscape. Highly recommended!"

Feb. 4, 2023 · Zachary Huff

Why I love my career again

"As a recent Chiropractic grad, I am beyond happy I came across this podcast. I have always been skeptical/curious of certain rehab narratives or treatment options as I come from a research background…"

July 22, 2024 · Mitchel Gibson