Nov. 16, 2025

The Existential Crisis Every Manual Therapist Should Have

Richard shares his journey from biomechanical certainty to embracing uncertainty, and how that shift has made him a better clinician and mentor.

In this episode, Mark sits down with Richard McIlmoyle, a chiropractor from British Columbia who went through a profound professional transformation after discovering modern pain science. Richard shares his journey from biomechanical certainty to embracing uncertainty, and how that shift has made him a better clinician and mentor.

In this conversation, you'll discover:

  • How to mentor students without destroying their foundational confidence
  • Why intellectual humility is your greatest clinical asset
  • The tension between what we're taught in school and what science actually shows
  • How Richard approaches manual therapy from a macro-down perspective
  • Why he audited UBC's medical school pain curriculum (and what he found)

Richard's story is a masterclass in professional evolution. From attending the San Diego Pain Summit in 2015 to now influencing medical education in British Columbia, he demonstrates what's possible when clinicians choose curiosity over certainty.


*********************************************************************
📸 - Follow us on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/modernpaincare/

🐦 - Follow us on Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/modernpaincare/

🎙️ - Listen to our Podcast - https://www.modernpaincare.com

____________________________________
Modern Pain Care is a company dedicated to spreading evidence-based and person-centered information about pain, prevention, and overall fitness and wellness


This is the Modern Pain Podcast.

Richard McIlmoyle Profile Photo

Richard McIlmoyle

I can give you one later Mark