Welcome to this eye-opening conversation between Robbie Stahl, leader in anti-aging fitness, and Dr. Trent Nessler, a renowned expert in biomechanics and motor learning. If you've been told that knee pain is simply "part of getting older," prepare to have that myth completely shattered.

As Dr. Nessler explains, many of us accept knee pain as inevitable because "when my parents grew up, that was just part of getting older... part of the life cycle." This outdated belief has led millions to unnecessarily suffer with pain they could actually overcome.

The truth? Science has advanced dramatically in the last 10-15 years, revealing how movement patterns—not age—are the primary drivers of knee pain. Unfortunately, as Dr. Nessler points out, "a lot of physicians who are in their 50s and 60s... are not keeping their heads in the biomechanical literature where a lot of this stuff is coming out of."

This knowledge gap means many people continue to believe their knee pain is simply something they must accept, when in reality, it's something they can change.

What's the number one knee problem most people don't even realize they have? Dr. Nessler identifies it clearly: "dynamic valgus"—when your knee moves inward toward your midline during movement.

This seemingly small alignment issue creates uneven loading across your joints with every step you take. The result? Accelerated wear and tear that can eventually lead to serious problems like meniscus tears or even the need for joint replacement.

As Dr. Nessler explains: "If the body was symmetrically loaded, both hips and both knees should wear down at the same time. So because of this asymmetrical loading or not balanced loading, one side ends up breaking down more than the other side."

One of the most powerful insights from this conversation is that knee pain rarely originates in the knee itself. As Dr. Nessler asks: "What is the root cause of your meniscus hurting? Meniscus shouldn't just start hurting. You shouldn't just start having medial knee pain. Why are you having knee pain?"

The answer often lies elsewhere in your body:

• Your feet: A collapsing arch can change your entire leg alignment, placing stress on your knee with every step. This becomes even more common as we mature and lose elasticity in the soft tissues of our feet.

• Your hips: Weak hip muscles (particularly the glute medius) can cause your pelvis to drop during movement, changing how forces travel through your knee. Dr. Nessler emphasizes that "hip motion is absolutely critical" for proper knee function.

• Your core: The "core" isn't just your abs—it's everything from your knees to your shoulders working together to stabilize your body. When these muscles don't function optimally, your knees pay the price.

This whole-body approach explains why spot-treating the painful knee often fails to provide lasting relief. Instead, addressing the root cause—which might be far from where you feel pain—can create transformative results.

If you're experiencing knee pain, should you rest it or keep moving? Dr. Nessler offers clear guidance: "When you stop moving your knee, it's going to get stiff. And when it gets stiff, it's going to get sore and painful."

The key is finding the right kind of movement. If running causes pain, perhaps try an elliptical or bike instead. You're still maintaining mobility, but with less stress on the joint.

How do you know if you're moving in the right direction? Monitor these three factors:

1. Frequency: Is pain occurring more or less often?
2. Intensity: Is the pain getting stronger or weaker?
3. Duration: How long does it take to recover after activity?

If any of these are increasing, it's time to adjust your approach.

Here's a surprising insight that could dramatically speed your recovery: proper hydration can cut your healing time in half.

Dr. Nessler explains that being just "two levels below where it should be—it's still yellowish—you have decreased healing time by almost two fold." This simple factor has a profound effect on "the extensibility of tissues, the resiliency of tissues, but also those tissues to repair."

The simple "pee test" can guide you: aim for clear to light yellow urine to ensure your tissues have the hydration they need for optimal recovery and function.

Beyond the physical aspects, knee pain has a powerful neurological component. As Robbie explains, past injuries create both physical and emotional patterns that affect how you move: "We start to actually lose that mind-body connection, neural connections go down. So you have both the mechanics, plus you have like, 'I'm aging' or likely to have had past issues, so that equals trauma."

This fear-pain cycle can dramatically slow your healing. The solution? Retraining both your body AND your mind through:

• Mental rehearsal: Research shows it takes 30,000 repetitions to create change in the higher centers of the brain—and mental practice counts toward this total
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• Interoceptive focus: By deeply connecting with how movements feel, you can achieve significant improvement in mechanics without increasing physical load

• Emotional awareness: Recognizing and addressing the emotional aspects of pain can break through plateaus in recovery

While this video provides powerful insights, the most effective approach for knee pain is personalized assessment. As Dr. Nessler emphasizes:

"If you're having knee pain and you're not really clear on whether you should move or not move in, or whatever you should do, get a consult... they're gonna help you identify a root cause, they're going to help you develop a program based off that root cause, and it's gonna be the fastest route to helping you get rid of your knee pain."

The Fitness Doctor's approach combines cutting-edge biomechanical understanding with personalized guidance to help you overcome knee pain for good—regardless of your age.

Living with knee pain doesn't have to be your permanent reality. By understanding the true root causes of pain, addressing the mind-body connection, and following personalized guidance, you can transform how you move—and how you live.

Your body has an incredible capacity to heal and adapt when given the right support. That journey begins here, with awareness, understanding, and hope.