Dr. Eric Goodman: Pain is a Marathon or How to Deal with Chronic Back Pain

Pain as a Teacher: A Conversation with Dr. Eric Goodman

In this episode of the Healing with Coherence podcast, hosted by Mikel and presented by Radiant Life Technologies, we explore the evolving landscape of health, science, and technology. Our guest is Dr. Eric Goodman, a chiropractor and the creator of Foundation Training – a movement and strengthening program specifically designed to help individuals overcome chronic back pain.

Redefining the Meaning of Pain

Dr. Goodman approaches the concept of pain with a profound sense of optimism, despite acknowledging that our modern environment is becoming increasingly difficult for the human body to tolerate. He notes that while we have many "staircases" to climb in our efforts to mitigate pain – including physical movement, nutrition, environmental awareness, and stress management – the societal trend toward environmental toxicity, poor sleep, and processed nutrition creates a challenging backdrop for healing.

For Dr. Goodman, pain is not merely a symptom to be suppressed; it is a teacher. He shares that the most significant lessons of his adult life have arrived through painful experiences. By shifting his perspective, he learned to integrate better movement and awareness into his lifestyle, transforming his own history of spinal degeneration into a source of knowledge. He emphasizes that pain can serve as a powerful connector, allowing people to share their experiences and solutions, moving from a state of suffering to one of shared growth and discovery.

The Marathon of Healing

Addressing the skepticism often faced by those who manage serious conditions like multiple sclerosis through lifestyle changes rather than traditional medication, Dr. Goodman draws a powerful analogy: healing is a marathon.

"Pain is a marathon," he explains. "Autoimmune disorders, cancers, losing a limb, losing a loved one – these are marathons that must be managed through the long haul." He argues that while medication is often vital for managing acute phases of an illness, the chronic phase requires a shift toward modification. This involves taking responsibility for one's own ecosystem: adjusting diet, minimizing triggers, and choosing movement patterns that support the body rather than depleting it.

The Birth of Foundation Training

Foundation Training was born directly from Dr. Goodman’s own struggle with chronic back pain during his time in chiropractic school. By 2007, despite his extensive knowledge of anatomy and his background as a personal trainer, he was facing severe disc herniations and was even recommended for a 360-degree spinal fusion surgery.

Refusing the surgical route, Dr. Goodman began a dedicated, years-long process of self-exploration. He spent his time in a state of heightened awareness, moving, breathing, and experimenting with muscle integration. He discovered that by contracting specific muscles – what he now calls "pelvic anchoring" – and focusing on spinal extension, he could find relief that conventional methods had not provided.

What began as a desperate search for relief has evolved into a global movement. Today, Foundation Training is taught by over 1,400 instructors worldwide, and Dr. Goodman continues to refine the practice through his work with patients and his own ongoing commitment to movement.

Taking Responsibility for Health

Dr. Goodman stresses that the most effective healing happens when the individual moves from a passive role – waiting for a doctor to "fix" them – to an active, autonomous role. He encourages patients to view their health as a collaboration. While doctors and therapists provide essential diagnostic tools and acute care, the long-term work of healing belongs to the individual.

"Life is about absorption, not propulsion," Dr. Goodman reflects. By slowing down, paying attention to the body’s signals, and understanding the triggers that lead to pain, individuals can regain control. Whether through Foundation Training, the Walls Protocol, or other movement-based methodologies, the path to recovery lies in the willingness to modify one's lifestyle and commit to the process of self-healing.

As Dr. Goodman concludes, the opportunity presented by chronic pain is the chance to slow down, become aware, and ultimately, to live a life that is more aligned, conscious, and resilient.

Foundation Training is built upon two fundamental, opposing principles: decompression and anchoring. Decompression involves expanding the torso to its fullest volume – lengthening the abdomen, widening the latissimus muscles, elongating the neck, and broadening the clavicles to create a dense, stable structure from front to back. The opposing principle, anchoring, stabilizes the pelvis by utilizing muscle chains from the feet up through the shins and groin, effectively lifting toward the pubic symphysis – the body’s center of gravity. By integrating these two forces, Foundation Training utilizes approximately 27 to 28 unique poses to counteract the compressive nature of modern life.

Defining Coherence through Integration

When discussing the concept of coherence – a term increasingly central to holistic health – Dr. Eric Goodman interprets it as the body’s ability to "stick together" and support itself through integrated muscle chains. Rather than shortening muscles, Foundation Training focuses on lengthening them against tension, much like a game of tug-of-war.

Dr. Goodman explains that the body is designed to absorb the weight of gravity from the feet to the pelvis and up to the back of the skull. By applying an active, collaborative contraction within these muscle chains, the body shifts from a state of rest to a state of lift. This creates vital space for organs, nerve pathways, and the flow of blood and lymph. In the context of Foundation Training, coherence is the ability to achieve stronger bonds by pulling into expansion rather than pushing into compression. This aligns with the concept of biotensegrity, where the body relies on the correct application of tension to maintain structural integrity.

Practical Steps for Postural Health

For those living in modern, sedentary environments, Dr. Goodman views Foundation Training as an immediate, long-term solution to postural pain. He encourages individuals to seek out resources – whether through books, streaming platforms, or local instructors – to learn protocols specifically designed for conditions ranging from disc herniations to plantar fasciitis.

Beyond formal training, Dr. Goodman emphasizes the importance of mindfulness in daily movement: * Breathing Patterns: Pay attention to how you breathe and how often you sit versus walk. * Movement Quality: If you exercise, ensure the posture you bring to the gym or a run is not the same collapsed posture you held at your desk all day. * Functional Literacy: Learn to perform basic human movements well – walking, sitting, bending, reaching, and lifting. You do not need to perform high repetitions; you simply need to be able to support your body’s weight effectively.

A Simple Postural Hack

As a final takeaway, Dr. Goodman offers a quick "posture hack" to avoid the pitfalls of accessory, or "panic," breathing. He suggests using the back of the skull as a lever: by lifting the back of the head while breathing through the nose, one can properly engage the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscles without allowing them to dominate the breath. This simple adjustment helps prevent the chest from collapsing downward, ensuring the head leverages the rest of the body into a more upright, aligned position.

As the discussion concludes, the emphasis remains on the necessity of taking personal responsibility for one’s physical state. By learning to move with intention and coherence, individuals can begin to reverse the lifestyle degradation caused by the modern city environment and move toward a life of greater resilience and freedom from pain.