#426 Dr. Justin Farnsworth - Do You Really Need Surgery For Your Injury?

#426 Dr. Justin Farnsworth - Do You Really Need Surgery For Your Injury?

Author: Andrew Coates December 18, 2025 Duration: 57:42
Lift Free And Diet Hard with Andrew Coates
HealthHealth & FitnessFitness

Dr. Justin Farnsworth is a highly respected physical therapist who emphasizes strength training, movement, and education as foundational tools for managing pain and injury.

In this episode, Justin joins me to challenge some of the most deeply held beliefs in modern healthcare - particularly the assumption that pain automatically requires surgery or rest.

Justin brings clarity, nuance, and evidence to a conversation that affects almost everyone at some point in their life.

Justin and Andrew explore:
• Why surgery performs no better than placebo for many common injuries
• Which injuries truly require surgery and why elite athletes may make different choices than the general population
• New understandings around ACL injuries and how many can heal without surgery
• Why belief and expectation are often stronger predictors of pain than tissue damage
• Why not exercising is a greater long-term health risk than many feared behaviors
• How running can be protective for knee cartilage
• How to safely and progressively reintroduce running into your life
• How to train around pain without making it worse
• And much more


CHAPTERS


01:36 The Role of Imaging in Diagnosing Pain
02:54 Understanding Degenerative Conditions
03:37 The Placebo Effect in Surgery
04:21 FAI and Other Common Diagnoses
07:48 When Surgery is Necessary
09:18 The Importance of Second Opinions
24:20 Manual Therapy and Pain Management
28:53 Manual Therapy and Its Effects
29:23 Understanding ACL Injuries and Treatments
35:47 The Role of Exercise in Long-Term Health
38:37 Challenges and Solutions in Promoting Exercise
45:15 Running and Knee Health
54:23 Programming Around Pain


SUPPORT THE SHOW


If this episode helped you, you can help me by:
• Subscribing and checking out more episodes
• Sharing it on your social media (tag me - I'll respond)
• Sending it to a friend who needs this


FOLLOW ANDREW COATES


Instagram: @andrewcoatesfitness
https://www.andrewcoatesfitness.com


PARTNERS AND RESOURCES


RP Strength App (use code COATESRP)
https://www.rpstrength.com/coates

Just Bite Me Meals (use code ANDREWCOATESFITNESS for 10% off)
https://justbitememeals.com/

MacrosFirst - FREE PREMIUM TRIAL
Download MacrosFirst and during setup you’ll be asked “How did you hear about us?”
Type in: ANDREW

KNKG Bags (15% off)
https://www.knkg.com/Andrew59676

Versa Gripps (discount link)
https://www.versagripps.com/andrewcoates

TRAINHEROIC - FREE 90-DAY TRIAL (2 steps)

  1. Go to https://www.trainheroic.com/liftfree

  2. Reply to the email you receive (or email trials@trainheroic.com) and let them know I sent you


Andrew Coates hosts Lift Free And Diet Hard, a conversation grounded in the belief that strength and wellness are built on more than just routines. This podcast moves beyond quick fixes to examine the principles and personal stories that shape a sustainable, intentional life. You’ll hear from a variety of inspiring guests who share not only their expertise but also the real-world challenges and triumphs they’ve faced. The discussions naturally weave together the science of fitness with the practicalities of daily choices, offering a nuanced look at what it means to truly care for your physical and mental health. Each episode is designed to provide actionable insights you can use to navigate your own path, fostering resilience and confidence whether you're in the gym or the kitchen. By focusing on informed decision-making over dogma, the Lift Free And Diet Hard podcast becomes a resource for anyone looking to cut through the noise of wellness culture. Andrew facilitates these explorations with a focus on empowerment, ensuring every conversation adds a layer of understanding to the complex journey of building a strong, healthy life.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Official website RSS
Lift Free And Diet Hard with Andrew Coates
Podcast Episodes
#442 Alex Effer - Biomechanics 101 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:35
Alex Effer is a clinical exercise physiologist and biomechanics educator.Instead of getting your biomechanics education from TikTok, this episode brings one of the industry’s most thoughtful teachers to break down what a…
#440 Dr. Christle Guevarra - What’s New In Weight Loss Drugs? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:06
Dr. Christle Guevarra is a board-certified physician in family and sports medicine and an expert in GLP-1 agonist medications and other weight loss drugs.Christle returns to take us through a deeper dive into the rapidly…
#439 Dr. Supriya Joshi - Alcohol, NAFLD, and Your Liver Health [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:01
Dr. Supriya Joshi is a gastroenterologist, hepatologist, and lecturer at the University of Toronto. She joins the show to share her expertise on liver health and to clarify many of the misconceptions surrounding alcohol,…
#438 Brad Stulberg - The Way of Excellence [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:12
Brad Stulberg returns to the show to share lessons from his newest book, The Way of Excellence.In this episode, Brad joins Andrew Coates to explore what excellence actually means for everyday people — not elite performer…
#437 Jonathan Goodman - Seasons of Unhinged Intensity [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:09
Jonathan Goodman is one of the most influential thought leaders and entrepreneurs in the fitness industry. After years of building businesses and platforms, Jonathan has now made writing books his primary focus.In this e…

«1234567...10»