Arthritis Life
Finding Strength after JIA and Macrophage Activation Syndrome: Zac’s Story of Tenacity
11 Sep 2025
Diagnosed at just 15, Zac opens up about the difficult shift from being an active athlete to facing disability caused by arthritis and its complications. He shares how strength training became a turning point and helped him regain mobility, lose weight, and rebuild a fulfilling life. He also explores how his background in strength training helped him survive a near death experience with macrophage activation syndrome.Together, Cheryl and Zac explore the role of exercise in managing arthritis, offering practical tips, tools, and encouragement for others navigating similar challenges. Zac highlights the importance of pairing medical treatment with disciplined strength training to enhance both health and quality of life.Episode at a glance:Zac’s Diagnosis Journey: Zac Spinosa, 28-year-old personal trainer living with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA), shares the challenges of shifting from active athlete to living with disability. Turning Point: How strength training helped Zac regain mobility, lose weight, and rebuild his lifePractical Takeaways: Tips, tools, and advice for using exercise to manage arthritis effectivelyHolistic Approach: The importance of combining medical treatment with disciplined strength trainingInspiration for Listeners: Finding resilience, strength, and quality of life while navigating chronic illnessMedical disclaimer: All content found on Arthritis Life public channels was created for generalized informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.Episode SponsorsRheum to THRIVE, an online course and support program Cheryl created to help people with rheumatic disease go from overwhelmed, confused and alone to confident, supported and connected. See all the details and join the program or waitlist now! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
No persons identified in this episode.
This episode hasn't been transcribed yet
Help us prioritize this episode for transcription by upvoting it.
Popular episodes get transcribed faster
Other recent transcribed episodes
Transcribed and ready to explore now
#2426 - Cameron Hanes & Adam Greentree
16 Dec 2025
The Joe Rogan Experience
#487 – Irving Finkel: Deciphering Secrets of Ancient Civilizations & Flood Myths
12 Dec 2025
Lex Fridman Podcast
#2425 - Ethan Hawke
11 Dec 2025
The Joe Rogan Experience
SpaceX Said to Pursue 2026 IPO
10 Dec 2025
Bloomberg Tech
Don’t Call It a Comeback
10 Dec 2025
Motley Fool Money
Japan Claims AGI, Pentagon Adopts Gemini, and MIT Designs New Medicines
10 Dec 2025
The Daily AI Show