Bendy Bodies with Dr. Linda Bluestein
Episodes
80. A Multidimensional Approach to EDS and HSD Care with Dacre Knight, MD
30 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, YOUR guest is Dacre Knight, MD. Dr. Knight established a specialty clinic for treating patients with hypermobility syndromes includ...
79. Gastrointestinal Problems in Hypermobile EDS: Learning to Treat and Spot them with Leonard Weinstock, MD
16 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, YOUR guest is gastroenterologist Leonard Weinstock, MD, author of over 150 peer-reviewed journal articles. His extensive research o...
78. Uncovering Inequality in Healthcare with Brianna Cardenas, DMSC, PA-C
09 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, YOUR guest is Brianna Cardenas, DMSC, PA-C, ATC and the founder of Healed and Empowered. Brianna courageously shares her own person...
77. Neurosurgical Insights from Paolo Bolognese, MD and Guest Cohost Pradeep Chopra, MD
02 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, YOUR guest is neurosurgeon, Paolo Bolognese, MD, founder of the Chiari Neurosurgical Center in New York. Dr. Bolognese is also on t...
76. Orofacial Pain with Robinson-Smith, DDS
19 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, YOUR guest is Julie Robinson-Smith, DDS, diplomate of the American Board of Oral Medicine, a diplomate of the American Board of Orofa...
75. Cervical Instability: Thinking Beyond the Neck with Patty Stott, DPT
12 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, YOUR guest is Patricia Stott, DPT, physical therapist with expertise in Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes and related conditions. Dr Stott an...
74. Podcast Secrets and Sneak Peeks with Guest Host Kate Colbert
05 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, where we close out Season 3 of the podcast and kick off Season 4, YOUR guest (and host!) is Bendy Bodies founder, Dr. Linda Bluestein...
73. Understanding Lower Extremity Pain with Pradeep Chopra, MD
31 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The lower extremities must bear the weight of our whole bodies. Problems in the hip may cause a chain reaction of aches, imbalances, or chronic issues...
72. Examining Upper Extremity Pain with Pradeep Chopra, MD
17 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Joints of the upper extremity (eg: shoulders, elbows, fingers, etc) can be prone to subluxation and dislocation in those with joint hypermobility and/...
71. Examining Head, Spine, and Chest Pain with Pradeep Chopra, MD
20 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Connective tissue runs throughout your body, surrounding and connecting every system. This is what makes treating issues that arise from connective ti...
70. Examining Abdominal Pain with Pradeep Chopra, MD
29 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Abdominal pain is an extremely common finding in people with connective tissue disorders, like Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes (EDS). Similar to other issue...
69. Traveling with a Chronic Disorder with Dr. Linda Bluestein, Kristin Koskinen RDN, and Jennifer Milner NCPT
08 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Travel comes with a lot of uncertainty: flights get canceled, hotel reservations are lost, luggage never turns up. But add the complications of travel...
68. Fostering Hope for Hypermobility with Cortney Gensemer, PhD, Victoria Daylor, and Linda Bluestein, MD
25 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Symptomatic joint hypermobility can be difficult to understand and can present in so many different ways. Recently, Victoria Daylor, Dr. Cortney Gense...
67. Destigmatizing Eating Disorders with Dr. Jennifer Gaudiani
11 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Eating disorders are complicated and not uncommon in artistic athletes. Common comorbidities of symptomatic joint hypermobility (SJH), like mast cell ...
66. Codifying Upper Cervical Instability with Leslie Russek, DPT, PhD
20 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Upper cervical instability (UCI) occurs quite commonly in the mild form and more rarely in the severe form in those with symptomatic generalized joint...
65. Finding Balance with Jenelle Manzi
06 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Thriving as a professional artist with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome can be challenging. Finding a balance between pushing yourself physically and listenin...
64. Demystifying Chiropractic Care with Dr. Carrie Skony
23 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Chiropractic care has been around for over 100 years, but many people don’t quite know what it entails. Artistic athletes may be told to add regular...
63. Shining Your Light with Gigi Robinson
09 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Living with a chronic illness like Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) can be demoralizing. You may not have access to the care you need, loved ones do not g...
62. Deconstructing Head Pain with Rudrani Banik, MD
23 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Headaches and migraines are common in many chronic illnesses, and people with hypermobility often struggle with chronic head pain for a variety of rea...
61. Getting Back Up Again with Keeya Steel
09 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Life with multiple chronic illnesses is physically and mentally challenging. Feelings of exhaustion and emotional fatigue crowd in with physical sympt...
60. Strengthening Precision with Monica Lorenzo, MS, ATC
26 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Dance injuries can be career ending especially for those with joint hypermobility. Competition dance or precision performance can introduce a whole ne...
59. Preparing for Competitions: A Round Table with Kristin Koskinen RDN, Linda Bluestein MD, and Jennifer Milner NCPT
12 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
For most artistic athletes, competition is a part of life. Whether you’re a dancer, skater, gymnast, or cheerleader chances are you’re competing a...
58. Preparing for Surgery with Linda Bluestein, MD
15 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Hypermobility disorders can lead to health complications that may require surgery. Joint hypermobility and associated conditions can present complic...
57. Alleviating Anxiety with Jo-Anne La Flèche
01 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Dance and other performing arts are, by nature, stressful. Stress can easily develop into anxiety, which is exponentially more common in the hypermobi...
56. Optimizing Immunity with Kristin Koskinen, RDN
17 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As the weather changes and schedules become busier, staying healthy can feel like a huge challenge. Artistic athletes may struggle to keep their bodie...
55. Cultivating Resiliency with Jazz Bynum
03 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As a young dancer, Jazz Bynum enjoyed the benefits of being “bendy”. Later, she experienced more than her fair share of injuries but it wasn’...
54. Managing Mast Cell Pain with Linda Bluestein, MD
20 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Mast cell disorders are prevalent in the hypermobile population, but can often go undiagnosed. Persistent pain can be initiated and perpetuated by m...
53. Creating a New Hypermobility Screening Tool with Aiko Callahan, DPT, and Stephanie Greenspan, DPT
20 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Hypermobility is far more prevalent in dancers, circus performers and other aesthetic athletes. While some hypermobile artistic athletes have asymptom...
52. Unlocking Jaw Pain with Leslie Russek, DPT, PhD
22 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jaw pain affects a relatively large percentage of the general population, but is even more problematic for those on the hypermobility spectrum. It’...
51. Moving Fearlessly with Jeannie DiBon
08 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Hypermobile athletes and artists are often excellent movers - until they hit “the wall”. Sometimes you hit a point where even basic movements beco...
50. Pushing Limits with Jen Crane, DPT
26 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As a physical therapist for circus artists and dancers, Dr. Jen Crane regularly treats artistic athletes with hypermobility. As a circus artist and fo...
49. Pioneering a Path with Bonnie Moore Southgate
12 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As an elite ballet dancer, Bonnie Moore Southgate danced as a soloist first with American Ballet Theatre, then with the Royal Ballet. Struggling with ...
48. Supporting the Foot and Ankle with Andrea Zujko, DPT
28 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Hypermobility can help the artist create aesthetically pleasing lines with one of the most obvious locations involving the foot. And while many artist...
47. Exploring the Link between Joint Hypermobility and Neurodivergency with Jessica Eccles, MRCPsych, PhD
14 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Evidence shows that neurodivergency occurs at a higher rate amongst people with hypermobility disorders. And we know that anxiety is also prevalent ...
46. Fueling Against Fatigue with Kristin Koskinen, RDN
17 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
People with hypermobility often struggle with fatigue. They want more energy, and know that exercise and adequate sleep can help. But what is the ro...
45. Understanding Fatigue with Alan Pocinki, MD
03 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Fatigue is common in people with chronic disease. Pain, fatigue, and depression can feed into each other and become a vicious cycle that’s difficult...
44. Navigating Pregnancy with Shanda Dorff, MD
17 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Pregnancy can be a time of new physical challenges, and hypermobility may make the season even more complex. Hormones can change tissue elasticity and...
43. Supporting Artistic Athletes with Selina Shah, MD
03 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Artistic athletes like dancers, gymnasts, and skaters require highly skilled medical care in order to maintain peak health while operating at an elite...
42. Pursuing a Diagnosis with Linda Bluestein, MD
20 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Hypermobility disorders can be difficult to diagnose, with no one clear path forward. Without an obvious road to walk, people with chronic pain who su...
41. Changing the Face of EDS with Camille Schrier, Miss America 2020
06 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
People struggling with a chronic illness often feel overwhelmed at the idea of pursuing a passion. Health issues may seem insurmountable when trying t...
40. Understanding Overstretching with Jennifer Milner, NCPT
16 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What is overstretching, and why should we talk about it? As the artistic world seems to demand ever more extreme ranges of motion from its dancers and...
39. Rethinking Rhythmic Gymnastics with Vita Bachman
02 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Artistic athletes often push their flexibility to the limit, both for competitive and aesthetic reasons. Nowhere are limits tested more than in rhy...
38. Refusing Limits with Allysa Seely
18 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Chronic illness can make your life feel filled with insurmountable obstacles. Pursuing your dreams, even in the face of health issues, may feel hopele...
37. Advocating for Yourself with Aidan Leslie
04 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Navigating medical care can be a daunting task at the best of times, but when you have a chronic disorder that is largely an invisible illness, you ma...
36. Needling for Pain with Mandy Blackmon, DPT
14 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What exactly is dry needling? How is it different from acupuncture? What sort of issues might it be used for? Dry needling can be a vital part of an a...
35. Reeducating Mast Cells with Anne Maitland, MD, PhD
30 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Mast cells: interesting and mysterious. You can’t be born without them, but they don’t show up in blood tests. They’re found throughout the body...
34. Highlighting GI Disorders with Leonard Weinstock, M.D.
27 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Are you suffering from gastrointestinal distress? People with hypermobility disorders have a higher prevalence of GI problems than the general populat...
33. Conquering the Wall: A Round Table Discussion
13 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Do you live with a hypermobility disorder? Whether you have a connective tissue disorder like Ehlers-Danlos syndrome or Marfan syndrome, or a hypermob...
32. Embracing Neurodivergency with Jessica Eccles, MD
22 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Neurodivergency occurs at a much higher rate amongst people with hypermobility disorders like Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes and hypermobility spectrum disor...
31. Allowing Imperfection with Bonnie Robson, MD
08 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A very high percentage of dancers and athletic artists struggle with perfectionism: it’s what makes us so good at what we do, while at the same time...
30. Focusing on Fascia with Jill Miller
25 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Jill Miller’s life was upended with shocking news of end-stage osteoarthritis in her early forties. This led to her exploration of healthy ways of r...
29. Capturing Limitless Authenticity with Rachel Neville
11 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Photography encapsulates a moment in time like no other art form, and every artist walks into the studio wanting to capture their best selves. Some wa...
28. Caring for the Adolescent Artist
25 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What support does a hypermobile young artist need? Hint: a lot. Hypermobile dancers, gymnasts, skaters, circus artists: the same hypermobility that gi...
27. Supporting the Pelvic Floor with Jeanice Mitchell, PT
11 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What the heck is a pelvic floor and why should you care? The pelvic floor is a collection of muscle and connective tissue forming a hammock at the bot...
26. Balancing Seasonal Fueling Patterns with Kristin Koskinen, RDN
28 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Do you love a fresh start? Have you ever made a new year's resolution and then dreaded it? It’s common for people to look at eating habits, make b...
25. Addressing Pain in Hypermobility Disorders with Linda Bluestein, M.D.
14 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Why are hypermobility disorders painful and what can be done about it? When discussing conditions associated with hypermobility, like Ehlers-Danlos Sy...
24. Thriving with Chronic Pain with Beth Darnall, PhD
30 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Living with hypermobility disorders often means learning to live with chronic pain, and as pain is a whole-person experience - physical, emotional, an...
23. Empowering Patients with Multisystemic Diseases with Jill Schofield, M.D.
03 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Jill Schofield, founder and director of the Center for Multisystem Disease, is back to discuss multisystemic diseases and what she wishes everyone...
22. Managing Dysautonomia with Svetlana Blitshteyn, M.D.
19 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this second interview with Dr. Svetlana Blitshteyn, board-certified neurologist and director of the Dysautonomia Clinic, we go beyond identifying c...
21. Demystifying Dysautonomia with Svetlana Blitshteyn, M.D.
05 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Dysautonomia is an umbrella term used to describe disorders of the autonomic nervous system (which controls all the automatic functions of the body li...
20. Building Better Bone Strength with Rebekah Rotstein
22 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Osteoporosis is a disease that affects tens of millions of people each year. Dancers and other high-level athletes are often at higher risk due to low...
19. Living fully with a Hypermobility Disorder with Linda Bluestein, M.D.
08 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this second interview with Bendy Bodies host Dr. Linda Bluestein, she explores the realities of living with a connective tissue disorder. As a reno...
18. Molding Healthy, Successful Artists with Mariaelena Ruiz
25 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
How do you prepare a hypermobile student for the rigors of the professional dance world, finding that balance of exploring their gifts while moving ca...
17. Training the Hypermobile Dancer with Jennifer Milner
10 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
For people working with artistic athletes such as dancers, circus artists, and gymnasts, training the hypermobile body brings its own set of challenge...
16. Empowering Flexibility with Dr. Jen Crane, DPT
28 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Extreme flexibility has permeated social media and influenced every physical art form, from dance to ice skating and of course circus arts. As artisti...
15. Shaping a Healthy Career with Beckanne Sisk
11 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Hypermobility is often desired in dancers for the long, beautiful lines it affords. But hypermobility adds its own challenges to dancers seeking a lon...
14. Stabilizing the Hypermobile Body through Circus Arts with Emily Scherb, PT, DPT
30 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Nowhere is flexibility and hypermobility more valued and explored than in the circus arts! But while circus artists are highly skilled and extremely s...
13. Healing the Brain Holistically with Ilene Ruhoy M.D., Ph.D.
17 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Many conditions found in "bendy" people have a neurologic basis, impacting both the brain and nervous system. In this Bendy Bodies episode, Dr. Ilene ...
12. Investigating Autoimmune Disorders with Jill Schofield, M.D.
02 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
World renowned expert in autoimmune disorders and the Founder and Director of the Center for Multisystem Disease, Dr. Jill Schofield, generously chatt...
11. Understanding Hypermobility Disorders with Linda Bluestein, M.D.
18 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, guest co-host Jennifer Milner interviews Bendy Bodies’ own host, Dr. Linda Bluestein! Hypermobility disorders can be frustratingl...
10. Cultivating Psychological Skills with Bonnie Robson, M.D.
28 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Living with stress and anxiety has become the rule rather than the exception in today’s world. Everyone develops coping strategies of some kind, but...
9. Educating the Dance Community with Lisa Howell
15 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Dancing with a hypermobile body brings its own set of challenges, from a general lack of stability to a slower recovery time. As a young pre-professio...
8. Demystifying Genetics with Paldeep Atwal, M.D.
29 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Your DNA holds many secrets. Why do drugs work on some people and not on others? Why are conditions expressed so differently in different family m...
7. Understanding and Preparing for Coronavirus with Immunologist, Dwight McKee, M.D.
17 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
PLEASE NOTE***: The following episode was recorded in mid-April 2020, just four weeks after the World Health Organization declared the spread of SAR...
6. Minding the Mental Health Gap with Kathleen McGuire Gaines
12 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Traits that can make a dancer so valuable in the dance world - drive, perfectionism, obsessing over details - also put them at higher risk for mental ...
5. Optimizing Nutrition to Support a Dancer’s Health with Kristin Koskinen, RDN
04 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
While many dancers strive to fuel healthily, making the most out of your meals can be overwhelming. In today’s world especially, dancers need strong...
4. Supporting a Dancer’s Mental Health with Psychotherapist, Terry Hyde
30 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Dancers train constantly to attain peak performance, working long hours to achieve physical and artistic perfection. Unfortunately, mental health is o...
3. Preserving the Hip with Orthopedic Surgeon, Joel Wells, M.D.
12 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Hypermobility can affect every joint, but perhaps the most complicated one to understand and train is the hip. With a high prevalence of hip injuries ...
Ensuring Longevity: Screening, Strengthening and Supporting with Physiotherapist Moira McCormack (Ep 2)
05 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this continuation of our discussion with Moira McCormack, we delve deeper into Moira’s work as a researcher and tireless advocate for dance scien...
Reducing Injury and Increasing Education with Royal Ballet Physiotherapist, Moira McCormack (Ep 1)
26 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Moira’s tireless work with Royal Ballet and the Royal Ballet school have helped build the Royal Ballet into an oft-emulated model of treatment and i...