Movement Logic: Strong Opinions, Loosely Held

Dr. Sarah Court, PT, DPT and Laurel Beversdorf
  • 4.7 (108)
  • HEALTH & FITNESS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Welcome to the Movement Logic Podcast, with yoga teacher and strength coach Laurel Beversdorf, and physical therapist Dr. Sarah Court. With over 30 years combined experience in the yoga, movement and physical therapy worlds, we believe in strong ideas, loosely held – which means we’re not hyping outdated movement concepts. Instead, we’re here with up-to-date and cutting-edge tools, evidence and ideas to help you as a mover and a teacher. Music: Makani by Scandinavianz & AXM

  1. 123: Don't Get it Twisted: Scoliosis Facts vs Fiction

    5H AGO · VIDEO

    123: Don't Get it Twisted: Scoliosis Facts vs Fiction

    In this episode, Dr. Sarah Court unpacks scoliosis from the ground up, what it is, how it is diagnosed, the different types, and what we actually know about why it happens. She explains the Cobb angle, idiopathic versus congenital, neuromuscular, and degenerative scoliosis, and why muscle imbalances, heavy backpacks, or “bad posture” are not the root cause. Drawing on her own experience living with scoliosis and her time observing medical care in a pediatric hospital setting, she walks through current medical interventions, including observation, bracing, and spinal fusion, along with the real-world tradeoffs that come with each. The episode then turns to exercise. Do you need scoliosis-specific methods like Schroth or SEAS, and do they meaningfully change outcomes? Sarah reviews the current evidence, which suggests small to modest short-term changes at best, with limited high-quality data, especially in adults. She makes the case that most adults with scoliosis do not need to chase curve correction or cosmetic symmetry. Instead, the focus should be on building strength, addressing meaningful side-to-side capacity differences, supporting breathing where needed, and improving function and confidence. Heavy lifting, including deadlifts and squats, is not inherently dangerous for people with scoliosis, and getting stronger is often the most practical, evidence-informed path forward. FOLLOW @theMovementLogic on Instagram Movement Logic: Free Barbell Mini Course RESOURCES: The Schroth Method  The SEAS Method VIDEO: Schroth in action

    42 min
  2. 122: A Science Communicator Explains Pseudoscience, with Dr. Joe Schwarcz, PhD

    FEB 4 · VIDEO

    122: A Science Communicator Explains Pseudoscience, with Dr. Joe Schwarcz, PhD

    In this episode, Laurel and Sarah are joined by Dr. Joe Schwarcz, Director of the Office for Science and Society at McGill University and one of the most experienced science communicators working today. They explore why pseudoscientific health claims spread so effectively, even among educated and well-intentioned people, and why wellness culture is so drawn to simple explanations for complex biological problems. The conversation moves through three dominant narratives shaping modern health messaging: the obsession with finding a single root cause, the moralization of food, chemicals, and health behaviors, and the pressure to optimize every biological variable imaginable. Dr. Schwarcz explains how these narratives distort public understanding of science, create unnecessary anxiety, and distract from the few behaviors that reliably matter for health, like movement, nutrition, and basic risk management. They also discuss how science actually works, including why it changes over time, how peer review can fail, how industry funding complicates research interpretation, and why cherry-picked studies and observational data are so easily weaponized in marketing. The episode closes with practical guidance on how to evaluate health claims, how to think about trust and expertise, and why asking better questions is often more powerful than finding definitive answers. FREE Barbell Mini Course—SIGN UP FOLLOW @MovementLogicTutorials on Instagram Verse Agile Rack, Foldable Home Barbell Rack coupon code MovementLogic50OFF RESOURCES Dr. Schwarz's radio show McGill University blog McGill University YouTube Book: The Certainty Illusion, by Timothy Caulfield

    1h 11m
  3. 121: Do No Harm, But Also Sell Shoes? The Doctor vs Brand Problem

    JAN 21 · VIDEO

    121: Do No Harm, But Also Sell Shoes? The Doctor vs Brand Problem

    In this solo episode, Sarah takes the “doctor vs brand” framework that went viral on Instagram and runs it as a real-time case study on a real company. The target is Cadense, an adaptive shoe that claims to help with foot drop, toe catch, and neurologic walking difficulties using “variable friction” tech, basically a glide-to-grip outsole design meant to reduce toe snagging while still giving traction during stance and push-off. Sarah breaks down what foot drop is, who this type of device might help, who it might put at risk, and why any rehab-adjacent product should be judged on more than vibe, testimonials, or white-coat authority. Then she gets into incentives, the part everyone wants to ignore until it’s their wallet. She walks through Cadense’s ambassador, coach, and affiliate pathways, and uses the full checklist to evaluate where Cadense lands on the clinician-led spectrum, including what they disclose well, what they oversimplify, and what they should tighten up if they want to be truly “do no harm” about a product that can literally change someone’s fall risk. Finally, Sarah looks at the actual research (yes, it exists, no, it’s not robust yet), explains what a five-person pilot study can and can’t prove, and lays out the line she personally won’t cross, recommending a product case-by-case versus becoming financially tied to a medical-ish purchase decision. FREE Barbell Mini Course—SIGN UP FOLLOW @MovementLogicTutorials on Instagram Verse Agile Rack, Foldable Home Barbell Rack coupon code MovementLogic50OFF RESOURCESInstagram Post: When a Doctor Becomes a BrandCadense, Official WebsiteCadense Coaches Program, Clinician PartnershipPilot Study of Cadence, A Novel Shoe for Patients With Foot Drop, Evora et al. 2019NIH Clinical Trial, Variable Friction Shoe vs AFO (NCT06234124)Global Wellness Economy Reaches $6.8 Trillion, Global Wellness Institute

    55 min
  4. 120: Is Advice to Eat 30 Different Plants/Week Science-Backed?

    JAN 7 · VIDEO

    120: Is Advice to Eat 30 Different Plants/Week Science-Backed?

    In this episode of the Movement Logic Podcast, Laurel Beversdorf revisits the advice to eat 30 different plants per week and explains why it sounds scientific while resting on a much shakier foundation than it appears. She reflects on encountering the claim, why her and Sarah’s initial reaction was skepticism, and how listener feedback led to a closer look at where the idea came from and how it spread. Laurel breaks down what the American Gut Project actually showed: an observational association between self reported plant variety and gut microbiome diversity in a specific, self selected, largely affluent cohort. She explains why this type of research cannot identify an optimal number of plants or justify turning a statistical cutoff into a universal lifestyle rule, especially given the limits of how plant intake was measured. She then examines how the venture backed consumer health company Zoe translated this association into a prescriptive target and built products around it, arguing that the clarity and certainty of the message functions as marketing rather than sound, science backed health advice. Finally, Laurel zooms out to the emotional and social impact of this advice, explaining how moralized wellness claims turn health into a performance metric while ignoring access, instability, and other social determinants of health. FREE Barbell Mini Course—SIGN UP FOLLOW @MovementLogicTutorials on Instagram RESOURCES 113: Debunking Menopause Grifters 118: How Should We Eat To Be Healthy? with Abby Langer, RD 102: Moralizing Movement American Gut Project McDonald, 2018; PMID: 29795809 Book: The Certainty Illusion, by Timothy Caulfield Guardian Article: ‘Personalising stuff that doesn’t matter’: the trouble with the Zoe nutrition app Zoe + Science + Nutrition interview with Prof. Tim Spector Post: Dr. Lauren Colenso-Semple's infographic on scientific process Post: What Peter Attia gets wrong Post: Attia & 30 plants/week Post: Doctor vs. Brand

    1h 6m
  5. 119: Testosterone in Menopause: What We Know, What We Don't

    12/24/2025 · VIDEO

    119: Testosterone in Menopause: What We Know, What We Don't

    Testosterone is everywhere in menopause conversations right now, often framed as a solution for everything from low energy and brain fog to bone health and longevity. In this episode, Dr. Sarah Court, PT breaks down what actually matters when it comes to testosterone for menopausal women, separating social media hype from clinical evidence. The real questions are not whether women have testosterone or whether levels change with age, but whether testosterone should be prescribed, for whom, and what the data truly supports. Using current consensus guidelines, this episode explains why testosterone has one narrow, evidence-based indication, hypoactive sexual desire disorder, and why claims about mood, energy, cognition, bone health, and longevity are not supported by high-quality research. Dr. Court also walks through how testosterone is prescribed in the real world, why the lack of FDA-approved products for women creates problems, and what the safety data does and does not tell us about long-term risks. If you have heard confident claims about testosterone as a menopause cure-all, this episode provides the context you need to evaluate those messages with clarity and skepticism. FOLLOW @MovementLogicTutorials on Instagram Movement Logic: Free Barbell Mini Course Instagram: Professor Susan DavisInstagram: Dr. Kelly Casperson Global Consensus Position Statement on the Use of Testosterone Therapy for Women — Davis et al., 2019, Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism ISSWSH Clinical Practice Guideline on Systemic Testosterone for Women — Parish et al., 2021 Testosterone Therapy for Women, Systematic Review & Meta-analysis(Lancet Review) — Islam et al., 2019 Androgen Therapy in Women, A Reappraisal — Davis & Wahlin-Jacobsen, 2015 Kelly Casperson blog post — Testosterone Can Help With Libido, Energy, Focus, & More During Menopause You Are Not Broken Podcast — Kelly Casperson, MD YouTube Short: Testosterone and Bone Health YouTube Short: Testosterone, Motivation & Vitality

    26 min
  6. 118: How Should We Eat To Be Healthy? With Abby Langer, RD

    12/10/2025 · VIDEO

    118: How Should We Eat To Be Healthy? With Abby Langer, RD

    In this episode of the Movement Logic Podcast, Laurel and Sarah talk with registered dietitian and longtime myth buster Abby Langer, RD, about what it actually means to eat in a healthy, sustainable way. Abby brings clarity to some of the most confusing and overhyped nutrition messages online, explaining the meaningful difference between dietitians and nutritionists, why food guidelines get so much misplaced blame, and why simple habits like eating more fiber, plants, and whole foods still matter far more than clean eating, hormone-balancing diets, or supplement-driven solutions. She breaks down ultra processed foods, weight gain misconceptions, what causes overeating, and why carbs, fruit, sugar, and seed oils have all become targets of unnecessary fear. The conversation also explores protein needs, plant versus animal protein, the role of fiber in digestion and satiety, what gut health is and isn’t, and why probiotic claims are often overstated. Abby shares how her decades of experience in hospitals, primary care, and private practice have shaped her evidence-based approach, and she offers grounded advice on how to build a sane, less anxious relationship with food in a culture that thrives on extremes.SIGN UP for our FREE Barbell Mini CourseFOLLOW @MovementLogicTutorials on Instagram RESOURCES abbylangernutrition.comSubstack: Bite MeInstagram: @abbylanger

    1h 1m
  7. 117: DEXA vs REMS: What's the Difference?

    11/26/2025 · VIDEO

    117: DEXA vs REMS: What's the Difference?

    In this episode of the Movement Logic Podcast, Sarah discusses two primary methods for measuring bone density: DEXA (Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry) and REMS (Radiofrequency Echographic Multi-Spectrometry). The episode explains what each method measures, their technologies, reliability, and practical applications. It compares their availability, cost, accuracy, and limitations. DEXA is recognized as the clinical gold standard but has some limitations, while REMS, although newer, shows promise with advantages in certain clinical situations. Movement Logic Site Wide Sale now on! Follow Movement Logic on Instagram References: 77: Are You Getting DEXA Scammed? FRAX tool Best Practices for Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry Measurement and Reporting New technology REMS for bone evaluation Could radiofrequency echographic multispectrometry (REMS) overcome the overestimation in BMD by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) at the lumbar spine? DXA beyond bone mineral density and the REMS technique Cost-effectiveness of radiofrequency echographic multi-spectrometry for the diagnosis of osteoporosis in the United States

    31 min
  8. 116: Coaching Strength, Building Character with James Lederach, MS, CSCS

    11/12/2025 · VIDEO

    116: Coaching Strength, Building Character with James Lederach, MS, CSCS

    In this episode of the Movement Logic Podcast, Laurel Beversdorf talks with strength coach James Lederach, MS, CSCS, about the deeper side of coaching and how helping someone get stronger often means helping them grow as a person. Together, they explore the benefits of strength development for adults and kids, training that supports rather than interferes with sport, the downsides of early sport specialization in youth, and the broader life lessons that strength training offers beyond physical health and performance. James and Laurel reflect on how training develops resilience, self-reliance, and emotional steadiness for both kids and adults. They discuss how good coaching balances structure with empathy, how strength training teaches self-trust, and why the most meaningful outcomes of training have less to do with performance and more to do with who we become through the process. SITE WIDE SALE — Save $$ on our Movement Logic Tutorials FOLLOW @MovementLogicTutorials on Instagram RESOURCES Bell, 2018; PMID: 30135085 DiFiori, 2014;  PMID: 24463910 Post, 2017; PMID: 28288281 Post, 2016; PMID: 27807260 VISIT James Lederach's Gym Heavy Athletics  FOLLOW @james_lederach on Instagram

    1h 15m
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4.7
out of 5
108 Ratings

About

Welcome to the Movement Logic Podcast, with yoga teacher and strength coach Laurel Beversdorf, and physical therapist Dr. Sarah Court. With over 30 years combined experience in the yoga, movement and physical therapy worlds, we believe in strong ideas, loosely held – which means we’re not hyping outdated movement concepts. Instead, we’re here with up-to-date and cutting-edge tools, evidence and ideas to help you as a mover and a teacher. Music: Makani by Scandinavianz & AXM

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