This week we have an honest discussion about the importance of NOT using some words when chatting with patients, alongside some discussion on how to balance empathy and understanding without losing the clarity of our messages.

Please note, this episode is not intended to provide medical advice.

First episode of 2026

- Jeff celebrates reading the right paper

- James reminisces about turkey sandwiches

We are looking at the 2025 paper - Sprint running mechanics are associated with hamstring strain injury: a 6-month prospective cohort study of 126 elite male footballers

It's the end of the year, and as is tradition (i.e. it's what we did last year) we answer some listener questions, discuss different topics around the MSK world and James drinks some wine.

Our last episode before christmas!

Hot off the press and only a month old, published in November 2025

What can we learn about the types of sport people try to return to after rotator cuff repairs. Do overhead athletes struggle more? and what are the risk factors for failure to return to sport?

This weeks guest is Dr. Jarred Boyd, head of physical therapy at the Memphis Grizzlies and an expert in critical thinking when it comes to reasoning out rehabilitation.

In this episode, we dive straight into how Jarred uses dynamic systems theory, the theory of affordances and attractor states in his clinical reasoning. We have a post on our instagram page to explain these terms a little more however if you don't have the time and are unfamiliar, ask chatGPT to give you a rundown!

This is an incredible episode that we guarantee you will pick new things up from if you listen back.

Make sure to give Jarred a follow on social media and check out his episodes on other podcast platforms as there is a lot of topics we didn't even attempt to discuss with him already doing such a great job on those! (Forward Physio, E3 Rehab, Rethinking Rehab)

This week James and Jeff tread the tightrope of Physiotherapy...

Plenty of clowning about...

A circus acrobat with 8 months of worsening big toe pain

• What are your differentials?
• Would you investigate?
• How would you treat this?
• When does surgery become the right option?

We dive into a placebo comparison paper for the GLAD programme which has been growing over the past few years as a structured exercise approach to manage osteoarthritis.

How does it shape up to open label placebo injections? What are our thoughts on the nuances of the study, and the positives / negatives of the GLAD programme?

Please note, nothing in this episode is intended to be medical advice.

We know that a most conditions will improve or fluctuate with time, but how much does that effect research outcomes?

To help answer this we are looking at the 2024 paper - Regression to the mean for physical function and quality of life in clinical trials for symptomatic knee osteoarthritis - Martin Englund and Aleksandra Turkiewicz

- What is regression to the mean?

- How can we measure it?

- How does this effect research outcomes?

- What does this mean for us and our patients?