JOSPT Insights

The hip health of youth athletes as their skeletons grow and mature while the athlete copes with the physical and mental stressors of sport and life, has been receiving renewed attention. Today's episode of JOSPT Insights is part 1 of a 2-part chat about training load and the youth athlete's hip. We discuss how primary cam morphology and femoroacetabular impingement syndrome might develop. Dr Sara Lynn Terrell (Florida Southern College) shares her >20 years of experience in exercise science and strength & conditioning, and walks listeners through the complexity of working with youth athletes to support their best sports performance. ------------------------------ RESOURCES Strategies to deter primary cam morphology in youth athletes: https://www.jospt.org/doi/10.2519/josptopen.2025.0128 Oxford consensus on primary cam morphology and FAI (part 1): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36588401/ Oxford consensus on primary cam morphology and FAI (part 2): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36588402/

In this discussion, Dr. Brad Neal, an Advanced Clinical Academic Fellow at Queen Mary University, shares his expertise on managing patellofemoral pain, a common issue across various demographics. He highlights the importance of individualized treatment approaches, emphasizing education and targeted exercises. The conversation also explores the significance of running retraining for athletes, focusing on biomechanics and symptom management. Dr. Neal underscores the need for effective patient education and tailored strategies, especially for young athletes facing long-term implications.

Pain is often what prompts patients to seek the care of a musculoskeletal rehabilitation clinician. In today's episode, Dr Paul Mintken guides listeners through different ways to work with a person to help make sense of, and explain, unexplained pain. Dr Mintken (Hawai'i Pacific University) is a board-certified Orthopaedic Clinical Specialist and a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic and Manual Physical Therapists. ------------------------------ RESOURCES JOSPT Viewpoint article - The Worst Pain is an Unexplained Pain: https://www.jospt.org/doi/10.2519/jospt.2025.13167

In Part 2 of our conversation with Dr Olivia Abdoo (Ultimate Fighting Championship), we dive deeper into one of the most common injuries in mixed martial arts (MMA) - concussion. Dr Abdoo's experience treating UFC athletes provides an insight into working with athletes for whom skills including wrestling, striking, and grappling are crucial to performing well. How to approach educating the athlete and everyone involved with them about concussion, ensuring the athlete can participate safely while recovering from concussion, what an MMA-specific concussion evaluation looks like, and the importance of sport-specificity in concussion rehabilitation - we hit on it all!

Given how common rotator cuff tears are, chances are you will work with someone who has a tear at some point in your career. Do you know what patients will want from their rehabilitation? Are you confident with your approach to managing rotator cuff tears? Today, Dr Kathryn Fahy, physiotherapist and researcher from Aspetar Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Hospital, Doha discusses the CALMeR Cuff pathway. Dr Fahy developed CALMeR Cuff with patients, clinicians and researchers to guide care for people with large to massive rotator cuff tears. ------------------------------ RESOURCES Co-design of the CALMeR Cuff pathway: https://www.jospt.org/doi/10.2519/jospt.2025.13342

A mention of pre-professional or professional dance might conjure thoughts of relentless, gruelling training hours, incredible performances and bodies pushed through high musculoskeletal demands. Dr Melanie Fuller (University of Southern Queensland) has devoted her clinical career of almost 20 years to working with dancers - helping them stay healthy and performing well - and she has a similar focus in her research work. Today we discuss the prevalence of musculoskeletal injury, specifically focusing on osteoarthritis. ------------------------------ RESOURCES Osteoarthritis in dancers (systematic review with meta-analysis): https://www.jospt.org/doi/10.2519/jospt.2025.12918

Dr. Arielle Giordano, a leading expert in sports and orthopedic physical therapy, discusses groundbreaking insights into meniscus rehabilitation. She highlights the collaborative consensus among health professionals from Europe and the US on optimal recovery strategies post-surgery. Key topics include tailored rehabilitation approaches, the significance of educating patients, and advancements in surgical techniques. Dr. Giordano also outlines critical symptoms to monitor during recovery and the importance of personalized exercise protocols to prevent re-injury.

In the return of Sports Corner, Dr Olivia Abdoo chats all things UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) and MMA (mixed martial arts). UFC combines wrestling, grappling and striking, which makes for complex demands that contribute to complex injury epidemiology. Whether working with a Championship fighter or a recreational martial arts athlete, Dr Abdoo provides excellent guidance for clinicians who are planning rehabilitation and return to sport. Concussion is common in UFC, so stay tuned for an upcoming episode with Dr Abdoo about her approach to concussion rehabilitation with UFC athletes.

Researchers are increasingly partnering with patients, clinicians and others who use research to design, conduct, report and disseminate research studies. Today we hear about a conversation that involved over 600 patients, clinicians and carers, who were supported to nominate their top priorities for research on shoulder pain. Kristian Lyng (physiotherapst, PhD student at Aalborg University's Department of Health Science and Technology, and Center for General Practice) led the work as part of his PhD research looking at interventions for shared decision-making in collaboration with patients with subacromial pain syndrome. Kristian discusses the challenges and opportunities in translating research to clinical practice, and the benefits to researchers of engaging patients and the public in doing musculoskeletal research. ------------------------------ RESOURCES Research priorities for atraumatic shoulder pain: https://www.jospt.org/doi/10.2519/jospt.2025.13059 Patients as partners in research - It's the right thing to do: https://www.jospt.org/doi/10.2519/jospt.2019.0106 Help for researchers wanting to engage patients as research partners: https://www.jospt.org/doi/10.2519/jospt.2020.0104 How to talk about compensation with patient partners: https://www.jospt.org/doi/10.2519/jospt.2020.0106 Engaging patients and the public in musculoskeletal research: https://www.jospt.org/doi/10.2519/jospt.2024.12668

Dr. Casper Nim is an Associate Professor and chiropractor specializing in spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) at the Spine Centre of Southern Denmark. He discusses whether the method of applying SMT affects patient outcomes, highlighting insights from recent research. The conversation explores the differences between acute and chronic spine pain, critiques current research practices, and emphasizes the need for personalized treatments. Nim also shares how clinician confidence and a flexible approach can enhance patient satisfaction in rehabilitation.