Clinical Communication

Clinicians are becoming more aware of the importance ofcommunication skills in clinical practice, but this doesn’t mean things always go to plan.On this episode Ben is joined by Vincent Kortleve, who is a published author and educator in communication skills, as well as being a trained Psychologist and Physiotherapist.On this episode they discuss:(00:00:00) – Intro(00:00:49) - How Much Has Vincent’s Communication Skills Teaching Changed Over The Years(00:04:17) - Vincents Book “Communication Skills For Physiotherapists”(00:06:04) - The Four Communication Pillars In The Book(00:08:27) - Building Rapport In Life Doesn’t Mean You CanBuild A Therapeutic Relationship(00:12:44) - Managing Emotional Conversations(00:13:55) - What A Coaching Conversation Looks Like(00:19:40) - Managing Resistance To Change(00:24:29) - The Communicative Detective(00:27:47) - When Open And Closed Questions Aren’t Used Correctly(00:36:00) - Don’t Assume The Message You Discuss Is What IsTaken In(00:42:53) - Vincents Hardest Clinic Conversations(00:49:03) - Managing Quick Fix Expectations(00:53:30) - Vincent’s View On The Future Of Communication Skills Vicent’s book “Communication Skills For Physiotherapists” isavailable in English, Dutch & Spanish. You can find him on LinkedIn & X @CommunicatorPTYou can find Ben across social media @BWhybrowPhysio oremail clinicalcommunication@outlook.comDo share & subscribe

Exercise is one of the most common treatment suggestions for low back pain. Yet outcomes in the research are variable. What are some of the contextual factors that can influence the outcome of using exercise to treat low back pain?And how much does adherence really matter?On this episode Ben is joined by Lianne Wood, Senior Research Fellow at the University of Exeter and Advanced Practice Physiotherapist, where they discuss:(00:00) – Introduction(00:58) - Lianne’s Realist Review Into Contextual FactorsFor Back Pain & Exercise(04:08) - The Role Of Trust & Trying To Measure It(07:16) - The Effect Of The Patients Confidence In Their OwnAbility & In The Clinicians Knowledge(09:53) - Did Motivation To Adhere Influence Outcomes?(11:32) - The Importance Of Individualised Input(12:53) - The Limitations Of Current Adherence Evidence(16:06) - The Review Into Back Pain Outcomes & AdherenceTo Exercise(20:22) - Different Ways To Measure Adherence(23:05) - Bias In Exercise Studies(24:45) - The Effects Of Beliefs On Exercise Outcomes(29:30) - The Importance Of Thinking Deeper With ExerciseFor Pain (33:25) - Lianne’s Hardest Clinical Conversations(38:24) - The Future For Exercise Adherence Research Lianne’s Two Papers Discussed:Contexts, behavioural mechanisms and outcomes to optimisetherapeutic exercise prescription for persistent low back pain: a realistreview (2024)https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38176852/Exercise adherence is associated with improvements inpain intensity and functional limitations in adults with chronic non-specificlow back pain: a secondary analysis of a Cochrane review (2025)https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40175237/ You can find Lianne on X @WoodwicksLianne and LinkedInHer research profile is here:https://experts.exeter.ac.uk/39689-lianne-woodYou can find Ben across social media @BWhybrowPhysio oremail clinicalcommunication@outlook.comDo Share & Subscribe!

The use of stem cells to treat various medical issues includingjoint pain is gaining more and more awareness, which means patients are asking about them more frequently. Yet most of us know very little about them, so how should weanswer the questions that commonly come up?On this episode Ben is joined by Dr Ansar Mahmood, Consultant Orthopaedic Trauma Surgeon and American Board Certified in Regenerative Medicine, where they discuss:(00:00:00) - Introduction(00:00:59) - The history of stem cells, what they do & how they work  (00:13:02) – Sleeper stem cells(00:15:36) – Delays in research to practice(00:17:08) – The intelligence of stem cell function(00:20:20) – What expectations should be given for stem cell injections for joint pain (00:21:30) – Different regulations for stem cell implementation(00:28:40) – When might we see stem cells for joint pain being used in the NHS?(00:31:12) – What is pharma trying to do with stem cells?(00:35:32) – The biggest drivers for research development: collaboration & AI(00:41:43) – The risks of stem cell injections & production(00:47:15) – Setting expectations for the length of stem cell injection effect(00:54:38) – Future joint preservation clinics(00:57:03) – Will stem cells eradicate steroid injections?(00:59:17) – Dr Mahmoods social media and courses You can find Dr Mahmood on LinkedIn and Instagram @dransarmahmoodThe Kyzn Clinic – www.kyzn.co.ukThe Academy of Regenerative Medicine - https://abrm.thearm.co.uk/ or @RegenAcademy on social media. You can find Ben on social media @BWhybrowPhysio or email clinicalcommunication@outlook.comDo share & subscribe!

It is estimated over 190 million women around the world haveendometriosis, and with awareness increasing and more management options becoming available, those with the diagnosis may have more questions than ever before.On this episode of clinical communication Ben is joined by Pauline-Clare Callaghan, Specialist Pelvic Health Physiotherapist and Educator with Endometriosis UK. On this episode they discuss:(00:00) - Introduction(01:00) - The dangers of the edometriosis MRI report(03:07) - Why does it take so long to diagnosis(03:39) - The pros and cons of social media for endometriosis(04:25) - Endometriosis specialist centres(04:46) The variety of endometriosis presentations(06:24) - How to help your patient understand endometriosis(14:09) -  How to manage endometriosis surgical beliefs(17:51) – Conversations around intimacy related pelvic pain(23:12) - How to achieve buy-in for non-surgical treatment(25:05) - Managing different cultural sensitivities in pelvic pain(26:12) - Prehabilitation for endometriosis surgery(27:10) - Adenomyosis(28:00) - Pain persisting after endometriosis surgery & injustice(29:44) - Managing questions about genetic risk with endometriosis(31:20) - Is endometriosis awareness improving?(32:36) - Paulene-Clare’s hardest conversation(38:54) - Memorable improvements with non-invasivemanagement(41:15) - The future of endometriosis care You can find more about Endometriosis UK and their work here:https://www.endometriosis-uk.org/ You can find Ben across social media @BWhybrowPhysio or emailclinicalcommunication@outlook.co.uk

David Alderson, a Senior Lecturer and Specialist First Contact Physiotherapist, dives into the world of shared decision making in healthcare. He discusses the choice dilemma many clinicians face and unveils the impactful 'Mum Test' for effective communication. Unpacking biases in treatment options, Alderson emphasizes patient-centered care while navigating the complexities of managing expectations. He also reveals essential questions to empower patient involvement and speculates on how AI might transform shared decision making in the future.

Fibromyalgia can be a tricky condition to discuss as various opinions on it exist across society and evidence around it is always evolving. Thankfully on this episode Ben is joined by Derek Griffin, Specialist Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy and International Speaker on persistent pain management, especially Fibromyalgia. On this episode they discuss:(00:00:00) - Introduction(00:01:15) - Awareness Of Fibromyalgia In Society(00:07:07) - How To Help Someone Understand Fibromyalgia(00:25:38) - Should We Explain It The Same If It’s Secondary Fibromyalgia?(00:32:06) - When Discussing “Sensitivity” Can Backfire(00:40:26) - The Importance Of Picking Up On Visible Cues(00:52:58) - What To Say When They Ask: “Will This Get Better?”(00:58:26) - The Importance Of Acknowledging & Discussing Flare Ups You can find Derek:On Instagram - @derek_griffin_phdOn X - @DerekGriffin86And on LinkedIn You can find Ben & Derek’s Therapy Live Pain Masterclass Talks here:https://www.tickettailor.com/events/physiomatters/1314746?  You can find Ben across social media @BWhybrowPhysioSign Up for Pain Practice OS here:https://pages.modernpaincare.com/painprogramWant to discuss teaching or mentoring? Email clinicalcommunication@outlook.comAnd finally do share and subscribe.

Before every Clinical Communication episode extra questionsare asked to guests to help them get settled in. The responses aren’t released at the time, until now…On this bonus content episode:(00:00) - Introduction(00:56) - Ian CowellHow A Cognitive Functional Therapy Paper Comes Together(14:16) - Jo TurnerHow Clinicians Can Feel Comfortable Not Always Knowing The Answer(20:32) - Chris Tiley What Exercise Gets Harder As We Get Older?(22:37) - Bill Taylor Should We Match Patient Language For Private Body Parts(30:22) - Michelle LyonsHow To Discuss Menstrual Cycles With Your PartnerYou can find Ben across social media @BWhybrowPhysioOr email clinicalcommunication@outlook.com for queries on mentoring, teaching and more!Finally, do Share & Subscribe!

Clinical communication knowledge is always progressing andwe are way beyond just listening and having good rapport. So what else do we need to consider and how should it be taught to future healthcare professionals?This episode is from a recording of the “Healthcare Education Transformation” podcast that Ben was recently on with Dr F Scott Feil, where we discuss:(00:00) – Introduction(07:21) - Why Communication Is Important(21:44) - What Is Going Well In Communication Teaching InHigher Education(34:50) - The Future Of Healthcare Communication Education(42:25) - Communication Top Tips(46:27) - What Would Ben Change About Higher Education You can find Dr F Scott Feil on LinkedIn, as well as on X& Instagram @FScottFeil_DPTYou can find Ben across social media @BWhybrowPhysioDo Share & Subscribe

In this engaging discussion, Dr. Mark Kargela, a Specialist Physical Therapist and host of the Modern Pain Podcast, shares insights on managing persistent pain. He talks about the evolution of communication in healthcare, emphasizing collaborative approaches. Guided discovery and open questions are highlighted as key techniques for enhancing patient engagement. Dr. Kargela also delves into managing diagnostic uncertainty and fostering optimism in patients, advocating for a holistic and personalized approach to care.

A few weeks ago I was a guest on the Physio Pulse podcastwith Jeff Morton & James Horner. They kindly gave me a copy of the recording to release here, where we discuss:(00:00:00) – Introduction(00:05:00) - How Ben Became A Communication Skills Facilitator(00:10:50) - Why Communication Skills Are Becoming More Embraced By Clinicians(00:19:51) - Does Having A Specialist Job Title & Appearance Come With Greater Influence Over Patients?(00:22:18) - How To Have Difficult Conversations With More Senior Colleagues(00:24:21) - When Communication Skills Have No Effect(00:29:43) - How To Respond To Cues(00:34:54) - The Power Of Silence(00:40:29) - Non-Verbal Communication(00:41:32) - Managing Patient Requests For Imaging(00:50:37) - How To Manage Disagreements With Colleagues(01:03:26) - Do Ben & Jeff Ever Get Angry?(01:06:24) - Jeff & James’s Hardest Conversations(01:16:35) - The Birthday Cake DilemmaYou can find Jeff on Instagram @jmortonphysioYou can James on Instagram @thenerdyphysio Their podcast is the Physio Pulse Podcast.You can find Ben across social media @BWhybrowPhysioYou can email in to clinicalcommunication@outlook.comAnd please Share & Subscribe