The Back Pain Podcast

This episode takes a look at scans, why scans might be needed and how they can helpScan.com was founded to make scanning accessible for clients and support earlier diagnosis making a positive difference in patient journeys and recoveryHear about the clinical pathway for getting a scan with Scan.com and why their process supports accurate and clear information along with the next steps through an i...

Angela Jackson, specialist paediatric muscular skeletal physiotherapist joins the podcast again to talk about all things spondySpondylolysis is one of the most common back pain injuries seen in child athletes and although common it's vitally important that these injuries are picked up and The Back Pain Podcast is helping to raise awareness with Angela explaining how a stress fracture is very diffe...

The sacroiliac joint is an area that remains contentious despite all of the research that’s taken place and in this episode, we are chatting to Wilfried Simon, an osteopath and physio from Belgium about the misconceptions, if it can be a cause of pain and what to do if it is KEY TAKEAWAYS It’s a connection point but there isn’t much movement, only 3 degrees and its deep within the spine If you wan...

Adam Dobson, physiotherapist, returns to the podcast to talk about the Back to Health Programme, a residential rehabilitation programme for people suffering from persistent back painIn this episode hear not only from Adam but also from Rebecca whose experience on the programme changed her life. They discuss the challenges of being told many different things, medication and why the programme is lif...

Dave and Rob are having a behind the treatment room door chat about their working week as chiropractors They discuss the importance of exercise plans and how increasing functional capacity is an important element of any treatment plan and share a great analogy to help understanding   KEY TAKEAWAYS Any conservative or passive care doesn’t necessarily decrease pain from issues such as osteoarthritis...

Dave and Rob are talking about diagnostic labels and particularly those for lower back pain Lower back pain is a complex and multifactorial condition and a specific diagnosis may not reflect the underlying causes or mechanisms for the pain so does a specific label help or hinder? This is a learning episode where the discussion is a great opportunity to carefully consider what you do as a clinician...

In this episode, Rob is with Dr Sophie Newton talking about the medication both prescribed and over the counter that is used to treat back pain What is appropriate for one person may not be the right thing for another but this is an opportunity to find out more about how different types of medication work and the reasons why specific treatments are used  KEY TAKEAWAYS Short-term, acute pain treatm...

In this episode, Dave shares a detailed lower back pain case history and  takes specific questions from the audience in the journey to a diagnosis This is a fascinating insight into the approach that begins from the moment the clinician meets the patient through to the treatment journey and the factors that influence recovery   KEY TAKEAWAYS Whatever your discipline the tenets are the same when yo...

Ian Gatt is a physiotherapist with extensive experience and expertise and is an upper limb injury specialist. In this episode Ian shares advice on tennis and golfers' elbow from the symptoms to the causes and what you can do to be able to get on with your life in the way you want to. KEY TAKEAWAYS It’s something that affects a tendon and it impacts daily activities Tennis elbow tends to be on the...

Jack March aka the rheumatology physio returns to talking about PMR and the treatment route He explains what the symptoms are and how its diagnosed and discusses the treatment pathway along with measures that can be taken to improve the symptoms KEY TAKEAWAYS PMR occurs 3x more in women than it does in men and a typical onset is a pain and stiffness in the shoulders when you wake up in the morning...

Dr Clodagh Dugdale Consultant in Sports and Exercise Medicine working at the Spire hospital in Cambridge discusses relative energy deficiency in sport Learn what RED-S actually is, the signs to look out for and how it’s a syndrome that affects not only elite athletes but also recreational athletes and other cohorts This is a must-listen for anyone from professionals to weekend warriors in understa...

In this episode, Angela Jackson specialist paediatric physio shares great content about the common conditions and injuries for children and the best treatments It’s the art of the therapist to help educate young people on how the journey to recovery will look and what they can do to increase their level of robustness and movement competency and Angela shares great advice KEY TAKEAWAYS In loads of...

In this episode hear  top tips from chiropractors across the UK With each professional sharing their own top tip this is an episode packed with amazing content and practical actions because as Amy shares ‘when you listen to your body when it whispers you don’t have to hear it scream’ KEY TAKEAWAYS If you can, don’t stress about it and keep moving Learn how to push out your tummy to stabilise your...

Anisha Joshi, co-founder of Osteo Allies and award winning osteopath talks with Rob about  how communication and empowerment are key in a holistic approach to osteopathy  She talks about what you should expect when you see an osteopath and why it’s a process that should be empowering with actions that are manageable and achievable for the patient supporting them in feeling better in all areas KEY...

In this episode hear about the region Beta paradox  -the phenomenon that people can sometimes recover more quickly from a major incident and intensive pain than from mild pain or a less distressing experience Rob also discusses the importance of explaining to your healthcare  professional why you have made an appointment and what you want to get back to doing to ensure the treatment plan is succes...

Rob and Dave are joined for a panel discussion by four other chiropractors who are all working in elite sport They discuss the role of chiropractors in multi-disciplinary teams and the vital role they play in making sure the needs of very diverse athletes are effectively met The discussion also covers the ways chiropractors can develop their networks and become part of the teams supporting athlete...

This week Rob is talking about the worst advice he sees given for back pain and is explaining why you definitely shouldn’t be following it He looks at abdominal bracing, stopping sports and activities and why movement is exactly what we should be doing supported by a skilled clinician to make sure the movement is what works for you, listen in and hear more   KEY TAKEAWAYS You actually only need to...

In today’s episode, Dave is talking gym, CrossFit and getting back into exercise in response to questions from across the Back Pain Podcast community and socials Dave takes a look at the role of deconstructing and building towards a particular movement and why even if you have a wonky squat its ok  because everyone is different    KEY TAKEAWAYS Full body movements are done in a group setting at hi...

Continuing the journey to look at and explore wider muscular sketelal injuries, Dave today shares valuable content on a rare cause of shoulder pain – Parsonage Turner Syndrome also known as brachial neuritis is charaterised by very intense shoulder pain KEY TAKEAWAYS Its characterised by intense shoulder pain that after it fades away is replaced by muscle wasting and weakness It can last for aroun...

In this episode, Rob reflects on the things he wished he’d known sooner and shares great content about what’s important when you have lower back pain Listen in to hear great information on how there are many factors that contribute to back pain and why exercise and self-management are key   KEY TAKEAWAYS Pain is multifactorial and there are many factors that contribute to back pain Stress, anxiety...

In this episode physio, Andrew Goodall goes through ACL tears from how you are likely to injure your anterior cruciate ligament through the likely treatments and the phases of recovery and rehabilitation As one of the major ligaments inside the knee, it plays an important role in stabilising the knee joint and helps to control the movement of the lower leg but is a common sports injury and Andrew...

Rob looks at the methodology of calming down and building up and explains how this approach to treatment works when you have non-specific back pain He shares some of the different ways pain can be effectively calmed down and how the next step is to build things up both physically and mentally in the treatment journey   KEY TAKEAWAYS Patients are looking for a cause but often there isn’t a specific...

There are lots of different things that patients think are causes of sciatica and it’s the role of the health care professional to explain when it is sciatica, what it is, what it is not and what you can do about it In this episode, Rob discusses vascular claudication, a less common cause of leg pain but due to its risk factors, it's one that healthcare professionals stay alert to. He  shares the...

Rob takes a look at not only the role of the chiropractor but the elements that any good healthcare professional will be offering to their patients He also looks in detail at the ways the words chosen and used by professionals can impact not only on recovery but also have long-term implications and explores what a good professional and patient relationship looks like  and how it facilitates positi...

Rob and Dave use a real-life example to explore how they would treat and manage a  patient who comes to them having already experienced conflicting advice They go through the steps that are covered in an initial appointment and discuss the points at which a scan is the right choice along with what sorts of manual therapy can be a good choice Practitioners approach patients in different ways but yo...