168. How to explain shoulder pain to patients. Physio Edge Shoulder Success podcast with Jo Gibson
Release Date: 02/20/2025
Physio Edge podcast
Patellofemoral pain (PFP) rehabilitation doesn’t end when your patient gets stronger. The real challenge is getting them back to running, training and racing without triggering another flare-up. In this final episode of the four-part series, Tom Goom (Running Physio) and David Pope explore the fourth pillar of successful PFP rehabilitation: a planned return to running. Continuing Alice’s journey from the previous episodes, a HYROX athlete preparing for competition, Tom and David break down exactly how to rebuild running volume, progress training safely, and help runners hit their goals,...
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Strengthening exercises are a key part of successful patellofemoral pain (PFP) rehabilitation. Squats, lunges and single leg squats are often painful early on and can aggravate your patients pain, but on the flip side, we want to build up their tolerance and confidence with these movements. If you introduce an exercise your patient isn’t ready for, progress too quickly, or overload the knee too early, you’ll often flare your patients pain and set their rehabilitation back. In this episode, Tom Goom (Running Physio) and David Pope explore the third pillar of successful PFP treatment:...
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Many runners patellofemoral pain (PFP) is aggravated by the activity they love. They either stop running to let their pain settle, and then it returns as soon as they start back up again, or keep running despite the pain getting worse. They may know (and you may have told them) they should reduce their training….but what happens when they can’t? Or won’t? In this episode, Tom Goom (Running Physio) and David Pope explore the second pillar of successful PFP rehab: education and empowerment. Using the real case of Alice, a HYROX athlete preparing for competition, you’ll discover how and...
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Patellofemoral pain (PFP) is one of the most common running injuries, and the high recurrence rate can make it a frustrating injury for patients to experience and clinicians to treat. In this episode, Tom Goom (Running Physio) and David Pope break down why PFP has such a high recurrence rate, and what most rehab plans miss. You’ll also discover: The "Four pillars" framework Tom uses to treat PFP and other running injuries How and when to keep patients running or exercising when it is essential for their mental health and social life How to find a manageable starting point when a...
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When is your patient's shoulder pain from their neck? Are you missing a cervical spine component in your shoulder patients? After a day in clinic reviewing patients with years of unresolved shoulder pain, Shoulder Specialist Physiotherapist Jo Gibson breaks down the five most common mistakes clinicians make when ruling in — or out — the neck. In this podcast, Jo covers: Why you don't need neck pain to have neck-driven shoulder pain (and which pain locations are most pathognomonic) Why referred symptoms below the elbow don't automatically point to the cervical spine Why active range of...
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Should you prescribe isometric or isotonic exercises for your patient's lower limb tendinopathy? When is it safe to add plyometric loading, and how do you progress running or jumping without flaring your patients tendon pain? Why do some "tricky tendons" refuse to respond to your best loading programs? Dr Ebonie Rio (Post-Doctoral Senior Research Fellow, La Trobe University) reveals the evidence-based answers as she guides you through the clinical reasoning and practical strategies for managing patellar, achilles, and other lower limb tendinopathies. In this conversation, you'll follow...
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Have any of your shoulder patients improved and then plateaued, unable to regain their full range of movement, or get rid of their painful arc? Sometimes it’s not the cuff, capsule, nerves or neck—it’s the acromioclavicular joint (ACJ) holding things back. In this episode, Jo Gibson sheds light on this often-overlooked contributor to persistent shoulder pain. From real patient case studies to the latest research and simple clinic-ready symptom modification tests, Jo shares practical strategies you can use immediately. Learn how to identify ACJ involvement, and use targeted rehab...
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Anterior hip pain is often blamed on the hip flexors, but in runners, that’s rarely the diagnosis. So how can you identify the real cause and guide patients to a safe, effective recovery? In this episode, Tom Goom (Running Physio) explores the function of the hip flexors in running, key differentials for anterior hip or groin pain, and practical rehab strategies you can use right away. You’ll discover: Why true hip flexor tendinopathy is uncommon in endurance runners Red flags and key tests to identify bone stress fractures and intra‑articular pathology Early‑stage loading strategies...
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Your patient presents with shoulder pain, and straight away you need to identify: Is it rotator cuff related shoulder pain, frozen shoulder, instability, or something else entirely? Is it rotator cuff related shoulder pain, frozen shoulder, instability, or something else entirely? Is the pain actually coming from the shoulder? Could it be the cervical spine? Is there a tear that needs urgent referral? Should you order imaging? Refer to a surgeon? Or confidently continue with rehab? In this podcast, Jo Gibson (Upper Limb Rehabilitation Specialist Physio) guides you through a simple,...
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Your patient is running, playing sport, or jumping or lunging forward - an activity with fast eccentric or concentric activity in dorsiflexion,and suddenly they feel like they’ve been kicked in the back of the leg. They might hear a snap and have difficulty weightbearing, walking and pushing off. What’s your likely diagnosis? You picked it - an Achilles tendon (AT) rupture. AT ruptures are a devastating injury that can drastically impact a patient’s ability to walk, run, or return to sport. Despite their frequency, there’s a lot of uncertainty among clinicians, patients, and even...
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How do the terms we use influence a patient’s understanding of their shoulder pain, their recovery expectations, and even their treatment choices? In this episode of the Physio Edge Shoulder Success Podcast, Jo Gibson (Upper Limb Rehabilitation Specialist Physio), explores the power of language in physiotherapy and how our explanations can either support or hinder a patient’s progress.
Drawing on research and real-world clinical experience, Jo discusses a compelling case study:
- Persistent shoulder pain after multiple treatments – A patient with years of ongoing pain, failed surgeries, and various diagnoses struggles to make sense of their condition. Despite normal imaging, they avoid activity and seek repeated treatments, caught in a cycle of fear and uncertainty.
Jo unpacks key questions around patient communication:
- How do diagnostic labels like "impingement" or "rotator cuff tear" shape patient beliefs?
- Why do patients often focus on the most negative aspects of their diagnosis?
- How can we explain shoulder pain in a way that reassures rather than reinforces fear?
You’ll also gain practical strategies to:
- Explore what patients understand about their diagnosis and how it influences their behavior.
- Use language that encourages confidence and movement rather than avoidance.
- Identify non-verbal cues that indicate uncertainty or distress in your patients.
With evidence-based insights and actionable communication tips, this episode will help you refine your patient interactions and improve rehabilitation outcomes.
Listen now to discover how small changes in your language can make a big impact on your patients’ recovery.
Click on an image below to access these free resources from Jo Gibson and Clinical Edge
The handout for this podcast consists of a transcript associated with this podcast.
Shoulder: Steps to Success online course with Jo Gibson
Improve your assessment and treatment of shoulder pain with the Shoulder: Steps to Success online course with Jo Gibson, now available for enrolment at clinicaledge.co/shouldersuccess
Free trial Clinical Edge membership
Use a fresh approach to your musculoskeletal and sports injury treatment with a free trial Clinical Edge membership at clinicaledge.co/freetrial
Links associated with this episode:
- Free video series - How to be a shoulder detective: Solving acute shoulder pain with Jo Gibson
- Get your access to the free video series “Frozen shoulder assessment & treatment” with Jo Gibson
- Improve your shoulder assessment & treatment with the Shoulder: Steps to Success online course with Jo Gibson
- Improve your confidence and clinical reasoning with a free trial Clinical Edge membership
- Join Jo Gibson live on Facebook & ask your shoulder related questions every Monday
- Download and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes
- Download the podcast now using the best podcast app currently in existence - Overcast
- Listen to the podcast on Spotify
- Jo Gibson on Twitter
- Let David know what you liked about this podcast on Twitter
- Review the podcast on iTunes
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