BJSM Podcast

In this episode, Dr. Jared Powell invites us to reflect on the mechanistic assumptions underlying exercise-based rehabilitation for musculoskeletal pain relief, based on his editorial recently published in BJSM. 

It’s a great conversation that explores questions such as: 

Why are these patients getting better? 

How can we help those who do not respond to exercise? 

What should be the next steps in research, and what should we be exploring in future clinical trials? 

Should we offer exercise to all patients with musculoskeletal pain? 

And how do we explain to patients that recovery may not be all about strength?

Press play and enjoy!

In this episode, we focus on brain health and the evolution of the Premier League Head Injury Protocol, which is a key priority and area of focus within  the Premier League.

Lynsey Hooper is joined first by Dr Matt Green (Head of Elite Performance), who outlines why brain health has become a central pillar of the Premier League’s player health strategy, and the breadth of activity currently underway to support players.

Following this introduction, Prof. Mark Gillett (Chief Medical Officer) and Dr Dominic Townsend (Brain Health Advisor) take us through the origins of the Head Injury Protocol in the Premier League. Outlining how it was developed, the implementation, and the principles that continue to shape its operation today.

Together, they also look ahead, covering how approaches to brain health may continue to evolve, and what the future could hold for clinical decision‑making.

This episode offers a detailed insight into how policy, medicine and elite sport intersect in practice at the highest level of the game. 

Concussion in football: the case for temporary concussion substitutions

https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/59/23/1635

In this episode, we’re joined by two of the most experienced and respected players in English football. James Milner and Steph Houghton join Lynsey Hooper in conversation.

Across more than two decades in the men’s and women’s professional game, James and Steph have lived through the evolution of elite football, where match demands have increased and a rapidly changing approach to player health and welfare has been observed.

In this conversation, they reflect candidly on life as an elite footballer, the realities of injury and recovery, changes in match load, and the importance of the multidisciplinary support teams around them.

This podcast expands on the themes explored in their joint ‘player voice’ editorial.

https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/59/23/1703

It’s a thoughtful, honest and highly insightful discussion from two players who have seen and been a part of  the evolution of professional football.”

In this podcast Brooke talks with Katherine Wilford, who earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Health and Exercise Science from Colorado State University (2006), her Doctorate in Physical Therapy (DPT) from Boston University (2009), and her Doctor of Science from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (2023). Kat has 16 years of clinical experience working with individuals with musculoskeletal pain. Her research interests include exploring the connection between sociocultural constructs and sensorimotor control as it pertains to musculoskeletal injury risk assessment.

In this episode, we discuss how Kat and her team synthesized existing literature to shed light on how cultural beliefs, gender roles, and societal expectations shape movement patterns.

On this episode of the AMSSM Sports Medcast, host Dr. Devin McFadden, MD, is joined by Dr. Jesse Cook, PhD, to discuss Building a Sleep Health Plan for Athletes.

In this conversation, which was recorded during the 2025 AMSSM Annual Meeting, Dr. Cook shares more information on his main stage lecture of the same name, which focused on best practices and essential principles.

Dr. Cook is a postdoctoral fellow with a doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His research focuses on the intersection of sleep and mental health, with his primary program of research purposed to advance the classification, assessment, and treatment of unexplained hypersomnolence.

He has additional research interests related to the strengths, limitations, and overall utility of wearable sleep tracking technology for research and clinical purposes, as well as the roles of sleep and circadian health in the performance and well-being of athletes. Clinically, he embraces an integrative orientation, drawing principally from CBT and third-wave therapy approaches (i.e., ACT and DBT).

Registration is now open for the 2026 AMSSM Annual Meeting. Visit the conference website to learn more: annualmeeting.amssm.org/