Physio Edge podcast with David Pope

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, or return to racing or competition, with confidence while minimising the risk of recurrence.
You'll discover:
How to structure a return-to-running program that steadily rebuilds running capacity without overloading the knee
A simple progression strategy that makes increasing running volume practical and easy to implement
Why recovery weeks are just as important as progression weeks, and how to use them effectively
How to use a simple "traffic light" system to decide when to progress, maintain or reduce training
When gait analysis and running retraining should (and shouldn't) be introduced during rehabilitation
Why sleep, recovery and anxiety can have a major influence on running injury recovery, and practical ways to address them
How to manage the inevitable flare-ups that occur during rehabilitation without losing progress or confidence
How the same four-pillar framework can be applied to virtually every running injury, from tendinopathy to bone stress injuries
Throughout the episode, Tom shares the practical clinical reasoning behind every decision, from mapping out a patient's weekly training schedule through to progressing running distance, introducing recovery weeks, and eventually returning to continuous long-distance running.
Whether you're treating recreational runners, competitive athletes or patients training for events like HYROX, you'll come away with a clear framework you can immediately apply to help your patients return to running safely, confidently and with a much lower risk of recurrence.
This is the fourth and final episode in Tom Goom's four-part podcast series on patellofemoral pain. Together, the series provides a complete framework for assessing, educating, rehabilitating and returning runners with PFP back to the sport they love.
Timeline:
0:00 - Introduction
3:07 - Introduction and case recap
6:03 - Weekly training structure
8:10 - Progress and recovery
11:03 - Gait analysis and the four pillars
12:13 - Recovery, sleep and anxiety
14:40 - Alice's progress and flare-ups
18:32 - Four pillars for all running injuries
20:52 - Free assessment form and webinar
Free resources
Running injury assessment sheet — Tom's go-to assessment sheet for every runner, giving you the structure to gather all the key information you need. It includes his screening questions for past medical history, a weekly training structure block, the key physical tests he performs, and a QR code to an energy availability questionnaire.

Free "Patellofemoral pain masterclass: The four pillars of lasting recovery in runners with Tom Goom (Running Physio)" — Join Tom's free webinar to see his assessment and treatment in action, with visuals of the assessment tests, gait assessment and the traffic-light and sweet-spot approaches, plus the exercises, evidence and best-practice guidelines behind treating patellofemoral pain.


Improve running injury assessment & treatment now with the Running Repairs Online course with Tom Goom at clinicaledge.co/runningrepairs.




Links associated with this episode
179. Patellofemoral pain 3 - Effective rehab that won't flare their symptoms. Physio Edge Track record: Running repairs podcast with Tom Goom
178. Patellofemoral pain 2 - What to do when runners won't reduce their training. Physio Edge Track record: Running repairs podcast with Tom Goom
177. Patellofemoral pain 1 - Why it has such a high recurrence rate, and what most rehab plans miss. Physio Edge Track record: Running repairs podcast with Tom Goom
Download your free running injury assessment sheet
Register for the free "Patellofemoral pain masterclass: The four pillars of lasting recovery in runners with Tom Goom (Running Physio)"
Improve your running injury assessment & treatment now with the Running Repairs Online course with Tom Goom
Click here to download your podcast handout
Improve your confidence and clinical reasoning with a Clinical Edge membership here
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
Join Tom live on Facebook & ask your running-related questions
Tom Goom - Running Physio
Tom Goom - X
David Pope - X
Tom Goom - Instagram
David Pope - Instagram

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: progressive rehab.
Continuing the case of Alice from the previous two podcasts, a HYROX athlete preparing for competition, Tom and I walk through exactly how to choose, modify and progress exercises that build strength, restore confidence and prepare patients for the demands of running and sport, without flaring their symptoms.
You'll discover:
How to decide when to prioritise load management before introducing strengthening exercises
Why rehabilitation should be tailored to the individual rather than using a "cookie-cutter" exercise program
The key strength deficits Tom commonly looks for in runners with PFP, and how to assess them
How to select exercises that improve strength while minimising stress on the patellofemoral joint
Practical ways to modify squats, lunges and other knee-loading exercises to reduce pain while rebuilding movement tolerance
A simple four-stage progression from low-irritability exercises through to sport-specific strength and power training
How to integrate rehabilitation into a patient's existing training so they are more likely to stick with the program Throughout the episode, Tom shares the clinical reasoning behind each exercise choice, showing how to progress patients from simple strengthening exercises to the powerful, sport-specific movements required for running and HYROX competition, without provoking unnecessary flare-ups. This is part three of a four-part podcast series with Tom Goom on PFP. In the final episode, available later this week, Tom and David explore the fourth pillar of rehabilitation: how to safely progress running volume, speed and training so patients can confidently return to racing and competition while minimising the risk of recurrence.
Timeline:
2:45 Introduction & Recap
5:20 When to Start Rehab
7:40 Assessment Findings
9:37 Squats to Rebuild Tolerance
12:03 Psychosocial Screening & Gait
13:11 Matching Rehab to HYROX
14:57 Stage 1: Low Knee-Stress Work
17:11 Stage 2: Loaded Knee Flexion
18:53 Review Frequency & Goals
21:49 Stage 3: Knee-Focused Loading
24:09 Stage 4: Power Work
27:43 Keys to Avoid Flare-Ups
28:58 Webinar & Resources
Free resources
Running injury assessment sheet — Tom's go-to assessment sheet for every runner, giving you the structure to gather all the key information you need. It includes his screening questions for past medical history, a weekly training structure block, the key physical tests he performs, and a QR code to an energy availability questionnaire.

Free "Patellofemoral pain masterclass: The four pillars of lasting recovery in runners with Tom Goom (Running Physio)" — Join Tom's free webinar to see his assessment and treatment in action, with visuals of the assessment tests, gait assessment and the traffic-light and sweet-spot approaches, plus the exercises, evidence and best-practice guidelines behind treating patellofemoral pain.

Improve running injury assessment & treatment now with the Running Repairs Online course with Tom Goom at clinicaledge.co/runningrepairs.




Click here for your access, or login here if you're a Clinical Edge member.
Links associated with this episode
178. Patellofemoral pain 2 - What to do when runners won't reduce their training. Physio Edge Track record: Running repairs podcast with Tom Goom
177. Patellofemoral pain 1 - Why it has such a high recurrence rate, and what most rehab plans miss. Physio Edge Track record: Running repairs podcast with Tom Goom
Download your free running injury assessment sheet
Register for the free "Patellofemoral pain masterclass: The four pillars of lasting recovery in runners with Tom Goom (Running Physio)"
Improve your running injury assessment & treatment now with the Running Repairs Online course with Tom Goom
Click here to download your podcast handout
Improve your confidence and clinical reasoning with a Clinical Edge membership here
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
Join Tom live on Facebook & ask your running-related questions
Tom Goom - Running Physio
Tom Goom - X
David Pope - X
Tom Goom - Instagram
David Pope - Instagram

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 when to help runners continue training safely while building long-term confidence and self-management.
You'll discover:
Why simply telling runners to "stop running" often leads to poor outcomes
Practical communication strategies that improve patient buy-in and adherence
How to uncover the real reasons patients resist reducing their training
Ways to keep runners connected to the physical and social benefits of their sport during rehab
How to explain PFP without creating fear around "maltracking," arthritis, or joint damage
A simple framework that patients understand and can use to confidently self-manage flare-ups
How to educate patients about the balance between training stress and recovery to improve both performance and rehabilitation
Practical load management strategies for runners with symptoms so irritable they can't tolerate running yet
Throughout the episode, Tom demonstrates how education isn't simply about explaining a diagnosis. It's about helping patients understand their pain, make better decisions independently, and confidently adjust their training as symptoms change.
This is part two of a four-part podcast series with Tom Goom on PFP. In the next episode, Tom and David dive into the third pillar of rehabilitation: how to choose and progress strengthening exercises that build capacity without flaring symptoms, while avoiding the common rehab mistakes that slow recovery.
Timeline
00:00 - Introduction
02:42 - Case study: Recurrent PFP and HYROX load
09:22 - Subjective clues
11:57 - Barriers to recovery
13:48 - Offloading when the knee can't tolerate running
17:12 - Helping patients understand and self-manage
23:48 - Self-management approach
27:11 - Stress, recovery and progress
28:47 - Key takeaways & free resources
Free resources
Running injury assessment sheet — Tom's go-to assessment sheet for every runner, giving you the structure to gather all the key information you need. It includes his screening questions for past medical history, a weekly training structure block, the key physical tests he performs, and a QR code to an energy availability questionnaire.

Free "Patellofemoral pain masterclass: The four pillars of lasting recovery in runners with Tom Goom (Running Physio)" — Join Tom's free webinar to see his assessment and treatment in action, with visuals of the assessment tests, gait assessment and the traffic-light and sweet-spot approaches, plus the exercises, evidence and best-practice guidelines behind treating patellofemoral pain.

Improve running injury assessment & treatment now with the Running Repairs Online course with Tom Goom at clinicaledge.co/runningrepairs.




Links associated with this episode
177. Patellofemoral pain 1 - Why it has such a high recurrence rate, and what most rehab plans miss. Physio Edge Track record: Running repairs podcast with Tom Goom
Download your free running injury assessment sheet
Register for the free "Patellofemoral pain masterclass: The four pillars of lasting recovery in runners with Tom Goom (Running Physio)"
Improve your running injury assessment & treatment now with the Running Repairs Online course with Tom Goom
Click here to download your podcast handout
Improve your confidence and clinical reasoning with a Clinical Edge membership here
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
Join Tom live on Facebook & ask your running-related questions
Tom Goom - Running Physio
Tom Goom - X
David Pope - X
Tom Goom - Instagram
David Pope - Instagram

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 patient has a highly irritable pain presentation
A step-by-step load management approach to find patients training and running "sweet spot"
How to keep athletes connected to their sport during rehab (and why it matters for mental health)
The "layering" approach to training and running that avoids pain flare-ups
So you can easily apply the podcast with your patients, Tom walks through the real case of a runner and HYROX athlete who presented with recurrent PFP that flared up with each of her 3-4 weekly training sessions.
This is part one in a four-part podcast series with Tom Goom on PFP. In the next episode, Tom and David continue this case study and dive into the second pillar in the framework that will help you tackle the problem of "What to do when your runners won't reduce their training?".
Timestamps:
03:41 - Why PFP is tricky and recurs
04:45 - Meet Alice: HYROX athlete with recurrent PFP
05:32 - HYROX explained and its knee-load demands
08:47 - Presentation, irritability and moving beyond "stop running" advice
11:15 - Alice's goals
12:41 - The four pillars framework
15:29 - Pillar 1: Load management
23:39 - Testing tolerance
27:21 - Building Alice's weekly routine
30:06 - Key takeaways & free resources
34:10 - Free resources
Free resources
Running injury assessment sheet — Tom's go-to assessment sheet for every runner, giving you the structure to gather all the key information you need. It includes his screening questions for past medical history, a weekly training structure block, the key physical tests he performs, and a QR code to an energy availability questionnaire.
Free "Patellofemoral pain masterclass: The four pillars of lasting recovery in runners with Tom Goom (Running Physio)" — Join Tom's free webinar to see his assessment and treatment in action, with visuals of the assessment tests, gait assessment and the traffic-light and sweet-spot approaches, plus the exercises, evidence and best-practice guidelines behind treating patellofemoral pain.
Improve running injury assessment & treatment now with the Running Repairs Online course with Tom Goom at clinicaledge.co/runningrepairs.




Links associated with this episode
Download your free running injury assessment sheet
Register for the free "Patellofemoral pain masterclass: The four pillars of lasting recovery in runners with Tom Goom (Running Physio)"
Improve your running injury assessment & treatment now with the Running Repairs Online course with Tom Goom
Click here to download your podcast handout
Improve your confidence and clinical reasoning with a Clinical Edge membership here
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
Join Tom live on Facebook & ask your running-related questions
Tom Goom - Running Physio
Tom Goom - X
David Pope - X
Tom Goom - Instagram
David Pope - Instagram

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 movement alone is not enough to clear the neck
What palpation findings are actually sufficient — and why you don't need to reproduce peripheral symptoms
Why using neck movements to modify shoulder symptoms can be misleading
Whether you're seeing patients with posterior-lateral shoulder pain, scapular pain, or symptoms that just aren't responding to local shoulder rehab, Jo shares a practical framework for refining your clinical reasoning and avoiding these common assessment pitfalls.
Key takeaway: Up to 40% of patients with shoulder problems lasting six months or longer have some degree of cervical spine involvement. The subjective examination is doing 80% of the work — Jo explains exactly what to listen for.
Free 7-day Shoulder assessment bootcamp

Join the free 7-day Shoulder assessment bootcamp with Jo Gibson and Clinical Edge
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:
Join the free 7-day Shoulder assessment bootcamp with Jo Gibson and Clinical Edge
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
Infographics by Clinical Edge