BackTable MSK

About BackTable MSK

The go-to podcast for orthopedic surgeons, sports medicine docs, pain specialists, and MSK radiologists. Tune in every week for practical, physician-led conversations on common and complex clinical topics in bone, spine, and musculoskeletal care. Hear how experienced physicians approach real cases, and get practical advice from your peers in your field.

Publisher

BackTable Inc.

Category

education · health & fitness

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

15 Jun 2023

Latest episode

13 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

144 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   13 Oct 2026

   Ep. 118 Navigating Basketball Medicine: An Athletic Trainer’s Perspective with Matt Townsend, ATC

   When a college basketball player asks when he can go back in the game, the person making the call is rarely wearing a white coat. On this episode of BackTable Bone & Sports, Dr. Larry Balle welcomes Matt Townsend, ATC, head athletic trainer for Arkansas men’s basketball, for an inside look at basketball medicine from the training room. They walk through the basketball calendar, common injuries, and the return-to-play decisions that happen in real time, including movement screening, tendinopathy rehab, vitamin D supplementation, and the impact of name image and likeness (NIL) on athlete advocacy. --- Get the BackTable apphttps://www.backtable.com/app --- Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction04:21 - A Day in the Life of a Basketball Athletic Trainer12:47 - Common Basketball Injuries16:20 - Training Load and Recovery Education19:44 - Return to Play Philosophy25:45 - Name Image and Likeness and the People Around the Athlete28:59 - Taping and Bracing Decisions35:11 - Anterior Knee Pain and Tendinopathy Management39:08 - Vitamin D and Bone Health45:50 - Agents, Pressure and Athlete Advocacy51:14 - Communication With Coaching Staff55:20 - Advice for Future Athletic Trainers1:00:36 - Closing Remarks --- More about this episode They walk through the basketball year from pre-participation physicals and movement screening to the injuries that define the sport, like lateral and high ankle sprains, MCL injuries, anterior knee pain, and stress fractures. Townsend shares how return-to-play decisions are made in real time, balancing objective force plate data, player feedback, and the demands of coaches and agents in the NIL era. The conversation covers the shift away from rest and ice toward progressive tendon loading, how quad weakness explained a player’s chronic knee pain, and how vitamin D protocols are managed for indoor athletes. They discuss bracing and taping as negotiations, the realities of injury prevention and load management, and why pre-participation screens can reveal more than a clinic visit. The episode closes with insights on athlete advocacy, team communication, and the reminders that even elite athletes are often just eighteen years old. --- Resources Matt Townsend, ATC, Head Athletic Trainer, Men's Basketball, University of Arkansashttps://arkansasrazorbacks.com/support-staff/matt-townsend/ University of Arkansas Sports Medicine staffhttps://arkansasrazorbacks.com/sports-medicine/ Dr. Larry Balle, BackTable contributor pagehttps://www.backtable.com/shows/msk/contributors/dr-larry-balle Dr. Larry Balle, Houston Methodist physician profilehttps://www.houstonmethodist.org/doctor/larry-balle BackTable Bone and Sports Ep. 100, Return to Play Post-Injury: Balancing Risk and Recovery, with Dr. Andy Glidewellhttps://www.backtable.com/shows/msk/podcasts/100/return-to-play-post-injury-balancing-risk-recover BackTable Bone and Sports Ep. 103, Sports Medicine and Lifestyle Medicine Intersections, with Dr. Megan Ferderberhttps://www.backtable.com/shows/msk/podcasts/103/sports-medicine-lifestyle-medicine-intersections Andrew M. Schween, DPT, physical therapist, UAMS Healthhttps://uamshealth.com/provider/andrew-m-schween Barrie Steele, athletic training, University of Idahohttps://govandals.com/sports/general/roster/barrie-steele/1205 National Athletic Trainers' Associationhttps://www.nata.org/ Kaminski TW, et al. National Athletic Trainers' Association Position Statement: Conservative Management and Prevention of Ankle Sprains in Athletes. J Athl Train. 2013https://doi.org/10.4085/1062-6050-48.4.02 --- BackTable Bone & Sports is the go-to podcast for orthopedic surgeons, sports medicine docs, pain specialists, and MSK radiologists. Download the free BackTable app to get early access to new episodes, cases, and courses curated by physicians in your specialty. ► https://www.backtable.com/app

2. 

   1 Oct 2026

   Ep. 117 Upper Extremity Rehab: Key Concepts and Techniques with Dr. Corbin Hedt

3. 

   29 Sept 2026

   Ep. 116 Understanding Cardiac Risks & Management in Sports Medicine with Dr. Nick Larson

   Which athletes actually carry the highest cardiac risk, and is the sideline ready to act? On this episode of BackTable Bone & Sports, Dr. Larry Balle welcomes Dr. Nick Larson, emergency medicine physician, to discuss cardiac risk, screening, and sideline response for athletes of all ages. They discuss which athletes are at highest risk, what preparticipation screening does (and does not) catch, and how a working relationship with cardiology and a strong emergency action plan can change outcomes. --- Get the BackTable apphttps://www.backtable.com/app --- Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction05:39 - Emergency Department Arrival Priorities10:13 - AED Access and Arrest Incidence15:33 - Cardiac Risk Patterns by Age and Sport25:12 - Preparticipation Physical Limitations29:14 - Commotio Cordis and Blunt Chest Injury39:37 - Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy in Athletes45:56 - Exertional Syncope Workup53:00 - Myocarditis and Viral Risks01:03:44 - Ischemic Events in Older Athletes01:09:39 - AED Use and Emergency Action Plans01:17:16 - Rapid Fire Takeaways01:21:15 - Closing Remarks --- More about this episode The conversation covers the diagnosis and management of commotio cordis, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, myocarditis, and ischemic events in both young and older athletes. Dr. Larson shares his approach to exertional syncope, red flags for on-field collapse, the practical realities of AED use, and why follow-up is critical after the initial event. The episode closes with advice on team drills, the importance of rapid decision-making, and why “time is tissue” when cardiac emergencies strike on the field or sideline. --- Resources Petek BJ, Churchill TW, Moulson N, et al. Sudden Cardiac Death in National Collegiate Athletic Association Athletes: A 20-Year Study. Circulation. 2024. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.123.0659082024 AHA/ACC/AMSSM/HRS/PACES/SCMR Guideline for the Management of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. Circulation. 2024. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIR.0000000000001250 Revisiting Commotio Cordis: Novel Insight Into Clinical Variability, Diagnosis, Epidemiology, and Prevention. Journal of the American Heart Association. 2025. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.125.045115 National Athletic Trainers' Association Position Statement: Emergency Action Plan Development and Implementation in Sport. Journal of Athletic Training. 2024. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11220767/ Life in the Fast Lane (LITFL), recommended on air by Dr. Larson https://litfl.com/ EMCrit Project, recommended on air by Dr. Larson https://emcrit.org/ --- BackTable Bone & Sports is the go-to podcast for orthopedic surgeons, sports medicine docs, pain specialists, and MSK radiologists. Download the free BackTable app to get early access to new episodes, cases, and courses curated by physicians in your specialty. ► https://www.backtable.com/app

Who has been a guest on BackTable MSK

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Dr Alexa Levey
• Luigi Manfre
• Dr Ahmed Farag
• Dr. Glade Roper

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

621,342

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

8 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

7 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 79 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

97

Social presence

0

YouTube

86

Engagement

68

Contact BackTable MSK

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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