Tough to Treat, a podcast by Susan Clinton and Erica Meloe - Stats, Episodes and Rankings

Podcast details

Technical and general information from the podcast's RSS feed.

Site

RSS

Apple

Recent rankings

Latest chart positions across Apple Podcasts and Spotify rankings.

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

Links found in episode descriptions and other podcasts that share them.

See all

http://www.subkit.com/susan
105 shares
http://www.toughtotreat.com/
95 shares
https://www.ericameloe.com/decodingcomplexpatient
95 shares

https://youtu.be/tk9u7AKPvZw
2 shares
https://www.youtube.com/@toughtotreat4542
1 share
https://youtu.be/H1ilSQZomNg
1 share

RSS feed quality and score

Technical evaluation of the podcast's RSS feed quality and structure.

See all

Publication history

Monthly episode publishing history over the past years.

Latest published episodes

Recent episodes with titles, durations, and descriptions.

See all

Treatment Timelines and Tackling HEP Non-Compliance: Real Patient Cases

Episode 235

Wednesday, August 13, 2025 • Duration 27:26

How long should you keep treating a patient? And what’s the best approach when they’re skipping their home exercise program? In this listener Q&A episode, Erica shares practical strategies—illustrated through two real patient cases, one a golfer and the other a cyclist—for answering the tough question of treatment length and for addressing non-compliance.

She highlights how building a strong therapeutic relationship can improve follow-through and make these conversations more productive. Erica also highlights the most important phases of an exercise program to ensure efficiency and compliance.

To close, Erica offers a brief update from her doctoral research on menopause, focusing on the role of muscle power in older women and why it may be a more critical predictor of function than strength alone.

Related links:

Read moreCollapse

Managing the Complex Patient – When the Body Chart Is Full

Episode 233

Thursday, July 3, 2025 • Duration 17:31

In this episode, Erica talks about how to approach care when a patient has a long history of injuries and a body chart that seems to be "lit up" everywhere. It can feel overwhelming—for both the patient and the clinician.

She focuses on the importance of prioritization: identifying what’s most clinically relevant right now. This involves connecting the dots to perhaps an old injury to what the current problem is.

In this particular case, frequent bilateral ankle sprains, an ACL reconstruction plus a continued pattern of bilateral issues help you nail down your focus to what is important for you to assess and what is important for the patient to feel.

These patterns not only shape your clinical focus—helping you decide what truly needs assessment—but also give the patient a clearer sense of what their body is trying to communicate. What is relevant to you may not be important to them. It's up to you to explain to them why.

Key takeaways include:

· Avoiding the trap of chasing every symptom.

· Establishing a hierarchy of concerns using patient input and objective findings.

· Acknowledging the complexity of the history without letting it dictate the entire plan.

Related links:

Read moreCollapse

Bone and Power: Training Smarter Through Menopause

Episode 232

Thursday, June 19, 2025 • Duration 34:00

This episode dives into some of the evidence on resistance vs. high-velocity power training in postmenopausal women and its impact on bone mineral density (BMD). Research is highlighted showing that high-speed training protocols may stimulate bone more effectively than traditional resistance training by increasing strain rates and promoting osteogenic adaptation. You’ll learn how moving with speed and control helps strengthen bones and prevents age-related decline better than slow, heavy lifting alone.

Some of Erica’s research for her doctoral dissertation is discussed and she then presents a case study of a menopausal patient with insidious-onset shoulder pain and offers some clinical pearls as to why, especially in anyone who has played a racquet sport, the shoulder is not the only driver. She also highlights a few targeted interventions that allowed this woman to weight lift and strengthen her shoulder without feeding into her symptoms.

The content contained therein, including text, images, audio, or other formats, were created for informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Related links:

Read moreCollapse

Physical Performance Decline in Menopausal Women: Strength vs Power

Episode 231

Tuesday, June 3, 2025 • Duration 35:00

In this episode, Erica dives into the latest research exploring how menopause affects physical performance in women—highlighting changes in power and strength. These findings are reshaping how we approach exercise and rehab in midlife women.

Next, she shares an update on her dissertation, which compares premenopausal and postmenopausal women on key physical performance metrics. Erica discusses early patterns emerging from the data, including potential implications for exercise training and rehab prescription.

She wraps up with a clinical case involving a woman in menopause experiencing persistent neck and shoulder pain, along with difficulty breathing. She breaks down the history along with a few clinical pearls outlining how past injuries have and continue to contribute to this woman’s issues. Erica also breaks down her exercise program, discussing the do’s and don’ts of exercise progression.

Hormonal changes can contribute to musculoskeletal tension and diaphragmatic dysfunction- we know this. But do we really educate our patients on this? Many do not. Whether you're a clinician, researcher, or someone navigating midlife changes, this episode offers insight, evidence, and strategies for supporting well-being during menopause.

Related links:

Read moreCollapse

Building Better PT Practices: Courses, Clinical Reasoning, and Mentoring Insights

Episode 230

Thursday, November 28, 2024 • Duration 28:17

In this episode, we answer the most common questions we get from listeners. We dive into course recommendations, highlighting resources for continuing education, mentoring and evidence-based practices.

A key focus is on clinical reasoning strategies—how to approach complex cases and integrate patient-specific factors into your decision-making. We also discuss the value of spending the majority of your first session taking the patient’s story.

Your patients will make you a better physical therapist, if you listen to them. Be curious and let it lead you towards mastery.

A glance at this episode:

[2:27] Courses and Continuous Learning
[12:11] Starting the Podcast and Building a Community
[13:17] Mentorship and Clinical Reasoning
[19:10] Treatment Sessions and Client Engagement
[22:56] The Role of Patients in Clinical Learning
[26:41] Reflecting on the Year and Planning for the Future

Related links:

Complex shoulder pain - how the narrative and red flags paint a different picture

Episode 229

Thursday, November 7, 2024 • Duration 47:31

Clients self-refer for many reasons and we find ourselves on the front line of health care screening. Join Susan and Erica as they uncover key elements in a client's history and narrative around long-standing shoulder pain. Simplistic presentations usually mask true underlying considerations including the client's beliefs and red flags.

A glance at this episode:

[1:41] Client's Initial Presentation and History
[4:07] Exploring Past Injuries and Chronic Bike Riding
[6:56] Impact of Corporate Life and Breast Cancer on Health
[13:08] Concerns About Bone Health and DEXA Scan
[15:21] Addressing Left Shoulder Pain and Movement Dysfunction
[17:51] Implementing Modified Exercises and Pilates
[39:28] Discussing the Power of the Narrative and Patient Advocacy
[40:13] Connecting Patient Goals to Treatment Outcomes
[45:17] Final Thoughts and Episode Closing

Related links:

Read moreCollapse

Shoulder Pain With Pull Ups or Push Ups? The Elbow Changes Everything

Episode 228

Thursday, October 24, 2024 • Duration 43:02

In this episode, we explore the surprising journey of a boxer battling chronic shoulder pain that left him struggling to do even the most basic workout. Despite focusing on his shoulder, it turns out the root of his problem lay elsewhere—his elbow. Is that surprising? It was in his injury history. Do not discount the power of an old injury that could come back and haunt you. And think about the load on the elbow when you're doing a push or pull-up. Join us as we clinically reason through this interesting case from start to finish.

A glance at this episode:

[0:01] Introduction and Patient Background
[7:03] Initial Assessment and Observations
[11:56] Exploring the Root Causes
[14:12] Addressing the Pull-Up Challenge
[32:06] Implementing Exercise Program
[36:32] Final Thoughts and Key Takeaways

Related links:

Read moreCollapse

Chronic Knee Pain - Where to Begin!

Episode 227

Thursday, October 10, 2024 • Duration 38:35

Susan and Erica are back together for the Fall season! Chronic knee pain can be much more than a regional event. Susan presents a client with an extensive timeline and clinical reasoning as to why it is important to consider the entire system in this integrated approach. The key here is also maintaining relevance and sustainability for the client.

A glance at this episode:

[1:18] Explanation of Episode Structure and Content
[2:59] Introduction to the Client Case Study
[5:30] Client's Medical History and Injuries
[12:47] Initial Assessment and Observations
[13:33] Treatment Plan and Initial Intervention
[31:02] Follow-Up and Client Feedback
[31:17] Advanced Treatment and Future Plans
[31:31] Conclusion and Encouragement for Listeners

Related links:

Read moreCollapse

Assessing Knee Health For Hip-Related Walking Pain

Episode 226

Thursday, September 26, 2024 • Duration 22:12

In this episode, Erica explores the often-overlooked relationship between hip pain and knee function during walking when the patient does NOT have knee pain. Join in as she dives into the role of the knee in compensating for hip dysfunction, and how a thorough knee assessment can uncover hidden contributors to hip discomfort. Remember: old injuries have a way of sneaking up on us and becoming one of the drivers of our current problem. An old hamstring tear 5 years ago as a contributor to this patient's problem? Think again.

A glance at this episode:

[2:23] Patient Background and Injury History
[3:46] Assessment and Initial Findings
[6:33] Knee and Hip Mechanics
[10:11] Terminal Knee Extension and Treatment Approach
[20:43] Clinical Reasoning and Patient Outcome
[20:58] Conclusion and Call to Action

Related links:

Read moreCollapse

When shoulder pain is dominant, but not the driver!

Episode 225

Thursday, September 12, 2024 • Duration 33:12

Shoulder pain, like any other joint can present as primary pain and can be the #1 reason a client may be seeking help! In many cases, treating the obvious joint dysfunction (because it checks all of the boxes) may not result in optimal outcomes. Join the conversation as Susan and Erica explore the various reasons and important timelines in the client's history that has led to her shoulder pain. Most importantly follow the clinical reasoning that led to the real driver of this issue. Bonus - we also offer a great discussion of a good exercise progression!

A glance at this episode:

[1:39] Shoulder pain and internal rotation
[7:52] Which side of the table should you work from
[12:40] Learning to tape the wrist
[20:00] Opening the hands
[22:46] Using the blocks for yoga blocks
[27:58] Grip strength as a sign of health

Related links:

Read moreCollapse

Tough to Treat – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

RSS feed quality and score

Publication history

Latest published episodes

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Tough to Treat – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

Other24

Google Docs96

YouTube4

RSS feed quality and score

Publication history

Latest published episodes

Similar podcasts and content

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Other24

Google Docs96

YouTube4