This deep dive investigates how cocoa flavanols can mitigate the damaging effects of mental stress on the vascular system in healthy adults.

Baynham R, Veldhuijzen van Zanten JJCS, Johns PW, Pham QS, Rendeiro C. Cocoa flavanols improve vascular responses to acute mental stress in young healthy adults. Nutrients. 2021;13(4):1103. doi:10.3390/nu13041103

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This episode dissects an article investigating the clinical characteristics of 481 patients with Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) by applying the Bárány Society diagnostic criteria.

Ling X, Zhao DH, Shen B, et al. Clinical characteristics of patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo diagnosed based on the diagnostic criteria of the Bárány Society. Front Neurol. 2020;11:602. doi:10.3389/fneur.2020.00602

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This episode examines whether collagen peptide supplementation enhances the recovery and growth of muscle connective tissue during a week of high-intensity training. Using a double-blind, placebo-controlled method, scientists tracked young men performing a rigorous regimen of resistance exercises and plyometrics.

Kirmse M, Lottmann TM, Volk NR, et al. Collagen Peptide Supplementation during Training Does Not Further Increase Connective Tissue Protein Synthesis Rates. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2024;56(12):2296-2304. doi:10.1249/MSS.0000000000003519

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This episode does a deep dive into an article that investigates the Cognitive Debt hypothesis, which suggests that repetitive negative thinking (RNT) serves as a modifiable risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease.

Marchant NL, Lovland LR, Jones R, et al. Repetitive negative thinking is associated with amyloid, tau, and cognitive decline. Alzheimers Dement. 2020;16(7):1054-1064. doi:10.1002/alz.12116

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This episode does a deep dive into a 2025 randomized controlled trial (RCT), known as the ReabilitaDOR trial, that examined the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of an Internet-based self-management program compared to a simple online booklet for individuals with chronic musculoskeletal (MSK) pain in Brazil.

Saragiotto BT, Fioratti I, Reis FJJ, Fandim JV, Vallio V, Costa LOP, et al. Effectiveness and Cost-Effectiveness of an Internet-Based Self-Management Program for People With Chronic Pain: A Randomised Controlled Trial With Economic Evaluation (the ReabilitaDOR Trial). Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy. Advance publication. https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2025.13418

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This episode dissects an editorial that argues that medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS) requires a name change due to issues with the current terminology. The authors contend that the term MTSS is confusing for athletes and coaches because "tibial stress" is often misinterpreted as a bone stress injury, despite inconclusive evidence regarding the condition's underlying pathology.

Anderson LM, Warden SJ, Willy RW, Bonanno DR, Menz HB. Medial tibial stress syndrome needs a new name—make no bones about it. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2025. doi:10.2519/jospt.2025.13411.

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This episode does a deep dive into a study that investigated the combined effects of the drug metformin and various exercise training intensities on vascular health. The research utilized a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving adults at risk for Metabolic Syndrome, dividing participants into groups receiving either low-intensity exercise (LoEx) or high-intensity exercise (HiEx), each with either metformin (Met) or a placebo (PL).

Malin SK, Heiston EM, Battillo DJ, Ragland TJ, Gow AJ, Shapses SA, Shah AM, Patrie JT, Barrett EJ. Metformin Blunts Vascular Insulin Sensitivity After Exercise Training in Adults at Risk for Metabolic Syndrome. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2025. doi:10.1210/clinem/dgaf551.

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This episode does a deep dive on a systematic review and scoping review which investigates the diagnostic accuracy of the bedside neurological examination (BNE) for cervical radiculopathy (CR).

Yousif MS, Occhipinti G, Bianchini F, Feller D, Schmid AB, Mourad F. Neurological examination for cervical radiculopathy: a scoping review. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. 2025;26:334. doi:10.1186/s12891-025-08560-9.

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