The Shoulder Physio Podcast

#57: Stop Looking for a Winner: The Case for Treatment Pluralism

The Shoulder Physio Podcast

Show Notes

In this episode, I walk through my recent JOSPT paper arguing that no single treatment modality has proven itself superior for musculoskeletal pain and that the profession should stop pretending otherwise.

Drawing on Isaiah Berlin's distinction between the hedgehog and the fox, I make the case for treatment pluralism: the idea that multiple interventions can lead to recovery, and that rigid allegiance to any one approach is not supported by the evidence.

Key resources

Powell et al 2026. Many Paths to Recovery: The Case for Treatment Pluralism. JOSPT. DOI: https://www.jospt.org/doi/10.2519/jospt.2026.13992

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