Orthopaedics and Musculoskeletal Podcasts

Feeling tethered to your screens? Doomscrolling much? Have you gotten that little message from your phone, ratting you out, informing you that "you spent an average of XX hours and xx minutes daily of screen time"?? Do you wish you could set some better boundaries with tech/social media/screens in general? Let's face it, our devices are here to stay. How can we make them work FOR US, instead of distracting us from the personal connections we need? How are we supposed to "multitask"?? Is the human brain even capable of such a feat?? Cue our expert in human-computer interaction (HCI), Gloria Mark, PhD! WE ARE SO FORTUNATE to be able to pick her brain about how to make OUR BRAINS better at prioritizing our precious mental currency: OUR ATTENTION. Dr. Mark is the author of Attention Span and Multitasking in the Digital Age, the Chancellor's Professor of Informatics at UC Irvine, and has published over 200 papers in top academic journals, and appeared in scores of platforms, including the New York Times, BBC, NPR, the Atlantic, and recently on Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard (check it out, the episode is GREAT!) We are aware that we likely outkicked our coverage, and are SO HAPPY to share Dr. Mark's expertise with y'all. Strap in, pay attention, this is a can't-miss episode, friends! :) Topics in this episode include: The MYTH of multitasking. What is "distraction cost'? How attempting to "multitask" affects our brains and bodies (hint: stress!) Is it really the "notifications" on our phones that are distracting us, or is it something else? Are we really "victims of the algorithm" when it comes to social media? How can being "information rich" make us "attention poor"? How can we be aware of our "urges" to check our phones/email/computer and become more intentional in our use of devices? Learn more about Dr. Mark's work at her website. Her latest book, Attention Span, is available nationwide wherever books are sold! Learn more about her book here. Your Doctor Friends have some BIG THINGS in the works for "refreshing" the pod, and how we deliver meaningful, usable, valid health education to YOU, our dear friends! You'll be hearing some "upcycled" episodes this summer while we work on implementing these changes, and we will be back in full force in the next month or so with a brand new haircut ;) Thanks for tuning in, friends! Please sign up for our “PULSE CHECK” monthly newsletter! Signup is easy, right on our website, and we PROMISE not to spam you. We just want to send you monthly cool articles, videos, and thoughts :)  For more episodes, limited edition merch, to send us direct messages, and more, follow this link!  Connect with us: Website: https://yourdoctorfriendspodcast.com/ Email us at [email protected] @your_doctor_friends on  Instagram - Send/DM us a voice memo or question and we might play it/answer it on the show! @yourdoctorfriendspodcast1013 on YouTube @JeremyAllandMD on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter/X @JuliaBrueneMD on Instagram

Healthcare executive Paul Bruning discusses the recent ban on noncompete agreements and what the historic rule means for the future of musculoskeletal care. He talks about the reasoning behind the restrictive clauses and unlocked opportunities for innovation and industry competition. Host: Mikalyn DeFoor, MD, Chair, AAOS Resident Assembly  Guest: Paul Bruning, Service Line Director, Sutter Health 

Achilles. Rotator cuff. Patella. Hamstring. They're all structures involving tendons, and you probably either know someone who's injured them, or have experienced the dreaded tendon injury yourself. Aaron Rodgers experienced an acute Achilles tendon rupture on Monday Night Football in September 2023, just 4 plays into his first season as QB for the New York Jets. Fans watched as he dramatically pulled up lame after a tackle, having snapped his Achilles, and subsequently sitting out the 2023 season. Just this week he stated in an interview "my summer ends Sunday", confirming that he is back to play this upcoming 2024 football season for the Jets. So what the heck is actually going on? Why do tendons hurt sometimes? Why do they snap? Is it all just degenerative, "getting old"-type stuff? How can we prevent an injury like Rodgers' from happening to US?? In this episode, we reveal it all, friends! We have a world’s expert in tendon pathology, treatment and injury prevention to tell us why our tendons get injured, what we can do to treat them and most importantly, the things we can do prevent them from breaking down. Jill Cook, PhD is a professor in musculoskeletal health in the La Trobe Sport and Exercise Medicine Research Centre at La Trobe University in Melbourne Australia. Jill's research areas include sports medicine and tendon injury. She is the "tendon guru" and has dedicated her career to learning about and improving our care of tendons. Jeremy recently had the privilege of attending Jill's educational lecture at the NBA Team Physician's national meeting, and she so graciously agreed to be our guest for this episode! Your Doctor Friends bring the professional-level expert education straight to you, friends! Topics covered in today's episode include: What actually ARE tendons? What do they do? Types of tendon injuries- including acute tears, "overuse" injuries, and degenerative "wear and tear". Risk factors associated with tendon injuries. What is "tendinopathy"? Is it there forever? What is the role of imaging/MRI in the diagnosis and treatment of tendon injury? What about shots? Do cortisone or platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections help in tendon injuries? How do you actually treat tendinopathy? Can it be "cured"? Thanks for tuning in, friends! Please sign up for our “PULSE CHECK” monthly newsletter! Signup is easy, right on our website, and we PROMISE not to spam you. We just want to send you monthly cool articles, videos, and thoughts :)  For more episodes, limited edition merch, to send us direct messages, and more, follow this link!  Connect with us: Website: https://yourdoctorfriendspodcast.com/ Email us at [email protected] @your_doctor_friends on  Instagram - Send/DM us a voice memo or question and we might play it/answer it on the show! @yourdoctorfriendspodcast1013 on YouTube @JeremyAllandMD on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter/X @JuliaBrueneMD on Instagram

Do you remember "Presidential Physical Fitness” testing from youth? Can you name all 6 of the “classic” tests it included? Fun fact: (according to a Feb. 2024 NYT article) Born of Cold War-era fears that America was becoming “soft,” the test was first introduced by President Lyndon Johnson in 1966.  The goal was to improve the fitness of the nation’s youth for military service. The original test also included a softball throw, which mimicked throwing a grenade So if you don’t have antiquated mid-century calisthenics metrics to tell you if you’re fit/athletic, what can you use? How can you know if you’re WINNING AT FITNESS?? What’s an average human to do? Your Doctor Friends came across NYT article titled “This Test Might Be the Best Way to Track Fitness and Longevity” which focused on V02 max. The article presents the pros and cons of using V02 max as a valid, objective measure of cardiopulmonary fitness. Your Doctor Friends decided to reach out to our Exercise Physiology MASTER EXPERT, to break it down for y’all! Welcome, Philip Skiba, DO! Dr. Skiba is the outgoing Director of Sports Medicine/Fellowship Director for Advocate Health - Chicago, where he served for 12 years Dr. Skiba founded the Advocate Human Performance and Biomechanics Laboratories, helping amateur, elite and professional athletes explore their limits using state-of-the-art technology. Dr. Skiba was recently recruited to a professorship at Thomas Jefferson University Medical School in Philadelphia, where he will serve as Medical Director of Sports Medicine/Fellowship Director. Dr. Skiba serves on the medical boards of both USA Triathlon and USA Cycling and accompanied Team USA to the World Championships in Australia.  Unusual for a physician, he has also personally coached dozens of world-class athletes. Most notably, he was hired by Nike for the Breaking 2 project and helped train the fastest runners alive in pursuit of the first 2-hour marathon.  Dr. Skiba later appeared in and narrated portions of NatGeo’s Cannes Award-Winning Documentary “Breaking2”. He remains a familiar presence in print and broadcast journalism. Check out this link to a clip from the Breaking2 documentary to see Dr. Skiba in action and for an adorable iconic Skiba-laugh :) Eat your heart out, Peter Attia, Your Doctor Friends have the REAL MVP (of sports performance)! Let’s get sweaty. We're all winning - listen to Your Doctor Friends :) Thanks for tuning in, friends! Please sign up for our “PULSE CHECK” monthly newsletter! Signup is easy, right on our website, and we PROMISE not to spam you. We just want to send you monthly cool articles, videos, and thoughts :)  For more episodes, limited edition merch, to send us direct messages, and more, follow this link!  Connect with us: Website: https://yourdoctorfriendspodcast.com/ Email us at [email protected] @your_doctor_friends on  Instagram - Send/DM us a voice memo or question and we might play it/answer it on the show! @yourdoctorfriendspodcast1013 on YouTube @JeremyAllandMD on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter/X @JuliaBrueneMD on Instagram

The United States Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, declared this week that gun violence in the US is a public health crisis. Dr. Murthy publicly stated, in a 39-page advisory, that the U.S needs to treat gun violence in the same way we have tackled smoking or car crashes. Deaths caused by guns rose to the highest in three decades in 2021. In 2020, firearm-related injuries became the leading cause of death of children and adolescents aged 1-19. Gun-related deaths for youths were higher than car accidents, cancer, and heart disease. To quote Dr. Murthy,  “I want people to understand the full impact of firearm violence in our country, and I want them to see it as a public health issue. I know it’s been polarizing and I know it’s been politicized, but if we can see it as a public health issue, we can come together and implement a public health solution.” Also, this week marks two years since since the mass shooting at the July 4th parade in Jeremy's hometown of Highland Park, Illinois that killed seven people, and injured many more. Your Doctor Friends decided it was timely to re-release last year's Independence Day episode. Our expert for this episode is THE INCOMPARABLE Garen Wintemute MD, MPH: Dr. Wintemute is Distinguished Professor of Emergency Medicine and Baker–Teret Chair in Violence Prevention at the University of California, Davis. He is the founding director of the Violence Prevention Research Program there and of the California Firearm Violence Research Center, the nation’s first publicly-funded center for research in this field. Trained initially as a biologist at Yale University, Dr. Wintemute attended medical school and residency at UC Davis and studied epidemiology and injury prevention at The Johns Hopkins University. He practices and teaches emergency medicine at UC Davis Medical Center, a Level I trauma center, and is a public health leader in the world of violence prevention Key highlights in this episode include: Background in the history of gun violence in the US. Where are we now? What makes the US unique in its struggle with gun violence? What's the history of legislation re: gun violence (including assault-type weapons) prevention? Are there actually more mass shootings now than in previous years? Does Chicago have more gun violence than other major cities? Why is Chicago so often highlighted? What is the mental health toll that gun violence takes? How is this being addressed? What can people do to make a difference in gun violence prevention? Dr. Wintemute recommends the following resources to learn about gun violence prevention: The "What Can You Do" Initiative via UC Davis Health. The Violence Prevention Research Program at UC Davis (Dr. Wintemute is the founding director :) Clinical tools for preventing firearm injuries at The BulletPoints Project. Thanks for tuning in, friends! Please sign up for our “PULSE CHECK” monthly newsletter! Signup is easy, right on our website, and we PROMISE not to spam you. We just want to send you monthly cool articles, videos, and thoughts :)  For more episodes, limited edition merch, to send us direct messages, and more, follow this link!  Connect with us: Website: https://yourdoctorfriendspodcast.com/ Email us at [email protected] @your_doctor_friends on  Instagram - Send/DM us a voice memo or question and we might play it/answer it on the show! @yourdoctorfriendspodcast1013 on YouTube @JeremyAllandMD on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter/X @JuliaBrueneMD on Instagram

We know we are supposed to wear sunscreen. We know sun exposure can increase our risk for skin cancer. So how do we reconcile our desire for that "desirable summer glow" with the risk of medical harm? Your Doctor Friends get these texts all the time, especially post-summer solstice: "If I wear sunscreen, what SPF should I use? Is chemical or mineral better? Is it actually waterproof? And I’ve heard it can get into my bloodstream, what's that all about??"  Friends, are you ready to soak up the sun…safely? As is standard with Your Doctor Friends, we were able to find one of OUR doctor friends to come on and clear this all up. Welcome Vidya Shivakumar, MD! Dr. Shivakumar is a Dermatologist at Rush University Medical Center, board-certified by the American Academy of Dermatology since 2015. She provides comprehensive skin (and all things Dermatology) care at her bustling academic practice in Chicago at RUSH. She is active in research, teaching, and has presented many times in both the community setting, scientific arena, and in news media. AND NOW she graciously agreed to come chat with us to give us the scoop on the goop we put on our skin to protect ourselves from the sun! Topics covered in today's episode include: What is a sunburn? What are short and long term consequences of a sunburn? Why do some people burn and some people tan? Does this change people’s risk of harm? Do burns affect kids skin differently than adult skin? Are there long term consequences to burns earlier in life? Is there a right or wrong way to put on sunscreen? What is the best SPF to choose? What's the difference between chemical and mineral sunscreen? Is it actually waterproof? When should we reapply? If I wear sunscreen, does that mean I won't tan? What's better, aerosol or regular tube form? Can I become vitamin D deficient from wearing sunscreen? What about "oral sunscreen", or "sunburn reduction pills"? Do they work? Does that take the place of regular sunscreen application? Here are some great FAQs from the American Academy of Dermatology about sunscreen. Thanks for tuning in, friends! Please sign up for our “PULSE CHECK” monthly newsletter! Signup is easy, right on our website, and we PROMISE not to spam you. We just want to send you monthly cool articles, videos, and thoughts :)  For more episodes, limited edition merch, to send us direct messages, and more, follow this link!  Connect with us: Website: https://yourdoctorfriendspodcast.com/ Email us at [email protected] @your_doctor_friends on  Instagram - Send/DM us a voice memo or question and we might play it/answer it on the show! @yourdoctorfriendspodcast1013 on YouTube @JeremyAllandMD on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter/X @JuliaBrueneMD on Instagram

This episode features a provocative discussion about diversity in medicine and the importance of cross collaboration between public and private practice. Microbiologist and FDA leader RDML Raquel Peat shares lessons on transformational leadership and why diversity in thought, background, training, geography, and research are critical to improving public health and advancing the field of orthopaedics. Host: Mikalyn DeFoor, MD, Chair, AAOS Resident Assembly Guest: RDML Raquel Peat, PhD, MPH, Director, Office of Orthopedic Devices, FDA

HAPPY PRIDE, FRIENDS! This week we are re-releasing an episode that makes us proud; when we interviewed the amazing Dr. Loren Schechter to learn about and discuss gender-affirming surgery. The conversation was as helpful and poignant last year as it is now, so we thought it would be smart to give it another go :) In general, surgical interventions aim to "right a wrong". Maybe your appendix is acutely inflamed and infected and needs to come out. That's a "wrong." Maybe that "wrong" is that you were born with a cleft palate and your folks wanted it corrected for you so you could eat and breathe easy. Maybe your assigned gender at birth doesn't match your gender identity. Maybe that is the "wrong" that surgery can attempt to make "right". Sometimes fear is our response to being confronted with concepts we don't fully understand. That fear can beget big emotional reactions. Your Doctor Friends get it. That's why we brought on our friend, Dr. Loren Schechter, a wonderfully accomplished, experienced, and kind plastic surgeon who has been performing gender affirming surgery for the past 20+ years. Dr. Schechter is currently the director of the Gender Affirming Surgery program at Rush University Medical Center, and the President-elect of the American Society of Gender Surgeons. In this episode, Dr. Schechter educates us, and we leave with a better understanding of gender affirming care. Key highlights in this episode include: What is gender affirming surgery? What procedures are typically performed, and what are the indications? How long has gender affirming surgery been around? Other than the surgeon, who is on the healthcare team for someone undergoing gender affirming surgery? Does insurance cover these procedures? Do people ever regret their decision to have surgery? What cool innovations are on the horizon in the field of gender affirming surgery? Come on this awesome journey with us, friends! Let's all understand each other better. Happy Pride. Thanks for tuning in, friends! Please sign up for our “PULSE CHECK” monthly newsletter! Signup is easy, right on our website, and we PROMISE not to spam you. We just want to send you monthly cool articles, videos, and thoughts :)  For more episodes, limited edition merch, to send us direct messages, and more, follow this link!  Connect with us: Website: https://yourdoctorfriendspodcast.com/ Email us at [email protected] @your_doctor_friends on  Instagram - Send/DM us a voice memo or question and we might play it/answer it on the show! @yourdoctorfriendspodcast1013 on YouTube @JeremyAllandMD on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter/X @JuliaBrueneMD on Instagram

Have you heard of the term, "bigorexia"? It is a form of body dysmorphic disorder, similar in ways to anorexia.  Bigorexia is used to describe muscle dysmorphia, a condition exhibited mostly by boys/men and characterized by excessive weight lifting, a preoccupation with not feeling muscular enough and a strict adherence to eating foods that lower weight and build muscle.  And it is seriously on the rise, and surprisingly under-recognized. The rise has led to articles titled, “What is Bigorexia?” in the NY Times and “Body Dysmorphia in boys and men can fuel muscle obsession, doctors say” in the Washington Post. Body image challenges are not a new thing, however the world we live in today presents new accelerants making these conditions even harder to manage. If we are not screening for them in all people, no matter gender status, we are likely missing people who need help. Lucky for us, there are amazing clinician researchers doing outstanding work to try to help us understand more about these conditions and ways we can help. And today we have a world’s expert whose lab has published extensively on muscle dysmorphia. Welcome, Jason Nagata, MD! Dr. Nagata is a pediatrician and Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco specializing in adolescent and young adult eating disorders. He researches eating disorders, muscle-enhancing behaviors, and social media in boys and men. He edited the book Eating Disorders in Boys and Men and is Senior Editor of the Journal of Eating Disorders. He has published over 300 articles in academic journals and his research has been covered by The New York Times, CNN, NPR, and NBC News. He is the recipient of the American Academy of Pediatrics Emerging Leader in Adolescent Health Award and the International Association for Adolescent Health Young Professionals Prize. Dr. Nagata recommends the following resources: The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) website. Your Doctor Friends recommend checking out Dr. Nagata's "Nagata Lab" page on the UCSF website! Thanks for tuning in, folks! Please sign up for our "PULSE CHECK" monthly newsletter! Signup is easy, right on our website page, and we PROMISE we will not spam you! We just want to send you cool articles, videos and thoughts :) For more episodes, limited edition merch, or to become a Friend of Your Doctor Friends (and more), follow this link!   Find us at: Website: yourdoctorfriendspodcast.com  Email: [email protected]  Connect with us: @your_doctor_friends (IG) Send/DM us a voice memo/question and we might play it on the show! @yourdoctorfriendspodcast1013 (YouTube) @JeremyAllandMD (IG, FB, Twitter) @JuliaBrueneMD (IG) @HealthPodNet (IG)

This episode covers an array of topics related to increasing consolidation within the healthcare system, from banning non-competes to tightening cybersecurity. OrthoForum CEO Karen Simonton offers her perspective and wealth of knowledge, having worked with orthopaedic groups over the last decade, on how this changing landscape is impacting private practices and their ability to provide care.   Host: Adam Bruggeman, MD, FAAOS, FAOrthA, Chair, AAOS Advocacy Council Guest: Karen Simonton, CEO, OrthoForum

EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT BRAIN TUMORS! We try to keep it simple here on YDF, but today it IS brain surgery! We are rounding out Brain Tumor Awareness Month! Building on our conversation last week with Alyx Porter, MD, re: how to know if you could have a tumor, this episode focuses on the other side of the conversation. Let's explore treatment! More specifically, answering the question, "I have a brain tumor, can you remove it?" Cue our UNBELIEVABLE guest, Neurosurgical Oncologist, Edjah Nduom, MD, FAANS! Dr. Nduom is the Daniel Louis Barrow Endowed Chair and Associate Professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at Emory University School of Medicine. He serves as Leader of the Brain Tumors Disease Group for Winship Cancer Institute. He has held numerous national and international roles in the neurosurgical and brain tumor community, including Founder and Diasporan Board Member for the Society for Neuro-Oncology Sub-Saharan Africa, Scientific Program Chair for the Congress of Neurological Surgeons Annual Meeting and Chair of the Board of Directors of the National Brain Tumor Society. He is also accomplished in basic, translational, and clinical research, developing new immune therapy treatments for malignant brain tumors. Dr. Nduom's clinical specialty is the surgical management of brain and spinal cord tumors. Topics covered in today's episode: What are common types of brain tumors and their treatment options? What kind of specialist should you see if you are diagnosed with a brain tumor? Should you get a second opinion? Which tumors should be surgically removed? Should people get routine brain or body scans to look for brain tumors? What are common surgical techniques for removing brain tumors? Are brain tumor surgeries done while the patient is awake? Does brain tumor DNA typing help to guide treatment? And much, much more! Thanks for tuning in, folks! Please sign up for our "PULSE CHECK" monthly newsletter! Signup is easy, right on our website page, and we PROMISE we will not spam you! We just want to send you cool articles, videos and thoughts :) For more episodes, limited edition merch, or to become a Friend of Your Doctor Friends (and more), follow this link!   Find us at: Website: yourdoctorfriendspodcast.com  Email: [email protected]  Connect with us: @your_doctor_friends (IG) Send/DM us a voice memo/question and we might play it on the show! @yourdoctorfriendspodcast1013 (YouTube) @JeremyAllandMD (IG, FB, Twitter) @JuliaBrueneMD (IG) @HealthPodNet (IG)

It's Brain Tumor Awareness Month! Have you ever felt perhaps "too aware" - letting your imagination run amok and ponder if its reaaally just a headache, or maybe something a bit more serious? Most folks can relate. Sometimes we jump to "worst case scenario" when appraising our symptoms, as a defense mechanism. We want to feel prepared, feel like we are one step ahead, that we can control the situation. We also love that sweet release when we realize that it WAS just a headache after all. It can be an exhausting cycle. How do you know if you're one of the "worried well" or if there's really something there, especially when it comes to brain tumors?? Cue today's unbelievable guest, Alyx Porter, MD, FAAN! Dr. Porter is the Director of the NeuroOncology Section at Mayo Clinic in Arizona and is an Associate Professor of Neurology. Having been with Mayo for over two decades, she has worked diligently to provide care for patients with tumors and cancers involving the nervous system in addition to patients who have neurologic complications resulting from their systemic cancers. Her research interests are aimed at ensuring that patients with brain cancers have the best quality of life as possible. She is also co-author of the book, Navigating Life with a Brain Tumor, a resource for patients and families. She and her husband, Dr. Gregory Umphrey founded a national non-profit in 2019, ElevateMeD. To date, ElevateMeD has awarded over $1,000,000 in scholarships and support to medical students from underrepresented backgrounds. ElevateMeD is committed to elevating the field of medicine by providing financial support, mentorship and leadership training to future physicians from racial and ethnic backgrounds underrepresented in medicine. Sometimes it's a tumor. Sometimes it's not. Either way, be informed, be prepared, keep asking questions and listen to Your Doctor Friends :) Thanks for tuning in, folks! Please sign up for our "PULSE CHECK" monthly newsletter! Signup is easy, right on our website page, and we PROMISE we will not spam you! We just want to send you cool articles, videos and thoughts :) For more episodes, limited edition merch, or to become a Friend of Your Doctor Friends (and more), follow this link!   Find us at: Website: yourdoctorfriendspodcast.com  Email: [email protected]  Connect with us: @your_doctor_friends (IG) Send/DM us a voice memo/question and we might play it on the show! @yourdoctorfriendspodcast1013 (YouTube) @JeremyAllandMD (IG, FB, Twitter) @JuliaBrueneMD (IG) @HealthPodNet (IG)

Have you ever stood up quickly and felt a little lightheaded or felt your heart racing? What if, out of the blue, that started happening EVERY TIME YOU STOOD UP? This can be reality for folks with POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome), or other forms of "orthostatic dysfunction". It can be quite debilitating, especially since it seems to target young athletic folks. Also, like many other health conditions which can manifest as nebulous, subjective symptoms (fatigue, dizziness, heart racing, brain fog, etc)- patients with POTS often feel misunderstood, ignored, and gaslit by their healthcare providers (who may not be well trained in these conditions.) Let's fix all that, shall we?? Your Doctor Friends came across a great article in the Washington Post titled "They're young and athletic. They're also ill with a condition called POTS" that featured our guest today, Camden Hebson, MD (as well as his colleague at University of Alabama Birmingham, Sara Gould, MD). Among other expert opinions in the article, Dr. Hebson outlined the increasing diagnosis of POTS, especially in young athletes. What is it? Who gets it? Why do we think this happens? How can we manage it? Resources for today's episode include: UAB website for Dr. Hebson's and Dr. Gould's Sports Medicine Cardiology Clinic for Young Athletes. The website for Dysautonomia International, a great advocacy organization for folks with POTS, and other similar autonomic nervous system dysregulation conditions. Vanderbilt University Autonomic Dysfunction Center website outlining all their recent research projects and publications. Cleveland Clinic's website on POTS. Thanks for tuning in, folks! Please sign up for our "PULSE CHECK" monthly newsletter! Signup is easy, right on our website page, and we PROMISE we will not spam you! We just want to send you cool articles, videos and thoughts :) For more episodes, limited edition merch, or to become a Friend of Your Doctor Friends (and more), follow this link!   Find us at: Website: yourdoctorfriendspodcast.com  Email: [email protected]  Connect with us: @your_doctor_friends (IG) Send/DM us a voice memo/question and we might play it on the show! @yourdoctorfriendspodcast1013 (YouTube) @JeremyAllandMD (IG, FB, Twitter) @JuliaBrueneMD (IG) @HealthPodNet (IG)

Because of ethical and medical challenges, early human embryo development remains “a black box” to us, as Prof. Jacob Hanna himself puts it. Despite all the progress made in medicine over the past decades, there is still a whole lot to learn about the causes of miscarriages, infertility, or early developmental defects. In 2023, Jacob’s group from the Weizmann Institute of Science published a pivotal paper in Nature that redefines how we study developmental biology, with the potential to accelerate our understanding of early human life. Their achievement? The creation of the first synthetic embryo model closely resembling a day-14 fetus, obtained “ex utero” without gametes and outside a womb. A human embryo model derived from “naive” stem cells in the lab, which can be obtained from “adult” cells that make up our body (like skin cells for instance). A technology that could generate embryo models of ourselves based on a simple cell sample. This work had an unprecedented impact on the scientific community and the general public, being named by TIME Magazine as one of the 100 best inventions of 2023. A breakthrough that raises important ethical, technical, and legal questions. I had the honor of meeting Jacob for this episode of Impulse, with whom we discuss the functioning of this fascinating technology, its potential medical applications in the future, and the key societal questions it raises. A conversation where we dive into the magic of human development, with a stellar scientist and advocate for responsible scientific research! Timeline: (00:02:58) - Jacob’s journey from his medical practice to studying developmental biology (00:06:09) - Why we know so little about early human development (00:08:45) - Jacob’s lab breakthrough in modeling human embryos (00:16:20) - Reprogramming cells to their “naïve” state (00:18:09) - Dealing with your research being put under the spotlight (00:20:02) - The “recipe” to create human embryo models without gametes and outside a womb (00:27:22) - Ethical considerations and how far we can go with this technology (00:35:15) - Potential medical applications for the future (00:38:05) - Jacob’s role as an adviser to the startup Renewal Bio What we also talked about with Jacob: Prof. Shinya Yamanaka (2012 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Prof. John Gurdon) Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) Embryonic stem cells International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) Taledomide We cited with Jacob some of the past episodes of the series:: #23 - Disrupting the smart wearables industry - Leo Grünstein - Spiden As mentioned by Jacob during the episode, we recommend the book “The Master Builder” by Prof. Alfonso Martinez Arias, challenging the traditional thinking where cells (and not DNA) may hold the key to understanding life’s past and present. Feel free to follow the Weizmann Institute of Science on LinkedIn. You can contact Jacob via email and follow his activities on LinkedIn, X, and Facebook! If you want to give me feedback on the episode or suggest potential guests, contact me over LinkedIn or via email! And if you liked the episode, please share it, subscribe to the podcast, and leave a 5-star review on streaming platforms! 🙏 There’s now a bi-monthly newsletter around the podcast where you will be informed of the latest episodes and kept posted on the latest medical tech progress, subscribe here! Lastly, don’t forget to follow our activities on LinkedIn and our website!

To discover the whole episode type "#28 - Modeling embryos to understand early life - Jacob Hanna - Weizmann Institute of Science" on your streaming platform.

Do you remember "scoliosis check" during middle school? That embarrassing moment where, as a 12/13 year old, you had to do a shirtless forward fold in front of the school nurse?? MORTIFYING. Perhaps you never had to live through this torture. Or perhaps, even WORSE, you were told by said nurse that your screen was POSITIVE, and now your parents had to know! And they would have to *gasp* take you to the doctor to DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN! Nightmare! Well, thankfully we've come a long way since then! And today we have insights from TWO guests in the world of scoliosis to educate us! We invited our friend and colleague, Chris DeWald, MD, who between him and his father, have over 60 years of experience treating scoliosis patients. Dr. DeWald is an orthopedic spine surgeon at Rush University Medical Center, who specializes in spine deformity, and is legit one of the kindest people on the planet :) And to add a different dimension, we asked Lauren Higginson, the founder of Higgy Bears, and a scoliosis patient herself, to give her insights into living with this condition, the observations she has from her community and her thoughts on screening. You may be met with a twists and turns in life (or in your spine), either way we are here for you :) Thanks for tuning in, folks! Please sign up for our "PULSE CHECK" monthly newsletter! Signup is easy, right on our website page, and we PROMISE we will not spam you! We just want to send you cool articles, videos and thoughts :) For more episodes, limited edition merch, or to become a Friend of Your Doctor Friends (and more), follow this link!   Find us at: Website: yourdoctorfriendspodcast.com  Email: [email protected]  Connect with us: @your_doctor_friends (IG) Send/DM us a voice memo/question and we might play it on the show! @yourdoctorfriendspodcast1013 (YouTube) @JeremyAllandMD (IG, FB, Twitter) @JuliaBrueneMD (IG) @HealthPodNet (IG)

PART 2 of our coverage of young-onset colorectal cancer! This week our guest is an Oncology expert, here to give us in-depth information about colorectal cancer, with actionable items on how we can protect ourselves. Colorectal cancer in younger folks (under 50 years old) is unfortunately on the rise. According to the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, in the US, about 10% of colorectal cancer cases are diagnosed in people under 50.  Did you know that in 2021, the USPSTF (the federal task force that creates and implements screening guidelines in the US) changed their colorectal cancer screening guidelines? Instead of average-risk folks getting their first screening colonoscopy at 50 (the previous standard), the recommendation is now to start at 45! Your Doctor Friends are happy to present a physician expert in colorectal cancer to provide even more helpful information about why this disease may be targeting younger people, and what we can do as individuals to protect ourselves and those we care about :) Welcome, Meena Sadaps, MD! Dr. Sadaps is a board certified oncologist and assistant professor with Your Doctor Friends at Rush, and practices at the RUSH MD Anderson Cancer Center. She attended Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University before completing residency and fellowship at Cleveland Clinic. HEADS UP! The Colorectal Cancer Alliance Blue Hope Bash annual fundraising event in Chicago is Friday, May 3rd, 2024, at Galleria Marchetti (where Jeremy got married!) and Your Doctor Friends plan to attend! If you can't attend the Blue Hope Bash, PLEASE CONSIDER DONATING to the Colorectal Cancer Alliance! Resources for this episode include: A 2021 review article from the World Journal of Gastrointestinal Oncology regarding young-onset colorectal cancer. The National Cancer Institute's website re: warning signs of young-onset colorectal cancer. A CNN article about the rise of young-onset colorectal cancer. Thanks for tuning in, folks! Please sign up for our "PULSE CHECK" monthly newsletter! Signup is easy, right on our website page, and we PROMISE we will not spam you! We just want to send you cool articles, videos and thoughts :) For more episodes, limited edition merch, or to become a Friend of Your Doctor Friends (and more), follow this link!   Find us at: Website: yourdoctorfriendspodcast.com  Email: [email protected]  Connect with us: @your_doctor_friends (IG) Send/DM us a voice memo/question and we might play it on the show! @yourdoctorfriendspodcast1013 (YouTube) @JeremyAllandMD (IG, FB, Twitter) @JuliaBrueneMD (IG) @HealthPodNet (IG)

Partnerships between orthopaedic surgeons and industry can have educational value and lead to improvements in patient care. Sometimes, however, the line between supportive funds and funds to promote a particular product can be blurred. This episode dives into considerations for ensuring these relationships provide value, benefit the patient, and comply with applicable laws. Related episode, Episode 16, Ideas and Innovation in Orthopaedics: https://www.aaos.org/publications/the-bone-beat-orthopaedic-podcast-channel/career-podcast/episode-16/ AAOS Device Recall Dashboard: https://www.aaos.org/quality/healthcare-safety/device-recall-dashboard/ Guest: Jonathan Dubin, MD, FAAOS, AAOS Healthcare Safety Committee Host: Mikalyn DeFoor, MD, Chair, AAOS Resident Assembly

Colorectal cancer in younger folks (under 50 years old) is unfortunately on the rise. According to the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, in the US, about 10% of colorectal cancer cases are diagnosed in people under 50.  Those numbers are rising about 1-2% percent each year, and researchers are still finding out why.  Young adults are the only population group experiencing an increase in colorectal cancer Colorectal cancer is currently the deadliest cancer among young men and the second deadliest among young women. In August 2020, the world lost amazing actor, Black Panther himself, Chadwick Boseman, to colorectal cancer at the age of 43. Did you know that in 2021, the USPSTF (the federal task force that creates and implements screening guidelines in the US) changed their colorectal cancer screening guidelines? Instead of average-risk folks getting their first screening colonoscopy at 50 (the previous standard), the recommendation is now to start at 45! Sharing personal experiences, and highlighting the stories of people touched by colorectal cancer is POWERFUL, and the ripple effects flow far. Your Doctor Friends are SO HONORED to highlight two wonderful individuals on this episode- Ashley Bowman, MHA and Dawn Schneider, PhD, MBA. Ashley and Dawn have quite a bit in common- they are both advocate volunteers at the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, members of the Never Too Young Taskforce Advisory Board, and unfortunately both lost sisters to young-onset colorectal cancer. Ashley and Dawn share their amazing, heartbreaking, and inspiring personal stories in this episode. We are so grateful! We will follow up next week with a physician expert in colorectal cancer to provide even more helpful information about why this disease may be targeting younger people, and what we can do as individuals to protect ourselves and those we care about :) HEADS UP! The Blue Hope Bash annual fundraising event in Chicago is Friday, May 3rd, 2024, at Galleria Marchetti (where Jeremy got married!) and Your Doctor Friends plan to attend! (Julie is already shopping for a fancy blue outfit :) COME JOIN US! Opportunities to register for the event CLOSE ON TUESDAY 4/23/24 (the day THIS EPISODE DROPS)! If you can't attend the Blue Hope Bash, PLEASE CONSIDER DONATING to the Colorectal Cancer Alliance! Resources for this episode include: A 2021 review article from the World Journal of Gastrointestinal Oncology regarding young-onset colorectal cancer. The National Cancer Institute's website re: warning signs of young-onset colorectal cancer. A CNN article about the rise of young-onset colorectal cancer. A CC Alliance article highlighting our guest, Ashley Bowman! A CC Alliance article highlighting our guest, Dawn Schneider! Thanks for tuning in, folks! Please sign up for our "PULSE CHECK" monthly newsletter! Signup is easy, right on our website page, and we PROMISE we will not spam you! We just want to send you cool articles, videos and thoughts :) For more episodes, limited edition merch, or to become a Friend of Your Doctor Friends (and more), follow this link!   Find us at: Website: yourdoctorfriendspodcast.com  Email: [email protected]  Connect with us: @your_doctor_friends (IG) Send/DM us a voice memo/question and we might play it on the show! @yourdoctorfriendspodcast1013 (YouTube) @JeremyAllandMD (IG, FB, Twitter) @JuliaBrueneMD (IG) @HealthPodNet (IG)

What happens when you turn 40 (and you also have boobs)? Well, since May 2023, the USPSTF has recommended that women at average risk for breast cancer start screening with mammograms beginning at age 40, and undergo mammography every other year.  These updated recommendations are still “in progress” and the USPSTF cites the urgent need for more research on:  breast cancer screening for people with dense breasts (nearly half of all women),  how to particularly protect women of color In the US, there exists a long history of health disparities across screening and treatment for breast cancer.  The Task Force discusses, for example, that Black women are 40% more likely to die than White women, and too often get aggressive cancers at young ages.  So, Your Doctor Friends are taking a page from America’s Sweetheart (and breast cancer survivor herself) Katie Couric. You may remember Katie both underwent a colonoscopy AND a mammogram on the Today Show, and YDF Julie wants to do the next best thing- consult with a breast cancer expert before she gets her FIRST EVER MAMMOGRAM! Your Doctor Friends have the absolute honor to present our guest today, a consummate badass, breast cancer survivor and breast surgeon, to walk Julie through her own personal risk assessment and screening process for breast cancer.  Finally, we want to take some time at the end of this episode to share the story of a dear friend and colleague, a fellow sports medicine doctor, and absolute amazing human being, who very recently lost her life to breast cancer. She is the inspiration for this episode and Your Doctor Friends think it’s important to talk about her, and are so grateful to her family for their consent to share her story.  Learn more about Dr. Kristin Abbott here. Alright, let’s get on with it, can we answer the question: Can I protect myself from breast cancer? ENTER Dr. Liz O’Riordan to help us find out! Dr O'Riordan is an expert breast surgeon who has had breast cancer three times. She's a best-selling author, speaker, broadcaster and podcaster and is a trusted source of reliable information.  She shares helpful, approachable, valid breast cancer information online, we found her via her IG account @oriordanliz, she also has a podcast called “So Now I’ve Got Breast Cancer”, and she’s published tons of helpful work, including her book “The Complete Guide to Breast Cancer” and her memoir “Under the Knife”. She also has her own wikipedia page, which is pretty rad :) Resources for today's episode include: Dr. O'Riordan's website. Link to the Tyrer-Cuzick Risk Assessment Calculator for breast cancer. The USPSTF's "In Progress" updated guidelines for breast cancer screening. The Breast Cancer Research Foundation's info page on updated USPSTF Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines. Thanks for tuning in, folks! Please sign up for our "PULSE CHECK" monthly newsletter! Signup is easy, right on our website page, and we PROMISE we will not spam you! We just want to send you cool articles, videos and thoughts :) For more episodes, limited edition merch, or to become a Friend of Your Doctor Friends (and more), follow this link!   Find us at: Website: yourdoctorfriendspodcast.com  Email: [email protected]  Connect with us: @your_doctor_friends (IG) Send/DM us a voice memo/question and we might play it on the show! @yourdoctorfriendspodcast1013 (YouTube) @JeremyAllandMD (IG, FB, Twitter) @JuliaBrueneMD (IG) @HealthPodNet (IG)

In the 1990s, a chain email circulated around the series-of-tubes we called the internet, suggesting that aluminum-containing antiperspirants clogged your sweat pores, thus disallowing your body to “purge itself of toxins”, and those "toxins" would accumulate in your axillary lymph nodes, and increase your risk of breast cancer. Yikes. Predating the "antiperspirant-will-give-you-breast-cancer" chain email scare, animal studies in the 1960s suggested a link between aluminum in antiperspirants (which were just becoming popular in postwar America) and Alzheimer's disease. These rabbit studies showed brain neurotoxic effects when the animals were exposed to very high levels of aluminum. In the past several decades, researchers have investigated whether these loose correlations/hypotheses held any water (spoiler: they don't). In today's episode, Your Doctor Friends want to debunk and demystify the data around the potential "risks' around aluminum-containing antiperspirants! Should you ditch the standard roll-on? Switch to a "natural" alternative? OR.. is this all just a case of "all stink and no fire"?? Sources for today's episode include: The NIH National Cancer Institute's fact sheet page on antiperspirants and breast cancer. A 2017 review in Deutsches Arzteblatt International journal titled "The Health Effects of Aluminum Exposure." A 2019 comprehensive review on sweat gland function by Lindsay B. Baker PhD, director of the Gatorade Sport Science Institute. A Scientific American article titled "Fact or Fiction: Antiperspirants Do More Than Block Sweat". A 2021 Canadian study published in NeuroToxicology investigating association between aluminum in drinking water and risk of Alzheimer's disease risk. A Healthline article from 2022 titled "Is There a Link Between Aluminum and Alzheimer's?". A 2021 NYT article titled "Are Natural Deodorants Really Better For You?". AND FINALLY- a 2017 article from The World Textile Conference called "A novel washing algorithm for underarm stain removal" - which was the closest thing to scientific data explaining WHAT MAKES YELLOW ARMPIT STAINS! Thanks for tuning in, folks! Please sign up for our "PULSE CHECK" monthly newsletter! Signup is easy, right on our website page, and we PROMISE we will not spam you! We just want to send you cool articles, videos and thoughts :) For more episodes, limited edition merch, or to become a Friend of Your Doctor Friends (and more), follow this link!   Find us at: Website: yourdoctorfriendspodcast.com  Email: [email protected]  Connect with us: @your_doctor_friends (IG) Send/DM us a voice memo/question and we might play it on the show! @yourdoctorfriendspodcast1013 (YouTube) @JeremyAllandMD (IG, FB, Twitter) @JuliaBrueneMD (IG) @HealthPodNet (IG)

We are at a turning point for brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) and neurotechnology. We have all witnessed phenomenal progress in this field recently via images shared by Neuralink, showing paralyzed patients who can communicate with a computer through their own thoughts. Other fascinating applications, such as those being worked on by Gregoire Courtine and Jocelyne Bloch, enable paraplegics to regain an unprecedented degree of walking mobility. These advancements are mind-blowing and illustrate the potential of these technologies to address conditions that have a major impact on quality of life. What if we were to enhance the physical properties of these implants while making them more accessible in terms of costs to health systems? Where could this paradigm shift take us, and what prospects could it open up for treating complex neurological disorders? This is what we explore in this episode with Carolina Aguilar, CEO of Inbrain Neuroelectronics, a company developing a cutting-edge neural platform based on graphene, promising to change the way we decode, modulate, and stimulate neuronal activity. We talk with Carolina about: How Inbrain Neuroelectronics' technology enhances the resolution of BCIs and their therapeutic potential The stakes around BCIs and their promise in treating serious neurological disorders The importance of focusing their development around therapeutic indications vs. aiming for human augmentation The commercialization of these solutions through a value-based care approach and key success factors Empowering women in science and business An outlook on the future of brain therapies that bridges the gap between reality and science fiction! Timeline: (00:03:22) - Explaining Inbrain Neuroelectronics’ neural platform (00:07:32) - The medical need for BCIs and the first indications targeted by Inbrain Neuroelectronics (00:18:46) - Risks around BCIs and ethical considerations for the field to head in the right direction (00:26:17) - Toward value-based commercial models for BCIs (00:29:40) - Transitioning from Medtronic to an early-stage Medtech startup (00:33:29) - Empowering women in science and business What we also talked about with Carolina: Neuralink Elon Musk Sapiens Steering Brain Stimulation Medtronic ONWARD Medical Precision Neuroscience Paradromics Synchron Neurosoft Bioelectronics We cited with Carolina some of the past episodes from the series: #6 - Bringing back walking to paraplegics - Jocelyne Bloch - .NeuroRestore As mentioned by Carolina during the episode, you can access Inbrain Neuroelectronics’ publications here and learn more about their ongoing research and therapy development efforts. You can listen to the Neurotech Pub podcast hosted by Matt Angle here. Feel free to follow Inbrain Neuroelectronics activities on LinkedIn. If you want to contact Carolina, you can reach out to her over LinkedIn. If you want to give me feedback on the episode or suggest potential guests, contact me over LinkedIn or via email at [email protected]! If you liked the episode, please share it, subscribe to the podcast, and leave a 5-star review on streaming platforms! 🙏 There’s now a monthly newsletter around the podcast where you will be informed of the latest episodes and updated on the latest medical tech progress, subscribe here! Lastly, don’t forget to follow our activities on LinkedIn and our website!

To discover the whole episode type "#27 - Reinventing neuroelectronic therapies - Carolina Aguilar - Inbrain Neuroelectronics" on your streaming platform.