Clinical PT Talks

Chronological age is different than physiological age, also known as functional, or biophysical age. As we get older, we all tend to accumulate injuries. Some heal. Some do not. Some heal, but incompletely. These residual deficits add up. If left unaddressed, they begin to exert their influence in ways that we identify with being "old." However, it is possible to reduce, and even reverse, these bi...

Headache pain is common, and it can originate from a variety of sources. Join me in this Podcast Short as I discuss quick differentiation techniques that aid diagnosing two common musculoskeletal origins of headache pain.

Joint and limb swelling is common in the presence of joint injuries. However, there are some issues not commonly considered which can impact what we do, and why. Join me in this Podcast Short     as I discuss 4 things you might not know about joint and limb swelling. 

Sometimes problems are worse than you thought ... This is our third story in an ongoing series. It illustrates lessons learned from a transformative moment in a PT's career. Like all of our stories, it is drawn from real-world experience. 

Patients often arrive with a chief musculoskeletal complaint accompanied by secondary, tertiary, or other complaints. Deciding what problem, or problems, to address first can be challenging. Join me in this Podcast Short as I discuss a pathophysiologically based rationale that can aid the decision process.

Sometimes neuromotor function necessary to stabilize a joint, produce movement, or otherwise to enable normal activities is impaired, and the cause is not clear. Join me in this Podcast Short as I discuss an often overlooked contributor to joint dysfunction, and what to do about it. 

Virtually any Unstable Base of Support (UBOS) may be used for perturbation training. Classically this is thought of as a balance conditioning aid, but it can be more. Join me in this Podcast Short as I discuss other applications of this tool and how it may be integrated into an orthopedic rehabilitation training environment.

A healthy 30-year-old man experiences worsening abdominal pain for months with no apparent cause. He enters the healthcare system, first with his primary care physician, then many other specialists. He is looking for an answer to his problem, a diagnosis, and a fix, only to discover they don't have one. Yet. But they're going to keep looking. How long is too long to wait? What can be done if diagn...

Vectors in our clinical usage refers to a force, or forces, acting out of the primary plane of movement. They can be generated in a variety of different ways. If used strategically, they can be of great benefit for orthopedic rehabilitation. If clinicians are unaware of their contributions, they can unintentionally interfere with recovery. Join me in this Podcast Short as I provide an introduction...

This is our first story in an ongoing series. It illustrates lessons learned from a transformative moment in a PT's career. Like all of our stories, it is drawn from real-world experience.     

Recognizing and quantifying joint health is a challenge. In the domain of articular surface quality, it is abundantly observed that damaged or unhealthy joints are noisy when they move. But, what does this sound like? And, what can we do with this information? Join me in this Podcast Short as I provide an introduction to this topic.

How do you decide which musculoskeletal complaint to treat first when a patient arrives with multiple complaints? How does the presence of multiple diagnoses impact the likely outcome? Is it possible to effectively manage multiple complaints simultaneously? This Podcast Short reveals a quick and simple screening and prioritization process that can aid management of the multiply-involved patient.

Every wonder how to quantify key aspects of clinical instability of the cervical spine? In this Podcast Short , learn how a common clinical entity can be quantified via an objective set of procedures. Use these methods to gauge progress, and know how much better your patient is after treatment than they were before.

Joint stability is essential for function, but what do we mean when we say a joint is stable? What are the different types of stability? What are the implications of joint stability, and its changes, on patient function, or our understanding of a patient's movement related problem? How do we talk to patients about this important concept? This Podcast Short provides a quick, clear discussion of the...