Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy Podcast

In this interview conducted in early 2024, Dr. Evan Cohen shares his pathway to becoming a physical therapist, and how he subsequently focused his clinical work and research work on persons with Multiple Sclerosis. The Historical Archive Committee is part of the Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy - www.neuropt.org.

Host Sarah Pichini PT, DPT is joined by Dr. Robin Evans, PT, DPT, GCS discussing a case study of a patient with bilateral multi canal Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) and underlying Vestibular Migraine (VM). A systematic approach in assessing and treating multi canal BPPV as well as the criteria for VM is reviewed. This case discussion highlights the importance of nystagmus identificati...

For this episode, I speak to Dr. Mike Studer about dual-task balance training, including what it is and what it isn't, the benefits of this training modality, dosing dual-task balance training, the effect of task prioritization, measuring outcomes after dual-task balance training, and much more. Fact check: Mike was correct, the Peregrine falcon is the fastest bird in the world (and the fastest an...

Host Stephen Merchant PT, DPT, NCS is joined by Dr. Lisa Heusel-Gillig PT, DPT, NCS in a discussion regarding the development of the Modified Motion Sensitivity Test. Dr. Heusel-Gillig describes the reason she assisted in the development of this testing as well as the recommended standardized process to perform the test. The abstract of Dr. Heusel-Gillig's research article may be found at https://...

We talk to neurologic physical therapist, Nick Wendel, from the Center for Neurorehabilitation at Boston University about balance capcity and balance performance. We discuss measurement of performance and how he thinks about performance in designing treatments. Useful articles on this topic: Readiness to Change is Related to Real-world Walking and Depressive Symptoms in Chronic Stroke by Allison M...

In this special episode, our podcast team interviewed listeners and former guests at CSM 2024 to find out what they were excited about doing when treating people with neurodegenerative conditions. We are excited to share their answers with you, along with some commentary from our current team, as a celebration of our 50th episode.   The Degenerative Diseases Special Interest Group is part of the A...

In this episode, host Marissa Moran, PT, DPT is joined by Dr. Carey Holleran, MPT, DHS to discuss her article "Improvement in the Capacity for Activity Versus Improvement in Performance of Activity in Daily Life During Outpatient Rehabilitation." This article was published within the JNPT in January 2023. Activity capacity is what a person is capable of doing, and activity performance is what a pe...

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Chad Swank and Dr. Jaime Gillespie about the use of robotic gait training devices in their group’s paper, “Utilization of overground exoskeleton gait training during inpatient rehabilitation: a descriptive analysis.” Join us to hear about this exciting work! Article link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37542322/ The Spinal Cord Injury Special Interest Group is a...

Join us in this episode, where we speak with Pete Anziano as he shares his experiences of life as a dad after his spinal cord injury. Pete provides valuable insights for physical therapists and others living with SCI about the parenting journey as a dad who rolls. The Spinal Cord Injury Special Interest Group is a part of the Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy. For more information, visit www....

In this installment of our series on rare neurologic diseases, host Ken Vinacco talks with Claudia Senesac about physical therapy for people with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) and Becker Muscular Dystrophy (BMD). DMD and BMD are both disorders that cause progressive muscle weakness, with BMD often presenting with less severe weakness and later in life. Claudia covers the medical management and...

In this installment of our series on rare neurologic diseases, Ken Vinnaco talks with Megan Iammarino about physical therapy for people with Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy (LGMD), an umbrella term that encompasses a varied group of disorders affecting the proximal muscles around the shoulders and hips that impacts approximately 2 in every 100,000 people. Megan covers the assessment, PT treatment a...

In this episode, Chris interviews Michelle Walaszek, a winner of the DDSIG platform award at CSM Boston in 2024. Michelle, a PhD candidate and research associate in the Knowledge Translation of Exercise and Activity for Symptom Management (KTEAM) lab at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, explains important qualitative research that her team completed in their local Chicagoland area. She discusses themes tha...

Host Jennifer Burus PT, NCS is joined by Anne W. Hunt, PhD, OT Reg (Ontario) and Nick Reed, PhD, MScOT, OT Reg (Ontario) for a discussion on multidisciplinary care for pediatric patients with concussion. Dr. Hunt is an Assistant Professor Teaching Stream in the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy at the University of Toronto where she teaches courses on pediatric rehabilita...

In this episode, Parm interviews Chelsea “CJ” Duppen, a winner of the DDSIG platform award at CSM Boston in 2024. CJ, a fourth year PhD student at the University of North Carolina, works with Dr. Mike Lewek in the Recovery of Gait and Neurorehabilitation (ReGaiN) lab, studying gait and gait initiation impairments in people living with Parkinson Disease, as well as motor learning. Parm and CJ discu...

Host Maureen Clancy PT, DPT, OCS is joined by Joanna Wolfson PhD, ABPP and Emily Kostelnik PhD in a discussion on the integration of psychological care for patients with vestibular disorders. Dr. Kostelnik is a Clinical Health Psychologist who focuses on behavioral health education for the vestibular community through her company Rooted Behavioral Education and provides licensed consultation and t...

In our newest episode, we talk with physical therapist, Tori Fallgren, about complex rehab technology, and the advocacy efforts that make a huge impact in the lives of individuals with SCI. Join host, Kristen Cezat, as she and Tori discuss the recent "win" in advocacy efforts related to power wheelchair seat elevation and so much more. APTA Advocacy Win: Power Seat Elevation: https://www.apta.org/...

In this episode, Chris Burke interviews Kayla Chomko who, along with Jen Canbeck, Lauren Tabor Gray, and Rania Massad, won the DDSIG Best Poster Award at APTA’s Combined Sections Meeting in February 2024.  Chris and Kayla discuss her team’s poster, “The Tinetti Performance Oriented Mobility Assessment Discriminates between Fallers and Non-Fallers in pALS: A Retrospective Study”. They delve into th...

In this episode, host Marissa Moran, PT, DPT is joined by Ariana Jones, PT, DPT, Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Women's Health Physical Therapy, and Gillian McLean, PT, DPT, Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Neurologic Physical Therapy, to discuss pelvic health therapy across the continuum of care for the neurologic population, particularly those following a stroke. In this podcast, y...

In this episode of 4D, hosts Parm Padgett and 4D student intern Shannon Brown talk through the degenerative disease programming scheduled for CSM 2024. If you’re going to CSM this February, tune in while you travel, or even while you commute from your hotel in the morning to get some inspiration for what to see each day. We at 4D hope to see you there!   The Degenerative Diseases Special Interest...

It's that time of year again! Join Kristen Cezat and SCI SIG chair, Casey Kandilakis, as they discuss this year’s content and events for CSM 2024 in Boston, MA February 15-17.  Learn about neurology and spinal cord injury content that you won’t want to miss as well as opportunities to meet the SCI SIG leadership at various events to see what the SIG is all about!

In this installment of our series on rare neurologic diseases, Christina Burke talks with Jeannie Stephenson and Staci Shearin about Friedreich’s Ataxia, a progressive, autosomal recessive hereditary multi-system neurodegenerative disease that impacts approximately 1 in 40,000 people in the U.S. Jeannie and Staci cover assessment, PT treatment and prognosis for people with this unique diagnosis th...

In this episode, host Marissa Moran, PT, DPT is joined by author (and current Stroke SIG Nominating Committee Member!) Dr. Chitra Balasubramanian, PT, PhD, CEEAA to discuss her research article titled "Walking Adaptability after a Stroke and Its Assessment in Clinical Settings". Dr. Balasubramanian was awarded the Stroke SIG Research Award in 2022. Dr. Balasubramanian discusses the importance of w...

Sara Oxborough, who currently serves on the ANPT Telehealth Task Force and previously served on the MN APTA Telehealth Task force, discusses the October 2023 publication and resources published on the ANPT website from the ANPT Telehealth Taskforce. Addressing Opportunities and Barriers in Telehealth Neurologic Physical Therapy: Strategies to Advance Practice Neuro Telehealth best practice from th...

In this episode, we speak to Dorian Rose, one of the authors of the recently published article onessential competencies in entry-level neurologic physical therapist education (article video link:https://links.lww.com/JNPT/A427). Dr. Rose discusses the benefits of competency-basededucation for a variety of critical areas, including accountability and flexibility. She explains howthe seven essential...

Parm Padgett of the Moving Forward Taskforce talks with Wendy Romney about her experiences with changing practice through curriculum changes. Listen to hear how personal experience, modeling the change you want to see and ways to address de-implementation with colleagues can be implemented slowly and incrementally to move through a continuous improvement model.