Hands On Hands Off: Manual Therapy & Orthopedic Physical Therapy (AAOMPT)

In this episode, host Dr. Skip Gill welcomes Dr. Matthew Smith to discuss his Clinical Science in Manual Therapy Grant-funded study, “Mapping the Continuum: Enhancing Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy Education Through Instruction and Training.” Dr. Smith shares how his own OMPT training shaped his interest in clinical reasoning, mentorship, and the way manual therapy is taught across different s...

Neck pain and headache often travel together. But as Gwen Jull and Zhiqi Liang explain in this episode, that does not automatically mean the cervical spine is driving the headache. In this AAOMPT and IFOMPT collaborative episode, hosts Amy McDevitt and Michael Boney explore the evolving science around cervicogenic headache, migraine-associated neck pain, sensitization, and clinical examination. Gw...

Today we’re joined by Liam Globensky, Center Manager at Brooks Rehabilitation and a newly graduated fellow from the Brooks Institute of Higher Learning. Liam’s passion is clear: fellowship is not the finish line—it’s the launch pad for teaching, mentoring, advocating, and elevating the profession. In this episode, Liam discusses: Why post-professional opportunities matter more than ever How early-...

In this episode, we sit down with Kyle Feldman, National Director of Physical Therapy for ReEnvision PT and owner of WE ARE Physiotherapy. Kyle shares how clinical reasoning, therapeutic alliance, and intentional growth have shaped his work as a clinician, educator, and leader. We discuss: Why clinical reasoning is often misunderstood How strong therapeutic alliance amplifies patient outcomes Safe...

What happens when you mix decades of movement science, deep mentorship, and a passion for solving complex MSK problems? You get Lee Marinko — one of the most beloved educators and mentors in OMPT. Lee has been teaching in the Boston University DPT program for more than 20 years, serves as Chair of the AAOMPT Program Director SIG, and launched the BU OMPT Fellowship in 2014 with one goal: “We can d...

Why do patients with hip dysplasia go years without a diagnosis? In this episode, physical therapist and researcher Dr. Libby Bergman explains why hip dysplasia in young adults is frequently overlooked—and what clinicians can do to catch it earlier. Her research explores whether simple clinical tests physical therapists already use—range of motion, strength testing, and hypermobility measures—migh...

What should a clinician do when they discover an ethical breach in the clinic? In this episode, members of the AAOMPT Ethics Committee walk through a realistic clinical scenario involving a physical therapy fellow who discovers a physical therapist assistant performing manipulation techniques outside their scope of practice. When the fellow raises the concern with the clinical director, the issue...

What does it look like when an early-career clinician steps up to solve real barriers patients face — not just their pain? Wisconsin-based PT and Fellow-in-Training Rachel Beilfuss joins us to talk about her mission to integrate social determinants of health (SDoH) into everyday outpatient PT practice. As a Northwestern OMPT fellow with a clinical site at Marquette University, she's building syste...

What does the future of musculoskeletal care look like — and how can physical therapists lead it? Dr. Clare Ardern, Assistant Professor at the University of British Columbia and leader of the DigiMSK research team, joins us to break down digital health innovations, access bottlenecks, advanced practice roles, and the tools clinicians need to navigate a rapidly changing MSK landscape. We explore ho...

In this AAOMPT interview, we sit down with Liam Globensky, Center Manager at Brooks Rehabilitation and a brand-new fellow from the Brooks Institute of Higher Learning. Liam shares his passion for post-professional development, advocacy, and the responsibility fellows have to give back to the profession. We dive into: What life after fellowship should look like How new fellows can become leaders, m...

John Seivert, PT, a clinician with more than 40 years of experience blending skilled orthopedic manual therapy with the art of Motivational Interviewing. Fresh off his conference breakout sessions — Touch, Talk, and Transform — John breaks down what holistic OMPT looks like today, why communication is the foundation of effective care, and how accurate empathy changes outcomes. We explore: The curr...

AAOMPT Fellow and educator Laura Wenger joins us to explore the future of membership, community, and belonging within orthopaedic manual physical therapy. Laura teaches foundational clinical reasoning at the University of Utah’s hybrid DPT pathway, treats patients weekly in a rural outpatient ortho practice, and serves as Co-Chair of AAOMPT’s Inclusive Membership & Engagement Committee (IMEC)....

The worst pain is unexplained pain. In this episode of the Hands-On, Hands-Off Podcast, physical therapists Amy McDevitt and Paul Mintkin explore why pain without a clear diagnosis is often the most distressing—and how physical therapists can communicate pain more effectively when imaging, MRI findings, and pathoanatomy don’t provide clear answers. This conversation dives deep into pain science, m...

Damian Keter joins the show to unpack manual therapy treatment mechanisms and how our profession needs to evolve its education around MT. Damian is a clinician specializing in complex pain at the VA and a clinical researcher whose work centers on MT mechanisms and manual therapy training paradigms. If you’ve ever wondered what actually happens when we deliver manual therapy — and how to teach it m...

Mark Shepherd joins the podcast to discuss person-centered clinical reasoning, lifestyle medicine, and how to improve the way PTs make sense of pain. Mark is Program Director of the Bellin College OMPT Fellowship, a DPT faculty member, and a clinician who blends manual therapy, patient values, and lifestyle-based interventions to build clearer clinical hypotheses. His recent publication introduces...

What role does IFOMPT play in global manual and musculoskeletal physiotherapy? In this episode of the Hands-On, Hands-Off Podcast, leaders from AAOMPT sit down with IFOMPT President Dr. Paolo Sanzo to discuss international education standards, evidence-informed practice, and global collaboration. The conversation explores how IFOMPT supports clinicians, educators, and researchers worldwide—and why...

Professor Roger Kerry joins the podcast to unpack one of the most debated topics in musculoskeletal care: the risks and benefits of manual therapy for people with head and neck pain. Roger is the lead for the physiotherapy program at the University of Nottingham, an interprofessional curriculum designer, researcher, PhD supervisor, and author of the new textbook The Head & Neck: Theory & P...

In this episode of the Hands-On, Hands-Off Podcast, Dr. Trenton Rehman sits down with Dr. Shane McClinton to discuss plantar heel pain and the role of physical therapy in both clinical outcomes and healthcare costs. Dr. McClinton walks through a series of studies stemming from his doctoral research, including a randomized clinical trial, a detailed case series, and a three-year cost-effectiveness...

Andreas Remis joins the podcast to unpack low back pain in a way that finally makes sense — bridging APTA CPG classifications, real-world clinical diagnosis, and the confusing world of radiographic findings. As faculty across multiple fellowships and residencies within the Duke Health System — and an educator shaped by his own poor rehab experience as a patient — Andreas brings a thoughtful, groun...

When the cost of delay is measured in millions of dollars and operational readiness, guesswork isn’t an option. In this episode, we sit down with Josh Kidd, physical therapist, researcher, residency director, and embedded clinician working with special operations personnel and fighter pilots. Josh shares how directional preference plays a central role in clinical decision-making when time, perform...

Faith Stokes joins the podcast to talk about treating the patients many clinicians feel least prepared for — those navigating trauma, addiction, suicidality, chronic pain, pelvic health conditions, and complex biopsychosocial presentations. Faith practices in rural North Georgia, where she blends manual therapy, psychologically informed care, and lifestyle medicine. As a residency coordinator and...

Dr. Moyo Tillery sits down with Dr. Ron Shank to explore the evolving relationship between Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy (OMPT) and Mechanical Diagnosis & Therapy (MDT). Drawing from decades of clinical practice, mentorship, and research, Ron reframes the debate — arguing that integration, not ideology, leads to better patient outcomes. Together, they unpack directional preference, centr...

Most physical therapists will treat TMJ pain. Almost none will ever encounter a full bilateral TMJ replacement—paired with mandibular advancement and upper palate expansion. When that rare case appeared, there was no rehab playbook… so this clinician built one. What listeners will learn: How TMJ replacement compares (and doesn’t) to hip and knee replacements Why outcomes research exists—but rehab...

Cody Mansfield joins the show to unpack the real value of residency and fellowship training — and to share insights from his new Cardon Research Award–funded study examining outcomes in non-operative knee pain. Cody serves as Director of the Ohio State OMPT Fellowship, research associate, physical therapist, associate editor for JOSPT Cases, and instructor in the OSU DPT program. His mixed-methods...

Hollis Bixby sits down with us to explore how gamification is reshaping PT education — from DPT programs to hybrid residencies to post-professional training. Hollis has spent seven years as a sports physical therapist, is wrapping up her manual therapy fellowship through Regis University, and is beginning a new chapter as Assistant Professor at Campbell University. Through her work with Duke’s Ort...