The New Grad Physio Podcast

This was a game-changer for me to help me start getting consistent positive patient results with lower back pain patients... But only once I worked out how to use this rib-cage and diaphragm 'stuff.' Learn more about why treating the rib-cage can make quick changes to patient symptoms... And be the missing link to fixing even the most persistent lower back pain patients! Enjoy the show! An...

Trying to survive, never mind thrive as a new grad physio can be hard at times. I get it... I’ve been there myself… And have mentored 100’s of therapists to overcome the same challenges you are facing right now… To help them get consistent positive patients results, well beyond their level of experience... With even the most complex of patients. Want to know how to do this for yourself? Then check...

How do you stand out from the crowd and beat the competition to secure that dream new grad job (or placement)? Writing a great CV and letter of application is a good place to start... Given your first interaction (and first impression) is usually your potential employer reading these important documents. Gone are the days of just copying and pasting something you found on the internet, tweaking a...

Need I say more? This is one B$G mistake that you need to make sure you swerve as a new grad physio!!! This is a MUST listen for all therapists... Particularly, sports therapists and sports rehabilatators!!! Enjoy the show! Andy Barker The New Grad Physio Mentor PS. Want to learn more about how to open doors as a new grad... Even if you lack experience or have no connections in the industry? Then...

You need to stay up to date with the evidence… Sharpen your skills, so you can better assess, treat and rehab the patients you work with.... And learn how to stand out from the crowd when applying that new grad role that so many other therapists are also trying to get. But time is precious... So you need to make sure that the time and effort you put into your learning actually helps, right? Listen...

If I have one wish every year it is to end the year as a better physio than when I started. You are probably the same, right? I continue to try to get better with everything I do this year has again been a big year of learning, great experiences, mistakes and lessons learnt. Reflecting back on the last 12 months I have highlighted 3 of my biggest learnings and I want to share them with you in this...

Imposter syndrome is not just something that happens when you first graduate... You will have episodes throughout your career... Regardless of the area you work or how senior you are. The last big dose I had was when I fist went into camp with England Rugby back in 2021. I had those same feeling of uncertainty, worry and apprehension like I had when I first graduated. That said, imposter syndrome...

Discover the BIGGEST career mistakes that new grad's are making day in and day out... That are moving them away, not towards their dream job! Are you making the same mistakes? I hope not!!! Enjoy the show!
 PS. Getting your foot in the door in that sports club, clinic or NHS department can often be the hardest thing. Do you feel like you would be great for the roles you are applying for… But n...

Tennis elbow pain can be hard to get a handle on... And even harder to keep at bay, particularly with more active patients. So what are the best strategies to treat tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) to help get your patient out pain... Back doing the activities they enjoy the most... And stop them flaring up? Listen to this week's podcast episode to find out! Enjoy the show! Andy Barker The...

Special tests are of great use if you select the right one, for the right injury. If you do not... They can actually make the job for you in finding the right patient diagnosis more difficult. How you were taught to use special testing at University... Is poles apart from how you should be using special tests in your day to day practice as a new grad physio! I made so many mistakes with special te...

There is one marker that sets apart the good from the great physio’s. Listen to this week's podcast episode to find out what that marker is (and see how you measure up)... Plus discover 3 key attributes ALL great physio's have. Enjoy the show! Andy Barker The New Grad Physio Mentor PS. If you are not sure how you might be performing and want some guidance then please reach out. Send me an...

Most physio’s think they are good listeners when in fact very little are. Take the subjective assessment. It is the part of your wider patient assessment and the part of the assessment that the majority of physio’s think they do a great job with… Most believing that it is their objective assessment that lets them down... And the main reason why you might sometimes struggle to find the right patien...

Do you sometimes struggle with lower back pain patients and find whatever hands-on treatments or rehab you try, nothing seems to work? Lower back is the most prevalent MSK problem in the World... So being able to treat and rehab patients with lower back pain is an absolute necessity for any physio! Listen to this week's podcast episode and discover 3 top tips for managing acute (and chronic) l...

Do you just prescribe 3 sets of 10 with your patients rehab and hope for the best? Do the reps, sets and the intensity in early, mid and later stage rehab look the same? It can be hard to now exactly what sets, reps and intensity your patients rehab needs to be set at… At each stage of your patients rehab journey because you never got taught this at University! Find out what sets, reps and intensi...

One of the things that I see new grads do all the time is to try and sound smart. I did the same thing as a new grad and at the time I was just doing what I had learnt. You use big words and medical jargon when explaining a diagnosis to your patient.  But whilst what you are saying might make sense in your head, always remember you are a physio, and your patient is not. So whilst you think you sou...

Tendon injuries can occur anywhere in the body and are notoriously tricky to get a hold of… And even more difficult to keep at bay, hence why we see so many reoccurring tendon based injuries. The main reason most physio’s can’t fix tendon based injuries is because they are spending all their time and attention… And all their patients time and attention on the WRONG problem. Whilst protocols like e...

The infamous ‘dead leg!’ Management of dead legs, or muscle contusions, has long since changed… Yet 9 out of 10 therapists are still using old fashioned methods to treat these types of injuries. If treated incorrectly these seemingly low level injuries can turn bad… And big complications such as myositis ossificans, where the blood that pools as a result of the contusion turns to bone, can happen!...

Yellow flags are often forgotten about... Falling in the shadow of red flags. This in someway is to be expected... As some red flags are a medical emergency and therefore need to be picked right away. But yellow flags are much more common... Yet are never given the time and attention needed in the subjective assessment. Given the prevalence of yellow flags this just does not make sense! In this we...

Knowing your anatomy is key to helping you find the right patient diagnosis... And being certain you are treating the right tissue when doing any hands-on treatment technique. But how do you remember all those muscles attachments? It's hard right? You rope learned them all at Uni for your exams but you forgot them all as soon as your exams were over! Listen to this week's podcast for some...

So many therapists rely too much on special testing to find the right patient diagnosis. This is a big error and can often lead you down the wrong path... Leading to the wrong patient diagnosis... And those uncomfortable conversations with your patients trying to tell them what is going on... When you are not really sure yourself! In this week's podcast discover 3 big tips to help you make sur...

You use strength testing with your patients, right? I do too, but very different to how you probably do it! Changing to this new type of strength testing was a game-changer for me... And it will be for you too! Want to learn more? Listen to this week's podcast to hear what I am talking about! Enjoy the show! Andy Barker The New Grad Physio Mentor PS. In the podcast I mentioned my upcoming &#39...

When you test a knee, shoulder, ankle or any joint or muscle range of movement (ROM), what are you actually looking for? Obviously you look for the actual ROM and measure it in degrees... Before confirming this to the opposite side, right? But this is not the only thing you should be looking at! There is much, much more to ROM testing? Find out what you should be looking out for and gain valuable...

You were told at Uni that come the end of your subjective assessment you should know what is going on with your patient and have a firm hypothesis... Then you just use your objective assessment to confirm or deny this hypothesis. Sounds easy right? But in reality it rarely is as easy as that. The subjective assessment is the first thing you do for a very good reason. It is the most important thing...

I bet you use the standing toe touch test (bend forward and touch your toes) all the time... But do you know what you are looking for? Spinal flexion, right, that's obvious right? Well not really. The toe touch test is far more than just a range of movement test, much, much more! Listen to this week's podcast episode to find out why the standing toe touch test is not just a lower back asse...

In this week's podcast episode I discuss how to put together a solid, structured objective assessment... Including 3 big tips, so you can find the right patient diagnosis and know exactly where to start with your patient treatments and rehab. Enjoy the show! PS. I'd love to hear what you think of the podcast. Please leave a review or even better, share the podcast with any physio you think...