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Perfecting PT
Perfecting PT
Author: Dr. Nathan Norr, Doctor of Physical Therapy
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© Dr. Nathan Norr, Doctor of Physical Therapy
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Long-form conversations with rehabilitation and fitness experts to provide additional insights and perspectives required to improve your practice.
28 Episodes
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Hello Friends! Happy to have YOU here!I have recently had the opportunity to evaluate and treat many total knees, and I wanted to take the chance to share my approach to the early rehabilitation process. I specifically focus on the first two sessions and overview the goals and timelines I set in therapy. I don't think that rehabbing a total knee needs to be difficult, although it can be frustrating at times with how slow the progress comes. Thanks for listening!**********Additional Resources**********- Wells Criteria - Total Knee Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG)**********Disclaimer**********This podcast is not intended to replace professional medical advice and expertise. This podcast is not intended as instruction for performance of acts or skills intended to be performed only by licensed professionals in appropriate settings. If you or someone you know is experiencing anything that may be discussed in this podcast, please seek medical direction from qualified healthcare providers near you.
Welcome! Happy to have YOU here!Support the podcast by subscribing!Nick Rainey is the owner and founder of Rainey Pain and Performance in Sierra Vista, AZ. He is fellowship trained in orthopedic manual therapy and has additional training for the cervical spine and TMJ. He teaches courses for Evidence In Motion and also works with the Movement Brainery as a mentor to clinicians looking to improve their practice. We discuss our understanding and approaches to assessing low back pain - similarities and differences. Hope you find it helpful and insightful. Thanks! ********** ADDITIONAL RESOURCES **********Rainey Pain and PerformanceThe Movement Brainery - Nick RaineyEvidence In Motion - Nick Rainey
Welcome! Happy to have YOU here!Support the podcast by subscribing!The 2nd episode in the clinical practice guidelines series. I discuss what plantar fasciitis is, other diagnoses that can present similar to plantar fasciitis, and the physical therapy evidence available to guide treatment from a skilled healthcare/fitness professionals. I also provide my personal insights into the condition and how I have found best to intervene. Thanks for listening!********** Additional Resources **********Clinical Practice Guideline PDFs- Plantar Fasciitis 2008- Plantar Fasciitis 2014- Plantar Fasciitis 2023- Chronic Foot Pain Imaging Guidelines********** DISCLAIMER **********This podcast is not intended to replace medical advice and expertise. This podcast is not intended as instruction for performance of acts or skills intended to be performed only by licensed professionals in appropriate settings. If you or someone you know is experiencing anything that may be discussed in this podcast, please seek medical direction from qualified healthcare providers near you.
Welcome! Happy to have you here!Support the podcast by subscribingThe first episode of many exploring clinical practice guidelines for Physical Therapists. Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) are compilations of data that are condensed into guidelines and given ratings of strength for application. It's important to know the levels of evidence available, but sometimes the guidelines are super vague and unhelpful. I want to fix that. I go over the evidence, why the rating was given and how to apply it. This is my first go at this, but I found it very insightful and the future ones will only get better. Thanks for listening!********** Additional Resources **********Clinical Practice Guideline PDFsAchilles Tendonitis CPG - 2010Achilles Tendonitis CPG - 2018 revisionAchilles Tendonitis CPG - 2024 revisionOutcome Measures (PDFs available by clicking "instrument details" on website)- Victorian Institute of Sports Assessment - Achilles (VISA-A)- Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM)- Lower Extremity Functional Score (LEFS)********** DISCLAIMER **********This podcast is not intended to replace medical advice and expertise. This podcast is not intended as instruction for performance of acts or skills intended to be performed only by licensed professionals in appropriate settings. If you or someone you know is experiencing anything that may be discussed in this podcast, please seek medical direction from qualified healthcare providers near you.
Welcome! Happy to have you here!Support the podcast by subscribingIn this final part of the fixing lower body pain series, I go over exercise selection for the lower body as well as practical insights on how to progress those exercises. I also address modalities for the lower body and how I use them, including parameters. It's difficult to create a podcast addressing all questions, but I do my best. I hope you find it insightful and thought provoking. Reach out to join the podcast!**********Additional Resources**********People mentioned- Bill Hartman- James Cyriax- Vladimir Janda- Nikolai Bogduk- Freddy Kaltenborn- Olaf Evjenth- Shirley Sahrmann- Dr. Stuart McGill- Ludwig Ombregt- Diane Lee- Joel Seedman- GOATA - Functional Patterns
Welcome! Happy to have you here! Make sure to subscribeIn this part, I go over the manual interventions that I provide for all of the joints of the lower body. I go over each joint, what I look for when I assess it and how I determine which joint mobilization to perform. I apologize ahead of time; I realized I misspoke about the anatomy of the foot after I finished recording. The cuneiforms are distal to the navicular, not cuboid. I will clarify and correct that in the next episode - thanks for your patience. I was hoping to get to exercise interventions as well, but it would have been too long. Exercise interventions will be the next part. Stay Tuned! Thanks for listening. **********Additional Resources**********Instagram: @perfectingptHip Bump Video (UFIR manipulation by Gail Malloy)DISCLAIMER: This podcast is not intended to replace medical advice and expertise. This podcast is not intended as instruction for performance of acts or skills intended to be performed only by licensed professionals in appropriate settings. If you or someone you know is experiencing anything that may be discussed in this podcast, please seek medical direction from qualified healthcare providers near you.
Welcome! Happy to have you here! Make sure to subscribeIn this part of the fixing lower body pain series, I discuss my assessment of the lower body - everything from the low back and down. I go over each step of my evaluation process and some of the things I'm looking for and what I interpret them to mean. I will also tie in patterns of compensation and biomechanics discussed from part 1. Although not the focus of this episode, I also go into manual interventions and treatment goals based on exam findings. I hope you find it both interesting and insightful. Thanks again for listening!**********Additional Resources**********Instagram: @perfectingptGail Malloy Hip Manipulation Article
Welcome! Happy to have you here!My name is Nathan Norr. I am a Doctor of Physical Therapy and practice in Colorado. Today, I go over lower body (everything from the low back down) biomechanics and patterns of compensation that I see and address constantly in the clinic to help people get out of both acute and chronic pain and return to normal activities. Further show notes will be here soon. Thanks for watching!
Welcome! Happy to have you here!Anthony Falco is a Doctor of Physical Therapy who is additionally credentialed as an Orthopedic Certified Specialist, Fellow in Orthopedic Manual Therapy from Bellin College, and currently serves as the VP for the APTA chapter in New Jersey. He specializes in the treatment of cervicogenic headaches and works closely with a pediatric neurologist. Other headache types including migraines are also discussed.We dive into identifying headache types, whether or not physical therapy can address them and how, and answering the question of how many headaches is "normal". ********** Resources **********Anthony's InformationProvider Profile at Summit HealthInstagram: @afalco_dptPeople Mentioned- Geoffrey Maitland (Anthony recommends checking out his textbooks)Research Articles- Canadian C-Spine Rules- IFOMPT Cervical Vascular Pathology Screening
Welcome! Happy to have you here!Michael Pomykala is a Doctor of Physical Therapy who specializes in the treatment of golfers of all ages and skill levels at Sports Solutions Physical Therapy in New Jersey. He is additionally credentialed as a board-certified sports and orthopedic specialist, Titleist Performance Institute certified levels 1-3 (and more through TPI), and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. We discuss various factors that contribute to someone being able to play golf efficiently and also discuss compensatory patterns and Michael's views of the body and why it breaks down in golfers. This won't be the last time Michael is on the podcast and we are planning an upcoming episode where we go through a full PT golf evaluation. Stay tuned!********** RESOURCES **********Michael's InfoInstagram: @sportssolutionsMichael's WebsitePeople ReferencedGreg and Vicky JohnsonProducts and Course ReferencedTitleist Performance Institute (TPI)Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA)Institute of Physical Art (IPA)Postural Restoration Institute (PRI)
Welcome! Happy to have you here!Brian Kokulak is a Doctor of Physical Therapy at Edge Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine. He Specializes in treating patient's undergoing ACL surgery (repair or reconstruction) and has worked with many professional and competitive athletes of all ages. We discuss the types of ACL surgeries performed as well as their benefits, indications, and limitations of each. We also discuss timelines for rehab that allow you to know your patient is progressing well. Part two will be more focused on exercise selection, progression, and return to sport testing, so STAY TUNED!********** Resources **********- Brian's Instagram: dr_brian_dpt- Brian's ClinicResearch Articles- Knee ligament sprain clinical practice guidelines- ACL clinical practice guidelines- Exercise-based ACL injury prevention guidelines
Welcome! Happy to have you! Nick Rainey is the owner of Rainey Pain and Performance in Sierra Vista, Arizona. Nick is a fellow in Orthopedic manual therapy (FAAOMPT), orthopedic certified specialist (OCS), certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS), certified cervical and temporomandibular therapist (CCTT), as well as pelvic health certified. In this episode, we discuss many things related to low back pain. Much of this information is condensed from a presentation he gave at an APTA conference. We discuss whether or not the research on low back pain and exercise really says what we are often told it does; we discuss theory related to it's biomechanical origin, whether form matters, the value of the biopsychosocial model, the general buckets of diagnosis, and how to begin treatment, as well as one of his key focuses when introducing exercise to patients with low back pain, and more. Hope you enjoy!Resources:Nick Rainey- Instagram: RaineyPainPerformance- Rainey Pain and Performance- Courses Taught by Nick Research Articles- Hawthorne Effect: People change their behavior when they are being observed.- MRI Findings of Disc Degeneration are More Prevalent in Adults with Low Back Pain than in Asymptomatic Controls: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis- Association Between Directional Preference and Centralization in Patients With Low Back Pain- Trunk Muscle Stabilization Training Plus General Exercise Versus General Exercise Only: Randomized Controlled Trial of Patients With Recurrent Low Back Pain
Follow us on Instagram:- Walt Fritz: @waltfritzpt- PerfectingPT: @perfectingPTOverview: Walt Fritz is a physical therapist that specializes in speech and swallowing disorders, but more than that, he specializes in including the patient in the plan of care and leveraging their insights and beliefs to provide the most efficient treatment. Although this episode starts with us discussing some of the reasons for PT to treat speech and swallowing, we quickly transition to patient care and shared decision making. Hope you enjoy. Happy to have you here! RESOURCESWalt's Info- Walt Fritz Website- Instagram: waltfritzptPeople mentioned- Jeffrey MaitlandResearch mentioned- The Demonization of Manual Therapy, Chad Cook- Manual therapy: Exploiting the role of human touch, Tommaso Geri- Rocabado's Approach
Follow us on Instagram!Nathan Norr @perfectingptMichael Fanning @mfanning_dacbspMichael Fanning is a chiropractor with the LAPD and USA fencing and cycling team, faculty in the Tactical Sports Medicine department at SCUHS, and Air Force veteran. He has had extensive mentoring with specialists in Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) and neuropathic pain and their treatment with sympathetic blocks/nerve hydrodissections. He also has looked extensively at cervical spine instability prevalence and treatment related to trauma, especially in law enforcement. We discuss how to identify the types of CRPS and neuropathic pain as well as cervical instability, and available treatment options.*******Resources*******PEOPLEEdward Carden, MDThomas B. Clark, DC, RVT, RMSKYao-Wen Eliot Hu, MDCoach John HofmanStuart McGillStanley LamJoseph HorriganPRODUCTSMedX Cervical Extension
Mike Russell, DPT is one of the most well-known physical therapists for runners and business owners in the Las Vegas area. We discuss his treatment of runners as well as his views on building a business in an ever-changing environment, and adding value through a variety of treatment options. He himself is an avid runner, regularly running both street and trail. Mike Russell is my original mentor and gave me my first job working in physical therapy as his tech. He owns Elevation Physical Therapy, which is his second clinic after building Optimal Physical Therapy to multiple successful clinics and selling it a handful of years back. His drive for business and excellence has lead to his reputation as someone who adds value and always seeks out and maximizes opportunities to improve patient care and outcomes. ResourcesMike's Info- Insta: mike_the_ptPeople- Bob Donatelli- Chris JohnsonResearch- Changes in muscle activation patterns when running step rate is increased (Chumanov et al 2012)
Zach Leal, PT, DPT, CSCS owns Forged Physical Therapy and Performance inside baseball training facilities. He has two locations near Los Angeles and specializes in treating baseball players of all ages and skill levels along with other motivated athletes. Zach was a student with Mike Reinold and does 1-on-1, hour long, cash appointments. We discuss the most common goals and injuries associated with each age group, research for baseball players and overhead athletes, the biggest "buckets" he makes sure to hit to generate the greatest outcomes, and his very clearly delineated system for evaluation and intervention. See resources below for people, products, and research mentioned.ResourcesPeople-Kevin Wilk, PT, DPT, FAPTA-Mike Reinold-Dan Pope - Fitness Pain Free-Shirley Sahrmann, PT, PhD, FAPTA-Eric Cressey-Keith Meister, MDProducts-Vald Dynamometers-Lafayette DynamometerResearch-The strength characteristics of internal and external rotator muscles in professional baseball pitchers
Bart McDonald is the owner of Superior Physical Therapy in Idaho. His clinics specialize in diagnostic ultrasound as a means to provide greater insight into diagnosis, treatment plan, and progress. In this episode, we discuss the utility of diagnostic ultrasound and EMG and how you can use that information to determine prognosis and provide more efficacious treatment. Below are some helpful resources!Resources:Bart's Personal Email: bartmpt@gmail.comInstagram: Superior.physical.therapyWebsite:Superior Physical TherapyMohini Rawat Ultrasound Textbook
What if there was a way to measure how much stiffness you are generating around the spine and correlating that number with how much weight you lift to determine your risk of pain? That's exactly what Sean is researching and the topic of our conversation. Sean is a DPT, PhD, OCS, FAAOMPT and we cover how he measures spinal stiffness using a Tindeq scale and a modified lifting belt. We discuss his current research, some of his views on low back pain, his approach to assess it, and more. Below are resources to get access to more of Sean's content. Please check it out!
Resources
Instagram: @dr.sean.m.harris
Sean's Website (Various service provided)
Tindeq Scale
Emily Ferree is a Doctor of Phsyical Therapy affiliated with multiple MLB organizations to assist in pitching analysis as well helping multiple players with the Chargers organization. She is also a biomechanist who trained with Christ Powers at USC.
Topics of this conversation include thoughts on both upper and lower quarter biomechanical assessment. Posture, and exercise progression tips to help you understand how to get your athlete back to full performance effectively.
Resources:
- Instagram: ferree.pt.lab
Ray Gorman is the founder of Engage Movement. He specializes in helping providers who want to work with active populations to create cash-based practices that include both in person and online clientele. We discuss Ray's process step by step to make it as easy as possible to understand as well as addressing my most requested questions. Something to know: investing in the future you want will require a lot of frontloaded work and sacrifice, but with effort and guidance, it is achievable. If you are interested in contacting Ray's group or seeing if they could be right for you, follow the links below.
Links:
Instagram: @raygormandpt
Website: Engage Movement
Free Training Courses: Here
Free Business Starter Checklist: Here




