One of the things that truly sets NAIOMT apart from other post professional PT programs is our faculty. Each brings their own unique personality, clinical expertise, specialization, research and background into the classroom. So over the next few months, we're highlighting each of them for the incredible people, teachers and mentors that they are. First up, an interview with Valerie Coolman, DScPT, CMPT, COMT, OCS, FAAOMPT.

Did you know that 134 physical therapists have graduated from the NAIOMT Fellowship Program? We are pleased and proud to introduce you to some of our our most recent NAIOMT Fellowship graduates! 

 

Emily Mitiguy Novoa, DPT, OCS, COMT

Graduation Date: 8/15/2019

Emily’s fellowship project  is titled  “Optimization of Treatment: A Look at a More Efficient Way to Treat the Subtalar Complex.” Emily’s project has been accepted for presentation at the 2019 AAOMPT Conference.

About Emily:

Emily Mitiguy Novoa, PT, DPT, OCS, COMT, FAAOMPT earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Eastern Washington University in 2012. She moved to Eugene, Oregon to work alongside excellent mentors as a part of the Therapeutic Associates Orthopedic Manual Therapy Residency (completed in 2014). During this time, she worked towards and became a Board Certified Orthopedic Specialist (completed 2015).

Following graduation from the residency, Emily moved to Olympia, Washington to work in as an integrated-PT in a family medicine residency clinic. While working here, Emily developed a new faculty role for a physical therapist at the St. Peter Family Medicine Residency Program. During her time at St. Peter Family Medicine, Emily presented at three national conferences for the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine regarding the unique role of a PT in a medical residency program. She also traveled to Haiti with a multi-disciplinary team to provide continuity of care to a remote village in the mountains outside Port-au-Prince (this group returns every six months to the same village).

Emily completed the process of becoming a Certified Orthopedic Manipulative Therapist with NAIOMT in 2018 and completed the NAIOMT Orthopedic Manual Therapy Fellowship Program in 2019.

Currently, Emily works at Providence Tumwater Valley Physical Therapy in Tumwater, Washington as an outpatient therapist. Emily has a passion for individualized patient treatment with emphasis on regional interdependence and assessing the effect of biomechanics on the development of dysfunctional movement patterns and pain. She spends her spare time trail running, hiking, backpacking, kayaking, stand up paddle boarding, skiing, biking, and exploring the outdoors with her husband, Blake, her son, Leo, and her dog, Zeila. 

 

Raymond Joseph Arreguin Jr., PT, DPT, OCS, COMT

Graduation Date: 8/15/2019

Ray’s fellowship project is titled “Craniovertebral ligamentous stress tests in asymptomatic individuals.” 

About Ray:

Ray Arreguin Jr. PT, DPT, OCS, COMT received his Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Ohio University in 2011. After graduation he moved west in search of mentorship and training in the field of orthopedic manual therapy. In 2014, he was recognized as an Orthopedic Clinical Specialist (OCS) by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties. Through NAIOMT, Ray became a Certified Orthopedic Manipulative Therapist (COMT) and completed his fellowship in orthopedic manual therapy in 2019. Ray works for Therapeutic Associates, treating patients at their Downtown Portland clinic and serving as faculty in their orthopedic residency program. Additionally, he is a regional mentor, working with new hires in the Oregon and Washington areas. Outside of TAI, he hosts the monthly Portland Study Group for NAIOMT and occasionally serves as a lab assistant for weekend NAIOMT courses. Outside of work he enjoys spending time with his wife Kana and his dog Rufus. His hobbies include music and spending time outdoors cycling, hiking, skiing and racing triathlons.

 

Jessica Ann Morss, DPT, OCS, COMT  

Graduation Date: 8/15/2019   

Jessica’s fellowship project is titled  “Thoracic Influence in a Patient with Cervicogenic Dizziness: A Resident’s Case Problem.”

About Jessica:

Jessica Morss, PT, OCS, COMT, FAAOMPT earned her doctorate in physical therapy from Eastern Washington University, graduating in 2012. She obtained her OCS in 2015 and graduated from NAIOMTs fellowship program in 2019. She lives in Olympia, WA and works in the primary care setting at Providence where she collaborates with a diverse medical team to help direct patient care and provides direct access and early access care to patients. Jessica has a particular interest in working with the dance community and coordinates an annual screening event for local pre-professional dancers. Outside of work, Jessica enjoys family adventures that involve hiking, kayaking, paddle boarding, skiing, and backpacking.

 

Paul Ochoa, PT, DPT, OCS, COMT

Graduation Date:  8/26/2019 

Paul’s fellowship project is titled “Optimization of Treatment: A Look at a More Efficient Way to Treat the Subtalar Complex.” Paul’s project has
been accepted for presentation at the 2019 AAOMPT Conference.

About Paul:

Paul Ochoa PT, DPT, OCS, COMT
Paul’s career in the medical field began as a phlebotomist and EMT in the late 90’s and a Massage therapist in the early 2000’s. He graduated from the Touro College DPT program in 2009 and continued on to pass the OCS exam in 2012. During his manual therapy education with NAIOMT he also had the honor of learning from the great minds of David Butler, Lorimer Mosley, Diane Lee, LJ Lee, Jill Cook, Mark Comerford, Shirley Sarhman and so many more amazing mentors. He has been an active member of the APTA and AAOMPT and runs his physical therapy practice, F Squared PT, in New York City since 2011.

 

Cara Atwell, PT, DPT, OCS, OMPT, CMTPT, COMT

Graduation Date: 7/23/2019 

Cara’s fellowship project is titled  “Managing a Patient with Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome Using Regional Interdependence.”

About Cara:

Cara Atwell PT, DPT, OCS, COMT, CMTPT studied kinesiology and dance at the University of Virginia where she received her Bachelor of Science degree in 2010. She then earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from the University of Maryland, Baltimore in 2013. In 2014, Cara became certified as a myofascial trigger point therapist (CMTPT) and in 2016 she was recognized as an Orthopaedic Clinical Specialist (OCS) by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties. Through NAIOMT, Cara became a Certified Orthopaedic Manipulative Therapist (COMT) and completed her fellowship in orthopaedic manual physical therapy in 2019.

Cara currently works in the Annapolis, Maryland area seeing mostly orthopedic patients in both mobile and outpatient clinical settings. She is married to Kyle Atwell who is also a NAIOMT fellow ship graduate. Cara most enjoys being outside near the water, staying active through strength training, yoga, and cycling, and spending time with family and friends.

 

Kyle Lee Atwell,  PT, DPT, OCS, OMPT, CMTPT, COMT

Graduation Date: 7/23/2019 

Kyle’s fellowship project  is titled  “Trigger point dry needling: a manual therapy approach to long-term management of persistent musculoskeletal pain in a patient with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a case report.”

About Kyle:

Kyle Atwell PT, DPT, OCS, COMT, CMTPT graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park (Go Terpsl) In 2008 with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. He then went on to Physical Therapy school earning his Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from the University of Maryland, Baltimore in 2013. In 2014 Kyle was certified as a myofascial trigger point therapist (CMTPT). He was recognized as an Orthopedic Clinical Specialist (OCS) by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties in 2016. Kyle both became a Certified Orthopaedic Manipulative Therapist (COMT) and completed his fellowship through NAIOMT in 2019.

Kyle currently lives and works in Annapolis, Maryland with his wife Cara (also a NAIOMT fellowship grad). Kyle works in the Annapolis region providing both mobile orthopedic physical therapy as well as orthopedic physical therapy in the clinical setting. When he is not working, Kyle loves staying active through weightlifting, Yoga, paddle boarding, and surfing. He also enjoys spending plenty of time with friends and family.

 

In this NAIOMT technique video, I  demonstrate a cuboid manipulation. It's performed by positioning your thumbs over the cuboid and providing a plantar dorsal force at a 60-degree angle. It can be helpful when an inverted ankle sprain has occurred, as the cuboid can get stuck in an externally rotated position. 

The US women’s national soccer team is the most successful in international women’s soccer. The team has won three Women’s World Cup titles, four Olympic gold medals, eight CONCACAF Gold Cups and 10 Algarve Cups. On Friday, June 28th, the US team will face France in the semi-finals in what is expected to be one of the most exciting games of the tournament. But as with any high intensity sport, injuries are an inevitable part of any game.

One thing that sets NAIOMT apart in the world of post professional manual therapy education is our faculty. We are an eclectic, ever-evolving group of practicing clinicians dedicated to moving the profession forward. This week, the Journal of Manual & Manipulative Therapy released its July issue with a focus on dry needling. In it, NAIOMT faculty member, Gary Kearns, instructor of our Advanced Dry Needling course, presents New perspectives on dry needling following a medical model: are we screening our patients sufficiently?, along with colleagues César Fernández-De-Las-Peñas, Jean-Michel Brismée, Josué Gan & Jacqueline Doidge. 

In the manual therapy video below,  I discuss the functional use of the hip muscles, and demonstrate one of my favorite exercises that I use with patients who want to return to trail running after an injury. 

In the manual therapy video below, I demonstrate a proper palpating of the UCL ligament in order to assess for tenderness, as this is a marker for return to sports when the ligament is no longer tender. 

In the manual therapy video below, I demonstrate an evaluation of the scapula. This evaluation is one of the many things I teach in NAIOMT's specialty course Advanced Concepts for the Overhead Athlete. Join us for our next session on June 15-16, 2019 in Falls Church VA!