In the video series "Best of NAIOMT" teaching faculty Michael Lucido demonstrates key techniques from NAIOMT's core courses. In this video, Michael demonstrates the examination and treatment of a patient with lateral elbow pain with a cervical component. This practice and theory is taught in our NAIOMT’s courses C-616 Cervical Spine II and C-715 Advanced Upper Quadrant Integration.

Steve Allen is the founder of Evergreen Physical Therapy in Spokane and retired shareholder and clinic director at Therapeutic Associates, Inc. in Liberty Lake, Washington. Steve received his Board Certification in Orthopedic Physical Therapy in 1986 and is a 1996 graduate of the North American Institute of Orthopaedic Manual Therapy. 

What drew you to PT as a career? When and how did you start your journey?

Do you ever find it complex and frustrating to effectively treat patients with lumbopelvic pain? NAIOMT teaching faculty, Michael Lucido, guides you through common stumbling blocks in the new online course "The Hip-Spine Connection: Unraveling the Mystery," and demonstrates how the hip can be the culprit of low back pain.

In the third episode of Steve Allen’s podcast series “You Think You Know: Conversations That Inspire,” Steve is joined again by NAIOMT co-founder and master clinician, Erl Pettman. They explore "The Functional Hand" and how critical it is for physical therapists to address it with their patients. 

We are physical therapists. We are in the health care business. Most of us are drawn to this profession because we find joy in helping others "feel better." COVID-19 has impacted most of our patients’ health whether or not they’ve contracted the virus. As we resume our clinical practice, we need to consider the implications of this virus on the patient’s mind, body and spirit.

The North American Institute of Manual Therapy believes in treating the WHOLE person. What does that mean? It means we sit and we listen. We listen intently, making eye contact, as if their story is the only thing that matters. We show them we are here for the long haul -- we will be their advocate. We show them they can trust us to report even the little things, the symptoms they feel are too insignificant to mention. The patient finally admits issues in these moments that often help us piece some of the puzzle together. These are moments when the patient, who has seen five doctors over the course of three years for back pain, says sheepishly, “Doesn’t everyone leak a little when they laugh?” or “I flipped a 3-wheeler 30 years ago and had a head injury, but that was far too long ago to contribute to the ringing in my ear, right?” We assure them that these bits of information are quite common with “real” musculoskeletal dysfunctions that can be helped through physical therapy… and they look at us, as if to say, “You are the only person who truly listened, without your eyes glued to your computer.” They begin to expound, “The leaking didn’t happen until I had my fourth baby. He was a stubborn little guy and needed a forceps delivery.”

In the video series "Best of NAIOMT" teaching faculty Michael Lucido demonstrates key techniques from NAIOMT's core courses. In this video, Michael demonstrates the examination and treatment of a patient with unilateral neck pain and headaches. Patient is treated with Grade V thrust technique of the O/A complex. This theory and technique is taught in NAIOMT’s course C-616 Cervical Spine II.

Gary Kearns began his manual therapy training with NAIOMT in 2005, obtaining his COMT in 2010. Graduating from the NAIOMT Fellowship Program, he was recognized as a Fellow in the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists in 2010. In 2015 he obtained his Doctor of Science (ScD) in Physical Therapy from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC). Gary currently is Assistant Professor in the DPT Program at TTUHSC in Lubbock, Texas. He coordinates the History and Systems Screening, Musculoskeletal and Differential Diagnosis courses. Gary is the creator and main instructor for NAIOMT’s specialty courses Dry Needling Upper Quadrant and Dry Needling Lower Quadrant.

What drew you to PT as a career? When and how did you start your journey?

In the video series "Best of NAIOMT" teaching faculty Michael Lucido demonstrates key techniques from NAIOMT's core courses. In this video, Michael demonstrates the examination and treatment of the thoracolumbar junction. This technique is taught in NAIOMT’s course C-613 Thoracic Spine.

Dr. David Deppeler received his Physical Therapy degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and his Doctor of Science from Andrews University. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists, completing his manual therapy fellowship through NAIOMT. He has completed instructor certifications through Better Physiology, The Graduate School of Behavioral Health Sciences, The Oxygen Advantage, Holden Qi Gong, and Les Mills (RPM/cycle). David is a NAIOMT Clinical Fellowship Instructor and the founder of the education and certification program “Breathe Your Truth”.

What drew you to PT as a career? When and how did you start your journey?

In the video series "Best of NAIOMT" teaching faculty Michael Lucido demonstrates key techniques from NAIOMT's core courses. In this video, Michael demonstrates the examination and treatment of a hypertonic psoas major muscle affecting hip motion. This technique is taught in NAIOMT’s courses C-611 Lumbopelvic Spine II and C-705 Advanced Lower Quadrant Integration.