It is that time of year again when the “madness” of March descends upon us and the competition for the perfect bracket begins. Sixty-four teams, one championship and two weeks of games, buzzer beaters, upsets and victories. A wide field of hopefuls in a single-elimination bring your best competition where underdogs have the chance to walk away as undisputed champions.

Topics: NAIOMT, Physical Therapy, physical therapy, PT, march madness
In the video below NAIOMT Faculty Chris Hoekstra, PT, DPT, OCS, COMT, FAAOMPT demonstrates the slump exam as part of the NAIOMT neurological exam for the lumbar spine.
Topics: Courses, lumbar spine, manual therapy, physical therapy, slump exam, clinical skills, Faculty
Winter weather in Colorado means, skiing, snowboarding, cross country skiing, and snowshoeing, in additional to all the normal running and biking people do. It also means snow with slippery parking lots and sidewalks. All of these things can create a nightmare situation for your upper extremities, should you fall and catch yourself on an outstretched hand.
Topics: Courses, Manual Physical Therapy, manual therapy, physical therapy, abducted ulna, clinical skills, upper quadrant
In the manual therapy videos below, NAIOMT's Terry Pratt addresses a case of a significant ankle sprain involving ATFL and the inferior tib-fib joint. If you had a case like this would you let your patient run a 10K in the next five days?
Topics: manual therapy, physical therapy, lower extremity, ankle sprain, Musculoskeletal Monday
Balance has been one of my favorite areas to study and teach. I remember first learning how balance is integrated through multiple systems and I was amazed that, as humans, we could stand upright without falling over. The statement that “gait is a series of controlled falls” was used by many professors, and I could not agree more. Balance is an epitomic example of homeostasis.
Topics: Courses, Manual Physical Therapy, manual therapy, Manual Therapy, physical therapy, terry pratt, Clinical Reasoning, clinical skills, Faculty, gait
In the manual therapy video below, NAIOMT faculty instructor Michael Lucido demonstrates manipulation for osteoarthritis at the base of the thumb.
Topics: Manual Therapy, physical therapy, manual therapy videos, upper extremity
What do you do when a patient comes in and is disappointed that they are not better? When they are unhappy with the progress and are still in pain? When they seem to be losing faith in you and your treatment? This is something I’ve experience recently, and it got me thinking about the importance of setting progress expectations with patients right from the start. It also had me considering how best to proceed on a positive path, when the patient feels we have hit a wall.
Topics: Manual Therapy, patient care, physical therapy, PT, Clinical Reasoning, clinical skills
Abstract of the Week: The effects of a standardized belly dance program on perceived pain, disability, and function in women with chronic low back pain.
Alright, this week's abstract isn't your average study. And while I know that an "N" of one does not hold a lot of statistical power, I still think this one warrants a quick read. Why? Let me tell you.
Topics: Abstract of the Week, physical therapy, back pain, belly dancing
Increasing Movement in the Lumbar Spine of Older Patients
In the manual therapy video below, NAIOMT faculty Member Kathy Stupansky, PT, DSc, OCS, FAAOMPT demonstrates her technique for increasing movement in the lumbar spine in older patient populations.
Topics: lumbar spine, lumbopelvic spine, manual therapy, physical therapy, back pain, Manual Therapy Videos, elderly
If I ran the world, outpatient physical therapy clinics would only be open from 8:30-2:30pm. Employers would be flexible enough to allow their employees to flex their time to have physical therapy during the day. And all commuting would be done on magical rainbow unicorns – OK, maybe that last one is stretching things a bit too far.
Topics: manual therapy, physical therapy, women in physical therapy, women's health, Faculty, Fellowship