Home Podcasts Hands On Hands Off: Manual Therapy & Orthopedic Physical Therapy (AAOMPT)
Hands On Hands Off: Manual Therapy & Orthopedic Physical Therapy (AAOMPT)

Hands On Hands Off: Manual Therapy & Orthopedic Physical Therapy (AAOMPT)

AAOMPT 235 Episodes Oct 13, 2026

A podcast from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists that examines the balance between hands-on treatment and patient-driven, exercise-based rehabilitation. Hosts talk with leaders in manual therapy, orthopedic physical therapy, pain science, and rehabilitation about clinical reasoning and current evidence. Episodes cover manual therapy techniques, patient education, exercise-based care, and the tension between tradition and evidence in physical therapy practice. It is aimed at physical therapists, manual therapists, DPT students, and other rehabilitation professionals who want to challenge assumptions and sharpen their clinical practice.

Episodes

Primary Care PT and the Hard Part That Comes Next with Chris Bise
Primary Care PT and the Hard Part That Comes Next with Chris Bise Oct 13, 2026 0:21:26 Physical therapy has been knocking on the primary care door for decades. But according to Chris Bise, the profession now has to answer a harder question: are we prepared to deliver what we are proposing?In this episode, host Nick Rainey talks with Chris Bise about the future of primary care physical therapy and the infrastructure needed to support it. Their conversation moves beyond first-contact
Environmental Physiotherapy: A New Lens for Patient Care
Environmental Physiotherapy: A New Lens for Patient Care Sep 17, 2026 0:46:21 In this episode, Antigone Vesci, PT, DPT, ATC, SCS, FAAOMPT speaks with Filip Maric, PT, PhD and Emma Swardh, PT, PhD, as they introduce the field of environmental physiotherapy and invite clinicians to think beyond the walls of the clinic.Rather than limiting sustainability to recycling, energy use, or clinic operations, environmental physiotherapy asks a deeper question: What do health, environm
Josh Funk on Scaling Rehab 2 Perform and the Business Future of PT
Josh Funk on Scaling Rehab 2 Perform and the Business Future of PT Aug 28, 2026 0:41:31 In this episode, Seth Peterson talks with Josh Funk, founder of Rehab 2 Perform, about private practice ownership, business growth, staffing, reimbursement, clinical education, and the future of physical therapy.Josh shares how his own rehab experience at Ohio State inspired him to build a more active, performance-oriented community rehab model. He explains how early entrepreneurial experiments, s
Dr. Thomas Ibounig on Incidental Rotator Cuff Abnormalities and Shoulder MRI
Dr. Thomas Ibounig on Incidental Rotator Cuff Abnormalities and Shoulder MRI Aug 21, 2026 0:31:39 In this episode, host Leda McDaniel speaks with Dr. Thomas Ibounig, shoulder and elbow surgeon at Helsinki University Hospital and researcher with the Finnish Centre for Evidence-Based Orthopaedics.Dr. Ibounig discusses his 2026 JAMA study, “Incidental Rotator Cuff Abnormalities on Magnetic Resonance Imaging.” The conversation explores how common rotator cuff abnormalities are on MRI, including in
Tim Fearon on Exercise, Manual Therapy, and Patient Responsibility
Tim Fearon on Exercise, Manual Therapy, and Patient Responsibility Aug 14, 2026 0:23:37 In this episode, Seth speaks with Tim Fearon, a respected leader in orthopedic manual physical therapy, about the role of exercise in manual therapy practice.Tim reflects on retirement, mentorship, and the clinical evolution that led him to place exercise and patient responsibility at the center of care. He shares how early mentorship shaped his manual therapy skills, but how recurring patient pro
Should PTs Be the First Provider for Musculoskeletal Pain?
Should PTs Be the First Provider for Musculoskeletal Pain? Aug 7, 2026 0:50:52 In this episode, host Dr. Nick Rainey is joined by Dr. Bremen Abuhl and Dr. Dallas Ehrmantraut to discuss their 2025 Physical Therapy Journal article, “First Contact Physical Therapy Compared to Usual Primary Care for Musculoskeletal Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of RCTs.”The conversation explores whether physical therapists should serve as the first point of contact for patient
Jess Ellis on the Reality of Pro Sports PT, Clinical Honesty, and Pragmatic Practice
Jess Ellis on the Reality of Pro Sports PT, Clinical Honesty, and Pragmatic Practice Aug 6, 2026 0:41:08 In this episode, Seth sits down with Jess Ellis, fellowship-trained physical therapist, former NBA health and performance leader, founder of Rehab Code, and consultant for professional athletes.Jess shares his career path from early burnout in high-volume physical therapy to mentorship with Tim Fearon, fellowship training, EXOS, the Portland Trail Blazers, the New York Knicks, and his current work
Mapping the OMPT Education Continuum with Dr. Matthew Smith
Mapping the OMPT Education Continuum with Dr. Matthew Smith Jul 7, 2026 0:24:37 In this episode, host Dr. Skip Gill welcomes Dr. Matthew Smith to discuss his Clinical Science in Manual Therapy Grant-funded study, “Mapping the Continuum: Enhancing Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy Education Through Instruction and Training.”Dr. Smith shares how his own OMPT training shaped his interest in clinical reasoning, mentorship, and the way manual therapy is taught across different st
When Headache Starts in the Neck: Gwen Jull & Zhiqi Liang on Migraine, Cervicogenic Headache, and Clinical Reasoning
When Headache Starts in the Neck: Gwen Jull & Zhiqi Liang on Migraine, Cervicogenic Headache, and Clinical Reasoning Jun 26, 2026 0:44:10 Neck pain and headache often travel together. But as Gwen Jull and Zhiqi Liang explain in this episode, that does not automatically mean the cervical spine is driving the headache.In this AAOMPT and IFOMPT collaborative episode, hosts Amy McDevitt and Michael Boney explore the evolving science around cervicogenic headache, migraine-associated neck pain, sensitization, and clinical examination.Gwen
Life After Fellowship: Giving Back to the Profession
Life After Fellowship: Giving Back to the Profession Apr 14, 2026 0:17:13 Today we’re joined by Liam Globensky, Center Manager at Brooks Rehabilitation and a newly graduated fellow from the Brooks Institute of Higher Learning. Liam’s passion is clear: fellowship is not the finish line—it’s the launch pad for teaching, mentoring, advocating, and elevating the profession.In this episode, Liam discusses:Why post-professional opportunities matter more than everHow early-car
Why Kyle Feldman Never “Works a Day”
Why Kyle Feldman Never “Works a Day” Apr 7, 2026 0:16:11 In this episode, we sit down with Kyle Feldman, National Director of Physical Therapy for ReEnvision PT and owner of WE ARE Physiotherapy. Kyle shares how clinical reasoning, therapeutic alliance, and intentional growth have shaped his work as a clinician, educator, and leader.We discuss:Why clinical reasoning is often misunderstoodHow strong therapeutic alliance amplifies patient outcomesSafety,
How to Teach Clinical Reasoning in OMPT
How to Teach Clinical Reasoning in OMPT Mar 24, 2026 0:12:43 What happens when you mix decades of movement science, deep mentorship, and a passion for solving complex MSK problems? You get Lee Marinko — one of the most beloved educators and mentors in OMPT.Lee has been teaching in the Boston University DPT program for more than 20 years, serves as Chair of the AAOMPT Program Director SIG, and launched the BU OMPT Fellowship in 2014 with one goal: “We can do

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