APTA Podcasts

A brief introduction from the president of the academy.

Conner Murphy, SPT, interviewed APTA Pelvic Health President Darla Cathcart, PT, DPT, PhD, at APTA CSM in Boston. Learn what a day in the life of a pelvic health physical therapist looks like and advice for exploring this specialty.

Visit the APTA Pelvic Health website to learn more about the academy. Watch a video of this interview on the APTA Magazine website.

Elizabeth Pimentel, PT, MA, recalls a memorable patient and her struggles to make peace with the patient’s untimely death. Access the article on the APTA Magazine webpage for photos and to learn more about this episode’s speaker.

In March, the American Physical Therapy Association published a workforce forecast in PTJ that used original survey data to project shortages in physical therapists through 2037. Listen as Editor-in-Chief Steven George, PT, PhD, FAPTA, talks with authors Timothy Dall, MS, and Tara Manal, PT, DPT, FAPTA, about the different data sources used for the report, what a microsimulation is as an approach, and some strategic interventions that could help address the projected shortfall.

Dall and Manal are co-authors of the article "Current and Projected Future Supply and Demand for Physical Therapists From 2022 to 2037: A New...

In this episode, entrepreneur and APTA member Odell Miller, PT, DPT, interviews APTA Vice President of Strategic Affairs Drew Contreras, PT, DPT. They talk about starting a business, how new technologies are rapidly changing the profession, and ways PTs can take care of themselves to avoid burnout.



During the episode, Contreras referenced ChoosePT.com, APTA’s consumer website. Learn more about APTA’s work to support the profession at apta.org.

Interested in how large language models compare against clinicians? Listen as Editor-in-Chief Steven George, PT, PhD, FAPTA, talks with Yael Arbel, PT, MHA, Yoav Gimmon, PT, PhD, and Liora Shmueli, PhD, about their recently published study, which tested the performance of ChatGPT and Google Gemini against 30 physical therapists and 30 physical therapist students on 20 multiple-choice questions about vestibular rehabilitation. The authors discuss the impact of prompt engineering, the potential for studies with other large language models, and the importance of human expertise when integrating new technological tools.  

Arbel, Gimmon, and Shmueli are co-authors of the a...

A brief introduction from the president of the academy.

Corry Brinken, PT, DPT, interviewed APTA Orthopaedic President Bob Rowe, PT, DPT, DMT, MHS, at APTA CSM 2024 in Boston. Learn how Rowe says students can best prepare for a career in orthopedics.

Visit the APTA Orthopaedic website to learn more about the academy. Watch a video of this interview on the APTA Magazine website.

In this episode, we check in on both state and federal advocacy efforts to prioritize patients' access to physical therapy and support PTs and PTAs throughout their careers. We look back on key wins from 2024, while also looking ahead to what the rest of 2025 might have in store. 

To learn more, join the APTA Advocacy Network and read more on apta.org: 

·      Policy Principles for Outpatient Therapy Reform under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule

·      APTA News: Congress Fails to Address Medicare Fee Schedule in Continuing Resolution

·      APTA Advo...

In this episode of the PTJ Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Steven George, PT, PhD, FAPTA, talks with Amee Seitz, PT, DPT, PhD, and Kyle Strickland, PT, DPT, about their recently published perspective, which presents a modified emergency department treatment-based classification system for low back pain with three case examples. Listen as the authors discuss the “origin story” of the algorithm, how the emergency department creates a unique setting for physical therapy, and why patients may be more open to trying nondrug treatment options.

Seitz and Strickland are co-authors of the article "Application of Algorithm-Based Treatment Approach to Low Back Pain...

Emily Berthelette, PT, DPT, examines what it's been like on the patient side of PT services. Access the article on the APTA Magazine webpage for photos and to learn more about this episode’s speaker.

A brief introduction from the president of the academy.

Brett Traeger, PT, DPT, interviewed American Academy of Sports Physical Therapy President Mike Reinold, PT, DPT, ATC, at APTA CSM in Boston. Learn what Reinold has to say about finding your niche as a sports PT and how mentorship plays a big role in their specialty.

Visit the American Academy of Sports Physical Therapy’s website to learn more about the academy. Watch a video of this interview on the APTA Magazine website.

In this episode of the PTJ Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Steven George, PT, PhD, FAPTA, talks with Nicole Tombers, PT, DPT, about her recently published article, which used data from the Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service to compare influences on applications to doctor of physical therapy programs between applicants who identified as white and applicants who identified as Black, American Indian, Asian, Hispanic, or Pacific Islander. George and Tombers discuss how the DPT application is structured, what is included in a holistic narrative analysis approach, and what factors draw applicants to the field of physical therapy. 

T...

In this episode of the PTJ Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Steven George, PT, PhD, FAPTA, talks with Alexander Garbin, PT, DPT, PhD, and Jennifer Stevens-Lapsley, PT, PhD, FAPTA, about their recently published companion papers, which evaluated the effectiveness of a progressive multicomponent intervention for older adults in home health settings across three comparison groups. Listen as the authors discuss the pragmatic aspects of the trials, how the second study illustrates the importance of design and interpretation of control groups, and how early career researchers interested in conducting their own clinical trials can get started. 

Garbin and S...

A brief introduction from the president of the academy.

Grace Cioffi, PT, DPT, interviewed APTA Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy’s Gillian McLean, PT, DPT, at APTA CSM in Boston. Learn what McLean says makes this specialty unique and how students can get involved in the academy.

Visit the APTA Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy’s website to learn more about the academy. Watch a video of this interview on the APTA Magazine website.

In this episode of the PTJ Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Steven George, PT, PhD, FAPTA, talks with Andrew Post, PT, DPT, about winning the 2024 APTA Outstanding Research Award, formerly known as the Chattanooga Research Award, for the article “Efficacy of Telehealth for Movement-Evoked Pain in People With Chronic Achilles Tendinopathy: A Noninferiority Analysis.” Post is a board-certified clinical specialist in orthopaedic physical therapy and a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists. They discuss why the article was chosen for the award, the article’s impact on clinical practice and future physical therapy research, and what projects the author...

In this episode of the PTJ Podcast, outgoing Associate Editor Lori Quinn, PT, EdD, FAPTA, talks with Kody Campbell, PhD, and Laurie King, PhD, PT, MCR, about their recently published clinical trial, which investigated the influence of physical therapy timing on symptom improvement in 203 adults with a mild traumatic brain injury. The authors discuss the differences in referral times between athletes and the general public, how the trial interventions were personalized to allow for progression, and why patients who received earlier physical therapy showed more improvement in balance and reaction times compared with those who received later physical therapy.   

In this episode of the PTJ Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Steven George, PT, PhD, FAPTA, talks with Christopher Bise, PT, DPT, PhD, about winning the 2024 Jack Walker Award for the article “First Provider Seen for an Acute Episode of Low Back Pain Influences Subsequent Health Care Utilization.” They discuss why the article was chosen for the award, the audience for the paper, and how it can impact clinicians.

The Jack Walker Award honors an author or team whose published study in PTJ: Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Journal presents novel and innovative research related to patient care and advan...

A brief introduction from the president of the academy.

Leah Fogarty, APTA Magazine editor, interviewed APTA Home Health President Philip Goldsmith, PT, MDPT, EMT, DScPT, at APTA CSM in Boston. Learn more about what it means to be a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant in home health.

Visit the APTA Home Health website to learn more about the academy. Watch a video of this interview on the APTA Magazine website.

Linda Robinson, PT, MSPT, volunteered in Haiti and discovered a love for teaching the country’s first generation of physical therapists. Access the article on the APTA Magazine webpage for photos and to learn more about this episode’s speaker.

In this episode of the PTJ Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Steven George, PT, PhD, FAPTA, talks with Richard Shields PT, PhD, FAPTA, about winning the 2024 Jules M. Rothstein Golden Pen Award for Scientific Writing. The Rothstein Golden Pen Award recognizes an author who has demonstrated superior writing skills in one or more articles published in PTJ: Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Journal and has collaborated with or encouraged others to make similar contributions. Shields reflects on his career as a prolific scientist, what it has been like to publish with PTJ, and how he sees the future of peer review.

In this episode of the PTJ Podcast, Associate Editor Jason Beneciuk, PT, DPT, PhD, MPH, talks with Lena Thiveos, PT, MPhty, and Mark Hancock, PT, PhD, about their recent systematic review that investigated the effectiveness of cognitive functional therapy in the management of chronic low back pain. Thiveos and Hancock define cognitive functional therapy, discuss how their review differs from prior studies based on that definition, and consider how variability in clinician training methods and treatment delivery can influence the results of a study.

Thiveos and Hancock are co-authors of the article "Cognitive Functional Therapy for Chronic...

A brief introduction from the secretary of the academy. Matt Glassoff, PT, DPT, interviewed APTA Federal Secretary Renee Schroeder, PT, DPT, MHA, at APTA CSM in Boston. Learn more about what it means to be a PT or PTA in the federal sector, including providing care across the continuum and being an entry point provider.

Visit the APTA Federal website to learn more about the academy. Watch a video of this interview on the APTA Magazine webpage.

Allen Wicken, PT, MSPT, a longtime physical therapist and APTA member, reflects on the interconnectedness of the profession. Access the article on the APTA Magazine webpage for photos and to learn more about this episode’s speaker.

The countdown has begun for the 50th Annual APTA Combined Sections Meeting, which will be held Feb. 13-15, 2025, in Houston, Texas.

Whether you’re seeking to advance your clinical skills, earn continuing education credits, explore the latest products and services, or connect with thought leaders in the field, APTA CSM offers something for everyone. 

APTA Vice President of Strategic Affairs Drew Contreras, PT, DPT, shares how attendees can make the most of their time at APTA CSM in Houston. Plus, he describes the new programming options available for students.

Visit csm.apta.org to:

A brief introduction from the president of the academy.

Lauryn Goff, SPT, interviewed APTA Private Practice President Mike Horsfield, PT, MBA, at APTA CSM in Boston. Learn how the skills that PTs have translate to running businesses.

Visit the APTA Private Practice website to learn more about the academy. Watch a video of this interview on the APTA Magazine website.

In this episode of the PTJ Podcast, PTJ Student Social Media Lead Gaylan Randle interviews Shannon Richardson PT, DPT, EdD, and Kimberly Varnado, PT, DPT, DHSc, about what inspired the transition from traditional grading practices to equitable grading practices at the College of Saint Mary DPT program. Richardson and Varnado discuss what they have learned from the experience, the long-term impact on learner retention, and recommendations for institutions interested in implementing a similar practice. 

Richardson and Varnado are co-authors of the article "Equitable Grading Practices in Physical Therapist Education: A Case Report,” which was recently published as par...

J. Kele Murdin, PT, MPT, board-certified clinical specialist in geriatric physical therapy, discusses why PTs should be leaders in falls prevention efforts. Justin Elliott, vice president of government affairs at APTA, shares what APTA is doing to improve access to PT-led falls prevention for Medicare Beneficiaries and veterans.  

The following were discussed in this episode. For the full list of links mentioned and a transcript for this episode, visit apta.org/podcasts.

Jasmine Blocker, PT, DPT, learned perseverance and determination after failing out of — and subsequently being reinstated into — PT school. Access the article on the APTA Magazine webpage for photos and to learn more about this episode’s speaker.

In this episode of the PTJ Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Steven George talks with Jason Silvernail about his perspective paper on defining orthopaedic manual physical therapy (OMPT) as a subspecialty of the profession. Learn about the “all-star” author team behind the article, what it was like to publish in PTJ: Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Journal, and why now is the time to classify OMPT for future studies. Silvernail is co-author of the article "Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy: A Modern Definition and Description." Read the article on the PTJ website.

Moral spaces provide a safe harbor in perilous waters. 

In this podcast, APTA Ethics and Judicial Committee member Becca Edgeworth Ditwiler, PT, DPT, interviews Ruth Purtilo, PT, PhD, FAPTA, and Gail Jensen, PT, PhD, FAPTA, about the importance of building moral communities to guide decision-making in today’s challenging health care environment.

Read Purtilo’s McMillan Lecture about ethics in a shifting landscape. 

Read more about common and emerging ethical issues facing PTs, PTAs, and students in APTA Magazine’s Ethics in Practice series, written by EJC members. 

A brief introduction from the president of the academy. 

Faith Majors-Culp, SPT, interviewed APTA Geriatrics President Cathy Ciolek, PT, DPT, FAPTA, at APTA CSM in Boston. Learn what Ciolek says makes this specialty unique and how to reframe thinking about older adults. 

Visit the APTA Geriatrics website to learn more about the academy.

Watch a video of this interview on the APTA Magazine website.

This pelvic health PT is on a mission to make pelvic health care a reality for all.

Meet two PTs supporting athletes at the Summer Games.

A brief introduction from the president of the academy.

A PT’s journey with rock climbing and movement science.

Wins, challenges, and APTA’s fight to fix the fee schedule.

A brief introduction from the president of the academy.

One PT recounts the lasting impression of a special patient.

Brig. Gen. Deydre Teyhen and CEO Marilyn Tam share tips.

A brief introduction from the president of the academy. 

A PT finds meaning and purpose helping other cancer survivors.