Developed as an alternative to traditional medical management of chronic pain, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is gaining interest among physical therapists who work with patients who have pain. Katherine Beissner, PT, PhD, lead author of “Physical Therapists’ Use of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Older Adults With Chronic Pain: A Nationwide Survey” (May 2009) and Frank J Keefe, PhD, a clinical psychologist who specializes in pain research, discuss the components of CBT and the implications of CBT for older adults, consider how CBT could best be integrated into physical therapist practice, and suggest professional education or training needs. Could the incorporation of CBT techniques by physical therapists enhance outcomes for their patients with pain? Moderated by Chris J Main, PT, PhD, FBPsS, PTJ Editorial Board member.

Alan Jette and Justin Moore, APTA’s Vice President for Government and Payment Advocacy, discuss the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and its potential impact on the biomedical research enterprise in the United States and on the international research scientists who collaborate with US researchers on grants. Moore summarizes ARRA and the 6 basic research areas where funds were dedicated, along with the appropriations bills for 2009 and 2010. Topics include comparative effectiveness research and timelines for grant applications. Jette (“There seem to be 3 new initiatives from NIH every week”) addresses 3 areas: National Institutes of Health NIH challenge grants, the “grand opportunities” initiative, and the NIH competitive revision initiative.

In their January 2009 article, "Does Continuing Education Improve Physical Therapists' Effectiveness in Treating Neck Pain? A Randomized Clinical Trial" lead author Joshua Cleland, PT, DPT, PhD, OCS, FAAOMPT, and colleagues examined whether the addition of a one-to-one, follow-up education session to a traditional continuing education course led to improved outcomes for patients with neck pain. Moderator Christopher Maher, PT, PhD, calls the article "an interesting and important study that provides a starting point for important research in this area." Cleland joins 2 experts on continuing education, Carole Lewis, PT, PhD, OCS, and Stanley Paris, PT, PhD, FAPTA, to discuss the study's implications and the state of continuing education. They discuss whether online learning or other technology can be a more effective way of providing continuing education than traditional didactic learning.

Physical therapists routinely screen for undiagnosed and serious disorders and complications from medical treatment; however, as moderator Daniel Riddle, PT, PhD, FAPTA, points out, "evidence for these screening procedures and the quality of these screening approaches is generally lacking in [the physical therapy] literature." Two case reports published in the March 2009 issue of PTJ describe patients who were successfully screened for medical problems and complications. In this discussion, William VanWye, PT, DPT, ACSM-RCEP, CSCS, author of "Patient Screening by a Physical Therapist for Nonmusculoskeletal Hip Pain," is joined by 2 noted experts on the topic of differential diagnosis and screening: William Boissonnault, PT, DHSc, FAAOMPT, and Catherine Goodman, PT, MBA, CBT. They discuss the role of the physical therapist in screening, the resources that physical therapists require for this aspect of patient management, and the gaps in the physical therapy literature.

Urinary incontinence is a public health problem with negative effects on quality of life. Given its high prevalence and its negative social consequences, finding effective methods for managing urinary incontinence is very important. Dr Dianne Borello-France, PT, PhD, lead author of "Continence and Quality-of-Life Outcomes 6 Months Following an Intensive Pelvic-Floor Muscle Exercise Program for Female Stress Urinary Incontinence" (December 2008) and Dr Kari Bø, PT, PhD, a leading expert in the field, join moderator Patricia Ohtake, PT, PhD, to discuss the management of urinary incontinence and the outcomes of Borello-France’s study.

This podcast highlights PTJ's Diabetes Special Issue (November 2008). Authors Lisa Stehno-Bittel, PT, PhD, David R Sinacore, PT, PhD, FAPTA, and Robin L Marcus, PT, PhD join Guest Editor Michael Mueller to discuss findings from their articles in the special issue. They talk about the roles of fat in people with diabetes, especially fat in muscle, and about how this fat appears to impair muscle function. Find out more about the effects that exercise can have both on fat and on fat-related impairments in physical function.

In part two of PTJ'S Election 2008 podcast discussion, Anthony Delitto, PT, PhD, FAPTA, Alan Jette, PT, PhD, FAPTA, Justin Moore, PT, DPT, APTA’s Director of Federal Government Affairs, and moderator Rebecca Craik, PT, PhD, FAPTA, PTJ's Editor in Chief, look beyond the 2008 election and discuss disability research needs in the United States.

In part one of PTJ's Election 2008 podcast discussion, Anthony Delitto, PT, PhD, FAPTA, Alan Jette, PT, PhD, FAPTA, Justin Moore, PT, DPT, APTA’s Director of Federal Government Affairs, and moderator Rebecca Craik, PT, PhD, FAPTA, PTJ's Editor in Chief, analyze the health care proposals of the two major presidential candidates: Senator Barack Obama and Senator John McCain. Part 2 of this podcast will address rehabilitation and disability research priorities and the implications of the two plans for those areas. Please note that this is an analysis not a debate. PTJ and the American Physical Therapy Association do not endorse, support, or take a position on the candidates for the presidency or on their health care platforms. This podcast discussion is intended to help listeners make an informed decision as they cast their ballots on November 4.

Listen to the 39th Mary McMillan Lecture delivered by Anthony Delitto, PT, PhD, FAPTA, at PT 2008 in Denver, Colorado.

Participants: Linda Resnik, PT, PhD, OOCS, Niteesh K Choudhry, MD, and Lisa Zuber, PT, PhD. Moderator: Daniel Riddle, PT, PhD, FAPTA, PTJ Deputy Editor. The participants discuss the article by Resnik and colleagues "Predictors of Physical Therapy Clinic Performance in the Treatment of Patients With Low Back Pain Syndromes" (2008;88:989-1004). This discussion focuses on the use of physical therapist assistants in the provision of care and the impact of clinical experience on care quality. The participants also discuss the role clinical experience in the larger picture of health care quality and health care policy.