Dr. Moyo Tillery sits down with Dr. Ron Shank to explore the evolving relationship between Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy (OMPT) and Mechanical Diagnosis & Therapy (MDT). Drawing from decades of clinical practice, mentorship, and research, Ron reframes the debate — arguing that integration, not ideology, leads to better patient outcomes.

Together, they unpack directional preference, centralization, test–retest frameworks, patient empowerment, and the leadership principles that shape great clinicians. This is a must-listen for anyone navigating modern manual therapy practice.

Key Topics Covered:

• Directional preference vs centralization
• End-range testing as common ground
• Hands-on vs hands-off decision-making
• Patient self-efficacy and dependency
• Mentorship, leadership, and legacy in OMPT

Most physical therapists will treat TMJ pain. Almost none will ever encounter a full bilateral TMJ replacement—paired with mandibular advancement and upper palate expansion. When that rare case appeared, there was no rehab playbook… so this clinician built one.

What listeners will learn:

• How TMJ replacement compares (and doesn’t) to hip and knee replacements
• Why outcomes research exists—but rehab pathways don’t
• How to apply total joint principles to a jaw joint
• What to do when surgical restrictions limit “normal” movement
• The role of nutrition, SLPs, and interdisciplinary care
• How lived experience changes clinical decision-making

Why it matters:

This episode isn’t really about TMJ—it’s about how clinicians think when evidence is thin and responsibility is high.

Guest:

Katie Berry — sports & orthopedic clinician, adjunct professor, and OMPT fellow-in-training.

Cody Mansfield joins the show to unpack the real value of residency and fellowship training — and to share insights from his new Cardon Research Award–funded study examining outcomes in non-operative knee pain.

Cody serves as Director of the Ohio State OMPT Fellowship, research associate, physical therapist, associate editor for JOSPT Cases, and instructor in the OSU DPT program. His mixed-methods research evaluates whether post-professional training changes outcomes related to quality, service, and cost — and what patients themselves value about receiving care from fellowship-trained clinicians.

• Why this research matters for the future of OMPT

• Early insights from comparing trained vs. non-trained clinicians

• Patient perspectives on fellowship-trained PTs

• Residency vs. fellowship — how they actually differ

• Cody’s educational sessions on LE referral patterns and spinal decision-making

• His journey through a PhD while raising two young boys

Whether you’re a student, clinician, educator, or program director, this episode gives you a grounded look at what advanced training really does for patient care.

Hollis Bixby sits down with us to explore how gamification is reshaping PT education — from DPT programs to hybrid residencies to post-professional training.

Hollis has spent seven years as a sports physical therapist, is wrapping up her manual therapy fellowship through Regis University, and is beginning a new chapter as Assistant Professor at Campbell University. Through her work with Duke’s Orthopedic Hybrid Residency, she’s helping design gamified learning experiences that boost engagement, motivation, and clinical skill development.

• What gamification really is — and what it’s not

• How game elements improve learning and retention

• Strategies educators can implement tomorrow

• How fellowship and residency training benefit from playful design

• Why PT education needs to evolve for today’s learners

• Hollis’s journey from sports PT → educator → innovator

This episode is all about teaching smarter, not harder — and making learning fun again.

Rebekah Griffith joins the podcast to talk about what it means to be a newly minted AAOMPT Fellow working in one of the most unlikely settings — the Emergency Department.

She shares why OMPT-level manual therapy skills are not only relevant in the ED, but essential for rapid assessment, safe decision-making, and efficient patient care. Rebekah explains how fellowship training sharpened her clinical reasoning, helped her manage acute MSK presentations, and expanded her impact within emergency medicine teams.

• The PT’s role in the ED

• How manual therapy speeds clarity and improves outcomes

• Examples of OMPT reasoning in acute, high-stakes scenarios

• Why fellowship training matters outside outpatient ortho

• Reducing unnecessary imaging, opioids, and admissions

• Rebekah’s journey through AAOMPT Fellowship and into ED practice

Whether you’re a clinician, student, or educator, Rebekah’s perspective will reshape how you think about where — and how — manual therapy skills should be used.

Ken Olson joins the podcast to discuss his work on the IFOMPT/IOPTP taskforce on pediatric spinal manipulation and the ongoing clinical reasoning debate around specific vs. general manipulation.



Ken is a private practice clinician, educator, past-president of IFOMPT and AAOMPT, author of Manual Physical Therapy of the Spine, and recipient of the 2024 Distinguished Lecturer Award. His perspective blends evidence, global standards, and decades of practical experience.

• Why the pediatric manipulation taskforce was created

• The taskforce’s findings and new position statements

• Safety, indications, and advocacy for pediatric manual therapy

• The “specific vs. general” manipulation controversy

• The value and evidence for specificity in OMPT

• What great clinical reasoning looks like in manipulation decisions

This is a must-listen for OMPT clinicians, educators, and advocates shaping the profession’s next chapter.

Jason Silvernail joins the show to break down the essential communication and leadership skills clinicians need to thrive—and to protect themselves from burnout, conflict, and misalignment.

We explore the principles behind assertive communication, how to establish a confident presence, and what it means to communicate clearly without crossing into arrogance or dominance. Jason offers practical, real-world strategies for handling interruptions, navigating

tension, setting boundaries, and keeping conversations focused.

• Mindset and behaviors of assertive communicators

• Body language, tone, and leadership presence

• Techniques for clarity in difficult conversations

• Active listening and feedback as two-way communication

• Holding boundaries in professional interactions

• De-escalation strategies for disruption, interruptions, and conflict

This episode is for clinicians, mentors, educators, and leaders who want to show up with more confidence and communicate with purpose.

Pediatric manual therapy has been built on adult techniques — and that’s a problem.

Educator, clinician, and researcher Ginny Henderson joins us to expose the missing guidelines, the hidden dangers, and the new evidence-based techniques designed specifically for growing bodies.

We cover:

• Why kids’ bones are more vulnerable — and how to mobilize safely

• The biggest misconceptions clinicians bring from adult PT

• Combining joint mechanics with motor learning for better outcomes

• How chronic pain presents differently in children

• The powerful (and often overlooked) influence of parent beliefs

• When pain is nociceptive… and when it’s actually nociplastic

• How PTs can start making better decisions tomorrow with pediatric patients

This is one of those “I didn’t even know I needed this” conversations — and it might change how you treat kids forever.

Dr. Gail Deyle joins the show to discuss clinical reasoning, diagnostic skill, and the evidence supporting OMPT. A true clinician-scientist, Dr. Deyle has spent decades conducting clinical trials, mentoring fellowship-trained clinicians, and advocating for direct access and advanced evaluation skills in physical therapy.

In this episode we explore:

• Why PTs are essential contributors to global health

• Evidence showing OMPT’s high benefit and low risk

• The real impact of fellowship training on clinical outcomes

• Advanced interviewing and reasoning as core PT competencies

• The importance of diagnostic screening by PTs

• Direct access and why restrictions harm patients

Guest: Dr. Gail Deyle

Organization: Army Baylor Doctoral Fellowship

In this episode, Jimmy sits down with the legendary Dr. Gail Deyle — clinician-scientist, mentor, and one of the most cited researchers in orthopaedic manual physical therapy.

Dr. Deyle breaks down:

• The defining trait of clinicians who excel after fellowship
• What separates great mentors from good ones
• Real-world stories of PTs catching critical medical conditions
• The biggest mistake clinicians make in their early reasoning
• Why MSK health is a global opportunity for PTs
• How clinicians can start contributing to research
• The power of collaboration between clinicians and research faculty

A concise but insight-rich conversation with one of the most respected voices in the profession.

00:00 – Intro: Why Dr. Gail Deyle is a PT legend  

00:36 – Welcoming Gail + Reno conference gambling banter  

01:15 – What trait predicts fellowship success?  

02:36 – Seeing former mentees grow into experts  

03:24 – What makes a great mentor?  

04:43 – PTs as frontline diagnosticians  

06:48 – Real examples: PTs catching serious conditions  

08:22 – The biggest unlock in advanced clinical reasoning  

10:04 – Making implicit reasoning explicit  

11:35 – Communication, feedback & the mentor/mentee relationship  

12:00 – PTs as an untapped force in global MSK health  

13:10 – Red light / green light: habits to stop and start  

14:55 – Dr. Deyle named in the top 2% of cited researchers  

15:28 – Why clinicians should participate in research  

15:48 – Closing