Untold Physio Stories

"Don't Assess Yourself."Gray Cook told me that years ago during an SFMA course, but apparently, I needed a painful reminder.I’ve been dealing with this nagging, chronic left-sided low back pain for a while now. Being the "Modern Manual Therapy" guy, I threw the absolute kitchen sink at it:Dry Needling 📍Shockwave Therapy ⚡Specific loading & trunk rotation 🏋️‍♂️General tissue work 💆‍♂️Everything gave me transient relief—maybe a 1 to 4 out of 10 improvement—but nothing stuck.Finally, I decided to stop overcomplicating it. I went back to basics. I checked my Repeated Extension in Standing (REIS).The result?It was stiff. It was blocked. It was painful.But after 10-15 reps? The pain melted away.I was so busy looking for the "fancy" fix that I missed the huge sagittal plane block right in front of me.In this episode of Untold Physio Stories, Dr. Sean Wells and I break down why physical therapists make the worst patients. Sean shares his own recent battle with acute back pain where he had to put his ego aside, get on oral steroids, and let a colleague dry needle him to break the cycle.The Takeaway:Pain is an emotional and sensory experience. You cannot be objective about your own body. Whether you are a new grad or have been practicing for 20 years—get an outside set of eyes.Untold Physio Stories is sponsored by⁠Comprehend PT⁠- Leave Comprehend PT running in the background or record audio when you have time. The AI based SOAP note generator does the rest! No need for accuracy or exact wording! It's a game changer and will give you more time with your patients! Use code MMT50 to save 50% off your first month. Free trial available at sign up!⁠⁠The Eclectic Approach Network⁠⁠ - Check out Dr. E's all new private, non tracking and ad free network for rehab pros! It's free to join, has chat, feed, and all the features of other social networks without the creeping tracking.Check out ⁠⁠EDGE Mobility System⁠⁠'s Best Sellers - Something for every PT, OT, DC, MT, ATC or Fitness Minded Individual https://edgemobilitysystem.com

We've been seeing lots of videos and promotion on MSKUS training for PTs.We all love new toys. And let’s be honest, showing a patient their supraspinatus in real-time looks cool. It builds buy-in. It feels high-tech.But does it change what you do Monday morning?Does seeing the calcification actually change your loading protocol? Does the image change the fact that you need to treat the person in front of you, not just the tissue?In this week's episode of Untold Physio Stories, we’re breaking down the ROI of Musculoskeletal Ultrasound.We discuss:The steep learning curve (it’s harder than it looks).Diagnostic accuracy vs. Clinical utility.When it’s a "Game Changer" and when it’s just a "Nice to Have."If you've thought about or gone through the training leave a comment or reach out! We'd love to hear from you!Untold Physio Stories is sponsored by⁠Comprehend PT⁠- Leave Comprehend PT running in the background or record audio when you have time. The AI based SOAP note generator does the rest! No need for accuracy or exact wording! It's a game changer and will give you more time with your patients! Use code MMT50 to save 50% off your first month. Free trial available at sign up!⁠⁠The Eclectic Approach Network⁠⁠ - Check out Dr. E's all new private, non tracking and ad free network for rehab pros! It's free to join, has chat, feed, and all the features of other social networks without the creeping tracking.Check out ⁠⁠EDGE Mobility System⁠⁠'s Best Sellers - Something for every PT, OT, DC, MT, ATC or Fitness Minded Individual https://edgemobilitysystem.com

Why is "conservative care" treated like the alternative, while surgery is the default setting? 🛑In this episode of Untold Physio Stories, Dr. Wells shares a case of a patient that highlights exactly what is broken in our healthcare system.The patient reached out with a simple, heartbreaking question: "Am I getting the right care?"Here is the patient's timeline before ever talking to a PT:The Scan: Went in for low back pain, immediately received a scan.The First Surgery: Based on the image (not the function), they operated. It failed.The Second Surgery: The surgeon’s solution to the failed surgery? Cut again.The patient eventually made his way to Dr. Wells, but asked him, what do you think of the recommendations I've been given so far?Untold Physio Stories is sponsored by⁠Comprehend PT⁠- Leave Comprehend PT running in the background or record audio when you have time. The AI based SOAP note generator does the rest! No need for accuracy or exact wording! It's a game changer and will give you more time with your patients! Use code MMT50 to save 50% off your first month. Free trial available at sign up!⁠⁠The Eclectic Approach Network⁠⁠ - Check out Dr. E's all new private, non tracking and ad free network for rehab pros! It's free to join, has chat, feed, and all the features of other social networks without the creeping tracking.Check out ⁠⁠EDGE Mobility System⁠⁠'s Best Sellers - Something for every PT, OT, DC, MT, ATC or Fitness Minded Individual https://edgemobilitysystem.com

Dr. E here with another asynchronous episode of Untold Physio Stories, featuring the great Dr. Wells!We're diving deep into the trenches of chronic elbow tendinopathies, specifically lateral epicondylalgia, and the surprising speed of response in a couple of recent patient cases.What We Cover in This Episode:The Power of Length and Load: We revisit the concept of using isometric contractions in a lengthened position (70-80% MVC) for superior tendon loading, inspired by Dr Michaud's excellent tendinopathy article.Dr. E shares a recent article on LinkedIn by Dr. Malliaras showing that this position creates significantly higher tensile force in the tendon compared to concentric/eccentric exercises, making it ideal for remodeling and managing inflammation.Case 1: The WFH Warrior (Lateral Epicondylalgia): A work-from-home patient with bilateral elbow pain from excessive arm raises found complete symptom resolution in just two weeks using the lengthened isometric contraction technique (wrist flexion, pronation, resisting extension). We discuss why this response was so much faster than typically expected for tendinopathy. Was it pain modulation, a true strength issue, or something else?Case 2: The Chronic Tennis Coach: A long-term case of lateral epicondylalgia that didn't respond to the initial lengthened isometric program or even repeated cervical retractions. We explore the eventual success with a Mulligan Mobilization with Movement (MWM) technique (lateral ulnar glide with gripping/wrist extension), highlighting the sometimes-necessary shift from exercise to pain-modulating manual therapy before resuming loading.The Big Question: Dr. Wells and Dr. E debate the varying patient responses, the balance between mid-range vs. lengthened loading, and why these tendinopathy cases can be so unpredictable. Dr. Wells also shares a cautionary tale about an athlete who didn't respond to conservative care, ultimately revealing a significant tear.🔑 Key Takeaways for Rehab Pros:Don't underestimate the loading capacity of isometrics in a lengthened position for tendinopathy—it's backed by science to create high tensile force!Always rule out or treat the cervical and thoracic spine, but recognize when a tendon needs direct, aggressive loading or a different form of pain modulation (like the Mulligan MWM).Be ready for the "Mulligan Miracle" and keep those MWMs in your toolbox for instant pain relief that allows for better, deeper loading later.The path to resolution is rarely linear—different athletes and presentations require different starting points.Listen to the full episode on your favorite podcast platform and let us know your experiences with lengthened isometrics and Mulligan MWMs for those tricky elbow cases!Untold Physio Stories is sponsored by⁠Comprehend PT⁠- Leave Comprehend PT running in the background or record audio when you have time. The AI based SOAP note generator does the rest! No need for accuracy or exact wording! It's a game changer and will give you more time with your patients! Use code MMT50 to save 50% off your first month. Free trial available at sign up!⁠⁠The Eclectic Approach Network⁠⁠ - Check out Dr. E's all new private, non tracking and ad free network for rehab pros! It's free to join, has chat, feed, and all the features of other social networks without the creeping tracking.Check out ⁠⁠EDGE Mobility System⁠⁠'s Best Sellers - Something for every PT, OT, DC, MT, ATC or Fitness Minded Individual https://edgemobilitysystem.com

Is your e-stim unit just gathering dust? 🤔 Or are you still just using it as a passive modality?What if you could turn e-stim into a powerful active treatment to get even better outcomes?On the latest Untold Physio Stories podcast, I had an awesome chat with Dr. Sean Wells.We break down exactly how to stop just placing pads and start driving activation. ⚡️Untold Physio Stories is sponsored by⁠Comprehend PT⁠- Leave Comprehend PT running in the background or record audio when you have time. The AI based SOAP note generator does the rest! No need for accuracy or exact wording! It's a game changer and will give you more time with your patients! Use code MMT50 to save 50% off your first month. Free trial available at sign up!⁠⁠The Eclectic Approach Network⁠⁠ - Check out Dr. E's all new private, non tracking and ad free network for rehab pros! It's free to join, has chat, feed, and all the features of other social networks without the creeping tracking.Check out ⁠⁠EDGE Mobility System⁠⁠'s Best Sellers - Something for every PT, OT, DC, MT, ATC or Fitness Minded Individual https://edgemobilitysystem.com

Dr Wells and Dr E talk about feet, toes, cases, exercises and more. Specifically we coverzero drop shoes, should everyone be in them?toe spacersThe Toe Pro Exercise deviceand more! Let us know what you think and if you have any questions/comments.

In this episode, Dr. E is joined by Dr. Chance Unger. Chance discovered his passion for running in college and found as a DPT, he had a unique ability to help those that needed to keep their passion going. You can find Chance's amazing resource on running here or go to his websiteUntold Physio Stories is sponsored by⁠Comprehend PT⁠- Leave Comprehend PT running in the background or record audio when you have time. The AI based SOAP note generator does the rest! No need for accuracy or exact wording! It's a game changer and will give you more time with your patients! Use code MMT50 to save 50% off your first month. Free trial available at sign up!⁠⁠The Eclectic Approach Network⁠⁠ - Check out Dr. E's all new private, non tracking and ad free network for rehab pros! It's free to join, has chat, feed, and all the features of other social networks without the creeping tracking.Check out ⁠⁠EDGE Mobility System⁠⁠'s Best Sellers - Something for every PT, OT, DC, MT, ATC or Fitness Minded Individual https://edgemobilitysystem.com

In this episode, Dr. E and Dr. Wells talk about some recent research on walking volume and how it affects chronic low back pain. Volume, intensity, and the sweet spot are discussed. Let us know what you think in the comments.Untold Physio Stories is sponsored by⁠Comprehend PT⁠- Leave Comprehend PT running in the background or record audio when you have time. The AI based SOAP note generator does the rest! No need for accuracy or exact wording! It's a game changer and will give you more time with your patients! Use code MMT50 to save 50% off your first month. Free trial available at sign up!⁠⁠The Eclectic Approach Network⁠⁠ - Check out Dr. E's all new private, non tracking and ad free network for rehab pros! It's free to join, has chat, feed, and all the features of other social networks without the creeping tracking.Check out ⁠⁠EDGE Mobility System⁠⁠'s Best Sellers - Something for every PT, OT, DC, MT, ATC or Fitness Minded Individual https://edgemobilitysystem.com