"The Good Stuff," is an occasional series that highlights recent media coverage of physical therapy and APTA members, with an emphasis on good news and stories of how individual PTs and PTAs are transforming health care and society every day. Enjoy!
Oh baby! Josh Thorington PT, DPT, and his twin brother, Justin, have that whole twin vibe going on—right down to their wives giving birth on the same day in the same hospital. (Traverse City, Michigan, Record-Eagle)
That's a stretch: Zachary Long, PT, DPT, explains why certain stretching exercises can help people with ankylosing spondylitis. (everydayhealth.com)
Ready patient 1: Maureen Simmonds PT, PhD, is working with virtual reality in the treatment of back pain. (KSAT12 News, San Antonio, Texas)
The benefits of a mourning run: Rachel Tavel PT, DPT, shares how running has helped her face her grief over the loss of her father. (Self magazine)
Quotable: "Through aquatic physical therapy, I was able to get strong enough to regain my balance and coordination, and start walking without a walker." – Glastonbury, Connecticut, resident Christine Depierro-Gacek, in her remarks to the Glastonbury town council as the council debated the feasibility of a year-round aquatic center. (Hartford, Connecticut, Courant)
A PT gets a "Chasing Genius" grant: Asha Gummadi, PT, was awarded a grant from National Geographic to pursue development of an app to help patients understand their exercises—offered in multiple languages. (Forbes.com)
Illinois State University PT students do their part: The students, including Melissa Gifford, SPT, took part in a free health screenings program at the ISU health center. (Terre Haute, Indiana, Statesman)
Don't run away from good form: Michael Roberts PT, DPT, outlines how musculoskeletal imbalances in one area of a runner's body can create pain in another area. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
The road to better pain management: Jill Boorman, PT, explains the importance of physical therapy in pain management. (Charleston, South Carolina, Post and Courier)
Cloudy with a chance of injury: Karena Wu, PT, DPT, describes the physical challenges of running in heavy rain. (accuweather.com)
Dry needling basics: Gerad Donahue, PT, DPT, breaks down the fundamentals of how dry needling works. (WXPR-FM, Rhinelander, Wisconsin)
The play's the thing: Regina Harbourne PT, PhD, FAPTA, discusses the importance of play-based pediatric physical therapy. (WESA-FM, Pittsburgh)
Wherefore art thou, orthotics? Robert Gillanders, PT, DPT, provides guidance for runners considering orthotics. (aaptiv.com)
Opioid-free TKA: John Baker, PT, DScPT, is taking part in a protocol that has eliminated opioids in TKA recovery. (Frederick, Marlyand, News-Post)
Take a (bicycle) seat: Shane Page, PT, DPT, was named the winner of a development award that will help him make his "physiosaddle" bicycle seat a reality. (WHOTV 7 News, Dayton, Ohio)
Good pain or bad pain? Christopher Ricardo PT, DPT, offers tips on how to tell which post-workout pain is ok, and which isn't. (The Washington Post)
Care for the pelvic floor: Ingrid Harm-Ernandes, PT, helps her patient understand how best to treat her pelvic floor dysfunction. (Women'sHealth.com)
A pain in the neck: Andrew Lui, PT, provides tips on identifying and correcting poor posture that could lead to neck pain. (USA Today)
The problem with alternatives to opioids: Mark Bishop, PT, PhD, FAPTA, explains how prior authorization requirements can slow progress for patients seeking physical therapy as an alternative to opioids for pain management. (Tampa Bay Times)
The heart of firefighting: Donald Shaw PT, PhD, is part of a research team that recently completed a study analyzing firefighters' heart rates when responding to different types of calls. (Prescott, Arizona, Daily Courier)
Quotable: "Physical therapy is one of the best choices you can make in the treatment of chronic pain." - "Chronic Pain: Treat it With Mindfulness Meditation, Not Opioids," US News and World Report
Got some good stuff? Let us know. Send a link to troyelliott@apta.org.
