The shoulder is one of the most complex joints in the body, involving the glenohumeral, acromioclavicular, and sternoclavicular joints. This guide covers the major orthopedic special tests used to assess shoulder pathology, organized by the structure or condition being tested. Impingement These tests screen for subacromial impingement — compression of the rotator cuff tendons and
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The rotator cuff is involved in a wide range of shoulder presentations, from tendinopathy and bursitis to partial and full-thickness tears. Conservative management is first-line for most of these. This post covers what the evidence supports when structuring rotator cuff rehab: the exercise principles that hold up, realistic recovery timelines, and the signs that surgical
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Summer sports injuries follow a predictable pattern. Activity volume rises, rest drops, and the body doesn’t always keep up. Ankle sprains, knee pain, and shoulder injuries are the most common presentations from June through August. Most are manageable with the right approach. A few need more attention than they get. Ankle Sprains Lateral ankle sprains
Summer Sports Injuries: What They Are and When to See a PT Read More »
Struggling to remember which tests to run mid-rotation? This printable PDF cheat sheet covers key orthopedic special tests organized by body region — shoulder, knee, hip, and more. Instant download. WHAT’S INCLUDED──────────────6 regions, 33 tests: Each entry includes: what it tests, technique summary, positive sign, sensitivity, and specificity. *FADIR has poor specificity — footnoted on
Physical Therapy Special Tests Cheat Sheet | Orthopedic Assessment PDF Read More »
23 common orthopedic diagnoses across 5 body regions, plus 7 red flag categories — organized for fast lookup during clinical rotations. Know what you’re likely seeing and what you can’t miss. WHAT’S INCLUDED──────────────5 regions, 23 diagnoses: Each entry includes: typical presentation, key clinical findings, and PT considerations. Red Flag categories (7): fracture, malignancy, spinal infection,
Physical Therapy Ortho Diagnoses Cheat Sheet | Common Conditions Red Flags PDF Read More »
This essay is by Jim Meadows, BScPT, MCPA, FCAMPT. It is the first in a series on clinical reasoning in physical therapy. Most clinical training teaches you to gather as much information as possible before committing to a diagnosis. Comprehensive history, thorough objective assessment, rule out everything — then decide. This approach makes sense on
Script Focused Deduction: Reasoning Like an Expert Clinician Read More »
The Empty Can test is one of the first shoulder special tests you learn. The technique is straightforward: arm at 90° in the scapular plane, thumb down, resist downward pressure. Pain or weakness equals positive. Simple enough. But that interpretation is where most clinicians, students and experienced alike, leave something important on the table. Two
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Dr. Bahram Jam, DScPT, MPhty, BScPT, CredMDT Physiotherapist and Clinical Educator | Founder, Advanced Physical Therapy Education Institute Dr. Bahram Jam is a physiotherapist, researcher, and clinical educator with over 30 years of experience in orthopaedic and musculoskeletal physical therapy. He is the founder and director of the Advanced Physical Therapy Education Institute (APTEI) in
Outcome measures are standardized tools that help physical therapists track patient progress, justify treatment decisions, and communicate results clearly. In orthopaedic PT especially, choosing the right measure — and knowing what a meaningful change looks like — is a core clinical skill. This guide covers the most commonly used outcome measures in ortho PT, organized
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Physical therapy school throws a lot of information at you fast. Mnemonics are one of the few shortcuts that actually hold up in clinical practice, not just on exams. This guide covers the most useful PT mnemonics organized by topic. If you’re studying for the NPTE or trying to lock in clinical anatomy, start here.
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