Hands On Hands Off

High Benefit, Low Risk: What Research Really Says About Manual Therapy

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

The Trait Every Great PT Shares — with Dr. Gail Deyle

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

Transforming Sick-Care, One Patient at a Time

Dr. Tim Flynn joins the show for a powerful conversation about what it really takes to transform a broken healthcare system. A clinician, educator, and innovator, Tim has spent decades teaching around the world, challenging outdated models, and reminding clinicians that change starts with one encounter at a time. In this episode, we explore: • Why the U.S. operates a “sick-care” system — and how to shift away from it • What “Live health to sell it” means for providers and patients • The role of purpose-driven teaching in PT education • Disrupting entrenched systems without losing sight of patient connection • Lessons Tim learned early in his career teaching in the U.S. Army Baylor PT Program • How clinicians can create meaningful change at the individual and systemic levels Whether you’re a student, seasoned PT, or someone passionate about healthcare reform, this conversation will leave you thinking differently about your work, your patients, and your purpose. About Tim Flynn: Tim is a clinician, teacher, and international speaker who works with private clients, leads national and international workshops, and contributes to the Substack OwnMyHealth. His career reflects a lifelong commitment to service, critical thinking, and the healing power of human connection.

Practice Doesn’t Make Perfect: Motor Learning, Psychosocial Foundations & Teaching That Sticks — with Dr. Myra Meekins

Today on Hands On, Hands Off, host Moyo Tillery sits down with Dr. Myra Meekins—PT, educator, and curriculum designer—to rethink how we teach and learn OMPT. From “practice makes perfect” to practice with purpose, Myra connects classic motor-learning models to the OPTIMAL theory (expectancies, autonomy, external focus), and shows why you must address the psychosocial to change the psychomotor. We get concrete about designing sticky learning experiences for DPT students, residents, and fellows; building safe, high-expectation lab cultures; and using feedback, simulations, and competency-based education to translate knowledge to performance. Myra also shares her path from MTI fellowship and WashU’s Movement System Impairments work to leading curriculum development for a new DPT program and co-investigating a $1.6M grant bringing PT simulation into high schools. YOU’LL LEARN * Why clear expectations + psychological safety accelerates skill acquisition * How to scaffold from competence → refinement → mastery across DPT, residency, and fellowship * Practical ways to make learning “stick” for a class of 100 (and a class of 10) * Using low-stakes, frequent formative assessment to steer teaching in real time * Designing integrated, case-based curricula (and avoiding silo traps) * What competency-based education and entrustable professional activities (EPAs) look like in PT * Movement as the organizing principle: applying Movement System Impairments to guide exam & intervention * Why educators must adapt to the learner in front of them, not the one they used to be

Context as a Mechanism in Spinal Manipulation

What if context—patient beliefs, provider expectations, and the therapeutic relationship—drives a meaningful share of spinal manipulation outcomes? In this HANDS ON HANDS OFF episode, we break down a single-arm intervention study funded by the Paris Family Foundation via the Foundation for OMPT, why the current mechanisms model zeroes in on the “context zone,” and how to practically weave guidelines + shared decision-making into outpatient practice. Top takeaways * Outcomes vary—and context might be part of the mechanism * Study design links individual providers ↔ individual patients for cleaner signals * Implementation: use shared decision-making to operationalize guidelines * Career notes: pick mentors early, build long-term collaborators, include patient partners