Over the last few years, podcasts have made a huge impact on the physical therapy profession. From hosts waxing philosophical about issues in health care to fellow therapists providing useful clinical tips and information about managing debt, it seems there’s a podcast on just about every relevant topic out there.
When we published the original version of this article, there weren’t many podcasts specifically created by physical therapists for physical therapists. But plenty have emerged in the last few years, so we thought it was time to tune up this post!
Because there are so many more options now, it was difficult for us to pick our top ten. We tried to select ones that are relevant to a broad audience of listeners. But, we also curated several lists of category-specific podcasts, which you’ll find at the end of this post.
Without further ado, and in no particular order, here are the top 10 podcasts for physical therapists in 2021:
1. Healthy Wealthy & Smart
This podcast has been around for a while, and it continues to be one of the best options for pretty much any physical therapist out there. With over 300 episodes, hosts Karen Litzy PT, DPT, Jenna Kantor, PT, DPT, and Shannon Sepulveda, DPT, M.Ed., CSCS, WCS, cover a wide range of topics relevant to physical therapy practice, wellness, and entrepreneurship. Whether you’re clinical or non-clinical—and whatever setting you’re in—this one is worth a listen. It fulfills its mission of helping therapists listen, learn, and live their best lives!
2. Pain Reframed Podcast
Hosted by Tim Flynn, PT, DPT, and Jeff Moore, PT, DPT, Pain Reframed Podcast covers the extremely relevant topic of pain management and how we, as healthcare professionals, can minimize patient suffering. Airing every Thursday, this podcast is sponsored by International Spine and Pain Institute and Evidence in Motion. Whether or not you’re in clinical practice, this information is highly relevant.
3. Evidence in Motion
In addition to the Pain Reframed podcast, Evidence in motion offers these two outstanding podcast series for physical therapists:
- Practice Leadership: This show is a must-listen for clinical leaders. Host Dr. Larry Benz, DPT, OCS, MBA, MAPP, the President and CEO of Confluent Health, brings a wealth of leadership experience and covers topics ranging from clinical outcomes to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Clinical Podcast: If you’re looking for a show that gets into the weeds on patient treatment topics, look no further than EIM’s clinical podcast, which covers everything from new research to clinical applications.
4. Move Forward
One of the longest-running PT podcasts out there, Move Forward—produced by the APTA—offers interviews with PTs and other healthcare experts who provide tips on the treatment and prevention of injury and disease, along with commentary on general news and other noteworthy topics. Its wide scope of coverage makes it an excellent pick for new grads and generalists alike, as well as those interested in following the APTA’s advocacy efforts.
5. PT Pintcast
Hosted by former radio DJ and non-clinical PT Jimmy McKay, PT, DPT, PT Pintcast blends the talents of an experienced radio personality with those of a physical therapist. McKay works in a non-clinical physical therapy role, and his wide breadth of experience shows in his choice of content, which includes everything from discussions on the PT license compact and its effects on travel therapy, to interviews with prominent PT entrepreneurs. The tone is generally pretty light—perfect for listening with your colleagues during happy hour!
6. Physical Therapy Private Practice: Secrets of the Top 10%
With more than 27 years in the physical therapy profession, host Brian J. Gallagher, PT, Founder and President of MEG Business Management, delivers practical advice for private practice clinic owners and leaders. The best part about this podcast is that Gallagher’s advice is actionable no matter what stage of growth your clinic is in.
7. PT Inquest Podcast
PT Inquest is the best mixture of quality content and quality entertainment. Co-hosts Erik Meira, PT, DPT, and J.W. Matheson, PT, DPT, MS, deliver meaningful discussion with a side of light-hearted humor. We especially love the fact that Meira and Matheson discuss topics beyond research and clinical applications and explore current events through the PT lens.
8. The Level Up Podcast
The Level Up Podcast—brought to you by The Level Up Initiative—seeks to “equip students and new grads with the mindset and skills necessary to become a part of the solution in healthcare.” Each episode features a different guest who offers up their own experience as a practicing physical therapist and inspires new PTs to create an even better future for the profession.
9. Physio Edge Podcast
Feeling uninspired? This program is a surefire way to fix that. Host David Pope, PT, dives into a wide range of clinical topics—from perplexing cases to manual therapy techniques—and provides plenty of food for thought. This show is especially useful for PTs specializing in sports medicine, as a significant portion of his content revolves around treating both common and not-so-common sports-related injuries.
10. The [P]Rehab Audio Experience
You’ve probably already heard of the [P]Rehab Guys, but did you know that they also have a podcast? A rotating cast of hosts sit down with industry leaders to discuss new research and clinical techniques in a way that’s both entertaining and thought-provoking. We especially love this show because of its accessibility for non-clinicians. This makes it a great one to recommend to patients who are eager for more education on injury prevention and treatment.
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Honorable Mentions:
As noted in the intro, narrowing this list down to ten was no easy feat, and there are plenty of other PT podcasts out there that are very much worth the listen! Here they are, sorted by topic:
Education and Burnout Prevention
Burnt Out to Lit Up Podcast
Healthcare Education Transformation Podcast
Students and New Grads
The #Ask Mike Reinold Show
The NAF Physio Podcast
Cash-Based PT
The Cash-Based Practice Podcast
The Physical Therapy Business School Podcast
Business
Sports and Performance
The British Journal of Sports Medicine Podcast
The Physio Matters Podcast
Redefining Yoga
Clinical Knowledge
Clinical Athlete
Concussion Corner
PTonIce
The Working Therapist
Tough to Treat
Evidence and Pain Science
Pain Science & Sensibility Podcast
Industry Trends and News
What do you think? Did we get the main players? Make an egregious omission? Let us know in the comments below!
