**FAKTR Podcast 105 – Part 1 Recap: Navigating the Real World of Healthcare Practice**
Welcome to the first installment of our three-part recap on FAKTR Podcast episode 105, where Dr. Tim Bertelsman and Dr. Brandon Steele take listeners on an evidence-based journey through clinical pearls, business strategy, and the latest developments in manual therapy. Whether you're a fresh grad or scaling your practice, this series will break down the research and practical takeaways you can implement right away.
**Setting the Stage: What the FAKTR Podcast Delivers**
Dr. Tim Bertelsman opens the episode by highlighting the podcast’s core philosophy: to reveal what school never taught you about thriving in healthcare. This includes ways to refine clinical skills, grow your practice, and avoid burnout. The show promises a blend of clinical efficacy, business strategies, and the mindset shifts critical to sustaining a fulfilling career.
**Key Topics in Part 1**
1. **Annual Evidence Review and Translation to Practice**
- The FAKTR team, as part of their commitment to staying on the cutting edge, dives into recent research to bring back actionable insights. This year, notable mentions include conditions like main syndrome and cluneal neuropathy, updates on rotator cuff management, stroke risk associated with manipulation, and the increasingly popular field of neurodynamics.
2. **Manipulation and Stroke – Sorting Fact from Fiction**
- The cervical manipulation and stroke debate has been at the forefront for years. Dr. Bertelsman reviews landmark studies to clarify concerns:
- Multiple large-scale studies show *no causative* link between chiropractic manipulation and stroke.
- For example, data from over a hundred million patient-years found the incidence of stroke after a chiropractic visit was no higher than after visiting a primary care provider.
- Newer research supports that the force exerted during cervical manipulation is less than daily head movements.
- The persistent myth is fueled by case reports lacking rigorous methodology. The reality: Many patients already exhibit subtle, pre-stroke symptoms (headache, neck pain, dizziness) that prompt them to seek medical care, and their stroke was already underway, independent of the intervention performed.
3. **The Power of Multimodal Care**
- Manipulation works well, but outcomes are even better when you add:
- Targeted exercises
- Activity advice (ADLs)
- Nerve mobilization techniques (nerve flossing)
- The podcast underscores that integrating evidence-based adjuncts into care amplifies results, especially for conditions traditionally thought of as either musculoskeletal or neurological.
**Key Takeaways from Part 1**
- **Be Skeptical of Scare Tactics:** Rely on systematic reviews and meta-analyses, not sensational case studies. Manipulation, when performed responsibly, is supported by an overwhelming body of evidence as safe and effective.
- **Patients Present in Process, Not Cause:** Many “adverse events” were already in progress before a manual therapist ever got involved.
- **Layer Your Treatment:** Combining hands-on care with exercise and education is a recipe for success.
- **Nerve Flossing is Essential:** Incorporate neural mobilization early, not just for neurological symptoms but also for stubborn musculoskeletal complaints.
**Final Thoughts**
The evidence is clear that clinicians need to sharpen their ability to spot true red flags, avoid knee-jerk responses to outdated myths, and adopt a multifaceted approach to care. Next up, we’ll dive deeper into the what, why, and how of neurodynamics—including simple, practical neurodynamic tests you can start using tomorrow.
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**FAKTR Podcast 105 – Part 2 Recap: Neurodynamics and Peripheral Neuropathies Unpacked**
In Part 2 of our FAKTR Podcast 105 recap, we drill down into one of the episode’s core topics: neurodynamics and the role of nerve mobilization. Dr. Bertelsman and Dr. Steele expertly blend research summaries with clinical pearls, offering both rationale and real-world tactics for optimizing nerve health.
**Key Topics in Part 2**
1. **Nerve Mobilization — The Research Rundown**
- Recent years have brought a boom in high-quality studies examining nerve flossing and gliding.
- For conditions like rotator cuff injuries, tennis elbow, and carpal tunnel syndrome:
- **Nerve mobilization improves** cross-sectional area, nerve conduction velocity (NCV), EMG findings, and clinical pain scores.
- Rotator cuff patients saw meaningful improvements in pain with simple mobilizations—on par with surgical outcomes in some studies!
- Carpal tunnel studies increasingly show neurodynamics can outperform exercise alone.
2. **Neuromusculoskeletal Connection**
- An “aha moment” from the episode: Many musculoskeletal pains have a significant neural component.
- Nerve entrapments aren’t just “nerve problems”—muscle and connective tissue issues can sensitize nerves, and vice versa.
- Don’t restrict neural interventions to obvious neuropathies. Lateral or medial elbow pain? Wrist issues? Nerve flossing is likely beneficial.
3. **How Nerves Move—From Beef Jerky to Bungee Cords**
- Nerves, often visualized in the anatomy lab as stiff bundles, must slide and glide like bungee cords.
- The team demonstrates (including via ultrasound) how a healthy nerve moves with limb activities, and explains what happens when they’re swollen, tethered, or restricted.
- Key metaphor: If a nerve is stuck, it stretches more at the entrapment site (think bungee cord with a foot standing on it), leading to local ischemia, inflammation, and clinical symptoms.
4. **Clinical Implications**
- Stiff local joints (cervical, thoracic, lumbar) don’t just pinch roots—they alter the *dynamics* of neural tissues, contributing to pain distribution patterns.
- Up to 75% of hip pain and 50% of shoulder pain can originate from an asymptomatic spine—treat the nerve, not just the symptomatic joint!
- Neurodynamic tests like straight leg raise for lower limb or upper limb tension tests help pinpoint nerve involvement. Self-tests for median, ulnar, and radial nerves give patients an active role.
**Key Takeaways from Part 2**
- **Integrate Nerve Testing Routinely:** Don’t treat extremity pain without screening for neural involvement—simple neurodynamic tests can quickly reveal hidden contributors.
- **Reconceptualize Pain:** Just because your diagnosis is “muscular” or “tendinous” doesn’t mean the nerve isn’t involved.
- **Empower with Self-care:** Teach patients self-tests and simple mobilization drills for home use. This increases engagement and outcomes.
- **Prioritize Mobility:** Pathologic tension and ischemia happen when nerves can’t glide—restoring that mobility is a game-changer.
**Looking Ahead**
Next, we’ll explore the practical clinical assessment and treatment strategies for hidden causes of back pain, such as cluneal neuropathy (main syndrome), and how to recognize and treat these all-too-common but underdiagnosed conditions.
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**FAKTR Podcast 105 – Part 3 Recap: Main Syndrome, Cluneal Neuropathy, and Practical Applications**
In our final installment recapping FAKTR Podcast 105, we shift from theory to practical application, focusing on often-overlooked nerve conditions. Dr. Bertelsman and Dr. Steele zero in on main syndrome (cluneal neuropathy) and share clinical tests and treatments you can use straight away.
**Key Topics in Part 3**
1. **Main Syndrome and Cluneal Neuropathy — The Hidden Back Pain Culprit**
- A shocking 14% of lower back pain patients may have cluneal nerve entrapment; some studies suggest up to a third!
- Main syndrome is essentially a “mini sciatica” of the thoracolumbar junction, where dorsal rami get trapped in the thoracolumbar fascia and cause intense localized or radiating pain.
- Key symptoms: pain at or near the iliac crest, upper buttock, and sometimes radiation to the groin. Can mimic or co-exist with other lumbar pathologies.
2. **Assessing for Cluneal Neuropathy**
- *The “Poke on It” Test:* Percuss or palpate 3–9cm lateral to the PSIS along the iliac crest. Reproduced pain is a positive sign.
- *Provocative Maneuvers:* The “Sphinx Test” (extension at the thoracolumbar junction), Kemp’s test, and posteroanterior shear can elicit discomfort if nerves are involved.
- *Skin Rolling:* Pinching and rolling the skin over the iliac crest can identify hypersensitivity. If it hurts, think nerve, not just disc!
3. **Treatment Strategies**
- *In-Office Mobilization:* Hands-on nerve release—support the thoracolumbar junction and gently mobilize tissues over the PSIS.
- *Home Nerve Flossing:* Patients can self-mobilize by combining trunk flexion with hip abduction/flexion, pulling on the nerve from above or below, but must be careful to avoid aggravating symptoms. The motto: “Touch the pain, then back off.”
- *Clear Communication is Key:* Always explain what you’re doing (“skin rolling” can be surprising) and educate patients on red flags versus expected symptoms.
4. **Actionable Resources**
- The FAKTR team provides infographics, video demonstrations, and access to specialty classes for those looking to go from theory to mastery.
- Emphasis is placed on the value of structured learning and continued skill development in these modern assessment and treatment methods.
**Key Takeaways from Part 3**
- **Look for Cluneal Neuropathy in Stubborn Low Back Pain:** If standard care isn’t working, check the iliac crest for nerve involvement.
- **Simple Tests, Big Insights:** The “poke on it” test and skin rolling can rapidly differentiate nerve-driven pain from other sources.
- **Teach and Empower:** Patients benefit from easy at-home techniques, but always reinforce the principle of “less is more” to avoid flare-ups.
- **Stay Curious and Keep Learning:** The rapid evolution in the understanding of neural mechanisms means ongoing education is crucial—FAKTR resources can help you stay ahead.
**Final Word**
With these three recaps, you have an actionable blueprint for better managing nerve-related pain, busting outdated myths, and enriching your clinical toolkit. For hands-on demonstrations, in-depth courses, and all the supplemental materials, don’t forget to visit FAKTR’s website and follow their upcoming events!
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