OCS Field Guide: A PT Podcast
Episodes
Fracture Screening Practice Questions
18 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
As a follow-up to our last episode, today we look at a few sample cases and practice questions related to fracture screening.Support the showUse code ...
Fracture Screening: Neck, Knee, Foot, and Ankle
05 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We're back after a busy break to review everyone's favorite fracture rules from the Great White North: the Canadian Cervical Spine Rules, Ot...
Hip Osteoarthritis CPG (2017 Update)
02 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Austin summarizes the latest hip osteoarthritis CPG, highlights some of the changes from the previous version, and explains one of the more surprising...
Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome
12 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We're back from hiatus to discuss diagnosis and treatment of greater trochanteric pain syndrome. Hint: it's probably not bursitis.Articles r...
Lateral Ankle Sprains CPG: Interventions
25 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today we wrap up the 2021 Lateral Ankle Sprains CPG by covering the interventions section.Support the showUse code FIELDGUIDE for $101 or more off a M...
Lateral Ankle Sprains CPG: Course, Diagnosis, and Exam
10 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today Austin takes us through the 2021 update of the lateral ankle sprain CPG, also called the "Ankle Stability and Movement Coordination Impairm...
Midportion Achilles Tendinopathy Treatment
27 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today we wrap up the mid portion Achilles tendinopathy CPG, but we also take things one step further by summarizing a 2015 article by Karin Silbernage...
Midportion Achilles Tendinopathy CPG: Pathology, Epidemiology, and Diagnosis
08 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We have a ton of information on midportion Achilles tendinopathy, which means it is likely to be an ankle/foot diagnosis that shows up quite a bit on ...
Plantar Heel Pain CPG
12 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today we transition to the foot and ankle with a review of the 2014 plantar heel pain CPG. Since this CPG is showing its age a little, Austin augments...
Low Back Pain CPG (2021 Update)
24 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We're back! This is the first time we have had to revisit a topic due to a CPG update, and the relationship between the 2012 and 2021 LBP CPG is ...
SLAP Lesions and AC Sprains
14 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today Austin takes us through types of SLAP lesions and AC sprains with a special focus on relevant anatomy, classifications, and testing.Support the ...
Shoulder Instability and Dislocations
02 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We're back with another shoulder diagnosis: instability and dislocations. You should definitely be able to recognize complications and know what ...
Calcific Tendonitis and Parsonage-Turner Syndrome
05 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
There are a few uncommon shoulder conditions that might mimic more typical orthopedic conditions and could trip you up on the exam. Even though you ma...
Rotator Cuff-Related Pain: Impingement and Tears
29 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Now that Austin has covered a framework for classifying and treating shoulder pain, today we'll take a closer look at what is classically known a...
STAR Shoulder Pain Classification System
13 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
There's currently a hot debate going on about how we should categorize, diagnose, and treat shoulder pain. Classic diagnoses like impingement hav...
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
15 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We've got a messy diagnosis this week: thoracic outlet syndrome. David breaks the diagnosis down by anatomy and compressed structure to help make...
Adhesive Capsulitis CPG: Examination and Treatment
25 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today we finish up the adhesive capsulitis CPG by covering examination and treatment.Support the showUse code FIELDGUIDE for $101 or more off a Medbri...
Adhesive Capsulitis CPG: Clinical Course and Differential Diagnosis
18 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Since adhesive capsulitis is the only shoulder diagnosis for which we currently have a CPG, it's worth spending two episodes to cover this in a b...
Knee OA Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment
22 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Since there are not yet any PT CPGs for knee OA, we pull together information from textbooks, articles, and two physician CPGs to cover what does and ...
Patellar Tendinopathy and Other Knee Conditions
31 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today Austin covers a host of knee conditions, including jumper's knee, clergyman's knee, carpenter's knee, and just about any other pr...
Total Knee Arthroplasty CPG
09 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We're back with a new episode covering the APTA's 2020 TKA CPG and with a new MedBridge promo code! Use code FIELDGUIDE for a discount on an...
Patellofemoral Pain CPG
24 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The CPG on patellofemoral pain is both long and dense, so Austin takes us through an information-packed episode with a very helpful practice question ...
Knee Articular Cartilage Lesions CPG
16 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We finish the Knee Pain and Mobility Impairments: Meniscal and Articular Cartilage Lesions CPG (2018 revision) with this episode focused on articular ...
Meniscal Lesions CPG
07 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today we cover the meniscus portion of the CPG also known as the Knee Pain and Mobility Impairments: Meniscal and Cartilage Lesions Revision 2018. Add...
ACL Injury Prevention CPG, Copers, and Non-Copers
24 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
ACL injuries are one of the most studied orthopedic injuries, and we just couldn't get everything we'd like to say about them into the knee ...
Knee Ligament Sprain CPG Overview
19 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Austin covers the highlights of the 2017 Knee Ligament Sprain CPG, including diagnosis, outcomes, and treatments. He also covers the ...
Types of Arthritis
08 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The variety of rheumatoid disorders can be daunting, and pulling information together to tell them apart is challenging. In this episode, David covers...
Headaches: Cervicogenic, Tension-Type, Migraines, and Cluster
31 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Headaches can be tricky to diagnose and treat. In the headache section of the neck pain CPG, the authors recommend consulting two additional resources...
Neck Pain with Movement Coordination Impairments and Radiating Pain
22 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This information-packed episode finishes the 2017 neck pain CPG by covering diagnosis and treatment of neck pain with movement coordination impairment...
Neck Pain with Mobility Deficits and Headaches
15 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
After providing an overview of the cervical spine treatment-based classification from 2004 and how it fits into the 2017 neck pain CPG, Dr. Austin Ker...
Neck Pain CPG: Red Flags, Imaging, and Outcome Measures
06 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The neck pain CPG expects physical therapists to screen for red flags, but it doesn't give much detail on how to do that. Dr. Austin Kercheville ...
Neck Pain CPG: Risk Factors, Clinical Course, Prognosis
17 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Austin Kercheville begins our series on the 2017 neck pain Clinical Practice Guideline by covering neck pain prevalence, risk factors, clinical co...
Low Back Pain Practice Questions
08 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Guest host Dr. Kim Richards, PT, DPT, OCS helps go through some practice questions on low back pain. Like the OCS, these questions are case-based with...
Low Back Pain Treatments, Stenosis, and Nerve Tension Testing
31 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As we wrap up the 2012 low back pain CPG by covering the treatment section, David discusses two topics the clinical practice guideline doesn't co...
Low Back Pain Treatment-Based Classification
19 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
With the lumbar spine comprising 20% of the OCS exam, knowing both Fritz's 2007 treatment-based classification system and Alrwaily's 2016 up...
Low Back Pain CPG (2012): Red Flags and Outcome Measures
15 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
How is the OCS going to approach low back pain differential diagnosis and red flags? Dr. David Smelser discusses low back pain red flags using the CPG...
Low Back Pain CPG (2012): Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Clinical Course
04 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. David Smelser introduces the 2012 low back pain Clinical Practice Guideline and covers the sections on prevalence, risk factors, and clinical cour...
Research Part II: Hawthorne, John Henry, and Pygmalion
23 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. David Smelser discusses psychological pitfalls of human research, including the placebo, nocebo, Hawthorne, John Henry, and Pygmalion (also called...
Research Part I: Basics and Statistics to Memorize
20 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A large number of exam takers who fail to pass the OCS exam report that the section on research was one of their lowest-scoring sections. Dr. David Sm...
Introduction and OCS Study Tips
11 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Meet Dr. David Smelser, PT, DPT, OCS and Dr. Austin Kercheville, PT, DPT, OCS—two very busy Board-Certified Specialists in Orthopaedic Physical Ther...