In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Tom Walters, DPT, OCS, a physical therapist and social media influencer with over a million followers on Instagram. Tom shares his backstory on how he got involved in posting physical therapy-related content and educating people on pain science. They discuss the importance of disseminating information and how social media can be used to reach a wider audience. Tom also talks about his book, Rehab Science: How to Overcome Pain and Heal from Injury, which is focused on helping people with painful conditions. Overall, the episode provides valuable insights into physical therapy and social media.
Show notes:
[00:01:46] Pain Science in Early Practice.
[00:04:11] Promoting physical therapy on social media.
[00:08:51] Physical therapists' role in education.
[00:10:49] PTs educating the public.
[00:14:56] Measuring social media influence.
[00:17:37] Planting seeds in patient care.
[00:21:07] Using anatomy for clickbait.
[00:26:00] Physical therapy education on social media.
[00:28:26] Simple equipment for video production.
[00:31:56] iPhone filming techniques.
[00:34:42] Physical Therapy on Social Media.
[00:38:06] Treating pain and injury.
[00:41:45] Book retailers and scammers.
[00:45:07] Exercise isn't that special.
[00:47:45] PTs can positively influence people.
[00:51:27] Saying yes to opportunities.
More About Dr. Walters:
Dr. Tom Walters is a board-certified orthopedic physical therapist that specializes in the treatment of pain and movement disorders. He is the founder of Rehab Science and dedicates his time to teaching people about human movement, pain, and how to most effectively recover from injury. Besides running his clinical practice, Tom served as a full-time undergraduate kinesiology professor for eight years where he taught human biomechanics, therapeutic exercise, and pain science. Tom received his bachelor’s degree in exercise science from Montana State University and his Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree from Chapman University. Afterwards, he completed a residency in orthopedic manual physical therapy (OMPT) and a fellowship in lower quarter functional biomechanics. You can find more of Tom’s content on Instagram and YouTube (@rehabscience) as well as his website (rehabscience.com). Tom lives in Santa Barbara, CA with his wife, Kirsten, and their two daughters.
Resources from this Episode:
Read the First Chapter of Tom’s Book
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