2025 APTA Alaska Spring Conference
Event Details
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Description
MAY 3, 2025
Anchorage, AK
SPEAKER: Paul Mintken, PT, DPT
TITLE: Advances in Upper Quarter Rehabilitation: Integrating Evidence into Practice
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This day-long session offers physical and occupational therapists a deep dive into the evidence-based strategies for managing a wide range of upper quarter issues. Participants will explore evidence-based clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for managing neck pain, learning how to apply these recommendations to improve patient care. The course will cover neuro-orthopaedic principles and treatment techniques for common conditions of the upper quarter, including cervical radiculopathy, rotator cuff related shoulder pain (RCRSP), frozen shoulder, and repetitive strain injuries of the elbow. The importance of patient expectations in rehabilitation will be explored, offering strategies for synchronizing patient and provider expectations to maximize outcomes. Clinicians will also learn simple, effective mindfulness techniques to enhance both patient care and personal well-being in the clinical setting.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
Upon completion of this course, attendees will be able to:
- Understand the development and application of Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) and the importance of sub-grouping in managing neck pain.
- Implement up-to-date neuro-orthopaedic approaches, screening, and treatment strategies for upper quarter conditions.
- Synthesize clinical findings and best evidence to guide the management of upper quarter conditions.
- Recognize and manage neuroplastic and sensitization issues related to upper quarter conditions.
- Describe the role of patient expectations and how they can be positively modulated to maximize patient outcomes.
- Incorporate mindfulness practices to benefit both clinicians and patients
ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Dr. Mintken lives in Denver, CO, and works remotely as a Professor in the DPT Education Program at Hawai’i Pacific University. Prior to HPU, Dr. Mintken was faculty in the Physical Therapy Program at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus (Aurora, CO). Dr. Mintken served in various faculty roles during his tenure as a Professor at the University of Colorado, including Chair of the Senior Faculty Committee for the Physical Therapy Program and Chair of the Promotions Committee for the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
Dr. Mintken is a Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Orthopaedic Physical Therapy and a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists. He remains clinically active one day per week as an orthopaedic physical therapist at Wardenburg Health Center at the University of Colorado Boulder, where he has worked for almost 30 years.
Dr. Mintken has served the physical therapy profession as member of the Research Committee for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists (AAOMPT) and the Academy of Orthopaedic Physical Therapy of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). He is currently a member of the Nominating Committee for the Academy of Orthopaedic Physical Therapy.
Dr. Mintken has received numerous awards, including the APTA Dorothy Baethke-Eleanor J. Carlin Award for Excellence in Academic Teaching, the APTA James Gould Excellence in Teaching Orthopaedic Physical Therapy Award, the Rose Excellence in Research Award, the Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy (JOSPT) Excellence in Research Award, the Chattanooga Research Award, and the Outstanding Physical Therapist Award for the State of Colorado.
Dr. Mintken has served as a presenter and keynote speaker at national and international conferences, and his work appears in over 15 different peer-reviewed journals, including Physical Therapy, the Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy, the Journal of Manual and Manipulative Therapy, and the Journal of Physical Therapy Education, among others. Dr. Mintken has over 60 peer-reviewed articles and 7 book chapters. He serves on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Manual and Manipulative Therapy. He maintains an active research agenda investigating conservative care for musculoskeletal disorders as well as spinal and extremity manipulation.
