Ep 195. Beyond the Slip: How to Assess and Treat Spondylolisthesis with Dr. Robert Medcalf episode artwork

EPISODE · Jan 15, 2026 · 52 MIN

Ep 195. Beyond the Slip: How to Assess and Treat Spondylolisthesis with Dr. Robert Medcalf

from PT Pro Talk · host Mariana Hanna Parks

🚨Try Hanna Health free for 30 days - a customizable HEP platform where you can use your own videos, edit quickly, and track patient access. Start your trial here.💡 In this episode of PT Pro Talk, host Mariana Parks sits down with Dr. Robert Medcalf, Physical Therapist and MDT expert. They discuss the challenges of assessing and treating Spondylolisthesis without relying solely on imaging results.Dr. Medcalf shares insights on differentiating between a stable and unstable slip and how to guide patients through recovery using Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy principles. The conversation also dives deep into the myth that all spondylolisthesis patients must avoid extension, offering a logical framework for when to load the spine and when to focus on stabilization.💭 “The interesting thing about that study is that they found there was no association between spondylolisthesis and back pain..” - Dr. Robert Medcalf📚You will learn about: What spondylolisthesis is, how it’s classified, and why imaging findings don’t tell the whole storyWhere pain in spondylolisthesis truly comes fromHow to assess and manage spondylolisthesis conservatively using mechanical principlesWhen surgery may be appropriate🔎 Robert's resources of information:SPRATT, Kevin F. et al. Efficacy of flexion and extension treatments incorporating braces for low-back pain patients with retrodisplacement, spondylolisthesis, or normal sagittal translation. Spine, v. 18, n. 13, p. 1839–1849, 1993OH, Jacob Yoong-Leong et al. Paradoxical motion in L5-S1 adult spondylolytic spondylolisthesis. European Spine Journal, v. 21, n. 2, p. 262-267, 2011.HARDWICK, D. et al. Outcomes of strengthening approaches in the treatment of low-grade spondylolisthesis. Physical Therapy Reviews, v. 17, n. 5, p. 284-291, 2012. DOI: 10.1179/1743288X12Y.0000000025.📲  Robert's contact information:Linkedin🎥Link to interview on Youtube  👉 ⁠Share Your Feedback⁠🎙Join our ⁠email list⁠ to receive podcast updates📸⁠Instagram⁠ 📱⁠Facebook⁠💻⁠LinkedIn⁠🐦⁠Twitter⁠📩Email: ⁠[email protected]⁠PT Pro Talk Podcast is only possible with the support of forward-looking and innovative companies like Hanna Health⁠ and ⁠SaraHealth⁠.

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Ep 195. Beyond the Slip: How to Assess and Treat Spondylolisthesis with Dr. Robert Medcalf

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