The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) is commemorating 50 years of groundbreaking advancements at the upcoming 2025 APTA Combined Sections Meeting Conference & Exposition (APTA CSM). Taking place from February 13-15, 2025, in Houston, Texas, at the George R. Brown Convention Center (GRBCC), this event stands as the largest physical therapy conference of the year. APTA CSM offers attendees the opportunity to participate in expert-led sessions curated by APTA's 18 specialty sections and academies. Additionally, participants can engage in exclusive networking events, fostering connections within a community committed to propelling the field of physical therapy forward.
To secure your attendance at this esteemed event, we highly recommend registering promptly by clicking this link. By doing so, you will have the chance to secure accommodations, access travel information, plan your itinerary, and guarantee your participation in educational and networking activities before they reach full capacity.
Below, you will find a list of sessions focused on back pain that we are eagerly looking forward to at APTA CSM. The sessions are organized in chronological order for your convenience.
An Updated Biopsychosocial Approach to Personalized Geriatric Low Back Pain Management
- Date: Friday, February 14, 2025
- Time: 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
- Low back pain is a prevalent and debilitating condition that affects older adults worldwide. The current management of geriatric low back pain is inconsistent, poses higher risks such as surgery, and often falls short of optimal outcomes.
- In response to the variability and suboptimal care in physical therapy management, the presenters developed a comprehensive clinical framework in 2018 that delves into the influences, experiences, and consequences of geriatric back pain. Building upon this foundation, their research has led to the identification of innovative clinical measures, prognostic factors, patient risk subgroups, and personalized interventions. During the upcoming education session, the presenters will unveil the updated geriatric low back pain clinical framework and provide strategies for immediate implementation in clinical practice.
- Date: Friday, February 14, 2025
- Time: 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
- Ensuring adequate sleep quality is crucial for optimal body function and injury recovery. Sleep disturbances can hinder the brain's ability to manage pain, resulting in a lower pain threshold and heightened pain sensitivity. Moreover, sleep issues increase the likelihood of developing chronic health conditions and persistent pain.
- It is not surprising that two-thirds of individuals undergoing physical therapy (PT) services experience sleep disturbances. Additionally, over 50% of individuals seeking PT for spine pain hold misconceptions about sleep. Research indicates that sleep disruption is a more significant predictor of pain than vice versa. The prevalence of sleep problems among individuals receiving PT underscores the importance of physical therapists screening for sleep disturbances and offering sleep health promotion techniques. This session will delve into the relationship between sleep and pain, emphasizing the significance of enhancing clients' sleep health.
- Date: Friday, February 14, 2025
- Time: 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
- This session will consist of four integrated topics over the course of two hours. First, the audience will be introduced to the strategic initiatives of a large hospital system and the key drivers impacting spine care, such as reimbursement, quality, and patient experience. The second topic will focus on the background and objectives of the Memorial Hermann Spine Program. As a growing Center of Excellence (COE), this program brings together a team of specialized spine providers to manage and monitor patient outcomes throughout their care journey. The third part of the presentation will provide insights from an Orthopedic Spine surgeon's perspective on triage, referrals, and collaboration within the multidisciplinary spine team. Lastly, an industry expert in spine research will discuss the benefits and challenges of utilizing large data registries, with a specific emphasis on implementing outcome-based findings in clinical practice.
Pain Resilience Therapy Using the Pain Recovery and Integrative Systems Model
- Date: Friday, February 14, 2025
- Time: 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
- A significant portion of American adults, approximately 21%, endure persistent, daily pain. The rising prevalence of pain-related disability underscores the urgent need for the development and implementation of effective, evidence-based strategies to enhance resilience in individuals grappling with chronic pain. Enter the Pain Recovery and Integrative Systems Model (PRISM), a specialized tool tailored for use in physical therapist practice. PRISM represents a cutting-edge, cognitive behavioral approach designed to cultivate resilience, foster positive growth, and facilitate pain recovery. This innovative methodology adopts a holistic perspective, addressing physical, emotional, social, and psychological factors through six key domains: person context, purpose, pain literacy, pain mindset, physical capacity, and physiology.
- During this session, the presenters will showcase the practical application of PRISM in the form of tailored Pain Resilience Therapy (PRT), utilizing a three-person case series to elucidate the collaborative nature and shared decision-making process inherent in PRT, as well as the tangible benefits of treatment.
Why Can’t We All Get Along? PT/Pm&r/Ortho Spine Approaches to Low Back Pain
- Date: Saturday, February 15, 2025
- Time: 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
- Low back pain (LBP) is a prevalent issue that significantly impacts both military personnel and civilians, often leading to disability. Unfortunately, the diagnosis and treatment of LBP can vary greatly depending on the provider's specialty and experience, rather than focusing on the patient's specific symptoms. In an effort to improve the standardization of care and increase access to specialized treatment for service members with LBP, physical therapists (PTs) have been granted the opportunity to serve as primary care providers for neuromusculoskeletal conditions within military clinics.
- During this session, a panel discussion will be held featuring a physical therapist, physical medicine and rehabilitation physician, and orthopaedic spine surgeon. They will share their unique approaches to treating LBP in a holistic and interdisciplinary manner within the Military Health System (MHS).
- Date: Saturday, February 15, 2025
- Time: 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
- There is a growing body of research surrounding the utilization of published clinical practice guidelines (CPG) to drive successful interventions in healthcare. A systematic review conducted by Filipo et al in 2022 suggests that implementing CPGs can be beneficial for healthcare utilization. However, effective strategies for improving pain-related outcomes and physical function through CPG implementation remain unclear.
- This organization recognized an opportunity to enhance outcomes related to the successful management of lower back pain (LBP) through the use of standardized outcome measurements. An analysis was conducted and identified both modifiable and non-modifiable factors that impact the achievement of successful outcomes. The most significant modifiable factor discovered was continuity of care, specifically the number of therapists a patient saw during their treatment. In alignment with the call for further research on implementation strategies highlighted in the Filipo article, the presenters will outline how to utilize established knowledge translation frameworks to develop a comprehensive CPG implementation strategy.
The 2025 APTA Combined Sections Meeting is set to be an enriching and informative event for the physical therapy community. We recommend clicking here to explore the comprehensive list of topics and sessions that will be covered at this significant event. Don’t miss the opportunity to expand your expertise—register today!
Sign up for alerts and stay informed on the latest published guidelines and stay tuned for our recap post the conference.
Copyright © 2025 Guideline Central, All Rights Reserved.