Thumb osteoarthritis is a common condition in older adults. By age 50, the prevalence is about 8% in men and 25% in women-and it increases with age, with meta-analysis data suggesting that by age 80, approximately 39% of women have radiographic signs of thumb base OA.

Conservative treatment is widely acknowledged as first-line care for thumb CMC OA, including occupational and physical therapy, particularly to help initiate splinting and exercise programs.

With conservative treatment roughly 4 out of 5 cases can be managed successfully without surgery.

Given the relatively high prevalence and importance of conservative intervention, it is critical that even generalist OTs be aware of its presentation and the basics of assessment and treatment.

This course intends to do just that: equip the generalist therapist to watch for, assess, and treat thumb OA-and perhaps most importantly, know when to refer on. We'll be joined by hand therapist Preston Lockwood.

See full course details here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/osteoarthritis-of-the-thumb

See all OT CEU courses here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses

Check our our live webinar schedule here:
https://otpotential.com/live-ot-ceu-webinars

Support the show by using the OTPOTENTIAL Medbridge Code:
https://otpotential.com/blog/promo-code-for-medbridge

Try 2 free OT Potential courses here:
https://otpotential.com/free-ot-ceus

Support the show

The landscape of healthcare has been changed forever with the introduction of AI.

Already, 1 in 3 adults are turning to chatbots to ask health related questions. For younger adults under age 30, the shift is even faster-nearly 30% now use AI specifically for mental health and emotional support.

Amid these broad changes is a specific question for us as therapists:

What happens when the chatbot starts to play the role of therapist?

This service is already being offered by tools - like Abby - "Your AI Therapist."

This raises so many questions for us-and at the heart of the questions is a moral and ethical one of turning our trust from individual humans to LLMs. Today, we'll walk through the broad ethical considerations with Megan Cornish is a licensed clinical social worker turned strategist who builds and scales ethical mental health brands.

We'll discuss the ethics of this shift-and what our ethical duty is to respond, particularly in our day to day sessions with clients, who are likely beginning to use AI.

Not to be dramatic: but this is the conversation of our generation.

This course was designed to help you meet your ethics requirements for your CE.

See full course details here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/the-ethics-of-ai-as-therapists

See all OT CEU courses here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses

Check our our live webinar schedule here:
https://otpotential.com/live-ot-ceu-webinars

Support the show by using the OTPOTENTIAL Medbridge Code:
https://otpotential.com/blog/promo-code-for-medbridge

Try 2 free OT Potential courses here:
https://otpotential.com/free-ot-ceus

Support the show

The landscape of private practice changed forever this year. With Amazon officially adding physical therapy to its marketplace, accessing rehabilitation services is now as easy as ordering a pair of shoes. This shift signifies a massive rise in public awareness of therapy services-but it also brings a new set of challenges for the independent practitioner.

How do you compete with a global giant? How do you meet the "one-click" expectations of modern clients?

In our 2026 "Starting an OT Practice" course, we dive into the complexities of launching and sustaining a practice in this high-tech, high-convenience era. We'll discuss why easy onboarding is no longer optional, how to leverage the latest AI tools to provide world-class care while run a lean and professional business, and how to position your clinical expertise as a high-value alternative to corporate healthcare.

We are joined by Christopher Gaskins PhD, OTR/L, CSRS, who recently made the leap from "side-hustle" to full-time practice owner. Chris shares his raw, first-hand experience of navigating the ups and downs of launching in this current market, offering a roadmap for OTs who are ready to bet on themselves.

See full course details here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses/starting-an-ot-practice-in-2026

See all OT CEU courses here:
https://otpotential.com/ceu-podcast-courses

Check our our live webinar schedule here:
https://otpotential.com/live-ot-ceu-webinars

Support the show by using the OTPOTENTIAL Medbridge Code:
https://otpotential.com/blog/promo-code-for-medbridge

Try 2 free OT Potential courses here:
https://otpotential.com/free-ot-ceus

Support the show