Cover of Learning to Think Clinically, Volume 1: The Lumbar Spine
A clinical field guide for PT students and new grads

Stop memorizing.
Start thinking clinically.

Learning to Think Clinically, Volume 1: The Lumbar Spine. Learn the reasoning behind low back pain evaluation and treatment, not just the facts.

PDF · about 430 pages · instant download · works on any device · also available in paperback on Amazon

Knowing information is one thing. Knowing what matters, what it means, and what to do with it is something else.

The method

The same four steps, every time.

Most of us learned the diagnoses and the treatment protocols. What the textbooks rarely show is the thinking in between. Every Field Note walks through the reasoning you should use with every patient.

Recognize itSpot the pattern in the presentation.
Confirm itUse the history and exam to test your idea.
Differentiate itWork out what else it could be.
Decide what to doChoose your next step with confidence.
Try it first

Read a free sample.

See exactly how a Field Note works. Download the full Lumbar Radiculopathy Field Note and walk through the four steps for yourself, before you buy.

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PDF · 11 pages · no email required

What’s inside

Everything for the lumbar spine, in one place.

Built to use on rotations, in lab, and in your first year of practice.

15

Field Notes

Common lumbar spine conditions and surgeries, each following the same reasoning process.

15

Clinical cases

Patient cases that put the reasoning together from start to finish.

A–G

Clinical appendix

Anatomy, red flag screening, neurological exam, outcome measures, special tests, and exercise progressions.

Evaluation & documentation

How to perform a solid evaluation and write the daily note, progress note, and discharge note.

Manual therapy decisions

How to decide when and what to use, and what to do when a patient isn’t improving.

Clickable resources

Links to supporting resources throughout, in a searchable PDF.

Who it’s for

Written for the people learning to think like clinicians.

DPT and PTA students heading into clinical rotations
New graduates building confidence in their first year
Clinical instructors who want a clear framework for teaching reasoning
About the author

Kara Marks, PT, DPT

Kara is an outpatient orthopedic physical therapist, clinical instructor, and educator. She created Learning to Think Clinically to walk through the reasoning, not just the facts, and to help students connect what they know to real patients in real time.

Free with your purchase

9 fillable evaluation templates

Put the evaluation chapter to work right away with a set of free fillable PDF templates.

Get the free templates
  • Instant PDF download
  • Searchable text
  • Clickable links
  • Volume 1 of the Learning to Think Clinically series
Ready when you are

Think like a clinician.

Get the full lumbar spine field guide today.

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