Thought Leadership Archives

Pressure and Possibility in PT: Reflections from the 2026 Graham Sessions

By Rizing Tide Team | March 5, 2026 |

A black-and-white photo of four scholars is overlaid on a background of teal and white ocean waves. The text reads, "Reflections from the 2026 Graham Sessions."

What happens when early-career DPTs are invited into a room with seasoned industry leaders to talk openly and honestly about the challenges facing the physical therapy profession? You get candor. You get conviction. And you get a renewed sense that the future of the profession depends on what each of us as individuals are willing…

Money Talks: A 2025 DPT Student Loan Survey

By Melissa Hughes | January 21, 2026 |

Quarters are stacked in an ascending line from left to right, leading up to a white piggy bank. A small black graduation cap is resting on the tallest stack of quarters. The text reads "Money Talks: A 2025 DPT Student Debt Survey."

What happens when the best of the best are drowning in debt? Our scholars are excellent in every sense of the word. They’re engaged in school, they lead student organizations, volunteer in their communities, and contribute to—or sometimes even drive—new research. Many of our scholars achieve industry recognition, and several have won prestigious scholarships outside…

Advancing Men’s Pelvic Health: Expert Perspectives on the Growing Need for Specialized PTs

By Rizing Tide Team | November 11, 2025

Dr. Di Wu, who is wearing a suit jacket and a button up shirt, and Zhen Chen, who is wearing a blue button up shirt, stand in front of a navy blue and terracotta-colored background. A title reads "Let's talk about men's pelvic health."

Men’s pelvic health is a deeply under-explored area of physical therapy. While DPT programs may set aside some time to cover women’s pelvic health, the curriculum often overlooks how conditions present in men—such as with urinary incontinence, sexual dysfunction, and chronic pelvic pain. As a result, many men struggle with health challenges that go untreated—despite…

Purpose, Presence, and Power: NABPT Synergy Summit 2025 Reflections

By Devon Morris, PT, DPT, OCS | October 24, 2025

I arrived at the NABPT Synergy Summit carrying the weight of a full clinic day, mentally tired but genuinely excited to be in a room full of people who looked like me, spoke with purpose, and cared deeply about our profession. I didn’t know it at the time, but I wasn’t walking into just another…

Honoring Women’s History Month: Celebrating the Women Who Shape Us

By Heidi Jannenga | March 31, 2025

Abstract image of overlapping circles of various colors. Atop the circle reads "March is Women's History Month."

March marks Women’s History Month, a time to reflect on the remarkable contributions of the women who have shaped our world, our lives, and our profession—especially in physical therapy. As reconstruction aides, women were the founders of the physical therapy profession and continue to help advance the field, advocate for patients, and mentor the next…

Survival Skills for the New Era of PT: Reflections from the 2025 Graham Sessions

By Rizing Tide Team | March 6, 2025

Illustration of a Black woman in an orange shirt sitting at a desk that's surrounded by plants. She's looking at a book and a laptop and holding a pen, as if preparing to write.

What do you get when you bring together some of the brightest minds in physical therapy to discuss the new era of the profession? You get some whip-smart dialogue—and even better ideas. The 2025 Graham Sessions endeavored to do just this; innovative PTs gathered together in Colorado Springs to hold open, honest conversations about the…

Valerie Rucker-Bussie Joins Rizing Tide as Community Development Officer

By Rizing Tide Team | January 13, 2025

Rizing Tide is excited to welcome Valerie Rucker-Bussie, PT, DPT, NCS, as its new Community Development Officer. A seasoned physical therapist with a strong focus on workforce development, Valerie brings extensive experience to the table—alongside a fiery passion for improving lives. We recently sat down with Valerie to learn more about her journey, her vision…

Exceptional Scholars, Exceptional Debt: A 2023 DPT Student Loan Survey

By Melissa Hughes | April 24, 2023

Illustration of a student with short hair sitting at a desk and sadly holding his head in his hand. A notepad saying "Debt" sits on the desk in front of him.

Winning Jenga is simple: Destabilize the tower as little as possible when relocating blocks from the bottom to the top, and hope your opponent sends the tower tumbling to the ground. The rules are easy enough—but as the average Jenga-enjoyer knows, each turn becomes more difficult as the players methodically erode the tower’s foundation. It’s…

6 Steps to Becoming a Physical Therapy Advocate

By Rizing Tide Team | February 2, 2023

An illustrated black woman shouts into a red megaphone. She's popping out of an illustrated phone that's sitting next to a green potted plant. The background is beige with abstract blue and red accents.

Physical therapy (PT) is a discipline that is often overlooked by both insurers and patients. More than 50% of all Americans over the age of 18 report having a musculoskeletal condition like trauma, back pain, or arthritis—that’s about 259 million people in pain for those keeping track—but very few of those injured seek care. This…

Telehealth For Me, But Not for Thee: Examining the Biases in Virtual Care

By Melissa Hughes | January 10, 2023

Illustration of a white medical professional with dark hair standing inside a phone while counseling a white patient with brown hair who's holding his chin thoughtfully.

Telehealth has the potential to expand healthcare access to millions of patients. When used, it supplements health professional shortage areas—it offers a legitimate solution to patient transportation issues. It reliably reduces no-shows, and it gives physical therapists the unique opportunity to walk patients through their HEP in their home environment. Virtual care is not a…