Ken Olson on Safety, Advocacy, and Manipulation

Ken Olson joins the podcast to discuss his work on the IFOMPT/IOPTP taskforce on pediatric spinal manipulation and the ongoing clinical reasoning debate around specific vs. general manipulation.



Ken is a private practice clinician, educator, past-president of IFOMPT and AAOMPT, author of Manual Physical Therapy of the Spine, and recipient of the 2024 Distinguished Lecturer Award. His perspective blends evidence, global standards, and decades of practical experience.

Topics include:

• Why the pediatric manipulation taskforce was created

• The taskforce’s findings and new position statements

• Safety, indications, and advocacy for pediatric manual therapy

• The “specific vs. general” manipulation controversy

• The value and evidence for specificity in OMPT

• What great clinical reasoning looks like in manipulation decisions

This is a must-listen for OMPT clinicians, educators, and advocates shaping the profession’s next chapter.