Motion for Life

04/16/2021

Continuing education time

McKenzie Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy  Advanced Cervical Thoracic and Upper Extremity refresher course, M&M version with Medcalf and Miller instructing, super pumped to learn from the masters

Fine tuning the diagnostic classification of whether an issue is a neck problem, arm problem, both or something else, without a full examination of neurological status, spinal mechanics and the whole upper body, things are going to be missed. If only seen as a muscle or a joint or a flexibility or strength issue, assumptions will generate errors.

Friendly reminder that McKenzie is a diagnostic system, not a set of exercises or protocol, frustrating to see how many patients have been told they were given mckenzie when it was just a few random stretches without an initial diagnosis or reassessment, we do a full comprehensive exam and start getting results with an open ear and attention to detail.

Never stop learning

03/22/2021

03/04/2021

💥 97% of Disc Herniations Respond to Conservative Care 💥

A recent Global Spine Journal study of more than a quarter-million lumbar intervertebral disc herniation patients reported that 97.0% were successfully managed with nonoperative treatments:

“Our results suggest that the majority of patients are successfully managed non-operatively. However, in the subset of patients that fail conservative management, male s*x and prior opioid use appear to be independent predictors of treatment failure.”

Click the link to learn more! 👉 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2192568220936217

02/24/2021

If you've done your bird dogs and havnt gotten results, details matter

02/17/2021

One of the finer tweaks for persistent lower back pain, depending on the specific details of each patients presentation

02/14/2021

One of the things we look for in persistent neck pain and headaches is eye tracking issues, article on eye health with increased screen time, the eyes direct our head and eye movement in some interesting ways, keep it tuned up

In lockdown, days on end can be spent staring at a screen, which is taking its toll on peoples' eyes.

02/11/2021

The first thing I learned in physio school was “prepare the area” – in other words get everything you need for your treatment session and make sure the space is clear and safe for you and your patient. The second thing I learned was “treat what you find” – which basically means do your a...

02/08/2021

way to shake up the classic bird dog, little points matter with exercise and rehabilitation

01/19/2021

Interesting interview with an Internal Medicine MD discussing integrating McKenzie mechanical assessment into his practice, part of the standard assessment I use in the clinic to determine the best treatment choice. Ties in nicely with the Primary Spine Practitioner model.

01/15/2021

Cold or hot legs seem like part of your sciatica? Nice write up from Tom Jesson on the reasons and evidence behind temperature changes with nerve problems, one of the more common issues coming into the clinic

And a book update!

01/13/2021

Just completed the Primary Spine Practitioner certification at Pitt

Great program which needs to be the standard of care for treating spine problems

psp.pitt.edu

TLDR A PSP is the first person you should see for a spine issue

What is a Primary Spine Practitioner (PSP)?

Spine care in the US has been mired in a crisis of rapidly rising costs with rapidly declining outcomes for patients. Recent research has found that the spine care that most patients receive is inefficient, ineffective and extremely expensive. There is an urgent need for innovative solutions to this crisis. One such solution is the implementation of primary spine care - defined as first-line management, case coordination and follow-up of patients with any spine related disorder (SRD), under the direction of a certified Primary Spine Practitioner (PSP).
The PSP functions as primary-contact provider for patients with SRDs. This involves taking responsibility for managing most patients without the need for special tests or specialist referrals. It also involves identifying the minority of patients who do require further diagnostic evaluations (X-ray, MRI, CT, EMG) or specialized interventions (injections, surgery). Further, the PSP serves as inter-professional care coordinator, referring patients for the appropriate test or specialty service, and following up after these referrals to continually guide the patient toward resolution of the SRD. To perform this role, the PSP requires a very specific and refined skill set.
PSPs are ideally suited for managing patients in private practice, a primary care setting or functioning as the front-line practitioner in an interdisciplinary spine program, managing most patients without the need for referral and coordinating the care of those who require other services. The PSP maximizes efficiency by ensuring that specialists and surgeons only see patients who are most appropriate for their skill set. This also maximizes clinical outcome at minimal cost by ensuring that effective conservative management always remains at the front line and that patients have a consistent “go-to” professional who can monitor and facilitate their progress towards recovery.