Posts by Damien Howell
What is harder than learning? Unlearning
This image from Roger von Oech’s “A whack on the side of the head” 1983 has intrigued me for years. The idea that we get rid of ideas or concepts…
Read MoreHow to better engage with healthcare provider using telehealth care
Telemedicine electronic medical record patient portals and email provide opportunities for improved communication between patients and healthcare professionals. As a patient: As a patient with a chronic condition rheumatoid arthritis,…
Read MoreOn-line mentoring reflective learning
John Dewy wrote, “the experience alone does not necessarily lead to learning; it is the reflection that makes sense of the experience to us and hence makes the experience meaningful…
Read MorePlantar fasciitis v tendinopathy words matter – stretching exercises are overrated
Why is the plantar region the only region of the body where the terminology of fasciitis is used? Fascial tissue is present throughout the body including the ankle, knee, hip,…
Read MoreChoices of interventions for musculoskeletal pain syndromes: decrease pain, improve impairment, resolve dysfunction
There are multiple and varied interventions that can tackle the contributing factors of pain, impairment, and dysfunction that occurs with musculoskeletal pain syndromes. Pain impairs an individual’s ability to function…
Read MoreWalk this way – Run this way
What way should we walk? What way should we run? Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder wrote the script for the movie “Young Frankenstein” in which the character Igor the hunchback…
Read MoreSurgery vs non-surgical intervention -Decision for musculoskeletal pain syndrome
When deciding whether to proceed with irreversible intervention such as elective or discretionary orthopedic surgery it is essential to consider the biases of the surgeon, non-surgical healthcare provider, and the…
Read MoreHow 2D video motion analysis facilitates problem solving, reflective learning, & identification of novel interventions
The referral of this gentleman in the video below was for an exercise program for chronic right knee pain. The patient and the referring Physician Assistant expressed expectations that an…
Read MoreTelehealth PT Benefits – Statutory Barriers Across State Lines
With the weakening of the covid 19 pandemic, I expect the utilization of Physical Therapy services by telehealth will decline. However, the necessity of learning to provide and receive Physical…
Read MoreSensory preference & learning optimal movement
There are many cognitive strategies to cue, prompt, and provide feedback to improve movement. Theory of focus of attention The dominant theory proposed by Gabriele Wulf and colleagues is providing…
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