Posts by Damien Howell
Better cues & mental practice to improve skillful movements: Are external focus cues better than internal focus cues? It depends
Coaches, athletes, healthcare professionals, verbal cues, use mantras, self-talk, visual imagery, and skill training to improve movement. There are many cognitive strategies commonly used to improve human movement to move…
Read MoreGait Deviations Musculoskeletal Pain Syndromes: Is there a gait deviation or cluster of gait deviations which is common across musculoskeletal pain syndromes?
Gait deviations are considered risk factors and/or causative drivers for musculoskeletal pain syndromes. There is a growing body of research showing a relationship between gait deviations and musculoskeletal pain syndromes…
Read MorePhysical Therapy Telehealth: It works well for some, not for others
The COVID 19 pandemic crisis has many challenges for the standard everyday health care and medicine. The pandemic resulted in a sudden increase of telehealth services. There are reports there…
Read MoreLow-Tech Slow-Motion Analysis – “Dance Step to Nowhere
NDeviant movement during walking contributes to the development of or compensation for musculoskeletal pain syndromes. Diagnosis and treatment occur with visual observation and analysis of gait. The use of a…
Read MoreSymptom modification of painful gait
Symptom modification procedure is common practice in the Physical Therapy profession. This procedure involves identifying the specific movement, posture, and/or activity that reproduces the patient’s symptoms. Historically diagnosis of musculoskeletal…
Read MorePain walking/running deviant gait – self treat &/or seek expert assistance
Experiencing pain when walking or running can be a complex problem. Asserting a hypothesis is a systematic way to solve complex problems. A hypothesis is an “if-then statement” or conditional…
Read MoreAs a patient, how do I get my healthcare provider more engaged in my care plan?
The goal of any relationship between a healthcare provider and patient is that both parties feel they are invested in favorable health outcomes. How they get there is the question.…
Read MoreHow to exercise to lose weight when exercise is painful
High body mass index (BMI) is significant factor in low back pain, osteoarthritis; hip osteoarthritis; knee osteoarthritis, plantar heel pain. Weight loss intervention for pain reduction Decreasing body weight is…
Read MoreHealthcare Whisperer versus Con Artist
The popular idiom of a “whisperer” is used to describe an individual who has special skills to interact with humans or animals to alter behavior and achieve outcomes that others…
Read More“Deme Bones” – Regional interdependence
The common reframe from the old spiritual song “dem bones” is the “toe bone is connected to foot bone”. In the medical community this concept of mechanical connectiveness is referred…
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