Learning Archives - Damien Howell PT

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 is thought-provoking. How do we know when to reject ideas? What is the thought process we use to unlearn something? My understanding of learning new…

Gait deviations clustering gait deviations – injury – new data

In a previous blog article, I discussed the question “Is there a gait deviation or cluster of gait deviations which is common across musculoskeletal pain syndromes?” The consensus is currently there is no definitive evidence suggesting one gait deviation or cluster of gait deviations occurs more frequently or is more important than another. More research…

Choice of feedback for learning new movements

A common practice when addressing painful musculoskeletal pain syndromes is the symptom modification procedure. This procedure involves identifying the specific movement, posture, and/or activity that reproduces the patient’s symptoms. The symptom modification procedure alters performance. It is relatively quick as it occurs in one session. Altering performance is different than learning. An altered performance is…