Should we discharge from Physical Therapy

Why is the terminology “discharged from Physical Therapy” used? I have not heard of anyone being “discharged from dentistry”. I have not heard of anyone being discharged from massage therapy. The meaning of “discharge” is – to relieve of a charge, load, or burden; or to release from confinement, custody, or care; or to set…

Read More

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…

Read More

On-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 for us”. Experience does not equal learning.  We do not learn from experience we learn from reflection on experience. Experience does not equal knowledge. Reflection…

Read More

Surgery 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 patient. For many orthopedic injuries especially nontraumatic or less acute musculoskeletal pain syndromes surgery can be an intervention option. For many if not most musculoskeletal…

Read More

How 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 exercise program would help decrease his pain so he could return to playing recreational basketball. There is ongoing controversy about whether high-intensity quadriceps strengthening exercises…

Read More