Dear Clinicians,
Welcome to our Winter edition of the MIA newsletter. I hope you are all well and coping with the regular updates and changes due to the COVID 19 situation.
Despite the restrictions COVID-19 has placed on face to face education, MIA has managed to run two Part A courses online, and one Part B course online in the last 6 months. Whilst we endeavour to run courses face to face when suitable, we will continue to offer online courses as a part of our Education program in the future. Please keep an eye on the course calendar on the MIA website for future courses that will run in 2021. MIA members don’t forget you receive a discount off the listed price for Part A-D courses.
For Credentialed and Diplomate members who are looking at additional education opportunities, don’t forget the MDT Case Manager series. Click here for further details and online registration accessible on the MIA website.
Also keep a lookout for MIA Study groups that will be meeting in the future. For further details, please check the MIA website.
Thank you for your involvement in MDT. An additional thank you to all MIA members, as your membership greatly contributes to MDT Education being provided around Australia.
Keep safe and well.
Mark Cheel
Chairperson / Faculty
Joel Laing, Diploma MDT - VIC Private Practice
Tell us a bit about your current work
I currently work in private practice over two sites, one in the city and one in Armadale. I see a caseload heavily weighted towards persistent pain cases and complex lower back problems. I am often seeing people who have failed to get better despite seeing many other specialists and health practitioners. I do see acute injuries, headaches, sporting injuries etc. but my passion is the complex cases as they are so rewarding when you can turn their pain around and get them back to what they love.
How did you start on your MDT journey?
I had a disc rupture (sequestrated fragment) and had leg pain for around 6 years, which was an original mechanical injury but transitioned into a chronic pain problem. I did the part A Lumbar course many years ago, with Greg Lynch and they used me as a patient on the course. I was amazed at being given hope, and tools I could use to bring about my own recovery and regain my confidence to get back to physical activity.
We have two case studies for this issue, both are relevant to issues covered at the recent MIA Education Weekend in May.
Di Wu, David Ham and Richard Rosedale 2020; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31942839/
Submitted by Tim Cathers, Physiotherapist, Diploma MDT
The purpose of this case study was to describe the use of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT) assessment and in the management of chronic subjective tinnitus. Tinnitus is the perception of sound without any external auditory cues. One particular subset of these symptoms is cervicogenic somatic tinnitus. In this group, the tinnitus is affected by movements of the neck.
This case describes the process of MDT in classifying and treating a 67-year-old female with a 5-year history of left-sided subjective tinnitus, headache and neck pain. Outcome measures included: Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) and Neck Disability Index (NDI).
Click here to read the full case study .....
Joseph A Hathcock, PT, DPT SP, USA, Chris W Boyer, PT, DPT SP, USA, Jamie B Morris, PT, DPT, DSc SP, USA, Shoulder Pain of Spinal Source in the Military: A Case Series, Military Medicine, 2021; usab059, https://doi.org/10.1093/milmed/usab059
Submitted by Peter Schoch, Diploma MDT, MIA Faculty
This recently published case series adds to the growing body of literature on the value of systematically screening the spine, when patients present with (apparent) primary extremity symptoms.
In this case series, three male patients presented with unchanging or worsening shoulder pain of less than three months duration and had previously received a “shoulder specific diagnosis from experienced clinicians”. All three patients worked in different roles within the US military.
Patients were evaluated using the core MDT framework of: collecting relevant extremity and spinal baselines, checking repeated movements and / or sustained spinal positions, then rechecking baselines. This systematic approach informed the decision to maintain the current management strategy or progress or modify the assessment / treatment as appropriate.
Consistent with other studies that have considered economic as well as clinical outcomes, this case series demonstrated that use of MDT assessment, classification and management principles may contribute to rapid resolution of symptoms and subsequent recovery of function; and in doing so reduce costs to the employer and the individual.
Click here to read the full article ....
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Newscastle Study Group |
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Part B - The Cervical & Thoracic Spine |
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Part A - The Lumbar Spine |
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Part D - Advanced Cervical and Thoracic Spine & Extremities |
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Have you read something interesting that other MDT therapists would appreciate reading? If so, please reach out! Submissions to the newsletter are always welcome and contributions contribute to professional development points for MIA members. Tell us about your latest successes with treating patients; case studies are always welcome. Submissions can be emailed to: education@mckenzieinstituteaustralia.org