RE THE FEBRUARY 22 INTEGRATION WORKSHOP (next one's on March 29 and April 05 2009)

Hi doc!!! Sorry for the lack of punctuality in my reply. Based on your text message, I have an inkling that you would be repeating some techniques.
SOME TECHNIQUES ARE DEFINITELY WORTH REPEATING. AND IT'S BEEN OUR EXPERIENCE THAT MULTIPLE EXPOSURES EACH BRING SOME NEW FACET INTO LIGHT EACH TIME.
I'd try to bring more people over.... most of them would not be knowledgeable bout manual therapy. I thought I picked up fairly adequately because I have ample background.
YES, YOU SEEM TO HAVE DONE SO. EVERY TIME WE SEE SOMEONE ACTUALLY IMMEDIATELY TAKE THE TECHNIQUES, CONCEPTS, PROTOCOLS, NOTIONS, AND CLINICAL GEMS STRAIGHT FROM THE WORKSHOP OUT INTO THE FIELD OF PRACTICE, WE PAY VERY GOOD ATTENTION. WE LIKE POTENTIAL AND TRUE INTEREST. WE REALLY ARE HOPING FOR AN EVOLUTION IN MANUAL PRACTICE HERE. AND EACH ONE CONTRIBUTES.
I like the proposed flow of starting with key concepts, most of our dear colleagues would probably have better appreciation after hearing the rationale of what we are doing but we have to keep it short and simple.. we are after all clinicians primarily instead of academicians.
AGREED. WHILE WE CAN SHARE AND TEACH, WE'D ALSO RATHER TAKE CARE OF PATIENTS WHENEVER WE CAN.
Please put a bit more emphasis on palpation methodology and skills..I do believe this is a basic skill which has been neglected.
AGREED. WE HAVE ALSO DONE A LOT OF THIS IN THE PAST. WE HOWEVER KNOW THAT A LOT OF OUR THERAPEUTIC GAINS FLOW ONLY AFTER ONE PICKS UP PALPATORY SKILLS ON AT LEAST A FEEDBACK LEVEL. WHEN YOU CAN TELL HOW TISSUES ARE RESPONDING UNDER YOUR TOUCH WHILE YOU'RE DOING A TECHNIQUE, WELL, YOU'RE THERE. BEYOND THAT, TOUCH IS BOTH DIAGNOSTIC AND THERAPEUTIC. BY EXPERIENCE, TAKING UP VISCERAL MANIP IS AN EXCELLENT WAY TO RAPIDLY PICK UP EXQUISITE PALPATION SKILLS.

A lot of people usually press to hard thinking that would help them feel more and quite a few are actually apprehensive to use palpation as an assessment tool. Please also give a few key points in assessing px's prior to application of any technique.
THANK YOU FOR THIS SUGGESTION AS WELL. MODULE ONE INTEGRATION WAS MEANT TO BE AN EYE-OPENER FOR WHAT WE UNDERSTOOD TO BE A MIXED GROUP - NEWBIES, MAVERICKS, AND SEASONED THERAPISTS. YOU'RE STILL RIGHT. WE'D BEST REINFORCE PALPATIONS SKILLS EVEN THOUGH WE'VE SHARED THEM BEFORE. I SUPPOSE WE'D BEST INCLUDE PALPATION SKILLS AT EVERY SHARING SESSION, REGARDLESS OF WHAT EVERYONE KNOWS. EVEN AMONG SEASONED OSTEOPATH AND THERAPIST COLLEAGUES, I'VE SEEN HOW EMPOWERING IT IS TO HAVE YOUR SUBTLE PALPATORY CONCLUSIONS CONFIRMED BY PEOPLE YOU TRUST.

We have to point out that manual therapy is not just a plethora of techniques but also a shift of paradigms. ABSOLUTELY.

I treated a px with bicipital tendinitis by doing stm of pec minor and bowen of latissimus because I thought differently. Never did anything with the biceps, the tendon of its long head or the deltoids (the muscles which would usually recieve attention).. BINGO! AND BRAVO. THEY'RE PART OF THE SAME CHAIN. PLEASE REMIND ME TO SHOW YOU HOW WORKING ON THE FEET CAN IMPROVE SHOULDER ROMs. IT'S ON THE SAME NOTION YOU WORKED ON.

I am not claiming to know more, just have been enlightened sufficiently. In contrast to my previous instructors, you combined the application of techniques instead of doing them separately. THOSE ARE VERY KIND WORDS. AND THAT'S OUR PARTICULAR FLAW. WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO WORK OUR WAY BACKWARDS WHEN SHARING BECUASE WE'VE GOTTEN RATHER USED TO COMBINING THINGS. HENCE, PRINCIPLE TWO: "DO WHATEVER WORKS OR WORKS BEST." THE MMG KIDS CAN GIVE YOU THE ENTIRE "SERMON," FOR WHICH WE HOPE YOU'LL PARDON US.

You can point that out to get better appreciation and understanding from the participants. CAN YOU HELP US POINT THAT OUT IN CASE WE FORGET?

Like when you checked for the volunteer girl's ribcage mobility, then you did a combination of met, prt and soft tissue release...I really liked that coz I understood what you were doing and you put them all together. Beautiful. AGAIN, VERY KIND WORDS. IT'S A REAL BUNCH OF FUN AT THE CLINICS. AND A NECESSITY. SOMEITMES "LESS IS BEST," BUT THAT SOMETIMES ENTAILS A MIXTURE OF "WHATEVER WORKS."

I feel like we are gonna have the same frantic pace as the previous module.. HMM. BY EXPERIENCE, LIKELY. THAT'S WHY HAROLD, REY, GE, AND VIDA (AND ANYONE ELSE EAGER TO SHARE) WILL BE PLAYING A KEY PART THIS TIME AROUND. THIS AFFORDS US A NEW PERSPECTIVE FOR PARTICIPANTS: FIELD REPORTS FROM THERAPISTS WHO HAVE ACTUALLY PICKED UP THESE PARADIGMS.

a brief and concise list of the techniques would help in recall tremendously..if that would be possible. YEAH. MY FAULT FOR NOT PREPPING THAT. AND THE SENIORS HAVE AKED ME TO TRY AND CUT DOWN MY 1,00 SLIDES TO SOMETHING LIKE TEN. I THINK WE'LL BRING A CHECKLIST THIS TIME FOR THE TECH AND PROTOCOLS. Though I don't think we really had a flow.. WE DID: THE KIDS TELL ME IT WAS "OVER"FLOW. HEHE.
thought you just went on and on (which was great! I loved it.). YEAH. MY FAULT. HAROLD USUALLY STOPS ME IN MY TRACKS WHEN BRAINS FRY OVER. IT'S THE INTERNAL NOTION THAT THERE ARE STILL TECHNIQUES AND PROTOCOLS THAT MY SENIORS HAVEN'T EVEN SEENB FROM ME OR ANYWHERE ELSE YET. THERE'S JUST ONE AMAZING LOT. AND I'VE ALREADY DROPPED A LOT OF TECH THAT I COULDN'T FIND AT LEAST GRADE B EVIDENCE FOR.

Anyway, these inputs would help those who are starting out in manual medicine (most of us are, especially me). I think you'd shock quite a number of people with what we have..hehe..coz the more we learn, the more we realize the little that we know. THAT'S HOW I STILL FEEL WHEN AROUND NEW TEACHERS EACH TIME I SIT WITH THEM TO ATTEMPT TO IMBIBE THEIR WISDOM. I NEVER THOUGHT I'D GET AROUND TO FEELING LYMPH FLOW, BUT HERE IT IS. THERE ARE AMAZING TEACHERS OUT THERE. AND IT'S THE ONLY WAY WE'RE ABLE TO GET AWAY WITH SUCH AMAZING RESULTS. WE STAND ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS. FOR THAT, WE ARE OVERFLOWINGLY GRATEFUL.

Im looking forward to learning more from you. What's with the ninja dragonball stuff doc? HAHA THAT'S WHAT THE KIDS CALL THIS THING I DO WHEN I COMBINE MULLIGAN+OMT ARTICULATORY+FOCAL INHIBITION SCS+MET+POST-TX STRETCH ON THE SHOULDERS. IN TWO MOVES. YEAH, IT'S STRANGE. THE KIDS TELL ME IT WORKS. MY CHARTS SAY SO, TOO. LIKE I SAID. OUT OF THE KINDNESS OF GIANTS HAVE THESE TOYS EVOLVED.
Oh you can point out like websites they could check so participants can do further theoretical study at their own time. HMM. WILL SEEK THOSE OUT AND POINT THEM OUT.

That helped me. Beginners like me also usually apply the techniques first, then we improve our assesssment skills based on our px's responses and the things we notice afterwards. GOOD WAY TO PICK THINGS UP FAST. AFTER ALL, IT -IS- CALLED MANUAL MEDICINE "PRACTICE."

Have a pleasant one.
SALAMAT PO. WE WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE EVEN MORE FEEDBACK NEXT TIME AROUND.

YOURS IN THE EVOLUTION OF MANUAL MEDICINE,