JOSPT Insights

More than 10 million people across the world are living with the long-term consequences of COVID-19. But the crushing fatigue experienced by so many with long COVID—the postexertion malaise—is not new. People have lived with postviral illness and postexertion malaise, and they've faced stigma and harm for decades. Sabrina Poirier and Dr Simon Décary are working tirelessly to ensure the mistakes and harms inflicted on so many people living with postviral illness are not repeated for people living with long COVID. For more, please read the recent JOSPT editorial: https://www.jospt.org/doi/10.2519/jospt.2021.0106

Have you pivoted to telerehabilitation during the coronavirus pandemic? Are you wondering what the digital future of musculoskeletal rehabilitation is? Professor Kim Bennell leads a multidisciplinary team designing, implementing, and studying telehealth for musculoskeletal rehabilitation. Join her for a run-down of the key issues to consider when you’re planning and delivering telerehabilitation and an overview of what the research says about its effectiveness.

Dr Saurab Sharma knows first hand the challenges and opportunities of working across different cultures and in different resource settings. From his work as a physical therapist in Nepal, to his research at University of Otago, and his current work at Neuroscience Research Australia, Saurab is committed to improving the lives of people living with chronic pain. Tune in as Saurab shares his ideas for improving how clinicians and people living with pain can talk about and understand pain.

Orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Dreese discusses how different meniscus tears behave differently, influencing treatment choices. Topics include meniscal root attachments, ACL injuries, meniscectomy vs. repair based on tissue quality, and the importance of collaboration between physical therapists and surgeons for optimal patient outcomes.

How do you start a clinical consultation, and what do you do with the information that comes from the patient’s story? Jo Belton and Professor Pete O’Sullivan are tireless advocates for patient-centered care in the truest sense of the phrase. They share their insights on building authentic connections with patients—how to be a human to a human.

The Dutch COMPARE trial landed in BMJ at the end of February 2021, adding much needed weight to the nuanced discussion of best treatment for ACL injury: early surgery versus exercise therapy first with the option for late ACL reconstruction if needed. Leading clinician-researcher Dr Hege Grindem dissects the key results and shares her views on who succeeds without ACL reconstruction.

When 2 in every 3 people with a musculoskeletal condition also have at least one other underlying health condition, it’s time for rehabilitation clinicians to up our game in understanding complex health needs. Thankfully, Professor Søren Skou is here to help. Who is best placed to help patients manage their complex health needs? And is exercise—the veritable polypill—always the answer? Link to the START trial: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33591346/

Dr Claire Minshull joins Drs Dan Chapman and Chelsea Cooman to unpack rate of force development (RFD): what it is, what it isn’t, and how to measure it. We take a deep dive into how fatigue affects RFD, differences between the sexes, potential implications for injury, and the best ways to incorporate RFD training into your rehabilitation plans.

Join IFOMPT Vice President Paolo Sanzo for his interview with IFOMPT President Laura Finucane on assessing and managing red flags in practice, and how you can add the international framework for screening for serious spine pathology to your practice tomorrow. Over 50,000 people have downloaded the framework for free from the JOSPT website (https://www.jospt.org/doi/10.2519/jospt.2020.9971). Thanks to IFOMPT and World Physiotherapy for their partnership with JOSPT—together we’re bringing you coverage of important issues in global musculoskeletal healthcare.

Sports podiatrists and researchers Dr Katrine Kryger and Dr Athol Thomson raise the profile of footwear for improving athletes’ health and performance. Today’s episode jumps into the impact of footwear in sport—how the right footwear can help athletes avoid injury, what athletes should look for when selecting footwear, and the long overdue investment in footwear specifically for women athletes.