Show Notes
Welcome to another episode of the Words Matter Podcast. This is an impromptu podcast given that the world is in the grip of the COVID19 pandemic, and we are all having to adjust to new ways of living, thinking and being- including how we practice as clinicians.
Dr Oliver Thomson speaks with osteopath and David Hohenshurz-Schmidt, an osteopath and PhD student in Pain Research, about how communication skills have now been thrust into the forefront of musculoskeletal and MT practice, given that we are now unable to touch their patients due to the pandemic.
In this episode they spoke about the shift in skills necessary for manual therapists and MSK clinicians to conduct appointments remotely either online or via telephone, and thee requires a change in how clinicians (and patients) conceptualise and see value in all different aspects of the clinical practice, such as the nature of ‘treatment’, their therapeutic role and their professional identity.
David is an osteopath and graduate of the University College of Osteopathy (UCO) in London, and he’s also currently in private clinical practice. He completed his MSc in Neuroscience from King's College London, where he focused on pain research using fMRI. He published his MSc research in Frontiers in Neuroscience Journal, not a bad start to a research career! See
here for the full paper)
He’s currently in the midst of a PhD at Imperial College London, where he’s part of the pain research group (lead by Prof. Andrew Rice
here) investigating methods to improve how we assess effectiveness of non-drug, non-surgical therapies for pain, including manual therapies, CBT, body-mind therapies, acupuncture. Moe about David's research
here.
David and colleagues at
UCO have developed a free webinar (see
here) to offer advice and guidance for osteopaths and all MSK clinicians to move their clinical work remotely. It's a great resource and I found it extremely helpful for my own transition online.
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What is The Words Matter Podcast with Oliver Thomson?
The Words Matter Podcast brings you insights, reflections and conversations focused on the latest evidence, theory, philosophy and practice of communication-focused healthcare.
Find out about the more tacit, 'softer' and personal side of clinical practice such as the role of philosophy, beliefs, behaviours, developing therapeutic relationships or the purposeful use of language with people experiencing pain from expert academics, clinicians and researchers from across the world and spanning the musculoskeletal disciplines. This podcast will help you reflect on your own current practice and inform and stimulate you to consider new ways of approaching your practice and patients, to create a better clinical experience and outcomes in people with musculoskeletal pain.
Hosted by Dr Oliver Thomson PhD, an osteopath and Associate Professor who is passionate about researching and educating clinicians on a revised narrative, communication and biopsychosocial approach to musculoskeletal therapy. If you like the podcast, subscribe and check out the online learning and resources at www.wordsmatter-education.com.
Support the show and become a patron https://www.patreon.com/thewordsmatterpodcast