What does best practice care for musculoskeletal pain look like?
(Lin et al, 2019)
A recent systematic review identified the highest-quality recommendations for the most common areas of musculoskeletal pain (neck, back, hip, knee and shoulder). At Trident Movement we pride ourselves on keeping up with the latest evidence so we can return you to the activities you love. So, what recommendations did the systematic review identify as the highest quality care?
Ensure care is patient centered, assess psychosocial factors and screen for red flags.
During your initial consult at Trident, or when a new injury/issue arises, we will run through a detailed history with you and listen to your story. We want to know everything relevant to your case and give you the time to explain this in your own words. Musculoskeletal pain can present in a variety of ways and it can sometimes be challenging to diagnose the exact cause of pain. There are often clues hidden in your story and the words you use to describe your injury or pain that can give us a lot of information. This allows us to individualise a physical examination and outline a course of care that best suits your needs. This takes us to the next group of recommendations.
Undertake a physical examination, use imaging selectively, offer high quality care before surgery and keep patients at work.
During your physical examination we aim to objectively assess how you move and what causes you pain or difficulty. This allows us to identify tissues that may be damaged and explain to you what’s happening. Not all injuries or issues require imaging (X-ray, MRI etc), especially when there are no red flags present. (read more – link blog to imaging here?) Our management plan is always tailored to your specific needs and not just a cookie cutter approach. If appropriate, we will manage your condition with manual therapy and rehabilitation first before surgery is considered. We will continue to measure changes in mobility, strength and pain to keep us both to a high standard of care.
Provide education/information, assess physical activity & exercise and use manual therapy as an adjunct to other treatments
Ultimately, we want you to understand what is going on as this empowers you to take care of your health and see the path back to the activities you enjoy doing. This will include a combination of education, manual therapy and rehabilitation among other treatments depending on your individual situation. We promise to be open and honest in our opinion of your condition and management options. We will work with your goals so that you feel inspired and in control of your health.
Get in contact today to get your health back on track. Visit our website www.tridentmovement.com or give us a call (02) 8541 7498
