Osteopathy and evidence-based practice- getting there, but challenges still ahead
Whilst NOT perfect (and continually under evolution and refinement- e.g. Greenhalgh et al 2014), evidence-based practice (EBP) is the OPTIMAL and ETHICAL approach to clinical healthcare practice. The now familiar definition of EBP is the integration of best research evidence WITH clinical expertise AND patient values & preferences.. EBP was developed in the early 1980s,…
Read MoreEvidence-based practice in osteopathy- results from a UK national survey (and clearing things up!)
Evidence-based practice (EBP) is now considered to be the optimal (albeit imperfect- see here) approach to healthcare practice and decision-making- and all healthcare professionals from art therapists to doctors should be adopting an evidence-based approach. Unfortunately, over the years, EBP has been misinterpreted as ‘EXCLUSIVELY applying research’ or ‘all patients receive the SAME algorithmic treatment…
Read MoreLow back pain: To scan, or not to scan? That is the question
Many of my osteopathy patients with low back pain (LBP) often ask me whether or not a scan is required, but the decision to scan is not always straight forward, so let’s clear a few things up. Firstly, there are several different types of scanning procedures used to investigate back pain, we’ll focus on…
Read MoreWhat is sciatica?
Approximately 70-80% of people will suffer from lower back pain (LBP) at some time during their life. Fortunately, the majority of these cases are ‘simple non-specific’ LBP which will resolve relatively quickly with manual therapy and exercise. However around 15-40% of people with LBP will also experience additional back-related leg pain, which can be…
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