Reflection

After completing my MSc and trawling through hundreds of journals, trying to piece together the reasons for spinal manipulation increasing straight leg raise, I took a break off intense reading.  Had another child and renovated our house.  I continued to read as and when able but soon found I was not keeping up with the quantity I might like.  Time becomes a real limiting factor, and of course work gets in the way! It was last night on twitter that I felt a little guilty (accused of!) of ‘cherry picking’ research (I was!). Perhaps we are all guilty of this in our practice.  Trying to piece together research to help.us explain a positive treatment effect.   The topic of conversation was K or Rock tape.   It is a treatment modality I am fond of -‘periodically’using.   I am fully aware that while the practice of k taping has exploded in popularity it carries little if any quality research to support the theories claimed.  Shame. It is one of those modalities I often think – ‘hmmmm seems to work, need to look at the evidence!’.  This is a problem and highlights the ethical issues of administering theoretical treatments.  Should i abandon it? No, ‘it works’.  A pre 1995 view, ive been told! – so its just placebo? Painful hammy, acute strain – tape application = no tape.  Its a case study example.  So it helped and continued to help that patient, allowes him to continue training while doing specifics – do i stop? No!  So, I will endeavour to write a piece about taping. Think its already been done, probably several times but this would be a good opportunity for me to get some writing practice and attempt assist with the already many excellent and educational blogs in existance.  However, I really want write these blogs to bring a little bit of positivity back into the profession.  I often get the feeling we are too negative about some of the techniques we use.  The impact of this on the reputation of the profession can be damaging.  In recent times it has been! Busy NHS departments cash strapped, massive waiting lists and a chronic problem of non responders to treatment.  There was a huge shift away from hands on rx, a belief that tightening our core muscle was the reason for back pain.  It started around 98 and continued and gave physio a bad name.  Any hows, thats another story and ive not stuck any refs in thus far – its just my own thoughts blurted out!.  Fact is I just want to big our profession up.  So a blog on taping and of spinal manipulation to follow! – when the kids are in bed!