Webinar Kieran O'Sullivan PhD: It is time to move beyond ‘Body Region Silos’ to manage musculoskeletal pain: On demand webinar

Webinar Kieran O'Sullivan PhD: It is time to move beyond ‘Body Region Silos’ to manage musculoskeletal pain

Current clinical research, education and practice commonly approaches musculoskeletal pain conditions in silos. A focus on body regions such as knee, hip, neck, shoulder and back pain as separate entities is manifest by region-specific clinical guidelines, conferences and working groups.

Emerging evidence demonstrates that musculoskeletal pain disorders are frequently comorbid and share common biopsychosocial risk profiles for pain and disability.

There is broad consensus across clinical guidelines on the recommendations for best practice, irrespective of body region. We contend that a shift to focus on the person is needed.

This best practice approach will encourage clinicians to:

(1) focus on patients’ context and modifiable biopsychosocial factors that influence their pain and disability;

(2) use education to facilitate active management approaches (targeted exercise therapy, physical activity and healthy lifestyle habits) and reduce

reliance on passive interventions; and

(3) consider evidence-based surgical procedures only for those with a clear indication and where guideline-based non-surgical approaches have been rigorously adhered to.

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Kieran graduated from University College Dublin in 1999. In 2004 he completed an MSc in Manipulative Therapy at Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Western Australia. In 2005, he started lecturing at the University of Limerick. In 2008 he was awarded specialist member status by the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists. In 2016, he took up a position as Lead Physiotherapist at the new Sports Spine Centre at Aspetar, Qatar. His research interest is musculoskeletal pain and injury, particularly persistent spinal pain. He completed his PhD, funded by the Health Research Board of Ireland, on persistent low back pain. He has published one book, six book chapters and over 140 journal articles. He has obtained over 2.5m euros in research funding. His research group disseminates its research through www.pain-ed.com, which is an online platform providing advice and information from both patients and clinical researchers on managing musculoskeletal pain.