Why should doctors go to conferences?

There are plenty of professional associations worldwide that represent a wide variety of specialities and expert groupings. One of these is a organization referred to as i-Fab. They are the International Foot and Ankle Biomechanics community which is a multidisciplinary collection of professionals who have an interest in foot and ankle biomechanics. They're consisting of academics, doctors, podiatry practitioners, orthopaedic surgeons, engineers, physical therapists and other health professionals, footwear industry personal, insole/orthotic manufacturers, surgical products manufacturers and connected fields. They are quite a diverse group. The association aims to deliver info on the international activities regarding foot and ankle biomechanics. They hook up individuals who are getting work done in the foot and ankle biomechanics area irrespective of their whereabouts and discipline they may be from. In addition they desire to conduct debate on important issues of interest for the international community and create coordinated community wide activities. Above all they're wanting to produce a profile for an international critical mass of research actions which are linked to foot and ankle biomechanics.

To this end one of their primary actions is an international convention which is held every two years. This convention moves around the globe and it has been held by a number of different countries. The 2018 iFab conference happened in New York in the USA. An episode of PodChatLive was about a discourse with that conference. PodChatLive is a regular live show for podiatrists and after the meeting the hosts had a chat of a lot of the relevant and interesting papers which were presented at the conference. This discussion was live on Facebook. It was later submitted to YouTube and made available as a podcast edition obtainable form most of the podcast platforms. It was an interesting approach taken by the hosts to analyze a meeting, as they routinely have a different guest on every month to discuss a subject. It is not known if they will likely try and review the 2020 conference.

How Do Podiatrists use Plantar Pressures?

Plantar pressure measurement is a technique that is becoming increasingly employed in clinical practice. It can be helpful to evaluate for such things as how much pressure there may be underneath the feet, that could be essential to figure out in people that have diabetes mellitus who are in danger of a foot ulcer. Plantar pressures are also helpful to help figure out how people walk and how stress shifts throughout the gait cycle. This is often useful information that will help podiatrists order and design foot orthotics. This is such an important topic that an episode of the livestream, PodChatLive ended up being about this. PodChatlive is a Facebook live which has two hosts along with a different guest on every show where they explore issues of meaning to podiatry as well as related issues. It's also published to YouTube and as an audio podcast.

In that show, they talked plantar pressures and pressure mapping together with Dr Bruce Williams DPM from Indiana, USA. He is a Fellow and former President of the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine and who owns Breakthrough Podiatry in NorthWest Indiana and has considerable experience on plantar pressure measurements, pressure mapping in addition to their interpretation and clinical application. He uses both the in-shoe system and pressure mat devices within his clinic and has been doing so for nearly two decades now. He is well published on this issue in peer reviewed academic publications, so is in a position to discuss this issue. In the edition of PodChatLive they reviewed what the centre of pressure can be and how it can be used clinically to understand what is going on. They also discussed how pressure data affects his clinical decision making, mainly foot orthotic recommending. They talked about the advantages and disadvantages of in-shoe as opposed to the mat technologies and try to offer some advice to those who might be thinking about introducing this kind of service to their practice.

Understanding the pain sciences

PodChatLive is the weekly livestream for the ongoing professional development of Podiatry practitioners together with other health professionals that will be thinking about all the different topics that they covers. It is hosted by Craig Payne from Melbourne, Australia and Ian Griffiths from England, United Kingdom. The stream goes out live on Facebook and then is later submitted to YouTube. Each live episode has a different person or collection of guests to go over a unique area of interest each time. Questions have been answered live by the hosts and their guests during the livestream on Facebook. Additionally there is a PodCast recording of each episode located on iTunes and Spotify and the other common podcast providers. They’ve gained a considerable following which is certainly growing. The livestream may be considered one of the methods in which podiatrists might get complimentary professional development hours.

In episode 8, they discussed the developments in the pain sciences and also the complexity of pain with the physical therapist and pain instructor, Mike Stewart. It became apparent that it is vital for all health professionals need to understand pain better than they have in the past and podiatrists have to get the skills to successfully convey this to their patients. The discussion concluded that pain is really a individual encounter. It is deemed an output of the mind as a result of real or understood threat that has the purpose of protecting us and getting us to alter our behaviour. Pain is contextual and is affected by a lot of factors. Mike Stewart is a physical therapist that functions as a Spinal Clinical Specialist for East Kent Hospitals University Foundation NHS Trust in the United Kingdom. Mike works full-time as a physiotherapist with over 15 years of expertise dealing with complex, persistent pain disorders. Furthermore, he is a committed practice-based mentor focused on offering evidence-based education and learning to a wide selection of health care professionals, such as podiatrists. He is currently undertaking an MSc in Clinical Education at the University of Brighton in the UK. He runs the Know Pain programs around the world.

Why the understanding of pain is so important

PodChatLive is the monthly live show for the ongoing professional growth and development of Podiatry practitioners as well as other health professionals who can be thinking about the plethora of issues which the show covers. It is managed by Craig Payne from Melbourne, Australia and Ian Griffiths from England, United Kingdom. The livestream goes out live on Facebook and then is later submitted to YouTube. Each live show includes a different individual or number of guests to debate a unique area of interest each time. Queries are answered live by the hosts and guests during the live on Facebook. There is also a PodCast version of every stream available on iTunes and Spotify and the various other usual podcast providers. They’ve created a substantial following which is certainly growing. The livestream could be thought to be one of the ways in which podiatrists might get no cost professional development credits.

In episode 8, they discussed the developments in the pain sciences and the the nature of pain with the physiotherapist and pain instructor, Mike Stewart. The idea became clear that it is very important for all of us to understand pain much better than we have historically and podiatrists must develop the competencies to be able to efficiently communicate this to their patients. The chat determined that pain is really a individual experience. It is an creation of the brain as a result of actual or perceived threat which has the purpose of safeguarding us and getting us to modify our actions. Pain is contextual and it is affected by a number of factors. Mike Stewart is a physical therapist that functions as a Spinal Clinical Specialist for East Kent Hospitals University Foundation National Health Service Trust in the United Kingdom. He works full-time as a clinician with over fifteen years of experience dealing with complicated, persistent pain disorders. Furthermore, he is a dedicated practice-based teacher dedicated to delivering evidence-based training to a wide variety of health professionals, including podiatry practitioners. Mike is currently carrying out an MSc in Clinical Education at the University of Brighton in the United Kingdom. Mike operates the Know Pain training worldwide.