Wake up

The sad thing about physiotherapy in India is the lack of evolution in its scientific basis. When I went to college most of the teaching was –do what is say, learn by seeing probably by observing. Only few teachers and PT looked beyond “how to apply in my patient” giving less importance to the science behind it. The problem with this attitude is: it becomes difficult to understand whether the treatment is effective, am I harming my patients, and what happens when it is does not work and how I do it a different group of patients etc.  Beyond the obvious one, the problems are lack of original scientific thinking or stifling it and believing every “expert” or authoritative figure –either a PT or a surgeon who we perceive is more learned.    

This, I believe led us to our current conundrum. Every day I see someone teaching alternative magic to physiotherapist and poor idiots gobbling them. The current fade is Diploma in “O” or “C” or acupuncture.
So what is the problem?

Let’s take the obvious- if they can teach you in weekends or through online and in six months and you get a diploma in that “medical philosophy” – you should be either a highly gullible person or your UG education should have been very poor.

The next issue is – aren’t we the people who fought against diploma in PT taught in street corners and we don’t seem to have a problem with this? Diploma in “O” taught by some charlatans and a snake oil selling idiots from "abroad" and India? The hypocrisy is beyond words.

The third issue is- these courses are fraught with nonsensical science and from moving joints (which usually begs the question- so what or can you move it) to vital organs. Well if you education was so poor in UG you can’t discern the difference between a vital organ function and what the hell is manipulating it will lead to – you should not be allowed to practice the great science of PT. you should be locked up in Kilpauk.

I understand PT science is also many a times poorly understood and sometimes downright wrong but the comparing to alternate magic is just sad. shouldn't we be all trying to evolve our PT science rather than consuming the crap of the world? 

This begs the last question: why are these idiots allowed to corrupt and ruin PT science in India without any resistance.  Don’t some of the states have a associations, councils or something- why is everyone silent? Because we think well this is evolution? Or because well why do I care or well I don’t attend so I don’t care?

whatever your reason it is time to wake up and smell the shit in our neighborhood. 

  

Love
Hariohm

 

What next- 2017 world PT day post

When there is a lack imagination, poor understanding of health science and leadership- then the weeds grow. That is what is happening to us in the last few years. PTs are led to believe the next step is to wed alternative magic like osteopathy, dry needling, SI with PT. When a science has to grow it grow with incorporating other science not magic. So, you ask me “pray tell us what is next in PT”

Well my take on what and how PT is going to shape up in the next decade

1.       NCDs are a major health hazard and the numbers are increasing alarmingly in countries like India. All health care professional has to play are in prevention, management and rehab. I believe until now we have narrowed ourselves only to management or rehab. This should change- we should be actively involved in preventing diseases, especially NCDs.

2.       In spite what your certified instructor told you- we know exercise are good and works wonderfully in many conditions. What we don’t know is how to make our patients comply with the exercise program.  In the coming years we are going to borrow ideas and theories from behavioral science and evolve programs. These programs are going to have better influence on our patients to comply with our exercise

3.       As part of the earlier point- our education of patient in pain, post stroke, prevention of NCDs are going to better than what it is now.

Happy world physiotherapy day