While almost all the north of Europe was struggling with the snow, on the 19th – 20th January 2013 I was in the sunny Bremen to teach my first KT3 in Germany.
I was honoured to have amongst the participants two eminences of the medical world, Prof. MD. H.M. Klein, cardio surgeon, Deputy Clinic Director of the Cardio Surgery Department at the University Clinic in Duesseldorf and Dr.Dr. Jutta Draganov, consultant anaesthetist at the Pain Management Clinic also at the Uni Clinic in Dusseldorf.
I first met Prof Klein and Dr.Dr. Droganov when they attended the KT 1-2 in 2011. They were so convinced that Kinesio Taping method could help reduce the amount of medication taken by patients suffering chronic pain, that they helped organise the 2012 Symposium in Duesseldorf last September.
If you were there you surely remember their talks about Pain Management after Thoracic Surgery using Kinesio Taping.
This past weekend they came back for more. For Sander Olde Olthof, from the Netherlands, who completed his accreditation as CKTI with the co teaching of this course (congratulations, you were excellent) and myself it has been a very rewarding weekend, filled with stimulating discussions and exchange of knowledge. It doesn’t often happen (yet) to have experts as our “students” explaining in depth surgical procedures and the consequent disruptions and changes in the anatomy in terms of scars, nerve damages and so on. A discussion point was also the dangers of and early intervention, even with KT, on surgical scars.
It has then been great to work out together applications suitable to the different scenarios using all muscle and corrective techniques.
In Germany there seems to be a base of MD’s which are quite interested in KinesioTaping treatment, not least due to the excellent networking of Lucamed International GmbH with German MD’s and some of their associations.
Of course Sander and I were excited to introduce the new Kinesio FP to a specialist in management of pain patients, patients with very complex constellation of problems, somatic and psychological.
Patients who need a global treatment scheme delivered by a whole team of professionals, a team which only can be successful when the members communicate with each other.
Prof. H.M. Klein is planning to launch a study on pain management after thoracic surgery with kinesio taping.
There also was an interesting discussion about the importance but also often difficult communication between doctors and other medical practitioners (PTs,OTs, sport therapists, etc). It was reiterated that although doctors/ physicians can be difficult to contact and to communicate with, we, as medical professionals responsible for the treatment of the patient, shouldn’t give up to easily. We are committed to improve the condition of our patients and all the people involved in the treatments need to communicate with each other. Team work is always essential to reach better and faster results. I know, sometimes it is easier to brew our own brew but is this the best for our patients?
I really look forward to more courses like this one and wish you all the possibility to experience the same.
Angela Petrocchi
Chartered physiotherapist , CKTI UK and German Territory