1. WHAT DID WE FIND?

This specialty was also popular during our visit, as many patients complain of specific or overall pain (commonly referred to as “cold” in their joints). Dr. Andrew Miners, a sports medicine chiropractor, found that flexibility and range of motion in the population was very good, but pain was common, often due to repetitive motion strain or aging. After finding that many people had common, chronic injuries, we moved to a different care model where Dr. Miners led large groups of people in mass exercise and stretching routines to reduce pain and increase mobility. We found that one of the key goals when treating these patients was to convince them that “exercise is medicine” and that in many cases drugs such as NSAIDs are not a good solution for long-term relief.

2. WHAT HAVE WE DONE SO FAR?

Following those group sessions, Dr. Miners would see individual patients who had injuries that required specific attention. He would examine and diagnose these patients, and then suggest exercises or other interventions. These sessions were done using a folding exam table and some simple resources including IT bands and topical creams for short-term pain relief. These patients were also a good training opportunity – Dr. Miners worked closely with a staff member at each clinic to teach them the basics of exam, diagnosis and treatment to continue this work once we had left. However, there is still some work that needs to be done on training, as well as some resources that would be useful if the clinics hope to continue treating MSK cases.