Bethesda
I have just returned from teaching a sold-out (see photo) Manual Trigger Pint Therapy (MTT) class in Bethesda, Maryland. The venue was Jan Dommerholt’s new digs that include a teaching space for 24 people. My mentor Jan, is a DPT and author of the books ‘Myofascial Trigger Points’ and ‘Trigger Point Dry Needling: An evidence and Clinical-Based Approach’. He is also the only myofascial pain representative on a task force set up by the American Pain Society that is fine-tuning the diagnostic criteria to help the medical world decide what is fibromyalgia and what is something else. More on this in my next post. We will be back in Bethesda for classes in October and December.
Boston
On September 12-14th we are teaching MTT-3 for the last time in Boston until 2016. MTT-3 is the lower body class that includes pectoralis major and minor, the hip flexors, the multifid, gluteals and the 20 intrinsic foot muscles. How well do you know your foot? We will discuss Morton’s foot, hyper-pronation syndrome, hallux rigidis, and plantar fasciitis, along with ITB syndrome, patella-femoral syndrome, leg length inequalities and pelvic distortions. The course will also include information on gait, running and barefoot running. Don’t miss out; register here.
Dubai / British Columbia
Plans are underway to spread the MTT courses to Dubai and Vancouver, as well as a repeat series in Bethesda in 2015. Because of this there will only be one MTT-1 class taught in Boston next year.
Minneapolis
Minneapolis is a hotbed of free-thinking health professionals who embrace the concept of pain derived from soft tissue. The International Myopain Society (IMS) is having a two-day meeting on September 19-20th featuring experts in fibromyalgia and myofascial pain including Dr. James Fricton, Dr. Albert Clavell, Dr. Bob Gerwin, Kim Jones PhD, and Dr. Jon Russell. It will be a small, intimate event with the ability to get up-close to these great presenters. IMS has gone through some tough economic times after being scammed by a rogue management company. It needs your support to recover. I encourage you to join; membership includes the excellent Journal of Musculoskeletal Pain.
Chicago
If you can’t make the trip to the Minnie Apple you might want to head to Chicago instead on September 24 through 28. Host Mary Biancalana, the current president of the National Association of Myofascial Trigger Point Therapists (NAMTPT), has put together a great program for the 30th (yes, 30th) annual conference. The fabulous NAMTPT-member speakers will be augmented by NIH trigger point research pioneer Dr. Jay Shah, Neuromuscular Therapist and author of the book ‘The Mystery of Pain’ Doug Nelson, and Naomi and Jonathon Kuttner MD from New Zealand.