MANAGEMENT

MEDICO-LEGAL ISSUES The fact that the vehicle behind is nearly always at fault has important implica- tions in litigation and disability payment. The fact that the accident is often low impact and symptoms are delayed has often been described as medically unex- plainable and related to the litigation process.

WAD sufferers have been perceived as neurotic or malingering. Although this was a common perception in the past, it has been repeatedly shown that litigation and compensation issues do not material- ly affect the medical course of WAD.

In a study comparing litigents with chronic pain and non-litigents with chronic pain, there were no significant differences in the amount of medication used and in the number of hours spent resting per day or actually in the length of time before return to work. Litigation did, however, predict the occurrence of depression.

Patients involved in litigation should be aggressively managed and have the same opportunities for rehabilitation as those not engaged in litigation.

The evidence suggests that the develop- ment of chronic symptoms is influenced more by psychological, social or cultural factors.

THE AUTHOR Dr Simon Petrides originally trained in med- icine before training as an osteopath and then completing his diploma in sports med- icine. He is director of the Blackberry Sports and Orthopaedic Clinic in Milton Keynes. Simon arranges a series of free evening lec- tures at his clinic, taking place throughout the year with a variety of speakers. For more details see the inside back cover.

FURTHER READING AND RESOURCES ■ McClune T, Burton AK, Waddell G. Whiplash Associated Disorders and Review of the Literature to Guide Patient Information and Advice. Emergency Medicine Journal 2002; 19:499-506 ■ Curtis P, Spanos A, Reid A. Persistent symptoms after whiplash injuries, implications for prognosis and management. Journal of Clinical Rheumatology Volume 1 No. 3 June 1995 ■ Hirsch SA, Hirschsa PJ, Hiramoto H, Weiss A. Whiplash Syndrome, Fact or Fiction. Orthop Clin North Am 1988;19:791-795 ■ Mendelson G. Compensation and Chronic Pain. Pain 1992;48:121-123 ■ Solomon P, Tunkse.

The Role of Litigation in Predicting Disability Outcomes in

Chronic Pain Patients. Clinical Journal of Pain 1991;7:300-304 ■ QTF - Quebec Task Force on Whiplash 1995. www.cmcc.ca/library/research/que- bec_task_force.pdf ■ The Whiplash Book published by The Stationery Office. www.tso.co.uk/bookshop

2nd

and

SPORTS MASSAGE ASSOCIATION Conference

Highlights include: ■ Optimising Performance (presentation) - A multidisciplinary presentation from the GB Olympic Swimming medical team including sports scientist, physiotherapist, nutritionist,

In partnership with the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Massage (ACPIM)

coach and sports massage practitioner ■ Getting to the Bottom of Things - The Fundamentals of Pelvic Stability including an instability test and related sports massage work (presentation and workshop) presented by physiotherapist and core stability specialist Joanne Elphinston ■ Periodisation - Preventing Overtraining and Maximising Performance by Dr Greg Whyte, national director of science and innovation for the English Institute of Sport ■ The Respiratory Diaphragm - East meets West. At the centre of most eastern philosophies is an awareness of the breath. We reveal how this could be integrated into western medicine (presentation and workshop) - by Stuart Robertson, physiotherapist ■ Taping and Strapping workshop by Olympic physio- therapist and SMA chairperson, Joan Watt.

Additional sessions include: ■ An innovative series of workshops looking at ways in which

professionals with massage training can contribute towards the rehabilitation of 5 frequently encountered sports-related injuries as part of a multidisciplinary team.

18

September 23rd 2004

AT THE NEC, BIRMINGHAM

DELEGATE FEES ■ £110 (inc. VAT) SMA members

and subscribers (inc. OSCA and OCPPP members) ■ £130 (inc.VAT) non-subscribers

TO BOOK ■ Telephone sportEX on 020 8287

3312 with credit card details or invoice request ■ Visit our website at www.sportex.net ■ Send a cheque made payable to sportEX, to 86-88 Nelson Road, Wimbledon, SW19 1HX and writing ‘SMA conference 2004’ along with your name, address and contact number on the reverse of the cheque.

www.sportex.net