Physiotherapy Speciality Day – SECEC Congress Bruges 2008
20th September 2008
On Saturday 20th September 2008 the “Physiotherapy Specialty Day” was held for the
first time at the annual congress of SECEC-ESSSE, the European Society of Shoulder
and Elbow Surgeons. Prof Habermeyer, the Chairman of SECEC, and the Chairman of
the local organising committee, Dr Geert Declercq from Deurne, in this way provided
physiotherapists with an interest in the rehabilitation of the shoulder and elbow
with an opportunity to organise a scientific meeting with speakers from Belgium
and abroad.
The keynote speaker at this congress was Dr Ben Kibler, from Lexington, Kentucky
(USA). Alongside his expertise as an orthopaedic surgeon, Ben Kibler has a special
interest in the conservative treatment of shoulder complaints, particularly in a
sport-specific context, with a passionate enthusiasm for scapular dyskinesia and
the kinetic chain principle in the rehabilitation of shoulder conditions. Dr Kibler
began the day with a lecture on the role of the scapula in shoulder function, the
evaluation of scapular dyskinesia and the significance of scapular training.
A varied programme was then offered with speakers from various European countries
with their own specific expertise: Dr Andrew Carr (UK) drew our attention to possible
genetic predisposition to rotator cuff ruptures, while Martin Scott (UK) then discussed
some aspects relating to the incidence of rotator cuff pathology in an asymptomatic
population and concluded that there is no direct correlation between the severity
of the tear and functional scores. Thierry Marc (Fr) presented his treatment strategy
in patients with Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, and Dr Eric Vermeulen (NL) discussed
his research results and scientific publications relating to the physiotherapy treatment
of frozen shoulder. Dr Nick Jansen (BE) then presented the arthroscopic arthrolysis
technique and discussion took place on the surgical approach to frozen shoulder.
The morning session concluded with a presentation by Prof. Koen Peers, who gave
an overview of and asked some pertinent questions about the secondary impingement
problems of those engaged in overarm sports. Scapular dyskinesia, rotator cuff pathology,
sport-specific adaptations and the combination of anterior laxity and posterior
capsular stiffness were all discussed.
The focus in the afternoon was on glenohumeral and scapular muscle recruitment.
Anju Jaggi (UK) discussed the classification of conservative treatment in atraumatic
multidirectional laxity/instability, Prof. Ann Cools (B) presented a treatment strategy
for the restoration of scapular muscular balance on the basis of her research results,
and Martin Scott (UK) illustrated his vision of the treatment of scapular dysfunction
and atraumatic glenohumeral instability.
EUSSER (European Society of Shoulder and Elbow Rehabilitation) was then presented
to the participants in the Physiotherapy Specialty Day. The aim of this society
is to bring together physiotherapists and doctors in Europe with a special interest
in the rehabilitation of the shoulder and elbow. The Chairman, Raphael Franck (CH),
explained the vision and objectives of EUSSER and invited everyone with an interest
in shoulder rehabilitation to join the association (www.EUSSER.org).
Dr Ben Kibler rounded off the day with a well received and enthusiastically delivered
lecture on the shoulder in tennis. It was a pleasure to listen to and see his expertise
in the field of sport-specific motion analysis in the context of injury prevention.
At the conclusion of this first Physiotherapy Specialty Day, both the organisers
and the participants looked back on the day with a sense of satisfaction. It was
a unique opportunity to bring together shoulder surgeons and physiotherapists, and
to promote dialogue with regard to shoulder pathology and rehabilitation. Some 150
participants, both medical doctors and physiotherapists, from more than ten different
European countries attended this congress day. In the meantime EUSSER has been launched,
we are pleased to be able to welcome members from all corners of Europe and this
society will shoulder the responsibility of organising the second Physiotherapy
Specialty Day, to be held on 19th September 2009 in Madrid, Spain.