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The Culture of SomaSimple
We're different here, and this post will explain how, and why.
Before you post, reading this will help you understand why many of us view this as a unique place for facilitating learning and sharing information.
We're different here, and this post will explain how, and why.
Before you post, reading this will help you understand why many of us view this as a unique place for facilitating learning and sharing information.
Not a tea party
New members may come here expecting the typical forum experience of chatting and sharing experiences without any judgment or real reflection. They may be put off at first by the vigor of the debate here. There are already many forums out there for practitioners to discuss clinical scenarios, decision-making, schools of thought and various political movements within the profession. Such topics are discussed here, too - however, many of us feel it's urgent to advance the profession scientifically; sometimes the urgency and import of this process may take precedence over gentility or social nicety. You are welcome to "lurk" or read without posting, but we hope you will decide to stay and contribute after you've read some of the material here and feel ready.
People here ask hard questions about the most important thing to us - the patient in pain.
Here you are safe, but your ideas may not be!
Ideas, theories and beliefs are often criticized here; this is usual in science, but not usual in the "therapies." The therapies need more exposure to Occam's (aka Ockham's) Razor. These criticisms are not aimed at the person presenting the ideas, theory or belief - it is important to take careful note of this before engaging in SomaSimple threads. Many people still have difficulty separating what they think they do from what they do and from who they are; do not be needlessly upset by the scientific process of vigorous questioning and debate - our professions need exposure to intellectual rigor to keep them scientifically relevant. By allowing others to honestly criticize our ideas and by honestly criticizing the ideas of others, we all learn and the profession can advance. Personal (i.e., ad hominem) attacks, however, will not be tolerated.
Science-based Practice
Evidence-based practice has become the buzz in PT; while we agree EBP is important, in fact we advocate for an even more rigorous standard that has been termed "science-based medicine." Harriet Hall MD of Science-Based Medicine has articulated this distinction very well in her medical skeptic 2009 slide presentation, here: Tooth Fairy Science and Other Pitfalls: Applying Rigorous Science to Messy Medicine
You may find that you can replace some of the traditional and outdated knowledge in musculoskeletal medicine by judicious use of Occam's Razor and modern pain neurophysiology.
No Groupthink
Contributors from many different countries represent many different professions at SomaSimple - physical therapy, osteopathy, medicine, chiropractic, massage, sports training, etc. The moderators represent different traditions and use many different approaches to patient care: the main thing holding us together is our interest in science-based practice and how the neurobiological revolution might inform our care of patients.
Real people - real names.
While members are free to post anonymously, we encourage people to use their real names. Most of our contributors and all of our moderators post with their real names. Many of us feel this encourages civility, and it's more honest.
Experiences of past participants - what you can learn as a new member.
Many of our most prolific contributors and moderators have come to spend time here only after vigorous debates and arguments about clinical topics. These internet debates and arguments create a learning experience that is unique in therapies, and overdue in our opinion.
With these things in mind, we hope that you'll choose to join us as an active participant, introduce yourself and your ideas. Likely we will do you the favor of critically exploring your ideas, and we encourage that you do the same for us. We are convinced that this is the way forward. Welcome to Somasimple.
Helpful Links
Welcome Forum
Information for our guests
Forum rules
Suggested Reading
Forum moderators' consensus on pain
Melzack R; Pain and the Neuromatrix in the Brain 2001 (5-page pdf)
Wand BM, O'Connell NE; Chronic non-specific low back pain - subgroups or a single mechanism? 2008 (15-page pdf)
Hall H; Tooth Fairy Science and Other Pitfalls: Applying Rigorous Science to Messy Medicine 2009 (slide presentation)
Novella S; Plausibility in Science-Based Medicine 2010