"The Problem with OMPT"

I just love this post that appeared this morning, simultaneously in two places; one place was SomaSimple (where the link goes), and the other is Evidence in Motion, a PT site where a few "defenders of the faith" soldier on to try to maintain the argument that orthopaedic manual therapy is the best PT has to offer the nation (U.S.) and therefore the world.. It was written by a DPT who is also an U.S. army captain stationed in Germany. He happens to be a very clear-thinking individual who is not still involved in some protracted honeymoon bliss with manipulation.

All this sits on the top of an intense debate that has raged for months on EIM, deep in its bowels, deep in the MyPTSpace community forum that supposedly has to do with discussions of pain. Almost as soon as the community formed, and some PTs (including me) went on there to discuss.. um, pain, we were subject to all sorts of barking and yipping at our virtual heels by a couple members who see our presence there as a threat to themselves somehow. One of them even said just yesterday he wished he could reach through the computer to "wring my neck". It's the first time I've been actively threatened, in my life, by someone who is a complete stranger (other than knowing him through volleys of posts), and who calls himself a PT. I've either led a charmed life until now or he was just kidding, and hit "reply" before editing. Once you post there, no editing is possible. So I will give him the benefit of the doubt. Furthermore, I see no point in reacting particularly to a mere virtual threat - he's a long way from me geographically. Besides, the feeling's somewhat mutual... and I know (using my mirror neurons) I'd never act on such a feeling. It seems to me that's what science is for, to settle disputes, especially ones that lend themselves to scientific solutions.

Speaking of science, what made him so mad was that I began to discuss a new project that Angela and I might just take on in the future (dreaming is still free, right?), that would set up an RCT with three arms, one arm that is a control group, one that treats according to the usual ortho standards, and the third arm me.

Now you might read this and think ok, that sounds interesting, or ok, that sounds boring, but to this individual and to a few others, it sounds threatening. They are not scientifically mature enough to welcome challenges to the world as they know it, especially to their mesodermal treatment constructs.

Enter Jason's post. It has dampened down the forum a bit. For awhile. It would seem. Which is good. Very good.