In this episode I talked with Kieran O’Sullivan, a senior lecturer at the University of Limerick in Ireland, about his back pain research and his experience as a physical therapist helping people in chronic pain.
I have been following Kieran’s research and writing for many years, and I've always been struck by its relevance and clarity. He does a great job simplifying many different threads of complex research into an approach that is evidence-based, common sense and actionable. He also has a talent for translating back-and-forth between language that is appropriate for researchers, clinicians, and patients.
We talked about:
simple versus complex pains and how to tell the difference
risk factors for transition from acute to chronic pain
whether patient education about pain can help prevent the transition
how NOT to deliver pain science education
sitting and lifting at work and their connection to chronic pain
Recommended!
Links
List of Kieran’s research publications
Kieran on Twitter
Kieran O'Sullivan on Pain and Client Education