EFIC Pain School on Musculoskeletal Pain

EFIC Pain School on Musculoskeletal Pain, 27-30 March 2023

Aalborg, Denmark (Application closed) INFORMATION

Course Directors: Thomas Graven-Nielsen, Center for Neuroplasticity and Pain (CNAP), Aalborg University, Denmark

Focus of this EFIC Pain School:

This inter-professional pain school will focus on chronic musculoskeletal pain. The program aligns with EFIC curricula for medicine, physiotherapy, psychology and nursing. All lectures will link directly to these, and the program strives to cover aspects that are not already covered by the EFIC Academy online education platform and includes practical sessions, demonstrations, discussions, and lectures. We have deliberately set the faculty to reflect a high profile on musculoskeletal pain and a very diverse inter-professional profile to increase networking between participants and faculty. The faculty are expected to contribute throughout the school with lectures, discussions, and demonstrations.

Main Topics:

• Musculoskeletal pain and the lived experience
• Theory and pain education
• Psychological aspects and communication
• Pharmacotherapy and non-pharmacological interventions for chronic primary musculoskeletal pain

Examples of lectures/workshops/demo:

• Theories and concepts used in the clinic to understand chronic musculoskeletal pain
• Mechanisms and basic research approaches to understand chronic musculoskeletal pain
• Exercise for pain; from bench to bedside and clinical recommendations
• Exercise; it’s role on health, function, and mood
• Current psychological concepts and approaches to manage chronic musculoskeletal pain
• Novel strategies for chronic musculoskeletal pain
• Musculoskeletal pain across the lifespan

Discussion themes (debates)

• Should patients exercise if it hurts? Balancing health and the “exercise-panacea”
• How many side effects/risks of adverse events are acceptable? Balancing “no intervention” with “treatment-despite-side-effects” and balancing adverse events with effect sizes
• Is central sensitisation a thing in musculoskeletal pain and does nociplastic pain have clinical implications?
• Risk factors for chronic pain: Trait or state dependent? Can they be modified by management?
• Novel strategies for research and their potential role for management of chronic MSK pain
• Interventional strategies for chronic MSK pain (recommendations for and against)

Faculty:
Morten Hoegh (PT), Thorvaldur Skuli Palsson (PT), Janus Laust Thomsen (MD, GP), Lene Dreyer (MD, Rheumatologist), Tonny Elmose (Psy) and Henrik Vaegter (PT), Thomas Graven-Nielsen (Neuroscience),

Guest Speakers:
Jan Hartvigsen (DC, epidemiologist), Lotte Heise (patient advocate, author, radio host), Nanna Finnerup (MD, neurologist), Michael Rathleff (PT), Lance McCracken (Psy), Eija Kalso (MD), Megan McPhee (PT)