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See Barrett - I warned you! Mel Writes.. > Carl Sagan offered a most appropriate saying which applies very well to that > host of uncorroborated and prominently marketed ideas and methods that we > find in the fitness, sports, health and therapeutic industries (religions?) > today: > > "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." > > Nuff said! > > Dr Mel C Siff > John Spencer writes: - I know that Mel has previously criticised dynamic stability work as being primarily an uncorroborated clinical model so I thought the list might be interested in reviewing the research base behind the ideas of dynamic stability work and see some of the "Extraordinary evidence" they have developed for their ideas. The Human Neuroscience Research Department at the University of Auckland is headed by Paul Hodges (PhD - Associate Professor) who has published 33 articles on dynamic stability in recent years (as well as jointly editing a book on the subject). He has also won 8 research awards in the last decade including "Young Australian of the Year in Science and Technology" and "Young Investigator Award" from the International Society of Biomechanics (Young? - he must be 40!!) The Joint Stability research team (a sub-division of the Human Neuroscience Dept) is headed up by Carolyn Richardson (PhD) includes 3 Associates Professors, 4 PhDs, 15 post-graduate researchers and is involved in International collaboration with organisations including the European Space Agency. It is devoted ENTIRELY to dynamic stability research. The site lists 17 publications in the last 24 months in International peer-reviewed journals such as Spine, a list of International Keynote Addresses that the researchers have given recently, including one at The World Congress in Low Back Pain. The breath of post-graduate research is impressive including one Masters student looking at prevention of low back pain in sports training (one for you there Mel!) The Undergraduate and postgraduate education programme is also impressive. This, of course, is only one centre of study and they are collaborating with other University -based researchers at a host of sites all around the globe. The evidence they are amassing is extraordinary and convincing and I cannot think of a theoretical model that has been better researched and translates into a more practical clinic tool. I am sure that Mel would agree that this particular idea could hardly be called "uncorroborated". I am not saying that this impressive array of highly qualified researchers and thieir elegant research papers are beyond question - there are many areas where they themselves are the first to raise concerns about the unknown areas of their work. But on the other hand it would be a shame if those subscribers to the list who are less familiar with dynamic stability work were to be prejudiced against this helpful area on the basis that it is merely a well-marketed fad, unsupported by research. I hope that there is someone out there who disagrees with me... http://www.shrs.uq.edu.au/Physio/Research_And_Expertise/Research_Units/Joint _Stability/Joint_Stability.html John Spencer