Hello Mary,
Tom Mayer is a medical doctor based in Dallas Texas
USA. He is often considered the "father" of functional restoration
programmes. He and Rob Gatchel (Psychologist, PhD) developed a highly
intensive, multidisciplinary, active, live in programme at their PRIDE
Centre. When I say intensive, it was like 8-9 hours a day of non stop physio, OT
and counselling/psychology sessions every day. This was in 1988 when I visited
the centre. It is still going I am not sure of the current details but it is
still intensive.
Many centres have tried
replicating his programme and come up with varying levels of success. Tom says
those who don't do as well as PRIDE are those who do not follow the programme
exactly. He claims extremely high return to work rates on severely chronic
clients but he does have fairly stringent selection criteria. It generally needs
to be funded by an insurance company because it is tres expensive.
They published a book in 1988: Functional
Restoration for Spinal Disorders: the Sports Medicine approach, Lea &
Febiger Philadelphia ISBN 0-8121-1137-0 which details their programme. I do not
know whether there is a later edition - let me know if there is! They have also
published many articles most in the journal Spine. The usual key words and
perhaps functional restoration or sports medicine approach will generate some
references for you
I am at home at the moment and all my references
are at work but I am sure you can find them faster than me!! He has had the
programme replicated and researched in other countries as well - Canada, USA,
Sweden, Finland, Australia that I know of at least.
I can vouch for an active programme for low back
pain - it certainly improves function whether it decreases pain or not. The idea
is to focus on function rather than pain.
Hope your library user has
success!
Cheers,
Anna
Anna Lee.
Principal, Work
Ready
Snail mail:
Suite 3, 82 Enmore
Road
Newtown 2042
Australia
Phone: (02)
9519 7436
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Fax: (02) 9519 7436
Can anyone tell me about the Mayer Program for
the relief of lower
back pain. I have received a query for information
from a library
user who has been referred to this programme by an
insurance company.
I have found articles by TG Mayer, but no specific
reference to his
programme. In particular I am looking for an evaluation
of the
programme. Replies to me personally or to the list would be most
welcome.
