Category: Evidence Summary

Low back pain – resources

Saurab Sharma | April 12, 2020

Today, I had a chance to participate in a discussion facilitated by Nepal Physiotherapy Association on low back pain over Zoom and was broadcasted on the association’s official Facebook Page. I was very happy with the active engagement of everyone (other speakers and audiences). Very interesting questions were raised, and as promised, I am sharing […]

Pain Prevention – Nepali translations of the IASP factsheets are online

Saurab Sharma | April 6, 2020

The International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) is working in various ways to achieve its vision of working together for pain relief throughout the world.  The IASP has celebrates a global year on pain every year on an area of pain as one of its ways to improve pain relief worldwide. The theme […]

Low back pain update presentation at NEPTACON 2018

Saurab Sharma | December 3, 2018

I flew to Nepal last week to deliver an invited talk on “low back pain- update” at Nepal Physiotherapy Association Conference (NEPTACON 2018). I received an overwhelming response: houseful presence, many questions, request to conduct longer sessions demonstrating how to educate/reassure patients with low back pain.  Although I requested for an hour session, due to […]

Diagnostic triage in low back pain

Saurab Sharma | March 15, 2018

Low back pain (LBP) is one of the most common musculoskeletal problems encountered by a clinician. For the purpose of screening and diagnosis of LBP, a diagnosis triage has been proposed for patients when first presenting to a clinician. The goal of diagnostic triage is to exclude non-spinal causes of back pain and to allocate […]

Where NOT to publish: Predatory Journals

Saurab Sharma | February 10, 2018

Research publication is a requirement for many reasons. For example, academicians need it for promotion, and or to maintain academic position such as Professorship; and researchers need it to demonstrate research and publication skills, which helps in securing grants. Similarly, students need it to secure a scholarship, and improve track record for career growth. But, […]

Pilot-testing versus field testing

Saurab Sharma | October 10, 2017

Pilot-testing and field testing sound similar and many recall both to be the same and use them interchangeably. However, there are distinct differences between the two. Pilot-testing is a qualitative inquiry on one or more small sample(s) representative of the population. Field testing on the other hand is a quantitative analysis done on a large […]

Outcome measure – talk at WCPT conference

Saurab Sharma | August 28, 2017

It was an excellent opportunity to present at a how to… seminar on “Outcome Measures” at the World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT) Congress 2017. Outcome measures are important for assessment in clinical practice and research. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) have now become very common for the assessment of a variety of constructs such as […]

Patient-Specific Functional Scale (PSFS)- Nepali version

Saurab Sharma | June 2, 2017

Patient Specific Functional Scale (PSFS) is one of the most frequently used outcome measures to assess physical function in individuals with musculoskeletal pain conditions. It is an easy to use measure because it only asks patients three to five items that they find difficulty doing on a scale of 0 to 10. As patients choose […]

Pain Rating Scales- Nepali versions

Saurab Sharma | June 2, 2017

Pain rating scales Different measures exist to assess intensity of pain which are suited for different individuals based on age, education and culture. Read this previous blog on different measures for assessment of pain intensities. They are translated and adapted to assess pain intensity in Nepalese with pain. Numerical Pain Rating Scales are among the […]

दुखाई सम्बन्धी सर्वेक्षणमा भाग लिनुहोस्

Saurab Sharma | April 23, 2017

जीवनको कुनै न कुनै समयमा सबैलाई शरीर दुख्ने समस्याले सताउँछ । हरेक ५ जनामा १ जनालाई भने लामो अवधीसम्म (३ महिना भन्दा बेसि) दुख्ने गर्छ । यो लामो समयसम्म दुख्ने समस्याले मानसिक तथा सामाजिक रूपमा पनि असर पारेको हुन सक्छ । अथवा मानसिक र सामाजिक कारणले पनि धेरै मानिसहरुलाई दुखाई सम्बन्धी समस्या हुन सक्छ । […]