Finding Some Common Ground

I was going to do another blog ranting about how batshit crazy our profession can be, but instead, I thought I would try a different approach. I thought can I find any common ground with those I think are batshit crazy and who I disagree with the most.

Now don’t worry I haven’t gone soft, I just thought I would try something different other than ranting and raving and see if I can find something that may help me understand others with ‘alternative’ views and opinions. Let’s see how it goes.

So this blog was triggered after I saw a post on Facebook from someone called David Weinstock who is a Natural Therapist, whatever that is. Anyway, he runs something called ‘Neurokinetic Therapy’ and he posted on Facebook his thoughts about how tattoos and belly button piercings can affect fascia and throw your “core off” causing dysfunctions, imbalances, problems, and pain (see the post below).

Now, clearly, this a load of complete and utter bollocks and needs to be questioned and challenged, and I did, as did many others. However, this didn’t go down to well with Mr Weinstock with me being blocked and so this blog was born.

Short Temper?

Now many tell me that I get blocked and cause disagreements because I am too harsh, too direct when I challenge stuff like this, and this is why I get resistance and kickback from people like this Weinstock character. Many say I would have more success if I ‘softened’ my approach and was more ‘polite’ and ‘respectful’.

Many think I have a short fuse and a fiery temper because I challenge stuff like this a lot robustly. But I don’t have a temper, I just have a quick and violent reaction to clear and obvious bull shit, and in my opinion, clear and obvious bullshit needs to be treated with disdain, not respect.

Usually, in my experience, those who make ridiculous claims like this will never listen to anyone who disagrees with them, no matter how nice, polite, or respectful they are. And this was proven yet again when this Weinstock character deleted ALL the questions, comments, critique, and piss-taking left on this post no matter how polite or rationale they were worded.

I see this happen all the time when anyone disagrees with those who have clear vested interests in selling a particular method, a special technique, or promoting a book or courses. When someone questions their claims they are instantly considered a threat to their business and reputation and so are often tarnished as being disrespectful for daring to ask a question no matter how its worded.

So when I see this kind of batshittery I often can’t be bothered with polite, respectful questioning anymore, there is no point, it gets you nowhere just as much as being more direct. First, you either get ignored or if they do engage, you end up going around in circles fighting logical fallacies and ad homs.

Instead, I think our efforts are better used not by trying to discuss anything with them but rather calling out this stupidity more publicly, more often

The world of crazy!

Now Weinstock and his Neurokinetic Therapy claptrap are not alone, there are many others who are just as coco-bananas, who promote their clear and obvious bull shit on social media, and who need to be called out more for it.

For example, Perry Nickelson and his ‘Stop Chasing Pain’, Ron Hruska and his ‘Postural Restoration Institute’, Tom Myers and his ‘Anatomy Trains’, Kelly Starrett and his ‘Supple Leopards and Mobility WODs’, and Naudi Aguilar and his ‘Functional Patterns’, and these clowns are just the tip of the stupid-berg…

All these individuals are notorious for making ridiculous, stupid, implausible, unsubstantiated, ‘say hello to my little friend’ crazy claims about being able to fix this, correct that, cure something faster, quicker, better than anyone else, and of course they want to sell you their books, courses, gadgets and gizmos. But more importantly, these individuals are notorious for ignoring different views and opinions, closing down disagreements and attacking anyone who dares question or challenges them or their methods.

So I thought is there ANYTHING I can find in their material and social media posts that I can work with, that I can connect with, that I can find some common ground with, that I can try to use to build a bridge to reach out and engage with them on a more positive footing.

So I dug around and looked deep into their web pages, and their online profiles, and blogs, and social media posts fighting hard to control my laughter, anger, and frustration. I looked and looked to see if there was ANY common ground…

And to put it simply, there isn’t… but, with some wishful thinking, some hard reading between the lines, and possibly clutching at some very thin straws I think I found a couple of things that we may have in common, so here they are…

No1: They want to help others (I think)?

I do think that most of these individuals have a genuine desire to help people in pain. Ok they have some bonkers, Lady Gaga ideas about how to do it, and they don’t seem to recognise other alternative explanations of why what they do does what it does, nor do they recognise the possible negative effects their methods could create. But then again, do I fully understand or recognise all the reasons why the things I do work? Probably not!

I think that there are very few malicious healthcare practitioners out there who are deliberately looking to rip vulnerable people off and don’t care about helping them. I remember seeing a video of Perry Nickelson a few months ago online where he was helping a very elderly gentleman walk after multiple strokes, and you could clearly see the joy on Perry’s face as he helped this man walk for the first time in months. Unfortunately, Perry was also promoting some stupid ass ‘Neuro Amino Frequency’ stickers/plasters that he had whacked on this gentleman’s body and head as being the reason for him being able to walk again, which clearly is complete and utter bull shit again.

In my opinion, most healthcare professionals are just not malicious people, just ignorant, misguided, and misinformed, who don’t recognise the uncertainty around what they do or realise the harmful consequences their methods or approaches have. However, I don’t feel that sorry for them as in this day and age ignorance isn’t an excuse. If these individuals chose to listen to alternative views and different opinions a little more they may start expanding their horizons and begin to realise there are other explanations.

No2: They get people moving!

They may have some screwy, squirrely, crackerjack ideas about how to do it, but most of those I disagree with do try to get people in pain to move more. Unfortunately, they do tend to focus on the small, innocuous, inconsequential details, and believe in so-called perfect posture, positioning, form for everything and anything. As much as this stupid reasoning about perfect form, or some insignificant muscle at 11% of MVIC whilst holding your breath and standing on a bosu ball makes me want to pull my face off, I think dumb movement is better than no movement.

Even the king jester of perfect alignment and correct posture Naudi ‘functional patterns’ Aguilar gets people moving a lot, and if I let you in on a little secret and you promise not to tell anyone…

*whispers very quietly* I sometimes use some of Naudi’s exercises with some of my patients!

I know its shocking, but the angry little cock womble does have some good ideas about novel movements from time to time. However, I draw the line at wrapping bands around my patient’s, giving them a gazillion instructions, and telling them this is the only way they can move.

No3: They want to make a difference!

One last thing I seem to have in common with all of these individuals is we all want to reach a big audience and spread our message, views and opinions far and wide, however, our motives are often very different.

Attracting attention in this day and age can be hard. In fact, it can be near on impossible as there is so much noise it can be difficult to get yourself heard and noticed. So at times an outrageous comment or statement can make people stop and take notice of you.

Now I am not saying this is right but I will admit I am guilty of this at times. I will often play devil’s advocate and take a much harder position than I actually have, even at times exaggerating it for effect… Except for my views about manual therapy, I haven’t exaggerated those… I hate it… that shits for real… Also, I do swear this much, that’s not for attention either!

The difference I have from those I disagree with, is I want to promote a more simple, honest, and pragmatic message that doing the simple things really well is often all that we need to do, but we need to be better at doing it. These others tend to promote the exact opposite, pushing a particular way, method, or technique that is complex and complicated and often not needed, nor backed by any evidence. I want to simplify, they want to complicate, and so this is where our common ground ends.

Summary

So there you go, some common-ish ground with those I disagree with. It was hard, really hard, actually nearly impossible, but I did it, I managed to find a couple of things I may have in common with those I don’t agree with, and actually this has made me reflect a little.

First, its made me think that I should do this more often before I go off on one, and second, that despite our differences around the unhinged, batshit crazy world of neuro amino frequency stickers, tattoos causing fascial adhesions, tight psoas muscles causing back pain, it may not matter that much if we are all just trying to help people in pain to move.

Actually, what the fuck am I on about… ignore that, bull shit ALWAYS needs to be called out as bull shit. Call it out, call out that fucking crazy bull shit… always! 

As always, thanks for reading

Adam