UPFRONT | News and events PAIN MANAGEMENT Take 5 Common shoulder operation is no more beneficial than placebo surgery in a landmark study pub-lished in the BMJ, Finnish researchers show that key-hole surgeries of the shoul-der are useless for patients with “shoulder impinge-ment,” the most common diagnosis in patients with shoulder pain. The Finnish Shoulder Impingement Arthroscopy Controlled Trial (FIM-PACT) compared surgical treatment of shoulder im-pingement syndrome to placebo surgery. Two years after the procedure the study participants, both those in the group who underwent surgery and the ones in the placebo group, had equally little shoulder pain and were equally satisfied with the overall situation of their shoulder. Shoulder problems are very common and place a significant burden on the health care system. The most common diagnosis for shoulder pain that requires treatment is shoulder im-pingement, and the most common surgical treatment is decompression through keyhole surgery. This research confirms previous randomized studies showing that keyhole de-compression surgery of the shoulder does not alleviate the symptoms of patients any better than physiother-apy. Paradoxically, however, the number of decompres-sion surgeries has increased significantly, even though solid proof of the impact of the surgery on the symptoms has been lacking. Overall, shoulder pain was substantially improved in all three groups from the start of the trial. However, de-compression surgery offered no greater benefit to shoul-der pain than placebo sur-gery. —University of Helsinki NUMBER CRUNCH The growing senior population A recent survey by uCarenet reveals Canadians are facing challenges with in-home care, with very specific concerns. EVENTS NBCA celebrates 60 years with convention and tradeshow the new brunswick chiro-practor’s association is hosting the upcoming Atlantic Chiroprac-tic Convention and Tradeshow, taking place Oc-tober 27-28 in Moncton, B.C. The NBCA is wel-coming attendees to the from across Atlantic Canada, Ontario, Quebec, and those close by in the United States. Highlights for the event include: A 12-hour educational seminar for spinal and extremity disorders, with Dr. Corey Camp-bell, a prominent U.S. instructor, as well as a special 60th year of chiropractic cele-bration. 37.4% cite finding reliable and trustworthy caregivers as their main difficulty for in-home care Canadians will be over the age of 65 by 2031, as estimated by Stats Can The number of Canadians who currently care for, or expect to care for, a family member in the next three to five years 56% prefer a government subsidy to support in-home care needs versus government-funded programs, so they can customize the care required 8 Canadian Chiropractor September 2018 www.canadianchiropractor.ca SOURCE: uCarenet 1 IN 4 33.8%
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