The Pain Science Division of CPA

Dave Walton PT, MSc, FCAMT, PhD (cand.), Co-chair of CPPSG

Dave completed his BSc in Physiotherapy at The University of Western Ontario in 1999. Since that time he has practiced as a registered Physiotherapist in and around London, ON. In 2001 he completed a Master's degree in Physiotherapy with a focus on neuromuscular mechanisms of fatigue. This, combined with the beginning of a teaching career in UWO's Physiotherapy program, provided the springboard for his focus on neural mechanisms of pain. In 2004 he successfully challenged the advanced manual and manipulative therapy exams through the Orthopedic Division of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association. His clinical and research interests have recently switched focus as he tries to gain a better understanding of the role that psychology plays in physical rehabilitation, using chronic pain and disability as his preferred paradigm from which to explore these phenomena. Early in 2006 he returned to UWO, this time as a PhD student, to further understand the complex mechanisms of chronic pain and disability development following acute whiplash injuries. He sees the CPPSG as a great opportunity to expand his own horizons through interaction with physios from Canada and abroad, as well as an opportunity to translate and disseminate the knowledge that he gains through his clinical and academic pursuits.

  Neil Pearon PT, MSc, BA-BPHE, Certified Yoga Therapist, Co-chair CPPSG

www.lifeisnow.ca

Neil Pearson completed his BScPT at Queen's University in 1985. Before
returning to Queen's to complete his MSc in Rehabilitation Science
(1993), he worked in hospitals and private practice. After his MSc, Neil taught
at Queen's for a year, and considered a PhD. He opted to return to private
practice while also pursuing his passion for teaching. Neil moved to
Vancouver in 1997, and has been a Clinical Faculty member at UBC since
then. For the past 6 years he has worked at OrionHealth Vancouver Pain Clinic
(VPC), a multi-disciplinary pain management center with a cognitive
behavioural focus. Neil has developed the role of the 'pain education
expert' at VPC, providing pain neurophysiology education a la Moseley
and Butler to all the new clients. He enjoyed this so much that he developed pain sciences education courses for other health care professionals, for yoga teachers, and for the public. Neil's courses provide participants with the knowledge and the skills required to decrease pain and increase function. Neil is also a certified yoga therapist, providing one-on-one yoga therapy as well as therapeutic yoga and yoga for runners classes. He has integrated his training and skills between yoga therapy and physical therapy, and is developing yoga classes for people with chronic pain.

  Diane Jacobs, RPT
www.sherwoodphysiotherapy.com

External Relations and Promotion

Diane completed her diploma in in Physiotherapy at The University of
Saskatchewan in 1971. She practiced as a hospital physiotherapist in
Saskatchewan for several years, while continuing to attend university,
exploring a variety of "world views" that included premed, sociology,
and fine art. In 1983 at a workshop she was introduced to
traditional osteopathic methods of handling, and subsequently made
manual therapy her life's work. In 1984 she moved to B.C. and worked
as a locum PT in addition to doing volunteer work abroad for several
years. In 1994 she opened her own practice treating peoples'
persistent pain problems, and has been hard at work ever since, learning to fathom pain mechanisms, exploring compassionate ways of treating them. This work was assisted greatly by exposure to David Butler's work in 1998, and subsequently she found a community of manual therapists on line who were just as interested in the science-
based hands-on aspect of relief from pain as she. Currently her focus is widening, and she is pleased to have helped to launch and to participate in this group, which is interested in all aspects of pain, both its production and reduction.

Debbie Patterson PT

Debbie Patterson is a graduate of the University of Toronto who has practiced physiotherapy for 30 years. She has had a special interest in the treatment of persistent and magnified pain for the last 18 years and has completed many courses and programmes on this complex and intriguing topic. She is a member of the International Association for the Study of Pain.

Debbie continues to be involved with direct patient care, treating chronic pain patients in a sports injuries clinic in Newmarket, Ontario. She also is an instructor with the Advanced Physiotherapy Education Institute, presenting workshops to health care professionals involved with chronic pain patients, and to people in the community who are living with pain. In addition, she has produced an instructional CD for relaxation as a pain and stress management strategy.

As well as a passion for the science of pain, Debbie is involved in music, still life photography, gardening and sports activities.

Lesley Singer PT

Member-at-Large 

 
Lesley Singer is a graduate of McGill University (BscP.T.’95). She returned to school after being a stay at home mom. She has practiced for the past 12 years, working initially in rehab with neuro,ortho and amputees. She has worked for the past 10 years in a sports medicine clinic.

Lesley became interested in chronic pain after becoming a patient herself, with neuropathic facial pain secondary to a benign brain tumor. She has attended various pain courses in the U.S.A and Canada. She is on the board of the Canadian Pain Coalition and is a member of the Canadian Pain Society and the Quebec Chronic Pain Association.

Lesley treats chronic pain patients who come into the clinic, and she would like to begin a course for educating chronic pain patients. She has given information sessions to pharmaceutical employees and pain specialists about what it is like living with chronic pain and will soon assist in giving a lecture to dentistry students.

Lesley has a passion for learning and now puts her efforts into reading the latest research on chronic pain pathophysiology and its treatments.