Tamer Issa, PT, DPT, OCS will be a presenter of a pre-conference workshop and breakout sessions at the American Academy Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists annual conference.

October 6-7, 2010

Pre-Conference Workshop

Intramuscular Manual Therapy: Trigger Point Dry Needling — A Novel Approach to Relieve Muscle Pain, Restore Muscle Function

Intramuscular manual therapy is increasingly becoming the treatment of choice for trigger point deactivation and for treatment of segmental spinal dysfunction. Physical therapists worldwide are becoming educated and clinically trained in this technique through post-graduate workshops and even in entry-level programs. In the United States a growing number of states, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists, and the American Physical Therapy Association have acknowledged that trigger point dry needling is within the scope of physical therapy practice. This pre-conference workshop will introduce clinical examination and treatment of myofascial trigger points with emphasis on Intramuscular manual therapy.
Presenters: Edo Zylstra/Tamer Issa

October 9, 2010

Breakout Session

Trigger Point Dry Needling/Intramuscular Manual Therapy: Advancing Clinical Practice Towards Vision 20/20

Trigger Point Dry Needling(TDN)/Intramuscular Manual Therapy(IMT) is a relatively new treatment technique quickly increasing in popularity in the United States as physical therapists, advancing their clinical practice, seek new, more effective and innovative ways to treat their patients with increased efficiency and improved outcomes. With Vision 20/20 quickly approaching, how will therapists continue to differentiate their practice to fit into the Doctoring profile that will be expected with this Profession’s future goals and its involvement in the progression of medical/health care in this country.

Trigger will be defined and it’s history of use will be described as it pertains to mainly the United States and what future role we can expect it to take in the next 10 years as we move towards Vision 20/20. Progression of the use of this technique in the US and abroad will be discussed. The research of this technique will be presented as to the current thought of its affects on the body but also the potential affects yet to be fully identified. Application to current diagnoses and types of injuries will be discussed. Discussion on insurance coverage, billing and how physical therapy is adapting to its ever expanding scope of practice, and how physical therapy should be consistently valued among third party payers and the public.
Presenters: Edo Zylstra/Tamer Issa

Tamer Issa, PT, DPT, OCS

Dr. Issa is the owner of ISSA Physical Therapy in Rockville, MD and is an instructor for Myopain Seminars, based in Bethesda, MD. He received his DPT degree from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in 2006 and a B.S. degree in Physiotherapy from the Hogeschool Enschede in the Netherlands in 1998. Dr. Issa is a board-certified Clinical Specialist in Orthopaedic Physical Therapy and is certified in Myofascial Trigger Point Therapy. Dr. Issa has published articles and book chapters on the topics of orthopaedic manual therapy, chronic headaches, trigger point dry needling, myofascial pain and fibromyalgia differential diagnosis.