Editor's Note, Volume 9 Issue 1

D’Arcy Little, MD, CCFP, FRCPC Medical Director, JCCC and HealthPlexus.NET

I am pleased to introduce the first issue of the Journal of Current Clinical Care for the new year.

Dr. Julia Alleyne presents Pregnancy-Related Back Pain: When Should I Worry? Clinicians are often unsure if back pain during pregnancy is due to a musculoskeletal condition, an abnormality with the pregnancy or merely part of the common discomforts associated with gestational changes. Low back pain guidelines do not include pregnant women in their criteria and there have been no randomized clinical trials to determine specific causes of low back pain during pregnancy. This article will provide the clinician with a framework for identifying pregnancy-related back pain using a high yield history and key physical examination techniques to differentiate between mechanical back pain, sacroiliac instability and symphysis pubis separation. Risk factors for low back pain and warning signs for pregnancy complications will be identified and appropriate management strategies will be provided for the management of pregnancy-related low back pain.

In their article, Start Exercising Already? A Physician's Step-by-Step Guide to Prescribing Exercise for All Patients, Dr. Aly Abdulla and Neelam Charania briefly review the epidemiology of sedentarianism and the general benefits and risks of exercise, and will include a short primer on types of exercises along with a step-by-step approach to exercise prescription. The aim of this article is to help you increase the level of activity among your adult patients safely and to work through the basics of exercise prescription.

Rahul Varshneya, co-founder and President of Arkenea and Benchpoint offers an interesting article on 5 Ways Technology is Leading the Revolution in Patient Care. Technology is proving itself to be a driving force behind innovations in the healthcare industry. Advances in medical technology are empowering both patients and healthcare providers to take data driven decisions for better health outcomes and improved care efficiency. Adoption of technology is slated to play a major role in healthcare growth and prove immensely beneficial for everyone within the chain of care.

I hope you enjoy this latest edition. Please consider commenting or submitting an article of your own.