We all want to find out more about any medical conditions we may suffer, but the information out there is almost always confusing, and always conflicting. Here’s a basic guide to filtering through the information to get what you need.
The first point shouldn’t really need to be said, but please, remember that a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing, and that spending an hour or so on google does not provide you with a better qualification than your medic/therapist’s degree and experience. However, you probably are an expert in your own body and how it feels.
Use your medic/therapist as a first port of call for information, they should be happy to explain to you the basics of what is going on, and may provide you with, or point you in the direction of more information.
Secondly there are various website, some specialising in 1 condition, some being more generalised. I will include a list of those that we like and trust at the end of this post.
Now, how can you tell if the information you are reading is trustworthy? This is the big one; and essentially boils down to having a good bull**** filter. Firstly, be suspicious of any site that is trying to sell you things; they may be more interested in your money than your health. Does the information ring true – does the information remain roughly the same across multiple independent sites? Or do they all disagree with each other on the broad strokes, let alone the details. The next thing is how it reads – does it appear to be written by and for professionals, or by and for laymen. The final thing to look as is the references – does it have any? Are they mostly written by the same person? Does there appear to be a good spread for the root source of information? Do those references look reputable (something like the British Journal of Sports Medicine looks (and is) legitimate, something hosted on Blogspot less so).
These are some of the sites I trust, and often point patients to for further information:
www.nhs.uk/pages/home
www.physio-pedia.com/home
www.physioadvisor.com.au
www.sportsinjuryclinic.net