Episode 035: Interview with Dr. Jan Dommerholt
In this episode, we had a conversation with the incredible Dr. Jan Dommerholt. We discussed the field of musicians' health and wellness, performing arts medicine, musicians' pain patterns, his approach to working with musicians, and much much more. This is an episode you do not want to miss.
Dr. Jan Dommerholt Bio:
Dr. Jan Dommerholt, PT, DPT, MPS is an accomplished and experienced Dutch-trained physical therapist. In addition to his physical therapy education, he has studied at New York University where he completed a course of study in Performing Artists Disorders (NYU Human Performance Analysis Laboratory). He completed a Master of Professional Studies with a concentration in biomechanical trauma and health administration from Lynn University, and a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences. Dr. Dommerholt is a former Diplomate of the Academy of Integrative Pain Management (before the society went out of business) and a member of several medical and physical therapy professional organizations.
Dr. Dommerholt is a recognized expert in the physical therapy diagnosis and treatment of persons with myofascial pain syndrome, chronic pain syndromes, and whiplash-associated disorders.
He has published several books, over 130 articles, and nearly 80 chapters in medical and physical therapy textbooks on myofascial pain, chronic pain conditions, fibromyalgia, complex regional pain syndrome, and whiplash. Dr. Dommerholt prepares a quarterly literature review column on myofascial pain syndrome for the Journal of Bodywork & Movement Therapies.
Dr. Dommerholt has also specialized in the diagnosis and treatment of musicians with musculoskeletal problems. As a former clarinetist and saxophonist, Dr. Dommerholt has combined his interests in music and physical therapy. His final thesis in his physical therapy education was titled Musica et Medicina and focused on medical problems of wind instrumentalists. Since then, he has authored several articles on performing arts physical therapy and contributed chapters to most leading medical textbooks on performing arts medicine.
Dr. Dommerholt has studied physical therapy approaches for persons with craniomandibular pain and completed an advanced internship with Dr. Mariano Rocabado in Santiago, Chile. Dr. Dommerholt has published in this field as well and is one of the few physical therapy members in Maryland of the American Academy of Orofacial Pain. His contributions and expertise were recognized when the AAOP invited Dr. Dommerholt two years in a row to be an invited speaker at its annual conference. In addition, the AAOP selected Dr. Dommerholt to teach a certification program in dry needling for orofacial pain and headaches geared toward dentists and physical therapists.
Dr. Dommerholt introduced dry needling to the United States in 1997. Since then, he has studied dry needling techniques in Europe, the United States, and Canada, and has incorporated these techniques into his manual therapy practice. He has written several articles about dry needling and frequently assists state boards and professional organizations on the issue of dry needling. He is recognized as a specialized practitioner of dry needling by the Maryland Board of Physical Therapy Examiners.
Dr. Dommerholt has taught hundreds of courses and lectured at over 60 conferences throughout the United States, Australia, Europe, Central and South America, and the Middle East while maintaining an active clinical practice.
Dr. Dommerholt is Associate Editor of the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies and on the editorial board of the Journal of Manual and Manipulative Therapy and Cuestiones de Fisioterapia. He is a frequent reviewer of submitted articles for many journals, including Physical Therapy, Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, Clinical Journal of Pain, American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Journal of Alternative and Complementary Therapies, and several others.
Dr. Dommerholt Website
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