So far in this short series on the problems with the biomedical model we’ve looked at the mind-body separation, biomedicine’s claims to objectivity and access to the truth about health and illness, it’s construction of atomistic individuality, and last week, the problematic nature of normalisation. In this post we’ll look at the passivity that biomedicine engenders in patients. Biomedicine is a powerful discourse and it has brought enormous power and social capital not only to the medical profession, but also to those who practice in its image. One of the most widely voiced critiques of medicine is that it is hegemonic (or dominant not through force but a degree of consent and … [Read more...] about Critique of the biomedical model #5
Going beyond good and bad practice
The idea that one approach to practice is superior to another is a powerful discourse in physiotherapy today. Last week I was talking with a colleague who thinks of himself as a 'critical thinker', and we were debating the merits of active rehabilitation over passive treatment. So called 'passive' treatments (some forms of massage, manipulation and electrotherapy, for example), in which the patient has treatment done to them rather than taking responsibility and actively engaging, have been the subject of much criticism in the profession for some time now. There is, I was told, indisputable evidence for the benefits of active approaches over passive treatment, and that those who … [Read more...] about Going beyond good and bad practice