The interview

Sofie Rummens, Belgium  

Where do you come from, and what is your profession?

I am a PRM specialist in the University Hospitals Leuven, Belgium.

How is the rehabilitation treatment of spine diseases managed in your country?

In general, patients with spine problems are treated according to the biopsychosocial model. An active approach with a focus on self-management is key. Most patients are treated by a physiotherapist, if needed, together with a multidisciplinary team.

Scoliosis: how is it treated?

In Flanders (the northern part of Belgium), the care for patients with scoliosis is mainly coordinated by spine surgeons and consists of clinical follow-up, bracing or surgery depending on the specific case. Scoliosis-specific exercise therapy is definitely not widely implemented. However, there is an ongoing shift towards more care by PRM specialists.

How did you find out about ISICO and the Online Scoliosis Master Course?

I was aware of it thanks to some teachers involved in the course, who knew about my interest in scoliosis.

Are you satisfied with what you have learnt, and if you had to recommend it, what would you say?

Yes, this Online Master Course provides a very comprehensive overview of all the aspects important in scoliosis. The combination of evidence-based and expert-based information is very valuable, as are the clinical cases & discussion.

Write some lines about your visit to the ISICO clinic in Milano.

My visit at ISICO was very inspiring for my own clinical practice in terms of organisation and content of patient follow-up, but also concerning the related research projects and data collection. I will definitely use this experience to implement in the care of patients with scoliosis.