New Zealand Association of Musculoskeletal Medicine.

Welcome to the New Zealand Association of Musculoskeletal Medicine Website.

The New Zealand Association of Musculoskeletal Medicine (NZAMSM) is an organisation of NZ registered Medical Practitioners who have a particular interest in conditions affecting the Musculoskeletal System. Musculoskeletal disorders are very common, patients usually present with pain and disability as a result of injury or dysfunction affecting the spine (cervical, thoracic or lumbar spine), pelvic or shoulder girdle, or to the upper and lower limbs. These may occur as a result of work/non-work related injury, sporting injury or of a gradual onset work/non-work related condition.

Musculoskeletal Medicine is a vocational branch of medicine under the NZ Medical Council, alongside and complimentary to other vocational branches such as Orthopaedic Surgery, Neurology and Rheumatology. The NZAMSM is involved with training and educating doctors in Musculoskeletal Medicine along with Otago University Christchurch School of Medicine and Health Sciences (Post-Graduate Diploma of Musculoskeletal Medicine) and the Australasian Faculty of Musculoskeletal Medicine (Australasian Fellowship of Musculoskeletal Medicine).

The NZAMSM oversees the standards of practice of those Doctors practising in this vocational branch of medicine in NZ and is responsible for the accreditation and re-accreditation of Specialist Musculoskeletal Physicians in NZ.

Training in Musculoskeletal Medicine has a strong emphasis on Evidence Based Medicine. Clinical hands on assessment is an important component of Musculoskeletal training.

Musculoskeletal Practitioners will have a good understanding of the reliability and validity of clinical examination procedures, of various investigations and on the range of possible therapy and treatment options. Some Musculoskeletal Physicians have specialised training in diagnostic high-tech imaging procedures including nerve blocks and spinal joint injections.

Management of Musculoskeletal disorders by Musculoskeletal Practitioners includes a variety of therapeutic options such as: patient education, pain management strategies, manual therapy such as joint mobilisation and myofascial release, acupuncture and dry needling, various trigger point treatments, soft tissue or joint injections, drug therapy, specific remedial exercise and rehabilitation programmes.

This website is intended to assist members of the public gain information on Musculoskeletal Medicine, the activities of our Association and to provide members with an important interactive media and educational tool.