Standing on the Shoulders of Giants – by Julie Hammond

I love my industry and see the good we can do in clinical practice, but I also grow tired of the constant bickering and see the divide between health professionals. And how somehow you have to be part of a camp; neural, fascial, musculoskeletal, pain science and the list could go on. Personally, my interest is in my clients, the uniqueness of the human being, I can’t  touch one structure without touching another, as well as the emotional aspect that goes with injury, pain, stress or trauma. A dear friend and mentor of mine would often say we only achieve more by standing on the shoulders of giants, this is so true and has stuck with me. So, what does it mean?

 

Sir Isaac Newton said, “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants”, this phrase should remind us that everything we see and achieve is only possible because of the work of people before us. It’s about acknowledging the work that has led us to what we have discovered, it’s about shared learning for the bigger picture.

 

I love this phrase and especially relating to my industry. There is nothing new, we just have better research and more information. When I look at the rabbit holes I have delved into, and my passion and interests now, they have come from all the previous study and hard work done by many other colleagues that have sparked my interest and passion.

 

I am a great believer in moving forward and constantly adapting to new information and research but also believe we have to respect and acknowledge the history of our industry and how this history led to new discoveries.

 

It saddens me whenever I see a “new” idea that it always seems to be to the detriment of a previous idea. As an industry, I feel one of our problems is the belief that we have to belittle someone’s work to make our own shine. I am not saying that is true for everybody and I have seen and been a part of many great collaborations.

 

Your amazing, passionate knowledge is an accumulation of many teachers and conversations that have inspired and ignited your passion and pushed you down the rabbit hole that we all end up in and wonder how we got there!

 

When I teach, I hope my students are going to question my ideas, be curious and delve down new and exciting pathways adding to their knowledge. Collaboration, not competition is vital to keep advancing our industry.

 

We don’t have to blow out someone else’s candle to make ours shine. By shining a light on others, the light shines brighter and further for everyone.

 

Julie Hammond