Melissa Saw

Academic experience:

• Podium presentation at World Confederation of Physical Therapy congress, Singapore: 2015 “The effects of a six-week physiotherapist-led exercise and education intervention on pain, in patients with osteoarthritis awaiting an arthroplasty, in South Africa: a randomised controlled trial.”
• Podium presentation at 23^rdBiennial Congress of the SA Arthroplasty Society: 2015 as above.
• MSc co-supervisor to successful MSc student: The effects of a six-week pre-operative, physiotherapy-led exercise and education intervention on post-operative recovery, in terms of pain and function, in patients with osteoarthritis, undergoing total knee replacement in the Western Cape

CPD talks:

2021:

• PMPG: A simple intro into complex pain (part 1 and 2)

2019:

• PMPG: Graded motor imagery (part 1 and 2)

2018:

• PMPG evening meeting: Explain Pain supercharged Chapter 2

2017:

• PMPG evening meeting: Assessment of complex pain conditions
• PMPG evening meeting: Case studies: assessment of complex pain conditions
• SASP Cape Winelands evening lecture: Nociception vs central sensitization vs neuropathic pain
• Workability: The non- benefits of radiological imaging of the neck and back pain. Presented in Cape Town for purposes of training of staff

2016:

• PMPG EC AGM: A take home message for chronic joint pain for 2016
• PMPG evening lecture: Pain is the name of our game: updates from WCPT congress, 2015. Presented at Constantia MediClinic.

2015:

• PMPG: Pain is the name of our game: updates from WCPT congress, 2015.
• Lecturing postgraduate MPhil sports physiotherapy students in pain, UCT: 2015
• Lecturing undergraduate students in NMS and orthopaedics, applied physio UCT: 2015 -2017
• Lecturing undergraduate students in applied physiotherapy and pain, US: 2015-2016
• Clinical educator undergraduate students in orthopaedics and neurology, US: 2016 – 2018
• Article publication –  Saw et al. Significant improvements in pain after a six-week physiotherapist-led exercise and education intervention, in patients with osteoarthritis awaiting arthroplasty, in South Africa: a randomised controlled trial. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders (2016) 17:236
• Article publication – Kruger-Jakins T, Saw MM, Edries N, Parker R. The development of an intervention to manage pain in people with late-stage osteoarthritis. South African Journal of Physiotherapy (2016) ISSN: (Online) 2410-8219, (Print) 0379-6175

Other:

WC Chairperson of Special Interest Group: Pain Management (PMPG) 2018-2021

April 2017: Part of the Pfizer Thermacare advisory board meeting which took part in Cape Town

Clinical work experience:

Current Employment:

• Clinical physiotherapist, Van der Merwe Physiotherapy, Panorama and Cape Gate MediClinic: 2012 – currently
• Clinical Educator, US, Tygerberg hospital orthopaedics third years

Previous employment:

• Grade one physiotherapist, Tygerberg Hospital: 2011 – 2016
• Professional achievements: Staff performance rated as:
  • “outstanding level of work”: 2014.
  • “significantly above expected level of work”: 2012 – 2013
• Community service physiotherapist, Groote Schuur Hospital: 2010

Education:

Postgraduate studies: UCT 2013 – 2015

• MSc Physiotherapy by dissertation obtained with distinction: The effects of a six-week physiotherapist-led exercise and education intervention in patients with osteoarthritis, awaiting an arthroplasty in South Africa.

Undergraduate studies: UCT 2006 – 2009

• BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy obtained with distinction

Continuous Professional Development:

Certificate in Pain Management; All modules completed:

• Knowledge into Practice, 2019
• Exercise for Pain Rehabilitation, 2019
• Clinical Communication Skills, 2018
• Pain interventions: 2013 and 2018
• Therapeutic Neuroscience Education: 2014
• Interactive behavioural modification therapy: 2013
• Principles of Pain: 2012

Pain:

• Chronic pelvic pain: anxiety, autonomics and the interstitium 2018
• Pain and the Immune System, 2018
• Explain Pain Supercharged chapter 1 -3, 2018
• PainSA congress, 2017
• PainSA Cape Town Pain academy, 2017
• Have we really understood explaining pain, 2016
• Multidisciplinary pain workshop, 2015
• Exercise as therapy in pain conditions: 2014

Educational:

• UWC, Clinical teaching course: 2015
• US, Clinical supervision course: 2012
• US, Identifying of critical incidents and management: 2011
• US, External examiner: 2011 – 2015