FACULTY
Melissa Saw
Clinical physiotherapist - Van der Merwe Physiotherapy, Panorama and Cape Gate MediClinic
BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy obtained with distinction · MSc Physiotherapy by dissertation obtained with distinction
Special interests
Osteoarthritis, pain, exercise and education
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 23rdBiennial 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
Podium presentation at 23rdBiennial 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
Talks and publications
2021:
PMPG: A simple intro into complex pain (part 1 and 2)
WC Chairperson of Special Interest Group: Pain Management (PMPG) 2018-2021
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 sensitisation vs neuropathic pain
Workability: The non- benefits of radiological imaging of the neck and back pain.
Part of the Pfizer Thermacare advisory board meeting which took part in Cape Town
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
Lecturing postgraduate MPhil sports physiotherapy students in pain, UCT
Lecturing undergraduate students in NMS and orthopaedics, applied physio UCT
Lecturing undergraduate students in applied physiotherapy and pain, US
Clinical educator undergraduate students in orthopaedics and neurology, US
Article publications
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
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
Clinical work experience
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
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