Last year I attended The Perrin Technique Conference in Manchester, UK. It was the first in-person conference since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic and was attended by 50 therapists who travelled from different parts of the UK and Europe to participate at the annual conference. 

It was a wonderful opportunity to meet so many great minds involved in the treatment of ME/CFS (Myalgia Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome). I was also able to meet the 11 other students face-to-face  who have been attending The Advanced Perrin Technique course with me, which started in January 2022 via Zoom. I received my Gold Certificate for Excellence in The Perrin Technique at the conference and gained many more insights into treating ME/CFS from the interesting topics that were discussed at the event, which included: 

• The NHS funded study (which is assessing The Perrin Technique self-help program) presented by Dr Adrian Heald, NHS Lead for the proposed Research into Long Covid-19 titled "Reducing fatigue in Long COVID-19: A feasibility study of a self-help intervention to reduce fatigue related symptoms among patients in general practice".
• Pilates based exercises to release the Thoracic spine by Andy and Racheal Breakspear - Andy is a fellow student on The Advanced Perrin Technique course with me, too.
• Integrating functional medicine with the Perrin technique presented by Dr Sam White.
• Heart rate variability as a tool to assist ME/CFS patients with pacing and recovery which was presented by 2 special international guests via ZOOM - Perrin Technique practitioner and Physical Therapist Melinda Maxwell, from North Carolina, and Physiotherapist Sallie Rediske, in Alaska. Their presentation highlighted just how technology is evolving to help patients with ME.
• Nikki Baker presented her enlightening study on the feasibility of home-based heart rate monitoring, and heart rate variability with people who have Myalgic Encephalomyelitis during everyday activities. It would also be able to test other levels such as lactic acid levels and oxygen consumption (VO2).  Thanks to Nikki's comprehensive study, we will be able to "investigate the effectiveness of pacing" for people with ME and Long Covid and give patients the vindication that what they are experiencing is real, which they can then share with other clinicians working with them.  I believe that Nikki's lecture was a great stand alone example that yet again technology is having a really positive impact in the treatment of patients with ME/CFS.

I was thrilled to also attended the advance practitioner course the following day and then a third day with Dr Ray Perrin himself at his Manchester Clinic. During my practice visits with him, I sat in on his new patient consultations and spent time observing how he treats his patients with their varying presentations of ME/CFS.

All in all the conference was of great value to me and I have been able to integrate my learnings back into the treatment of ME/CFS in my own practice here in Johannesburg, South Africa.