Page 21 - BackSpace October 2017

Newsletter of the European Chiropractors’ Union
General news
60-second interview
BACKspace interviews two figures from the world of chiropractic
Name
Shane Lawlor
Tryggvi B Jónasson
Education and practice
I graduated from the Welsh Institute of Chiropractic in 2006.
I started working in professional golf in 2009 travelling for 24 weeks a year looking after the manual therapy and rehab for a number of different clients.
I graduated from the AECC in 1976 as a DC. I have practised as a chiropractor in Reykjavík, Iceland, since 1977.
What attracted you to chiropractic
I became a chiropractor because my mother hurt her back when I was 16 and it was impressive to see someone help patients with their hands.
As my student exams in Iceland drew to a close I was looking for a further education either in biology or a career in dealing with musculoskeletal problems. (At the time there was a great need for musculoskeletal solutions.) Neither of these was taught in the University of Iceland. After correspondence with friends in Denmark and USA I decided that I would travel to GB as the first Icelandic chiropractic student. It helped that the AECC was a charitable institution and the fees were the lowest around.
Memorable professional moment
The first player I was looking after to win a tournament was Ross Fisher who won the 2010 Irish Open. Then Michael Hoey won the Dunhill Links Championship in 2011, Shane Lowry won the WGC Bridgestone Invitational in 2015 and last year Padraig Harrington won the Portugal Masters.
In May 1978, I received official recognition by the Ministry
of Health in Iceland. Both my education and profession were recognised in Iceland. I was the first to receive licensure in Scandinavia. There was a clause on referral from medical doctors which was in contrast to my wishes at the time. Some three years ago the restriction to medical referrals was abandoned. Presently individuals in need of chiropractic care come directly to the chiropractor.
Special interests
I specialise in a number of aspects related to sports injuries and screening. I am a lead instructor for Active Release Techniques (ART®), Dry Needling and Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilisation (IASTM). I am certified in both Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) and Functional Movement Screen (FMS).
I specialise in chiropractic diagnostics. As an aid to diagnostics I implement inclinometry, algometry and muscle strength testing. This equipment is modern and highly technical. I use diversified chiropractic treatments. I have made 19 brochures on exercises for my patients and stretching exercises that are diagnosis based. During my stay at the AECC I wrote as my thesis Neck exercises as an aid to chiropractic treatment and have enlarged on that since.
Your ambitions
In August, I was in Prague completing my Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilisation (DNS) training with the Prague Rehab School and I will be part of a small group of practitioners who have completed the programme.
I have less of an involvement in golf at the moment as Karen (my wife and also a chiropractor) and I have a little boy who is 19 months old. So I have cut back the number of tournaments I travel to, leaving more time for the family. Last year I also started teaching my own seminars with a focus on manual therapy and rehab approaches for golf- related injuries, so I’m putting a lot of my energy into the development of the seminar.
I am in discussions with a few other professional sports, which would allow me a nice balance of private practice and elite sport.
I am still an enthusiastic chiropractor, having seen a lot in my life, quite happy with my professional life. Just short of 17,000 individuals have come to my clinic in just less than 40 years. I have been fortunate that the Icelandic department in the Scandinavian Association on pain has a one-monthly professional lecture during the winter months, which keeps my standards high.
Contact
drshane@lawlorclinic.ie www.lawlorclinic.ie
kirotj@simnet.is www.facebook.com/tryggvi.jonasson.7
BACKspace www.chiropractic-ecu.org October 2017 21