OMT España

Honorary acknowledgement of the OMT-Spain Association

On Sunday 28th OMT-Spain Association named Olaf Evjenth and Freddy Kaltenborn, honorary members of the Spanish Orthopaedic Manual / Manipulative Therapy Association for his contribution over 50 years to the promotion of Orthopaedic Manual Therapy (OMT) and the creation of IFOMPT with the aim of giving the physical therapy professionals the training excellence.

This distinction is in recognition of their professional careers and in particular their contributions to the Kaltenborn-Evjenth concept.

The Association gave the honorees memorial plaques.

Freddy M. Kaltenborn was the first medical physical therapist and instructor of manual medicine who integrated theory and practice of orthopaedic medicine with the practice of osteopathy. Kaltenborn worked to develop its world-renowned system for manual treatment of the joint dysfunctions. It was inspired by many disciplines, integrating them into a cohesive system, and then expanded and refined it to create the concept of assessment and treatment by mobilization and joint manipulation techniques.

Prof. Olaf Evjenth was one of the first medical therapists to integrate soft tissue techniques (functional massage and improved muscle stretching) in OMT and updated its design to make it absolutely safe for joint structures. He also included the symptom provocation-alleviation techniques for a specific assessment of the patient.

OMT-Spain Association also wanted to acknowledge the support received from IFOMPT to ensure a quality teaching on manual therapy in Spain and their willingness to collaborate with OMT-Spain. Therefore, Annalie Basson IFOMPT´s President and Alison Rushton IFOMPT´s standards committee chairwoman were named as honorary members of the association.

Also professors Lasse Thue, Markku Paatelma, Ragnar Faleij and Roar Robinson were acknowledged and named honorary members, in gratitude for their help in the growth and spread of the OMT in Spain in the early formative years of the Master OMT.

For OMT-Spain it has been an honor to have the presence of these exceptional professionals whose expertise in Physical therapy and their vitality have served as a reference and guide for the consolidation and spreading of OMT in our country.