About PMM
What is PMM ?
Paediatric Musculoskeletal Matters (PMM) is a free evidence based, online learning tool and information resource about paediatric musculoskeletal medicine.
Why is PMM needed?
Through a combination of clinical practice, extensive involvement in teaching and a number of research studies, it became evident to the team that there was a need for a dedicated and accessible resource to enable a wide range of health professionals to learn more about paediatric musculoskeletal problems.
Musculoskeletal problems in children account for a high percentage of contacts with primary care and A&E, ranging from trauma to concerns about normal variants and serious complex multisystem diseases.
PMM aims to raise awareness about musculoskeletal medicine and facilitate early diagnosis and improve access to the right care, so that clinical outcomes will be improved.
How has PMM been developed?
PMM has been developed by the team from Newcastle upon Tyne, UK led by Professor Helen Foster at Newcastle University. We have developed the content for PMM from our research to find out what health care professionals need to know. The first iteration of PMM 2014 focused on doctors and PMM-Nursing was launched in 2017.
Following feedback from our users around the world we have developed pmm-international - launched 2018 - with new content contributed by our many global partners and to reflect the paediatric musculoskeletal medicine in different health care contexts.
Learning outcomes for graduating doctors and primary care have been used to develop the content although further detail is included to make PMM-International relevant to all clinicians who work with children and young people. We have also engaged with our users to make the format and access to the site easy and logical.
Guidance to help you to get the best out of pmm has been developed.
We gratefully acknowledge the unrestricted educational bursary from Pfizer to undertake the work to design the PMM platform and engage with end users to develop the content.
We also gratefully acknowledge additional unrestricted educational bursaries from Genzyme, BioMarin and Sobi to support the further development of PMM. These funders have had no input to the content of PMM..
We welcome feedback so please do get in touch !!
Key references for our work include;
- Smith N, Rapley T, Jandial S, English C, Davies B, Wyllie R, Foster H E. Paediatric Musculoskeletal Matters (PMM) – collaborative development of an online evidence based interactive learning tool and information resource for education in paediatric musculoskeletal medicine. Pediatric Rheumatology 2016, 14:1.
- Goff I, Jandial S, Wise E, Boyd D, Foster HE. Paediatric musculoskeletal learning needs for general practice trainees: achieving an expert consensus. Educ Prim Care. 2014 Sep;25(5):249-56.
- Goff I, Rowan A, Bateman BJ, Foster HE. Poor sensitivity of musculoskeletal history in children. Arch Dis Child. 2012 July;97:7:644-6.
- Goff I, Foster HE, Jandial S. Detecting joint disease in children-dispelling the myths. Archives Dis Childhood 2013, 98(3), 168-169.
- Kavirayani A, Foster HE. Paediatric rheumatology practice in the UK benchmarked against the British Society for Paediatric and Adolescent Rheumatology/Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance Standards of Care for juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Rheumatology 2013, 52(12), 2203-2207.
- Foster HE, Jandial S. pGALS - paediatric Gait Arms Legs and Spine: a simple examination of the musculoskeletal system. Pediatric Rheumatology 2013, 11, 44.
- Smith E, Molyneux E, Heikens GT, Foster HE. Acceptability and practicality of pGALS in screening for rheumatic disease in Malawian children. Clin Rheumatol 2012; 31: 647-653.
- Foster HE, Kay LJ, May CR, Rapley TR. pREMS – paediatric examination of the musculoskeletal system: A practice- and consensus-based approach. Arthritis Care & Research 2011; Nov; 63(11) : 1503-7.
- Davies K, Cleary AG, Hutchinson E, Foster HE, Baildam E. British Society for Paediatric and Adolescent Rheumatology Standards of Care for children and young people with juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Rheumatology 2010, 49(7), 1406-1408.
- Jandial S, Rapley T, Foster HE. Current teaching of paediatric musculoskeletal medicine within UK medical schools – a need for change. Rheumatology 2009;48(5), 587-590.
- Jandial S, Myers A, Wise E, Foster HE. Doctors Likely to Encounter Children with Musculoskeletal Complaints Have Low Confidence in Their Clinical Skills. Journal of Pediatrics 2009;154(2), 267-271.
- Foster HE, Eltringham MS, Kay LJ, Friswell M, Abinun M, Myers A. Delay in access to appropriate care for children presenting with musculoskeletal symptoms and ultimately diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Arthritis Care and Research 2007; 57(6), 921-927.
- Foster HE, Kay LJ, Friswell M, Coady D, Myers A. Musculoskeletal screening examination (pGALS) for school-age children based on the adult GALS screen. Arthritis Care and Research 2006;55(5), 709-716.