Gathering together experts in fatigue management
As the Managing Director of Vitality360, I am passionate about sharing the team’s specialist expertise as widely as possible. I have worked with people experiencing Fatigue for the majority of my working life (over 30 years) both in specialist services within the NHS and privately with Vitality360. I have seen how research has progressed in this field and have worked through the different challenges including the Covid pandemic, which has resulted in over 2 million people in the UK experiencing Long Covid (with the most reported symptom being fatigue).
Over the years we have developed a number of training opportunities, both for those living with fatigue symptoms themselves and those working with them, including other clinicians, Occupational Health Advisors, Employers, and Claims Assessors. Last October for the first time we ran an online conference and despite a few technical wobbles on the way it was a great success. Participant feedback was excellent so we have decided to do it again!
We will follow the same format as last year, inviting a number of external speakers to share their experience of fatigue in their clinical work and in a few cases their lived experience. Alongside these speakers I am proud to say that many of the VItality360 team are stepping up to talk about their work. The overall aim is to present participants with a range of sessions that will provide additional knowledge and increased awareness, plus some practical skills that can be used straight away. As a therapist I always want to take away something I can immediately use in my clinical practice!
As last year I have had the privilege of talking to all of the speakers to ensure the talks complement each other. This process has already reminded me of some valuable information and set my creative brain off in a number of directions.
When talking to Emma Dures’ about the session she will deliver she reminded me of the EULAR recommendations for the management of fatigue. Emma is a Professor in Rheumatology & Psychology at UWE and has kindly agreed to share her expertise in a session called “Understanding Fatigue in Inflammatory Arthritis: Historical and Current Perspectives on Prevalence, Presentation, & Measurement” at our Fatigue Conference. We know that research such as this done by EULAR on the prevalence of fatigue in people with inflammatory rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (I-RMDs) is of interest. This research recognises that fatigue, as is often the case, is one of the most challenging symptoms to manage.
The existence of multiple factors associated with driving and maintaining fatigue, and the evidence about what improves fatigue has led to a multifaceted approach to its management. However, there are no recommendations for fatigue management in people with I-RMDs. This lack of guidance is challenging for those living with fatigue and health professionals delivering clinical care. Therefore, our aim was to develop EULAR recommendations for the management of fatigue in people with I-RMDs.
— British Medical Journal EULAR recommendations for the management of fatigue in people with inflammatory rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases 2023
Emma Dures
Professor in Rheumatology & Psychology at UWE
“Understanding Fatigue in Inflammatory Arthritis: Historical and Current Perspectives on Prevalence, Presentation, & Measurement”
Inflammatory arthritis describes a group of multi-system, immune-mediated rheumatic conditions, the most common of which is rheumatoid arthritis. Although clinical manifestations vary, fatigue is often prevalent and can be disabling across types of inflammatory arthritis. Emma will discuss how the rheumatology community has come to recognise and focus on fatigue.
This week I met with Heather McLellan to record her session (one of the ways she manages her own fatigue, but she will be live on the day to answer questions afterwards). Heather has 30 years’ experience as a Physiotherapist, specialising in return to work rehabilitation following injury and illness and has agreed to facilitate a session at the conference. In 2019 Heather had to turn all her professional knowledge on herself when she was diagnosed with blood cancer whilst managing a national serious injury rehabilitation business. Heather and I had an interesting conversation about the different factors that contribute to her fatigue including the impact of blood cancer on her immune system and the medication she is now taking. The combination of Heather’s scientific brain, professional knowledge and lived experience all contribute to a fantastic session.
Heather McLellan
Mentor & Physiotherapist, Director HKM22 Consulting
"Balancing blood cancer, the associated fatigue & work demands: Strategies for coping and thriving”
During this session Heather will be talking us through her personal experience of being diagnosed with blood cancer and the subsequent impact of this diagnosis on her health and functioning. She will explore the factors that she believes contribute to the persistent fatigue she now lives with. This will include the impact of the blood cancer itself, the trauma associated with diagnosis and the subsequent medical treatment. She will also describe the lifestyle factors that influence her fatigue and share some of the decisions she has to make on a daily basis.
I first met our next speaker via LinkedIn. Over the last few years I have got to know Emily and her work and was delighted when she agreed to lead a session. Emily is a Clinical Exercise Physiologist with a specialist interest in persistent pain, fatigue, hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS), Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (PoTS), Fibromyalgia, Autism, and ADHD. As PoTs has been so widely talked about over the last few years, being reported by a significant number of our clients with ME/CFS and Long Covid, I thought it would be good to put the spotlight on this. Emily again generously shares her lived experience alongside her professional knowledge.
Emily Cochrane
Clinical Exercise Physiologist & Director of Exphysem
"Prevalence of Fatigue in Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)"
In this presentation, we will be developing an understanding of what Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (PoTS) is, what symptoms people with PoTS experience, and the prevalence of fatigue in this condition. We will then explore the possible causes of fatigue in PoTS so that we can use this information to look at why certain strategies are recommended for managing these fatigue mechanisms in the presence of PoTS
The last external speaker I approached was Hannah Ensor of Stickman Communications. I have recommended Hannah’s products to so many of my clients over the years that when I thought about including a session on communicating unseen symptoms I thought of her. Fortunately when I messaged her on LinkedIn she said yes.
Hannah Ensor
Director of Stickman Communications
"Navigating Conversations: Effectively Communicating About life with Invisible Fatigue Symptoms"
Communicating about disability in a way that is understood and accepted by those around us is not easy. Attempts to explain are often seen as complaining or being negative. Other times people over-react and only see limitations, believing that life with disability means constant tragedy. Actually, what we want and need is to have people around us who understand the hidden challenges we face, can provide support when needed, and step back when it’s not. Hear about some of the tips and tricks which have helped Hannah address these issues as she goes through life with a hypermobility syndrome and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome
When planning a conference, or in fact any of our training, I always consider how people with fatigue can access it. I hope that the fact that the conference is online will in itself make it more accessible. We have deliberately scheduled regular breaks throughout the day to rest, move and get some refreshments, and asked all our speakers to stick to their allotted time slot. However we are aware that some participants will not manage a full day therefore we are recording every session and will make these available to participants for 2 months afterwards. That hopefully means that they can be viewed at a pace that suits you. If you have any other access needs please do let us know.
A last note, if you are an existing client, or you have completed a programme since 2023, you are welcome to a £20 discount on the ticket cost. Just email Katherine@vitality360.co.uk to claim a discount code before booking.
Beverly Knops, Managing Director of Vitality360 and Specialist Occupational Therapist