E D I T O R I A L

O n e  Y e a r  L a t e r ...
It is exactly a y e a r ago, N o v e m b e r 1997, th a t I w ro te m y  first e d ito ria l for this journal. It is therefore a p p ro p ria te  to re v ie w  o u r ach iev em en ts a n d  define 
o u r shortcom ings. I h a d  h o p e d  to m a k e  th e  jo u rn al m o re 
u se r frie n d ly  a n d  less in tim id a tin g  so th a t th e re  w o u ld  
be a n  easy flow  of in fo rm a tio n  th ro u g h  su b m issio n  of 
m a n u sc rip ts, letters to th e editor, notes, o p in io n s a n d  
feelings. I h a d  h o p e d  to h e a r from  a larg er re p re se n ta tio n  
of p h y sio th e ra p ists in S o u th  A frica a n d  a b ro a d  as w e ll as 
o u r p h y sio th e ra p y  assistan ts w h o  p la y  su ch  a n  im p o r­
ta n t role in  o u r profession.

You are th e ju d g es of h o w  m u c h  h as h a p p e n e d . I 
b e lie v e  th a t w e  h a v e  m a d e  a v a lu a b le  b e g in n in g  
a lth o u g h  th e re  is still m u c h  to b e d o n e  a n d  th a n k  y o u  to 
all those w h o  h av e b ee n  in v o lv e d  a n d  s u p p o rte d  me. I 
re a d  w ith  in te re st K athy H e n d e rs o n 's  ed ito rial in  the 
M a rc h  1998 e d itio n  of th e  A u s tr a lia n  J o u rn a l of 
P h ysiotherapy. In  th is Jo u rn a l sh e in tro d u c e s a n e w  style 
of paper, "th e sh o rt scientific re p o rt". She believes th a t 
this s h o u ld  assist to d o c u m e n t th e  science a n d  practice of 
p h y s io th e ra p y  in  A u s tra lia . She also  re ite ra te s  th e  
im p o rta n c e  of clinical n o tes a n d  review s.

I b elieve th a t it is im p o rta n t to spell o u t th e  policy of 
th e  e d ito ria l b o a r d  o f th is  jo u rn a l a g a in . We w ill 
e n c o u ra g e  a n d  assist in  th e p u b licatio n  of g o o d  R esearch 
A rticles. We in v ite L ite ra tu re  R eview s, C ase S tu d ies as 
w ell as C linical N o te s a n d  C linical Review s. We w a n t to 
p u b lish  in tere stin g  in fo rm a tio n  o n  tre a tm e n ts a n d  tech ­
n iq u es as w e ll as th o u g h ts, o p in io n s a n d  em otions. It is 
really a p ity  to ex clu d e th is k in d  of in fo rm a tio n  because 
it d o e s n 't m e e t u p  to th e s ta n d a rd s  of w h a t m a n y  believe 
to b e tru e  ac ad em ic research. D o w e really o n ly  w a n t to 
p u b lish  research, w h ich  h as follow ed strict scientific

p ro c ed u re ? I th in k  not! T he e d ito ria l b o a rd  w ill tak e th e 
resp o n sib ility  of e n su rin g  th a t o u r jo u rn a l w ill be of a 
s ta n d a rd  th a t w e can all b e p r o u d  of a n d  a t th e sam e tim e 
e n su re  th a t o u r re a d e rs feel free to su b m it m a n u sc rip ts 
w ith o u t b ein g  th re a te n e d .

In  o u r lead in g  article "D im e n sio n s of Excellence" by 
P rofessor R u th  G ra n t, th e  ra p id  a d v a n ces in  e v e ry  level 
of society all ov er th e w o rld  a n d  m o re especially in  
h e a lth  care d e liv ery  a n d  e d u c a tio n  is h ig h -lig h te d . H o w  
to recognize th is a n d  p re p a re  u s for c h a n g e is so a p tly  
p re se n te d . She in tro d u c e s u s to th e  c o n c e p t of th e 
S igm oid C u rv e T h e o ry  w h e re b y  a seco n d  cu rv e in tro ­
d u c in g  ch a n g e n e e d s to b e in itia te d  before th e first curve 
d ip s  d o w n w a rd . She states th a t th o se p e o p le  w h o  lead  
th e  seco n d  c u rv e  w ill n o t b e th e  sam e p e o p le  w h o  le d  th e 
first curve. W h o  are o u r lead e rs w h o  are fo rm u la tin g  
policy a n d  change? S urely th e y  are th e office-bearers of 
th e  S.A.S.P.

T here m u s t be m a n y  p h y sio th e ra p ists o u t th ere w ith  
n e w  a n d  orig in al thinking! It is th e fu n c tio n  of this 
jo u rn a l to reflect y o u r v iew s a n d  th e state of ch a n g e in 
o u r profession. This in fo rm a tio n  can only com e fro m  the 
re a d e rs of this jo u rn a l if w e are to succeed in  p ro v id in g  
y o u  w ith  a re le v an t jo u rn al. I w ill p ersist in  seek in g  w a y s 
to instill a d esire a n d  m o tiv a tio n  for p e o p le  to p u b lish , 
w h e th e r it b e research  o r in fo rm a tio n  o r opinions.

ADDRESS: South African Society of Physiotherapy,
PO BOX 92125 Norwood 2117 Fax No: 788-5628 E-Mail Address: muriel@icon.co.za

2 SA J o u r n a l  o f P h y sio th era py 1998 V o l 54 No 4

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mailto:muriel@icon.co.za