Volunteer Work
Dr. Quesnele has volunteered as a chiropractor in two international outreaches. While in the fourth year of his Doctor of Chiropractic degree, Dr. Quesnele joined a team of fellow students to provide chiropractic care to locals in Dominican Republic. He found the experience to be extraordinary. He recalls seeing many conditions that would not normally present in a North American chiropractic office.
The second volunteer trip was in Tanzania in 2010 where he treated patients in a local dispensary clinic outside Arusha Tanzania. He and his colleague laid the ground work for a future trip organized by Terres Sans Frontieres (World Without Borders) who were sending a group of chiropractors later that year. Again, he recalls the experience to be overwhelming. The burden of MSK care in these areas of the world is significant. It is responsible for chronic disabilities which negatively spiral into more serious chronic illnesses. The benefit of seeing patients, even for one visit, was something Dr. Quesnele and his colleague Dr. Fisher and their wives will never forget.
Clinical Case Spotlight
Dr. Quesnele's most memorable case while working in Tanzania was with a 46 year old lady. She entered the clinic completely bent to 90 degrees at the hip. "Through the local nurses we were working with, I was told that she had injured her back 8 years prior which caused her to be stuck in that position. Because of her pain she was unable to move and afraid to move. Unfortunately this lasted for eight years." Imagine walking around for eight years completely bent at the hip and having to take care of your family. Ruling out serious causes of her problem Dr. Quesnele found that her hip flexor muscles (psoas) were in a contracture and her lower back and sacro-iliac (SI) joints were essentially 'locked'. Dr. Quesnele vividly recalls the response she had to active release and spinal manipulations. "After I did ART on her psoas I was able to gradually increase her hip extension. When I finished with her manipulations she remarkably stood up completely straight and began crying. All of the people, including the nuns, began to sing, dance and 'praise the Lord'. The commotion in the room caused this lady's sister to run in. As she got to the entrance she stopped covered her mouth and began crying. It was the first time in 8 years she was able to look her sister directly in the eyes. I'll never forget that moment."
The second volunteer trip was in Tanzania in 2010 where he treated patients in a local dispensary clinic outside Arusha Tanzania. He and his colleague laid the ground work for a future trip organized by Terres Sans Frontieres (World Without Borders) who were sending a group of chiropractors later that year. Again, he recalls the experience to be overwhelming. The burden of MSK care in these areas of the world is significant. It is responsible for chronic disabilities which negatively spiral into more serious chronic illnesses. The benefit of seeing patients, even for one visit, was something Dr. Quesnele and his colleague Dr. Fisher and their wives will never forget.
Clinical Case Spotlight
Dr. Quesnele's most memorable case while working in Tanzania was with a 46 year old lady. She entered the clinic completely bent to 90 degrees at the hip. "Through the local nurses we were working with, I was told that she had injured her back 8 years prior which caused her to be stuck in that position. Because of her pain she was unable to move and afraid to move. Unfortunately this lasted for eight years." Imagine walking around for eight years completely bent at the hip and having to take care of your family. Ruling out serious causes of her problem Dr. Quesnele found that her hip flexor muscles (psoas) were in a contracture and her lower back and sacro-iliac (SI) joints were essentially 'locked'. Dr. Quesnele vividly recalls the response she had to active release and spinal manipulations. "After I did ART on her psoas I was able to gradually increase her hip extension. When I finished with her manipulations she remarkably stood up completely straight and began crying. All of the people, including the nuns, began to sing, dance and 'praise the Lord'. The commotion in the room caused this lady's sister to run in. As she got to the entrance she stopped covered her mouth and began crying. It was the first time in 8 years she was able to look her sister directly in the eyes. I'll never forget that moment."