The DGSA is named in honour of David G. Simons, MD a true medical pioneer and coauthor of the groundbreaking Trigger Point Manuals. Dr. Simons is cofounder of the DGSA and was our mentor, teacher and friend for many years.
Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. David G. Simons, MD, PhD Hon (1922 - 2010)
- David G. Simons, 1946
It was the year 1946 when a young man named David G. Simons graduated with honors from the Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia (Pennsylvania). It marked the beginning of a great career in serving mankind. At first he came to the attention of the US Air Force and he took on a job at the aviation medicine laboratory on the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. However, his unquenchable thirst for new things soon led him onwards. Simons became the project leader for high altitude animal experiments on V-2 rockets from 1948 until 1949 and head of the space biology department at the US Air Force Missile Development Center on Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico from 1953 to 1959. During this time, he was also responsible for project 7851, which consisted of studies on cosmic radiation, weightlessness and experimental high altitude flights with balloons simulating natural space conditions.
- Balloon of the Manhigh-Project
Today, Dr. David G. Simons, along with Joseph Kittinger, Clifton McClure and Dr. John P. Stapp, is considered one of the so-called pre-astronauts, a group of brave men who between 1957 and 1962, were one of the first humans to enter the stratosphere. In August of 1957, Simons, as pilot of the Manhigh II flight, set one of the legendary high altitude records in the history of aviation, of 101,500 feet – and was one of the first humans to set eyes on the earth’s sphere.
- David G. Simons in "Life", 1957
Simons was admitted to the International Space Hall of Fame as a result of his pioneer work. He was featured on the cover of Life magazine in 1957 after setting the world altitude record for a manned balloon flight.
- View from the balloon...
“This cloud layer which terminates as an overhanging shelf is so solid it gives one a feeling of beeing in heaven, above the rest of the world where you can look down over the edge and see the poor, faltering mortals. It's a strange sensation: a quiet world, peaceful, bright and dark at the same time.”
- Travell & Simons, 1985
After that time Dr. Simons worked for the Veterans Administration, where he developed research programs in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. At that time he met Janet Travell, MD. They first met when Dr. Travell was lecturing about trigger points and myofascial pain at the Air Force’s School of Aerospace Medicine. Simons was so intrigued by Travell’s work that he eventually retired from the Air Force. An intense synergy developed between the two over the next twenty years, culminating 1983 in the production of “The Trigger Point Manual,” the first definitive textbook on the diagnosis and management of myofascial pain written for clinicians, which is now in its second edition.
In 2001 Dr. Simons co-published Muscle Pain: Understanding its Nature, Diagnosis and Treatment. Considered a ground-breaking work for its integration of basic science neurophysiology principles with clinical practice, this publication was the result of Dr. Simons' 10-year collaboration with Professor Siegfried Mense of Heidelberg University. More than half of his nearly 200 publications concern the topic of trigger points and chronic pain management. He has been recognized internationally for his authoritative research in this field. In May 2005 Dr. Simons has received the honorary degree by the Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. Today Dr. Simons along with Dr. Travell are internationally honored as true medical pioneers. Until the very end of his days David Simons was still hard at work promoting further research concerning trigger points. On April 5th, 2010 Dave died peacefully at home. He will be greatly missed around the world!
