SPECIALTY COURSES
Manip Like A Girl: Work Smarter, Not Harder with Stacy Soappman
Not just for girls, this course is for anyone who wants to learn how to treat patients larger than themselves. Have you learned manipulation skills in class but struggle to integrate it into your clinical practice? Do you avoid using these techniques on your patients because it hurts your hands? Do you have difficulty performing manual therapy techniques or manipulations on patients larger than yourself? If you want to learn how to handle patients larger than yourself and do it with more efficiency and effectiveness then this is the course for you.
This course will emphasize ergonomically efficient manipulation techniques. We will teach you that speed and body mechanics, not size, dictate how well you can manipulate.
CEU credits: 10 hours, 3 hours on-line, 7 hours in the classroom
Upper Extremity Manual Therapy for the Physical Therapist Assistant with Pam Kikillus
This one-day course will provide instruction in hands on joint and soft tissue mobilization for the PTA on the shoulder, elbow, forearm, wrist and hand. The class with be largely hands-on laboratory experience with demonstration, practice, feedback and critical thinking for case scenarios. Discussion will be given to the dose of the intervention, expected response, modifications of the interventions, and complementary neuromuscular techniques for the manual therapy interventions.
CEU Credits: 8 Hours
Lower Extremity Manual Therapy for the Physical Therapist Assistant with Pam Kikillus
This one-day course will provide instruction in hands on joint and soft tissue mobilization for the PTA on the hip, knee, foot and ankle. The class with be largely hands-on laboratory experience with demonstration, practice, feedback and critical thinking for case scenarios. Discussion will be given to the dose of the intervention, expected response, modifications of the interventions, and complementary neuromuscular techniques for the manual therapy interventions.
CEU Credits: 8 Hours
Two Truths and a Lie. Unpacking Cervicogenic Dizziness: Evaluation & Management with Chris Thurston
Are you treating patients with neck pain? Chances are, they have suffered from cervicogenic dizziness. After pain, dizziness and unsteadiness are the most frequent complaints in those with persistent problems following a whiplash trauma, up to 70% reported.
This one day course is designed to bridge the gap amongst PT specialists in the management of patients with cervicogenic dizziness. Whether you specialize in the treatment of orthopedic, neurologic, concussion, or vestibular conditions, you will leave this course grounded in effectively identifying and treating patients with cervicogenic dizziness.
This course is intended for physical therapists with experience managing patients with dizziness who wish to improve their skill in differential diagnosis, manual examination, and treatment of those patients whose dizziness has a cervicogenic element.
CEU Credits: 8 Hours
Treatment of the Spine for PTAs with Pam Kikillus
This course is designed for PTAs to enhance skills when treating patients with cervical, thoracic, or lumbosacral diagnoses. The course will review common spinal pathologies/injuries and typical patient presentations. The course will focus on safety with certain patient populations, and interventions specific to a spinal region.
Interventions will include functional exercise, specific exercise, patient education, taping/bracing, passive range of motion, soft tissue mobilization, as well as clinical pearls.
CEU credits: 14 hours
Hand Therapy for the non-CHT: Demystifying the Distal Upper Extremity with Pam Kikillus
Do you think only CHTs can see patients with issues distal to the shoulder? Not true. This course will demystify the distal upper extremity. We will simplify the “when do I refer out” process and “when can I keep the patient on my schedule”. We will cover common pathologies, exam techniques, and special tests. What needs to be included in an examination for this patient? What safety concerns exist? Interventions will include over the counter bracing, taping, manual therapy, neurological re-education, functional exercises, and injury/pathology specific interventions.
1 day course
CEU credits: 8 hours
Chronic Pain, Functional Medicine, and Concussion: Regional & Systemic Factors that Affect Pain Processing & Tissue Health with David Musnick
This is a 2-day virtual course that explores all of the important regional and systemic factors that affect pain processing, tissue inflammation, and tissue health. The course will cover assessment and treatment of the following topics: Spinal cord factors in pain processing. Brain factors in pain processing including anxiety, stress, brain inflammation, neurotransmitters, and concussion. Dietary factors in MSK tissue health including anti-inflammatory diets, food choices for brain and tissue health. Sleep and insomnia: causes of increased pain and inflammation and how to improve sleep. Scar Dysfunction: diagnosis and treatment. Stress Management: basic techniques of stress management including breathing and tapping. Hormone issues affecting pain, muscles, and joints: menopause, adrenal dysfunction, and low testosterone. Concussion: a pathophysiology approach. Tendinopathy: pathology, diagnosis, and treatment. Hypermobility, Ehlers Danlos: regional and systemic hypermobility management options. Cognitive impairment and its effect on pain and physical therapy. Osteoarthritis: pathophysiology and approaches to treatment. Modalities for MSK pain & scarring including: frequency specific microcurrent, laser, and PEMF.
CEU credits: 15 hours
2 Day Virtual Course Sunday, February 25, 2024 & Sunday, March 3, 2024
The Athlete's Arm with Pam Kikillus
Do you have a rock climber on your schedule, but you have never been rock climbing yourself? What about a swimmer and you don’t know how to do the butterfly? We want you to be comfortable and competent in treating all athlete’s arms, even if you don't participate in that sport yourself.
This course content includes upper extremity injuries, both traumatic and overuse in various sports/athletics. We will highlight common injuries and overuse conditions in the arm, from the shoulder to the fingers. We will cover both throwing sports and non-throwing sports, and not just the “overhead athlete”. We will look "up the chain" and see how the arm is influenced by not only the trunk but potentially the lower extremities. Material will be presented with lectures, discussions, demonstrations and lab activities.
We will present mechanisms of injury, specific clinical exam components, and interventions. You will learn interventions such as specific exercises, functional activities, manual therapy, and taping.
1 day course
CEU credits: 8 hours
