Individual Courses and Workshops - Non-Core
NOTE: The Curriculum is undergoing changes and the below information will be updated soon.
A Workshop in Spinal Manipulation
This course will review and revise basic and advanced spinal manipulation techniques based on the requirements of the participants. The course will consist of two components an online portion where the theory will be described and explained, together with technique video and a 2-day lab where participants will be able to review and practice the techniques with which they are most having problems. In addition the instructor whatever newly developed techniques have come to the instructor’s awareness and alternative techniques will be practiced.
This course is for therapists who have already taken spinal manipulation courses from either the Orthopedic Division, Jim Meadows, Swodeam Institute or any IFOMT member Fellowship training program.
Topical Outline
- Review theory
- Review all regional techniques based on instructor’s and participant’s experience
- Review and revise techniques based on participants requests
- Extensive practice
- Design of techniques as required by patient complexities
Headache and Dizziness: Assessment and Treatment
This 2 day course looks at the topics of headache and dizziness and the differentiation and treatment of their causes. Common and uncommon causes of headaches and dizziness and the recognition of red flags that would indicate serious pathologies that require further medical testing are explored.
Topical Outline
- The international classfication of headaches
- Classification of dizziness
- Central and peripheral
- Symptomatic classification (Types 1, 2 and 3)
- Cervicogenic (spondylogenic) headaches
- Migraine and cluster headaches
- Tension headaches
- Hypertension headaches
- VBI headaches
- Intracranial bleeds or traumatic hydrocephalus
- Differentiating VBI from spondylogenic headache
- Medical investigation techniques for headache and dizziness
- Mobilization or manipulation for headaches and dizziness
- Referral of inappropriate headaches or dizziness
Biomedical Dry Needling: a Neurophysiological Approach
Certification in Biomedical Dry Needling
This unique program will assist the attendees in identifying biomechanical and neurophysiological deficits the manual physical therapist encounters and treat them safely and effectively. Techniques and theory integrating recent advances in pain science and manual therapy into trigger point dry needling will be taught. Participants will be exposed to a variety of learning methods including narrated presentations, video demonstration, theoretical material and intensive lab based courses to learn technique. This program consists of 100 continuing education hours consisting of weekend lab intensives and pre-course dry needling theory and learning modules. Participants completing the two weekend program will demonstrate safe and effective Dry Needling techniques. Successful completion of theoretical and practical examinations is required for attendees to utilize skills taught in clinical practice. Only attendees who complete both Courses I and II will be granted Certification in Biomedical Dry Needling. Course III is considered an advanced elective. Presently, physiotherapists that complete Course I and II requirements meet Physiotherapy Alberta College’s requirements to be added to the Advanced Register of Dry Needling.
Course I
Course I focuses on the theoretical basis of Dry Needling including an overview of the history, safety, clean needling techniques and application of trigger point dry needling to common upper and lower quadrant muscles. This course is appropriate for physiotherapists with no Dry Needling experience and physiotherapists with acupuncture experience who want to integrate dry needling into a cohesive clinical model.
Course II
Course II expands on the theoretical basis of dry needling and incorporates joint mobilization/manipulation into treatment model. More advanced techniques and clinical relevant muscles of the upper and lower quadrant are addressed. The course utilizes modern pain science theory and past work of Vladamir Janda and Andry Vleeming. Appropriate attendees are individuals who completed Course I or physiotherapists with manual therapy training.
Course III
Course III is considered an advanced course that emphasizes clinical reasoning and true patient care management. The participant will be guided through a clinical reasoning model utilizing current pain science and manual therapy evidence and recent advances is fascial research. Participants should have past experience in Dry Needling or have completed the Courses I and II.
The Whiplash Patient
Post-whiplash head and neck pain are probably the most frustrating clinical challenges facing the orthopedic manual therapist and the post-whiplash patient potentially one of the most dangerous patients. Frequently manual therapy provides only temporary relief and the patient becomes a regular feature in the office. The main purpose of this course is threefold, one to teach separate out seriously injured patients including those with vertebrobasilar problems, two a new evaluation and treatment concept in the management of chronic head and neck pain second to identify those patients in whom recovery is unlikely or at best very limited and manage them effectively.
This course will cover:
- The anatomy and physiology of the spine
- The anatomy and physiology of the balance system
- The forces and effects of the impact will be described
- It will discuss the pathology of balance together with musculoskeletal effects caused by dysfunction of this system
- It will teach the assessment of the cervical pain, headaches, and dizziness including differential biomechanical and somatosensory diagnosis
- Prognostic features based on research of the accident and patient presentation will be discussed to allow a reasonable prediction to be made early and late in the progress of the patient and to tailor treatment accordingly
- It will offer a new approach to the non-recovering MVA patient integrating the re-education of the vestibulo-oculo-spinal reflexes with traditional manual therapy and balance exercises.
Teaching Materials and Methods
Preclassroom Preparation:
- Review of previously learned topics such as video of diagnostic and biomechanical examinations will be available for streaming and these will remain availble indefinitely after the conclusion of the class.
- Pdf versions of the Powerpoint presentations and the course manuals will be sent to students
- Powerpoint presentations of the anatomy of the cervical spine and neurovascular systems
Classroom
- Tutorial style lectures and lectures using PowerPoint presentations
- Lab sessions
- teaching and/or reviewing diagnostic and biomechanical examinations of the neck
- teaching neurophysiological examinations and treatments
- teaching biomechanical treatments
- teaching specific exercise prescriptions based on the above examinations
Postclassroom
In order to support what was learned in the classroom session each student will be supplied with a USB containing the following:
- All text including manuals
- All PowerPoint presentations
- Technique videos of all examination and biomechanical treatment techniques demonstated during the lab session
- The complete commercially produced MVA video made by Jim Meadows FCAMPT
The MVA Patient
This two-day course is for all therapists interested in this subject and would also be suitable for final year physiotherapy students.
Post-whiplash head and neck pain are probably the most frustrating clinical challenges facing the orthopedic manual therapist with the added stress that this patient is potentially one of the most dangerous that we see. Frequently manual therapy provides only temporary relief and the patient becomes a regular feature in the office. The main purposes of this course is:
- help identify seriously injured patients including those with fractures and vertebrobasilar problems
- to teach a focused method of diagnosis and treatment for these patients
- to teach a new neurophysiologica evaluation and treatment concept for the stalled patient
This course will cover:
- Clinical reasoning for the whiplash patient
- The anatomy and physiology of the spine
- The anatomy, physiology and pathology of the balance system
- The forces and effects of the impact will be described
- A detailed neurological examination aimed at this primarily orthopedic patient
- The assessment and manual treatment of the cervical spine
- Headaches, and dizziness including differential and biomechanical diagnosis
- Prognostic features based on research of the accident and patient presentation will be discussed to allow a reasonable prediction to be made early and late in the progress of the patient and to tailor treatment accordingly
- It introduce a new approach to the non-recovering MVA patient integrating the re-education of the vestibulo-oculo-spinal reflexes with traditional manual therapy and balance exercises.
Teaching Materials and Methods
Preclassroom Preparation:
- Review of previously learned topics such as video of diagnostic and biomechanical examinations will be available for streaming and these will remain available indefinitely after the conclusion of the class.
- pdf versions of the Powerpoint presentations and the course manuals will be sent to students
- Powerpoint presentations of the anatomy of the cervical spine and neurovascular systems
Classroom
- Tutorial style lectures and lectures using PowerPoint presentations
- Lab sessions
- teaching and/or reviewing the detailed neurological examination for this patient
- teach the diagnostic and biomechanical examinations of the neck
- teaching neurophysiological examinations and treatments
- teaching manual therapy treatments
- teaching specific exercise prescriptions based on the above examinations
Postclassroom
In order to support what was learned in the classroom session each student will be supplied with a USB containing the following:
- All text including manuals
- All PowerPoint presentations
- Technique videos of all examination and biomechanical treatment techniques demonstated during the lab session
- The complete commercially produced MVA video made by Jim Meadows FCAMPT
The Chronic MVA Patient
Download the Table of Contents
The post-whiplash patient who is either having recurrent problems or who simply is not improving is one of the most difficult problems encountered by the physical therapist. Why is there a lack of improvement? Radiographs, MRI, and other studies fail to detect any obvious structural deficit and segmental examination frequently fails to establish extraordinary dysfunctions that would explain the spectacular lack of recovery. In almost every respect this long-term sufferer of neck pain, thoracic pain, headaches and arm pain appears to be a standard non-traumatic cervical patient who would normally respond within a few sessions of specifically applied treatment.
This course will examine this patient and attempt to explain why such a poor outcome is the rule rather than the exception in many whiplash and non-whiplash patients. In order to explain this phenomenon, all locomotor systems, not just the orthopedic, must be addressed. Consequently, this course will deal with the examination and treatment of the neurological, neurophysiological, equilibrium and other somatosensory systems in addition to the musculoskeletal system.
Objectives
At the end of this course, the involved student will be able to:
- understand and discuss the anatomy of the neurological system as it pertains to the whiplash patient particularly the brain stem
- understand and discuss the anatomy of the musculoskeletal system of the craniovertebral, the cervical spine and the upper thoracic spine as they pertain to the whiplash patient
- understand and discuss the anatomy and pathology of the carotovertebrobasilar system as it pertains to the whiplash patient
- understand the neurophysiology of pain and pain modulation as it pertains to the whiplash patient
- understand the physiology and pathophysiology of balance as it pertains to the whiplash patient
- understand the common and uncommon pathologies of long term cervical whiplash disorder including:
- neck pain
- rim lesions
- facet joint lesions
- disc herniations
- instability
- upper thoracic facet and transverse segmental dysfunctions
- covert fractures
- muscle hypertonicity
- circumferential nerve root hemorrhagic fibrosis
- headache
- posttraumatic migraine
- intracranial dural adhesions
- cervicogenic
- posttraumatic occipital neuralgia
- arm pain
- cervical referral
- “adverse neural tension”
- radiculopathy
- local injury
- concusion and other types of head injury
- vertigo and dizziness
- vertebrobasilar ischemia
- labyrinthine concussion
- posttraumatic otoconic displancement (BPPV)
- traumatic hydrops
- perilymph fistulae
- middle ear compromise
- cervicogenic
- post-concussion
- iatrogenic
- disequilibrium
- neurological
- neurophysiological
- chronic pain syndromes
- cervicovestibular dysreflexia
- neck pain
- understand the principles and concepts of the biomechanics and pathomechanics of the cervical and upper thoracic spine in long term neck pain
- within the context of the orthopedic therapist, understand the principles of, carry out and be able to interpret the examinations for:
- the musculoskeletal system
- the spinal segments
- the brain stem
- the spinal cord, nerves and roots
- the vestibular system
- the neurovascular system
- the balance system
- the cervicovestibular reflexes
- understand the indications for referral to a specialist or back to the physician
- identify and appropriately manage the following conditions:
- acute and chronic inflammation
- cervical and thoracic facet joint hypomobility
- cervical and thoracic facet joint hypermobility
- segmental instability
- BBPV
- neurovascular dizziness*
- radiculopathy
- “adverse neural tension”
- balance disturbances
- cervicovestibular dysreflexia
- non-BBPV vestibular dysfunctions*
- fibromyalgia and other chronic pain syndromes*
- The following treatment techniques will be discussed, presented and practiced:
- manual cervical traction
- segmental mobilization
- segmental and regional stabilization
- reducing tone
- stretching structurally tight tissues including the upper limb neural tissues
- strengthening structurally weak muscles
- Epley’s maneuver
- balance exercises
- phasic eye exercises
- basic vestibular techniques
- movement pattern re-education exercises
*the specific treatment is beyond the scope of this course and management refers recognition and referral back to the physician or to a specialist therapist.
Topical Outline
The following subjects will be presented and where appropriate practiced.
- Clinical reasoning strategies for the therapist in referred and direct patient care pertaining to chronic neck pain, headaches and dizziness including:
- Hypothetic-deductive reasoning
- Evolving algorithms
- Pattern recognition
- Pathognomia
- The etiologies of chronic neck pain, headaches and dizziness including:
- Trauma from MVA, sports and industrial injury, falls etc
- Idiopathic causes
- Neurological, cancer, and orthopedic diseases
- The mechanics of the MVA and their relationship to ongoing pain states
- Long lasting pathologies
- Serious pathologies
- Segmental dysfunction
- Combined mechanical and neurophysiological dysfunction resulting in long lasting pain
- Differences between long term pain and chronic pain states
- Differential diagnosis from the subjective and objective examinations
- Neurovascular and ligamentous stability examinations
- Segmental examination including that for pathomechanical dysfunction and for neurophysiological dysfunction
- Segmental neurophysiological and pathomechanical treatments
- Prognosis
- Rehabilitation after manual therapy
Featured Course
Advanced Spinal Manipulation Course
Dates:
April 31, May 14-16, May 21-23, June 5-7, 2023
Location: Edmonton, AB
For registration inquiries, contact jim@swodeam.org
View Full Schedule
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