Functional Strategies for Treating Patients with Neurological Deficits (Day 1)

This course will provide therapists various treatment ideas to improve function for patients with CVA, TBI, and other neurological deficits.  A framework for therapy intervention will be reviewed using the importance of neuroplasticity and the research supporting it.  Starting at the trunk, treatments will be delineated providing original intervention strategies to improve upper and lower extremity movement.

The presentation includes the use of digital video for movement analysis and improving assessment skills.  Common movement abnormalities are analyzed and discussed to improve therapists’ evaluation skills.  Difficulties with treating the shoulder will be discussed as well as common tendencies found in the lower extremity.  This will include the correct definition of spasticity and recommendations from the latest evidence on treatment choices to address these complexities.  Many treatment positions will be given that will apply in all clinical settings.

Upon completion of this course, therapists will learn an evidence-based approach for choosing treatment strategies and improve their confidence level with intervention selections.  There will also be a problem solving discussion to review appropriate goals to try and match treatment interventions discussed.

Balance Challenges:  Progressive Dynamic Treatment Strategies (Day 2)

This one-day intermediate level course is specifically designed to improve the clinician’s ability to identify specific impairments leading to balance dysfunction and then provide challenging interventions.  Balance disorders affect clients in the orthopedic, neurologic, and geriatric populations, and involve all types of settings.  A variety of treatment interventions for these diagnoses and settings will be discussed along with ideas for how to increase the challenge with these activities.  This will include lower level patients who are unable to sit as well as higher-level orthopedic outpatients.  This course will emphasize a variety of interventions to provide all therapists with new perspectives and innovative and challenging treatments using digital video of actual patients demonstrating the techniques discussed.

The majority of the course will focus on interventions, using evidence-based practice as a foundation, as well as discussions about the best outcome measures to use for individual settings.  These valid and reliable outcome measures will also provide an avenue for improved reimbursement through using functional and measurable goals and balance descriptors.