Course Description:

Physical therapists address spinal conditions across the lifespan. This includes assisting patients with returning to full function following an acute injury, correcting movement patterns in overuse injuries, and finding management strategies for chronic spinal conditions. All aspects require instruction in body mechanics and dynamic stability of the spine -- the ability to maintain a stable spine during extremity use, as well as perform spinal movements in a safe and controlled manner using the appropriate stabilizing muscles. By participating in this workshop, therapists will learn new exercises to support these goals, with Pilates-based emphasis on form and motor control over volume or resistance, making the exercises safe for use in the rehabilitation setting when combined with the physical therapist’s clinical judgment. More importantly, the participant will fine tune his or her observational and instructional skills. Participants will learn varied strategies to assess whether a patient is truly engaging the deep muscles of the core including transversus abdominus, multifidi/rotatores, the pelvic floor, and the respiratory diaphragm as required for optimal health in spinal motion. The workshop will also provide verbal, tactile and visual imagery cues to enhance a patient’s ability to execute movements using the desired muscle groups, avoiding compensations and correcting habitual impaired patterns. The physical therapist will leave the workshop with an expanded skill set to address movement challenges related to the spine in a variety of patient populations.