Evidence Based Therapeutic Exercise for Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
April 26-28, 2013
Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI
Course description
This 3-day course is designed for rehabilitation professionals seeking additional skills in providing neuromuscular re-education and therapeutic exercise for clients with pelvic floor dysfunction and related diagnoses. Participants will be provided with treatment tools including therapeutic exercise, neuromuscular re-education, and soft tissue mobilization that can be applied to their clients immediately. There is no internal pelvic floor assessment or observation/assessment of the perineum during this course.
The course is an excellent adjunct for clinicians experienced with internal PFM assessment, surface EMG and manual therapy treatment of pelvic ring dysfunction and elimination disorders. This course also provides a good introduction to orthopedic therapists interested in learning how to address pelvic floor dysfunction which may accompany spinal, pelvic, and hip dysfunction.
Intended Audience
Licensed rehabilitation professionals including physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and occupational therapists.
Course objectives: participants will learn -
Following the course which will utilize Sackett's definition of evidence-based medicine, participants will be able to describe and/or integrate the following in the treatment of their clients:
- thoracic and rib mobility as it contributes to breathing and spinal control
- client ther ex and self-mobilizations to follow up clinician manual interventions
- breathing assessment
- client ther ex to localize and re-educate breathing patterns to enable concurrent breathing and PFM activation, as well as breathing with abdominal stabilization during functional tasks
- hip ROM assessment and client neutral spine stretches
- client hip self-mobilization stretches for home
- pelvic floor progression, localization and self-biofeedback
- the use of vaginal weights, pelvic floor synergists and other strategies to incorporate PFM strengthening into functional tasks
- Spinal control strategies: steering away from the isolationist/rigidity model to an integrated and fluid motor control approach
- When to refer to an orthopedic manual therapist
- When to refer to a women’s health therapist
Course schedule and content
| Day 1: April 26, 2013 (7:30 - 5:00) | |
| 7:30 | Continental Breakfast and Registration |
| 8:00 | Welcome, Introductions and Pre-test |
| 8:30 | Applied Anatomy of the Thoraco-lumbar Region, Pelvic Ring and Hip |
| 9:45 | Break |
| 10:00 | Normal Motor Patterns of the Local System |
| 11:00 | Lab: Thoraco-lumbar Postural Organization during Static and Dynamic Activities Use of the Stabilizer, BP cuff, and McConnell Taping to Promote Neutral Spine and Stability During Dynamic Tasks |
| 12:00 | Lunch |
| 1:00 | Effect of Postural Organization on Motor Control of the Local System |
| 1:45 | Breathing Function and Dysfunction Related to Musculoskeletal Issues of the Thorax and Lumbo-Pelvic Complex |
| 2:30 | Break |
| 2:45 | Thoracic and Rib Dysfunction Assessment |
| 3:15 | Lab: Thoracic and Rib Dysfunction Screening, Treatment Options and Self-Care Methods |
| 4:30 | Post-Test and Summary |
| Day 2: April 27, 2013 (7:30 - 5:00) | |
| 7:30 | Continental Breakfast and Registration |
| 8:00 | Questions, Answers and Pre-test |
| 8:30 | Neuromuscular Re-education of Breathing Patterns Related to Thoraco-Lumbar and Pelvic Ring Rehabilitation |
| 9:15 | Lab: "Listening", Observational Assessment, "Puzzles to Solve" |
| 10:15 | Break |
| 10:30 | Assessment and Manual Therapy Techniques for the Abdominal Wall and Thorax |
| 11:15 | Lab: Screening Tools, Manual Therapy Techniques-Inducing Trigger Point Release, Use of Small Ball, Strain/Counterstrain, and Functional Training |
| 12:30 | Lunch |
| 1:30 | Motor Control of Abdominal Wall: Norms, Dysfunctional Patterns and Re-education |
| 2:00 | Lab: Abdominal Wall Holding Patterns, Breathing Excursion, Assessment Neuromuscular Re-education Progression of the Transverse Abdominal Muscle |
| 3:15 | Motor Control of Multifidi: Function, Dysfunction and Re-education |
| 3:45 | Lab: Neuromuscular Re-education of Multifidi |
| 4:30 | Post-Test |
| Day 3: April 28, 2013 (7:30 - 4:00) | |
| 7:30 | Continental Breakfast |
| 8:00 | Questions, Answers and Pre-test |
| 8:30 | Musculoskeletal Contributing Factors to Pelvic Floor Dysfunction |
| 9:30 | Break |
| 9:45 | PFM Incompetence and Treatment Options Including Lower Quadrant Range of Motion Variations |
| 10:30 | Lab: Lower Quadrant Range of Motion in Neutral Spine, Small Ball Rolling, Pelvic Floor Muscle (PFM) External (clothed) Self-assessment and Treatment Techniques for Overactive PFMs |
| 12:00 | Lunch |
| 12:45 | PFM Strengthening: Indications, Contraindications and Evidence-Based Methods |
| 1:30 | Lab: PFM Strengthening Pyramid, Vaginal Weights and Functional Progression |
| 2:45 | Break |
| 3:00 | Screening Criteria for Referral to Pelvic Floor Specialist |
| 3:30 | Post-Test, Summary and Adieu |
21 5 contact hours approval pending WPTA
Faculty
Elizabeth Hampton, P.T., WCS, BCB-PMD
Ms. Hampton earned her BS in Physical Therapy from Marquette University in 1987 and a certificate in Women’s Health from Texas Women’s University in 2002. She is a certified Pilate’s instructor, integrating the Pilates method into her clinical practice. Ms. Hampton is a published author and faculty member for the Wallace and Herman Institute, teaching courses related to pelvic floor dysfunction. Ms. Hampton is owner of Core Therapeutics Physical Therapy, an outpatient physical therapy clinic specializing in the rehabilitation of lumbopelvic dysfunction, including pelvic pain, incontinence, and prolapse. She is an APTA certified Women’s Health Specialist and also certified in pelvic muscle dysfunction biofeedback through the Biofeedback Certification International Alliance.
