There are many effective rationales and methods of treating this region from both, New Zealand and the USA. This course takes what is best from both counties, and brings them together in a syndrome and evidence-based manner to give the participant the most current and effective methodology to treat problems in this region.

 An important aspect of treating these areas is to be able to determine the Drivers or true source of the problem, not just where the pain is. Is it the shoulder girdle, the cervical or thoracic spine, or a combination of these?

Participants will be taught how to treat the cervical and thoracic spine in addition to the ribs, utilizing a syndrome classification system that allows manual therapy techniques to be selected based on the patient’s condition, instead of anatomical classification.

Treatment techniques will include various manual therapy approaches, including disc centralization rationale, mobilization, and active mobilization as well as new effective patient and clinician-friendly techniques such as physiological overpressure mobilizations POMs, muscle energy, POSTLATION, and five forms of manual traction. 

This is a practical clinic-ready course for the outpatient clinician.

Course Objectives:

··       Apply a clinically based manual therapy approach

·       Classify problems of the cervical and thoracic spines according to treatable categories

·       Identify and treat headaches of cervical origin

·       Distinguish between pain and dysfunction arising from the shoulder girdle, ribs, cervical and thoracic spines

·       Assess and treat rib dysfunctions

·       Assess joint integrity to enable safe treatment

·       Apply treatment rationale for the management of derangement syndrome, joint hypo- and hyper-mobility, and neuromuscular imbalances.

·       Select and perform the most effective manual therapy techniques for each type of problem

·       Progress treatment as appropriate for the patient’s condition

Schedule:

DAY ONE
07:15    Sign in and breakfast

08:00    Evidence based practice related to the cervical and thoracic spine.           

09:00    Syndrome based classification system                                                   

09:30    Red-flag considerations and neurological evaluation                              

10:00    Break                                                                                                  

10:10    Upper quarter posture and evaluation                                                    

11:00    Shoulder screening                                                                               

12:00    Lunch (0n own)

01:00    Upper cervical stress and vertebral artery testing                                    

02:00    Cervical functional stability assessment and treatment                             n 

03:00    Break

03:10    Cervicogenic headache presentation and treatment                                 

04:00    Treatment of cervical dysfunction syndrome                                         

 05:00   End of day one

 DAY TWO
07:30    Breakfast

08:00    Treatment of cervical stenosis syndrome                                                

09:00    Treatment of cervical derangement syndrome                                        

10:00    Break

10:10    Rib dysfunction assessment and treatment                                             

11:00    Thoracic spine evaluation                                                                                   

12:00    Lunch (on own)

12:30    Thoracic spine treatment                                                                       

02:00    Spinal Exercise and Case study discussion                                             

03:00    End of course

Time  780 Min 13 hours / 15.6 CEHs at (50 min per CEH)

Educational Level:  Beginner to intermediate

Instructional Methods: PowerPoint Presentation, Video examples, Live demonstration, Supervised practicum