Stroke Rehab- An Integrated Functional Movement Approach

Physical and Occupational Therapists and Assistants treat patients and their impairments, not the diagnosis. Understanding the underlying mechanisms of a stroke diagnosis will enhance the therapists ability to determine specific rehab needs of the patient. This course, with applications for patients in all therapy settings, will focus on the movement re-education needs required for basic daily function of the patient from an integrated approach based on neurologic science and orthopedics. This intermediate level course combines lecture and extensive lab time designed for participants to practice motor skills covered in lecture that will immediately enhance a clinician’s ability to treat this population. Historic and modern approaches to stroke rehab such as: motor control theory, PNF, NDT, strength training, forced use paradigm, mobility and gait unloading and training will all be integrated into this movement training approach. Orthopedic concerns of the neurological patient and the hemiplegic shoulder will also be addressed.

This course provides a systematic movement re-education treatment approach. Concepts presented will teach you how to utilize the fundamental movement patterns of the neurodevelopmental sequence to view mobility and static/dynamic stability problems in a more isolated setting. You will learn how to identify a patient’s most dysfunctional movement pattern following stroke, or any other movement disorder, and reduce that pattern into its many underlying mobilizing and stabilizing actions and reactions that constitute function. As demonstrated in the labs, movement patterns can be assisted and facilitated, corrected (with manual therapy and prescribed proprioceptive enriched therapeutic exercise), and progressed. After completion of this course, the participant will have the information needed to evaluate and treat movement dysfunction. Participants will leave this course with a safe, progressive and evidence-based approach to allow for strong therapy outcomes regardless of therapy background or treatment setting.

Course Locations:

December 6-8th, 2019 Englewood, NJ*

December 7-8th, 2019 Englewood, NJ

Course Objectives:

●Identify how to analyze, correct and progress movement patterns.

●Develop and perform a complete evaluation approach linking movement assessment findings to functional patterns.

●Discuss evidence-based practice for strength training, forced use, body weight supported therapies and virtual reality and how they relate to the stroke patient population.

●Describe the scientific and clinical rationale behind the development of an exercise program for the treatment of functional mobility in the stroke population.

●Demonstrate the proper utilization of the fundamental movement patterns of the neurodevelopmental sequence to view mobility and static/dynamic stability problems in a more isolated setting.

●Identify a patient’s most dysfunctional movement pattern following stroke, reduce that pattern into its many underlying mobilizing and stabilizing actions and reactions that constitute function.

●Describe how neuromusculoskeletal dysfunction can lead to impaired motor control and movement patterns.

●Recognize how to utilize neuromuscular inhibition and facilitation techniques and how to sequence them in therapy prescriptions for maximum functional outcomes.

●Develop home exercise programs of prescribed fundamental movement patterns to maintain functional results.

Course Agenda:

Website for additional information or to register:

Instructor names:

John Wilson, PT, DPT, MA, CSCS

Disciplines accredited for:

PT, PTA, OT, OTA, AT