A 2-day, intermediate-level course available through Healthclick, focuses on enhancing therapists’ fundamental understanding of surgical approaches for the cervical and lumbar spine, in order to effectively develop progressive rehabilitation protocols. According to the Healthclick website, postsurgical rehabilitation centers on understanding the mechanism of injury, physiological healing time, mechanical changes, and surgical techniques.
The site notes that the presentation is designed to prep medical professionals to pinpoint effective rehabilitation procedures for safe therapeutic management in order to achieve positive functional outcomes. Offering a thorough understanding of the outcomes of surgery is intended to help therapists develop the most effective rehab program.
The “Developing Post Surgical Rehab Programs for the Cervical and Lumbar Spine” course places an emphasis on understanding the neuromuscular effects of specific surgical procedures and developing protocols by using neurological assessment tools, manual therapy techniques, and exercise selection for a range of postsurgical conditions. The site adds that extensive hands-on lab time and protocol discussion aim to enable therapists to immediately apply information in the clinical setting.
Course objectives include understanding the basic anatomy pertinent to various pathologies and dysfunctions, using mechanical and neurological evaluation techniques to assist in determining the best treatment approach for spinal disorders, and identifying specific active and passive interventions that address particular positive evaluation findings. Other course objectives include identifying specific active and passive interventions that address particular positive evaluation findings, developing and initiating rehabilitation and exercise that maximize recovery and function in any spine program, and integrating the therapy program with other disciplines involved in spine management.
Visit the Healthclick website for additional course objectives, as well as course locations and dates.
Course instructor Carol McFarland, PT, PhD, OCS, has nearly 40 years of experience as a therapist, and for the past 30 years the site says her focus has been on spine care. McFarland completed a PhD in order to have a more in-depth understanding of this particular patient population. Her dissertation, the site notes, featured a clinical trial on early physical therapy intervention following cervical spine surgery, and since then it has become her goal to expand on this evidence.
[Source: Healthclick]
