Clinical Reasoning of the Lower Body

Course Description:

This course will focus on the examination, differential diagnosis, and treatment of frequently encountered clinical presentations in patients with neuromusculoskeletal dysfunction involving the lower body. A case-based format will focus upon relevant issues pertaining to the differentiation of clinical conditions involving the lumbar spine, the lumbopelvic complex, the hip joint, and the lower extremity. Structured laboratory sessions will provide instruction in pertinent assessment techniques as well as an introduction to applied manual therapy techniques for treatment of the lower quarter region.

Course Presenter(s):  Mike Timko, MS, PT, FAAOMPT & Nick Kyle, PT, DPT, OCS, COMT

Target Audience:  Physical Therapists w/ an interest in manual therapy

Pre-Requisites: n/a

Costs:  $400

Cancellation Policy:  Cancellation Policy

Ratio of Teacher/Student:  15 students/instructor

Course Objectives:

By the end of this course, the participant will be able to:

• Demonstrate an understanding of the principles of differential examination for the lower body region 

• Understand the most common movement impairment syndromes of the lower body region 

• Demonstrate competence in the performance of the examination procedures utilized in the clinical assessment of lower body dysfunction 

• Demonstrate the ability to perform a differential assessment producing a unique cluster of signs and symptoms for various clinical manifestations of the lower body region 

• Demonstrate competence in identifying common faulty movement patterns in patients with lower extremity neuromuscular dysfunction  

• Demonstrate competence in recognizing, examining and evaluating selected disorders of the lower extremity by performing a complete subjective examination, movement examination, a series of orthopedic special tests of the hip, knee, ankle and foot that have the highest sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values 

• Demonstrate competence in the administration of manual therapy techniques for the lower body region 

• Understand how to match manual therapy interventions and neuromuscular re-education of the lower extremity to the movement examination 

• Recognize the current best evidence principles for the treatment of hip osteoarthritis  

•  Recognize the current best evidence principles for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis  

•  Recognize the current best evidence principles the treatment of inversion ankle sprains 

Course Outline:

Day 1
1.) Introduction to the Lower Quarter Screening Exam
2.) The “Neurological Component”: Selected Examination Procedures
3.) The “Hip Component”: Selected Examination and Manual Therapy Procedures
4.) The “Pelvic Component”: Selected Examination and Manual Therapy Procedures
5.) The “Thoracolumbar Component”: Selected Examination and Manual Therapy Procedures

Day 2
1.) Mechanisms Based Classification and Neurodynamics Recap and Clinical Decision- Making Principles
2.) Clinical Decision-Making Principles Lecture
3.) The Hip and Thigh Region
4.) The Knee Lecture and Biomechanical Vitals Examination
5.) The Ankle and Foot Lecture
6.) Anti-Pronatory Mobilization Series