Cervical Spine Rehabilitation: Conservative Treatment Strategies vs. Post-Operative Therapy

• Keys to Successful Cervical Dysfunction Evaluation
• Treatment Strategies for Cervical Spine Dysfunction
• Therapy Considerations Following Surgical Procedures

“I have this pain and stiffness in my neck that won’t go away,”

– a common complaint that Therapists like you hear from their patients. But do you feel confident that you know the latest in cervical spine rehabilitation techniques – for both conservative management and post-operative therapy?

Join expert, Shane Malecha, PT, DPT, MS, CSCS, and gain the advanced evaluation skills and therapeutic techniques you need to accurately match treatment plans with the presented cervical spine rehabilitation challenges. Learn new techniques to assess posture and movement loss. Go beyond the reach of most therapists concerning post-operative therapy – improve your understanding of the intricacies of balancing healing with therapy. Leave with new tools for your therapeutic toolbox – tools that will make you a more effective therapist.

OUTLINE

The Epidemiology of Cervical Pain

• Predisposing Factors
• Bony Anatomy of the Cervical Spine
  • Cervical Spine Regions
    • Subcranial
    • Midcervical
    • Cervicothoracic
• Soft Tissue Anatomy of the Cervical Spine
  • Ligamentous Support
  • Muscular Support
  • Intervertebral Disc
• Biomechanics of the Cervical Spine
  • Subcranial Mechanics
  • Midcervical Mechanics
  • Cervicothoracic Mechanics

Keys to Successful Orthopedic Evaluations

• Goals of the first visit
• Empathy vs. sympathy
• Tools to establish consistency
• Strategies to avoid clinical blindness
• Who should be referred to therapy
• Red Flags
• Objective and Subjective Evaluation

Clues from the Examination: What the Answers to these Questions Tell Us

• Where is the pain present
• Where were symptoms at onset
• How long has it been present
• How did the pain commence
• Constant vs. intermittent
• What makes the symptoms better or worse
• Previous history and treatment
• Diagnostic tests
• Medications

Cervical Dysfunction Evaluation Techniques

• Posture Assessment
  • Sitting, standing, dynamic, kyphosis, lateral shift
• Movement Loss
  • How much
  • Quality of the movement
  • Willingness to move
  • Lateral deviation
• Repeated Movements
  • What happens during movement
  • What happens as a result of the movement
• Static Tests
• Neurological
  • Motor/sensory Deficit
  • Reflexes
  • Dural Signs
• VBI Testing
• Alar/Odontoid Integrity Testing
• Other Testing Considerations
  • OA Mobility testing
  • AA Mobility Testing
  • Muscle Length Testing
  • Mid/lower Trap Muscle Testing

Treatment Strategies for Cervical Spine Dysfunction

• Treatment of the Acute Patient
  • Modalities
  • Mid-range movement techniques
• Treatment of the Sub-acute/Chronic Patient
  • Postural Syndrome
  • Dysfunction Syndrome
  • Adherent Nerve Root
  • Derangement
  • Muscle Imbalances
  • Headache Patients
• Manual Therapy Techniques
  • Cervical Retraction with Overpressure
  • Cervical Extension Mobilization
  • Cervical Rotation Mobilization
  • Cervical Downslide Mobilization

Therapy Considerations Following Surgical Procedures

• Common Surgical Procedures
  • Cervical Fusion
  • Cervical Discectomy (Corpectomy)
  • Artificial Disc Replacement
  • Cervical Laminectomy
• Therapy considerations
  • Healing Time
  • Progression of Forces/Movement

OBJECTIVES

• Review the functional anatomy and biomechanics of the cervical and upper thoracic spine.
• Construct an accurate differential diagnosis for patients with cervical-thoracic pain including potential red flags that will require immediate referral.
• Complete a comprehensive physical examination of the cervical-thoracic region.
• Recognize the indications and contraindications for mechanical evaluation and treatment of the cervical region.
• Apply a treatment-based classification system to improve clinical decision-making skills and develop an evidence-based treatment plan.
• Explain the proposed etiologies of cervical dysfunctions.
• Implement mobilization and exercise strategies for the treatment of cervical dysfunctions.

To order the book, Neuromuscular Taping: From Theory to Practice, please visit our product store.

To order the book, PT Clinical Notes: A Rehabilitation Pocket Guide, please visit our product store.

Target Audience

Athletic Trainers, Nurses, Occupational Therapists & Occupational Therapy Assistants, Physical Therapists/Physical Therapist Assistants, Physician Assistants and other Healthcare Professionals

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