We’re excited to be launching 3 new courses in 2020 helping you to enhance your clinical skills to enable you to deliver superior patient and client outcomes. Here’s RockTape’s Education Director Daniel Lawrence with the low down on each course…
Manual Therapy and Therapeutic Movement
I have always been a keen advocate of manual therapy but over the course of the last ten years I have seen manual techniques challenged by scientific research and witnessed the clinical reality of manual therapy not always working. More recently we have come to realise that manual therapy does indeed benefit most patients but not via the mechanisms we once assumed. Muscles are not stretched, scar tissue is not broken-down, vertebrae are not put back in place.
What manual therapy does seem to do is facilitate relaxation, reduce muscle tone, reduce pain and produce immediate improvements in pain free range, albeit often transiently. ‘Hands on’ treatment can also be a powerful way of building a therapeutic alliance with the patient. Dampen down their symptoms with some strategic prodding and they will have more faith in your evidence based exercise plan. Perhaps it’s this increased faith or outcome expectation that enhances the success of rehabilitation exercises when combined with manual therapy.
A systematic review by Gross et al (2007) looked specifically at conservative management of mechanical neck disorders, the authors noted strong evidence for maintained pain reduction favouring exercise plus mobilisation versus controls for neck pain. This concept of therapeutic mobilisation and therapeutic exercise to both alleviate symptoms and empower the patient forms a central theme of Paul Coker’s Manual Therapy course. The course will be filled with techniques, research, concepts, theories and advice for both you and your patients.
Reference: Gross et al (2007) Conservative Management of Mechanical Neck Disorders: A Systematic Review. J Rheumatol 2007;34;1083-1102
Join us in Plymouth on 1st & 2nd February or in London on 29th February & 1st March – book your place today
Spinal and Peripheral Mobilisation Diploma
Recently while helping an Osteopath and Sports therapist design a Mobilisation course for therapists I found myself at the receiving end of some spinal mobilisation treatment techniques. To be honest the techniques were amazing and I toyed with the idea of suggesting more treatment was needed just so I could spend a little more time playing the patient for a change. Fortunately I only had a few aches and pains but could recall past injuries where these mobilisation treatments would have been heavenly (don’t laugh – they really were).
One particular technique which uses alternate unilateral PA’s down the cervical spine was particularly effective. I could feel my facet joints sliding and gliding. Although studies suggest that very little if any intervertebral joint motion occurs with cervical PA mobilisations (McGregor et al 2005). It’s important to recognise the limitations to the biomechanical mechanisms while still appreciating the importance of skilled handling which is in essence a form of kinesthetic communication.
You can learn some of these amazing techniques starting with Part 1 – Spinal Mobilisation, of the new 3 part Mobilisation Diploma starting in London this March.
Reference: McGregor, A. H., Wragg, P., Bull, A. M. J., & Gedroyc, W. M. W. (2005). Cervical spine mobilizations in subjects with chronic neck problems: An interventional MRI study. Journal of Back and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, 18(1-2), 21–28. doi:10.3233/bmr-2005-181-204
Join us in London – 14th March 2020 – book your place today
RockTape FMT Movement Specialist
We are excited to bring this progressive and dynamic course to the UK following its development and testing throughout the USA last year. Our Physiotherapy, Chiropractic, Osteopathy and Sports Therapy tutors will be helping to deliver a course targeted towards those who practice within and between the medical, health and fitness spaces.
Education Director at RockTape in the US, Steve Capobianco explains more; “As I developed our FMT Movement Specialist I wanted to offer a reframed approach to how we screen and interact (word chosen on purpose) with the person, psychosocially, to effect the quality of movement expressed. The course applies a multi system approach giving consideration to the brain, midline (core) and the mechanics in order to allow for effective and efficient movement to accomplish meaningful goals in any environment. Lofty initiative, I know, but it’s something I have been practicing for over 20 years and felt it time to share it with the world. Hope they are ready!”
Join us in London on 14th & 15th March or Birmingham on 6th & 7th June – book your place today