Theory and Concepts course
'The best clinical reasoning process - I now know where to start.'
'This course is so relevant to clinical practice.'
Inefficient muscle recruitment relates to painful neck movement. Learn how to test for uncontrolled movement in the neck and how to prioritise the specific retraining options that will change symptoms and dysfunction the quickest.
Neck pain and cervico-genic headache are becoming a major cause of work disability in society. Whether the underlying causes are postural, work habit related or traumatic, the links between symptom producing movements and motor control deficits in the local and global muscle systems appear surprisingly consistent.
This course reviews the functional anatomy of the cervical spine. It includes practical analysis of alignment and posture of the cervico-thoracic region. The influence of the scapulo-thoracic articulation on neck pain and function is considered.
The course includes clinical assessment of Uncontrolled Movement (UCM) in both the local and global muscle systems. It details practical assessment of movement and the clinical diagnosis of Uncontrolled Movement (UCM) in the cervical spine. This diagnosis is based on assessing the site and direction of Uncontrolled Movement (UCM). Based on this diagnosis a clinical reasoning process is used to identify appropriate strategies to improve the functional stability of the cervical spine. The development of specific retraining programmes focusing on practical integration of the local and global stability muscles to regain functional stability of the head and neck is presented.
This course is orientated to a ‘hands on’ practical application of dysfunction assessment and stability retraining using patient examples where possible.
• what goes wrong with the muscle function in the neck when people have pain
• how to test for uncontrolled flexion, extension, rotation and translation of the neck
• how prioritize the where to start therapeutic exercise and how to develop progressions
• re-evaluate and update muscle function around the neck
• identify direction - related uncontrolled movement related to symptoms
• identify and correct apparent restrictions of neck function that are related to shoulder girdle position
• identify and retrain abnormal strategies and patterns within the global muscle system
• determine the optimal retraining strategy to restabilize uncontrolled movement in the neck using an evidence based clinical reasoning framework
• design specific individual retraining programmes
• Classify muscles roles based on function & dysfunction
• Understand the development of Uncontrolled Movement (UCM) and movement dysfunction and neck pain
• Analyze the inter-relationship between restriction and compensation in articular and myofascial tissues in the cervical spine
• Clinically assess neck motor control strategies to identify and diagnose the site and direction of Uncontrolled Movement at the neck
• Retrain direction specific active control of the Uncontrolled Movement of the cervical spine
• Assess and rehab local stabiliser function at the neck
• Identify and correct global imbalance in stabiliser – mobiliser function
• Rate the degree of severity of stability dysfunction and discuss prognosis
• Develop an evidence based management plan to improve functional control of the neck
• Use clinical reasoning to prioritize initial management and plan a progression of rehab
• Apply rehabilitation strategies to manage cervical stability dysfunction
• Use re-assessment tools to guide the rate of progression of an individual patient through their rehab programme
Assessment & Retraining of Uncontrolled Movement
Clinical Analysis and Management Planning
Review of Cervico-Thoracic Musculature:
[practical] Alignment Assessment:
Kinaesthetic Repositioning
Assess for and Retrain the Site and Direction of Unonctrolled Movement at the Cervico-Thoracic Region
[practical] Assessment and rehabilitation of Local and Global Stability Systems to Control Translation:
Assessment & Rehabilitation of Motor Control of the Global Stability Muscle System to Control through Range:
Assessment & Regaining Extensibility of the Global Mobiliser Muscle System
Functional Integration
Maintenance Programme / Prevention
Kinetic Control courses are designed for medical health professionals such as physiotherapists, osteopaths, chiropractors, podiatrists etc registered with the HPC. In exceptional circumstances experienced non medical health professionals may be allowed to attend Kinetic Control courses but these participants MUST be able demonstrate that the course material is within their scope of practice and that they have appropriate professional liability insurance to cover them for their attendance at the course and the course content.
This course has both theortical and practical elements. Please come prepared for the practical work.
Functional stability re-training: principles and strategies for managing mechanical dysfunction. Manual Therapy 6:3-14
Movement and stability dysfunction – contemporary developments. Manual Therapy 6:15-26