Orthopedic Recovery & Emerging Modalities: Objective Criteria for Return to Activity for Knee and Shoulder Injuries, Cupping Therapy, Blood Flow Restriction Training

Improve your patients’ quality of life by incorporating myofascial therapy into rehab. Gain breakthrough evidence-based techniques that you can use to achieve improved flexibility and function with video demonstrations and interventions you can apply immediately. This session will teach you how to transform activity limitations and promote function across the lifespan.

Fascial System: Function and Anatomy

• How fascia is organized
• How adhesions develop
• Indications and contraindications for myofascial release (MFR)

Identify Fascial Impairments

• Types of fascial impairments
• Diagnostic categories
• Differential diagnosis of myofascial pain, fibromyalgia, myositis, trigger point

Myofascial Interventions

• Improve mobility
• Improve function
• Reduce pain
• Demonstrations of: skin glide, skin roll, cross hands release, muscle plan, distraction and deep releases

Learn evidence-based cupping therapy techniques for releasing scar tissue and fascial adhesions, managing trigger points, improving circulation and relieving pain. You’ll leave this session with the knowledge of how to apply cupping therapy and specialized manual therapy tools into program design to treat a variety of conditions…with measurable results! Create raving fans of clients who benefit from enhanced flexibility and function.

Cupping Therapy

• History of negative pressure
• Equipment safety
• Infection control
• Precautions
• Indications and contraindications
• Myofascial release principles
• Evidence-based research

Application of Cupping Therapy

• Medical cupping applications
• Demonstrations: skin glide, scar release
• Program design for specific clinical conditions
• Case study: cupping for adhesive capsulitis

Although we have been dealing with shoulder injuries in sports for 40 years, there is no validity or consensus on criteria for return to sports (RTS). The session will provide a practical guide for how testing should be performed, what tests and criteria should be used, and why these criteria need to be established using a Functional Testing Algorithm (FTA). Don’t miss this crucial session that will provide you with a step-by-step path for determining when to return to activity!

Assessing the injured shoulder

• Functional testing algorithm (FTA)
• Developing a checklist

Return to Activity

• Traditional tests
• Functional tests
• Criteria for return to sport

Develop treatment interventions

• Progression through rehabilitation program
• Treatment interventions for addressing deficiencies
• Case study: Shoulder impingement that wasn’t shoulder impingement

Patients with ACL reconstructions are often anxious to return to sports…however, when to return is not always obvious and often second-guessed. This recording will provide a blueprint of how to effectively make this decision with confidence. You’ll learn how testing should be performed, what tests and criteria should be used and why these criteria need to be established using a Functional Testing Algorithm (FTA). This is a can’t-miss recording with practical takeaways you can apply right away!

Functional Testing Algorithm (FTA)

• Various strategies required to assess an injured knee
• Content and rationale for developing a checklist (FTA)

Assessing the Lower Extremity

• Traditional tests
• Functional tests
• Clinical decision making and return to sport

Develop Treatment Interventions

• Interventions to address deficiencies
• Progression through the FTA
• Case study: knee injury with a chronic PF subluxation

Learn about the greatest innovation for rehab providers in the 21st century. Discover how blood flow restriction training bio-hacks the body to achieve considerable increases in muscle size and strength while exercising with very light loads.

Evidence Supporting Blood Flow Restriction Training

• Origins
• Research trends
• Latest meta analyses

Populations who benefit the most from BFR

• Post-op, painful/load compromised, athletic endurance athletes
• Validated with scientific evidence
• Uses across sports medicine continuum

How Blood Flow Restriction Training Works

• Muscle cell physiology
• Metabolic pathways
• Hypertrophy/strength timelines
• Energy systems
• Mechanical vs metabolic stimulus
• Force-velocity relationship
• Muscle fiber recruitment

Local skeletal muscle adaptions

• Cell swelling
• Metabolite induced fatigue
• Satellite cell proliferation
• Hypoxia
• Bone growth

Systematic adaptions

• Cardiovascular system regulation
• Pressor reflex
• VO2max
• VEGF
• Soft tissue repair
• Tendon repair
• Muscle damage
• Reduced pain

Indications and Contraindications of BFRT

• Relative vs absolute contraindications
• Thrombus and tPA

Placement of BFR Cuffs 

• Tourniquet and Doppler application 
• Avoidable tourniquet risks 
• Importance of LOP assessment 

Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) is the new game-changer in rehab and it can be programmed for all types of patients…whether it’s young post-op patients, geriatric patients, bedridden patients, or athletes trying to return to play. This can’t-miss session will provide a guide for how to utilize and program BFR depending on your patient’s goals.

From Bed Ridden to Return to Play: Differentiate the various forms of BFR

• IPC
• Cellular swelling
• Aerobic BFR
• Isolated BFR
• Compound BFR
• Protocols and Programming of BFR

Different uses of BFRT from young postoperative patients to geriatric patients with OA

• Case examples
• Match BFR application based on goal and patient
• Compare BFR use for TKA, ALCr, tibial exocytosis, Achilles non-op, RTC

Programming based on goals: Manipulating the BFR variables

• Onboarding: education is the key
• Adjusting BFR and exercise parameters
• BFR RT and aerobic guidelines
• BFR programming guidelines

Explore an evidence-based lecture and lab where we will play with concepts related to the use of foam rollers, mobility tools and vibration in your rehab practice! Foam rolling has come a long way, with numerous studies supporting the use of tissue mobilization as a pre- and post-rehab intervention that can enhance your existing practice. Interventional techniques for sports medicine and neuromuscular patients will be discussed. Join us for this blend of lecture and lab to expand your understanding of how these techniques can benefit your patient population whether you work with athletes or older adults!

Interventional Tools to Enhance Your Existing Practice

• History of negative pressure
• Equipment safety
• Infection control
• Precautions
• Indications and contraindications
• Myofascial release principles
• Evidence-based research

Application of Cupping Therapy

• Medical cupping applications
• Demonstrations: skin glide, scar release
• Program design for specific clinical conditions
• Case study: cupping for adhesive capsulitis