This continuing education course consists of pre-recorded lectures followed by live, interactive remote learning that will be completed by groups meeting at a specific satellite location. The instructor will be presenting to all satellites from a remote location via Zoom. Participants in this event will meet in person to watch the Zoom presentation in the same location. During labs, participants will pair up and be guided by the on-site lab assistants. 

This course was designed to provide a thorough introduction to pelvic floor function, dysfunction and treatment interventions. This course is geared to the therapist who wants to synthesize the information and apply it to individual treatment programs for urinary incontinence or the musculoskeletal components of urogynecologic pain syndromes such as chronic pelvic pain (CPP), vulvar pain, and interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome (IC/PBS). This continuing education seminar teaches evaluation and treatment interventions by instructional assessment of the pelvic floor muscles with internal vaginal examination, and SEMG biofeedback assessment (please note that, for the time being, SEMG is being demonstrated in video lectures; for hands-on learning, consider attending Biofeedback for Pelvic Muscle Dysfunction). The information is immediately applicable to clinical practice.

Presentation of evidence-based evaluation and treatment techniques will be emphasized. Outcome measures and quality of life questionnaires will be presented for both urinary incontinence and pain syndromes. Daily lab time allows for supervised instruction of pelvic floor muscle evaluation with external palpation and internal vaginal examination of pelvic floor musculature. For each condition the therapist will learn to: recognize the key signs and symptoms that lead to impairment, functional limitations and disabilities; use an evaluation/outcome tool; and perform a suggested protocol of treatment interventions. Clinical treatment interventions will include therapeutic exercise, external manual therapy, patient related education/behavioral instructions and electrotherapeutic modalities. 

Prerequisites

All pre-recorded lectures in Teachable for this course must be watched before the Live Component of the course and in order to earn a certificate of completion for this course. See the Schedule tab for the current list of pre-recorded videos

14 days before the course, participants will receive an invite to join Teachable, an online learning platform. Teachable is where you will find pre-recorded videos and other pre-requisite learning, manual files, your liability waiver you must sign in order to participate, and any links to Zoom  All pre-recorded lectures must be completed before attending the first day of class. 

Audience

This continuing education seminar is targeted to physical therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapist assistants, occupational therapist assistants, registered nurses, nurse midwives, and other rehabilitation professionals. Content is not intended for use outside the scope of the learner's license or regulation. Physical therapy continuing education courses should not be taken by individuals who are not licensed or otherwise regulated, except, as they are involved in a specific plan of care.

Special Considerations

As this continuing education course includes extensive lab work, all course attendees should come prepared to participate as both clinician and patient. Vaginal pelvic floor muscle examinations will be taught in labs. Labs will be conducted under the supervision of instructors and teaching assistants. There will be a ratio of at least one instructor/assistant for every ten participants. 

Participation in Labs

H&W strives to foster an environment that is inclusive and welcomes all professionals who are appropriately licensed at our courses. Having any particular anatomy is not a prerequisite for attending or participating fully in our courses. No one participant will be required to partner with any other participant during labs. Survivors of past trauma should be aware that performing or experiencing internal exams may be triggering, and that many, regardless of their histories, feel strong emotions when practicing these techniques. In order to foster an environment that is non-triggering and safe for all participants, we recommend all participants consider the emotional impact they may experience during the course, and consider consulting a trauma counselor or therapist prior to attending. Read more about What to Expect During Courses with Internal Lab Work.