This two-day online course for the experienced pelvic rehab therapist will address problem-solving assessments for the major contributory nerves from the lumbar plexus in an organized, systematic fashion. Peripheral lumbar plexus nerves included in this course are Iliohypogastric, Ilioinguinal, Genitofemoral, Lateral Femoral Cutaneous, Femoral, and Obturator Nerves. This course will cover extensive anatomy and differential diagnosis and objective findings for specific nerves of the lumbar plexus. It will also include 12 key lab techniques to launch your journey into manually treating the nerves of the lumbar plexus, with research-based approaches to manual nerve treatment. Significant time will be devoted to mapping nerves and refined, precise palpatory techniques to find and assess the nerve.

Several hours of course content will be pre-learned in the two weeks before the class. Then, the class will meet for two shorter zoom days to do labs and the remainder of lecture. Nerves transmit pain messages. When nerves are compressed, they can cause pain or weakness. Pelvic rehab is traditionally centered around muscles, but muscles are at the will of the innervating nerve. Frequently the nerve is overlooked as the source of pain or weakness. Unfortunately, the patients who receive diagnoses such as neuropathic pain or nerve entrapment are presented with few options. Pelvic neural pain can be mimic or be the actual cause of vulvodynia, testicular pain, hip and low back pain, IT band issues, lower abdominal and bladder pain, pubic symphysis pain, as well as many other syndromes and weakness, such as lower quadrant pain, poorly firing abdominals or unilateral hip weakness.

This first lumbar course will be around 30% Lab and 70% lecture. It is a modification of the prior 3-day lumbar nerve class to allow for distance learning during Covid. All lab techniques for this class are external. Participants will need to have a model/person to practice on who is not in the class, as the pacing is designed for one learner and one non-learning model. Please see the schedule below for which sections will require a live model. Note, all labs for this class are external.

This class will be the pre-requisite for a future to-be-announced 2-day advanced lumbar nerve lab-intensive, which will be offered separately in 2021, or when travel is once again safe and possible). The second class will include internal and external labs.

Prerequisites:
Participants must have prior experience with internal vaginal assessment. Pelvic Floor Level One and intermediate coursework, Pelvic Floor Level 2B, or another intra-vaginal mapping course is a required pre-requisite. All pre-recorded lectures in Teachable for this course must also be watched before the Live Component of the course. See the Schedule tab for the current list of pre-recorded videos.

Please note that labs are paced for one learning participant and a lay model to practice on. All labs for this class are external. It is ideal and helpful have different models to practice on during different labs, but it is not required.

Lab Materials Needed:
a) Screen to view labs during lab (the larger the better, tablets and smart phones not encouraged)
b) Spray bottle with alcohol (preferred) OR alcohol wipes
c) 3-4 permanent markers
d) An old washcloth or towel that can be used to clean permanent marker.

Highly Suggested Text:
Gray's Anatomy for Students - Available at a 25% Discount for Herman & Wallace registrants with promo code 70484. Registrants who already own a copy of this or a corresponding textbook are not required to purchase an additional one.