Myofascial Release Continuing Education

Highlights of this Online Continuing Education Course

Course Objectives

• Discuss the definition of chronic pain and how it affects the nervous system and the brain.
• Identify the types of pain and the importance of understanding which phase your patient is in.
• Identify the current research on chronic pain and determine the most effective studies that can positively impact your treatment approach.
• Discuss the physiological impact pain has on the nervous system and the brain and the resulting multiple-system stress response.
• Define the nociceptive process.
• Discuss the sympathetic nervous system response to pain.
• Identify specific disorders that can happen with each system of the body when chronic pain is left untreated.
• Identify the neurological and structural changes when chronic pain exists within the body.
• Utilize the appropriate evidence-based pain assessment tools.
• Utilize a multifaceted integrative approach to treating chronic pain patients.
• Identify the available evidence-based therapeutic treatment options available.
• Utilize manual, cognitive and movement skills in your treatment approach.
• Identify optimal regions within a muscle to apply specific manual therapy techniques for beneficial results.
• Discuss the anatomy of specific muscles and the nervous system and know how to apply manual techniques to these anatomical structures to decrease chronic pain.
• Perform the following techniques: dermatome stroking, mechanoreceptor stimulation/inhibition, postural muscle bending, myofascial release, rhythmic traction, rhythmic stabilization and acupressure.
• Perform inhibition techniques, trigger point and soft tissue work.
• Perform and teach your patient how to do mind/body visualization exercises, controlled breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, mindful visualization, body imprinting and body scan relaxation.
• Teach your patient how to perform exertion reduced exercises to promote functional movement patterns while avoiding nervous system strain.
• Teach your patient to take control of their progress while performing sensory stimulation exercises.
• Modify Yoga and Tai Chi techniques for the chronic pain patient.
• Develop an integrative approach that incorporates the whole body to effectively treating the chronic pain patient and achieve positive functional results and decreased pain.

Learn from the Expert - Jennifer Goff, MSPT, NCS, CLT, CVT

• Certified Neuro Specialist
• Educator’s approach to chronic pain
• Combining different philosophies of thought when it comes to chronic pain

Chronic Pain, the Sympathetic Nervous System and Pain Pathways

• Advancements in our understanding of what happens physiologically with chronic pain
• Sympathetic nervous system and chronic pain
• Assessment tools for pain
• Nociceptive, neuropathic and psychogenic pain
• How to teach a patient to modulate their pain
• What happens in the body when pain perception continues for more than six months?

Manual Therapy Overview

• Treatment at the injury site, new injury or old injury?
• Therapeutic treatments to treat chronic pain, which incorporates neurological, physical, and psychological factors
• The different approaches for acute pain vs chronic pain
• Methods to decrease chronic pain
• Acupressure
• Myofascial release
• Rhythmic traction and rotation
• Muscle bending
• Mechanoreceptor inhibition
• Manual skills, setting goals
• Importance of functional training after manual therapy

Manual Therapy to Decrease the Firing of Sympathetic Nervous System

• Specific manual therapy techniques to decrease the firing of the sympathetic nervous system
• Techniques to decrease tone
• SNS stroking
• Muscle bending

Manual Therapy Using the Peripheral Nervous System

• Using the PNS to calm down the CNS
• Specific manual therapy techniques
• Myofascial release techniques

Manual Therapy: Head, Cervical Region

• Manual therapy for the sternocleidomastoid
• Manual therapy for the frontalis, temporalis, trapezius and levator
• Head and neck pain
• Trigger point techniques
• Myofascial techniques
• Muscle bending techniques
• Rhythmic traction/li>

Manual Therapy: Cervical-Thoracic, Upper Body and Shoulder Regions

• Symptoms associated with specific muscle imbalance
• Manual therapy for scalenes
• Manual therapy for the anterior, middle and posterior deltoid
• Manual therapy for the pectoralis major and minor
• Manual therapy for the supraspinatus and infraspinatus
• Rhythmic breathing coordinated with manual therapy
• Trigger point and acupressure points

Manual Therapy: Thoracolumbar Region

• Manual techniques for the thoracolumbar fascia
• Manual techniques for the latissimus

Manual Therapy: Rhomboids, Subscapularis, Serratus

• Specific techniques demonstrated
• Technique to determine if source of pain is rhomboids or another contributing factor
• COPD and serratus

Manual Therapy: Hip Region and Alternate Lumbar Spine Technique

• Manual therapy for the gluteal musculature
• Manual therapy for the piriformis
• Manual therapy for the tensor Fascia latae
• Manual therapy for the Iliopsoas
• Manual therapy for the adductors
• Alternate positions to treat the lumbar Spine region

Manual Therapy: Joint Receptors and Acupressure

• Manual therapy techniques to stimulate the joint receptors
• Integrative techniques Utilizing acupressure
• Functional tests to establish a baseline and documented improvements

Behavior Cognitive Training

• Cognitive skills
• Neuroplastic training
• Breathing training
• Relaxation techniques
• Progressive muscle relaxation
• Mindfulness-based relaxation
• Mind-body connection
• Body scan relaxation

Exertion Reduced Exercise

• Techniques to train the nervous system to move through healthy patterns
• Transitional tools and exercises
• Neuromuscular reeducation

Course Test - Evaluate your knowledge

• Use the Healthclick proprietary online education system which provides the online student with:
• Worldwide access to high definition video, anatomical animations and images, and written information
• The highest quality film in the industry, you can see the difference!
• Stop and resume within a course, the Healthclick system will optimize your course based on your device, connection and remembers where you left off.
• Real-time course updates. We are always adding to each courses, updating content, adding animations, these are not static courses!
• Evaluate your knowledge with the course test on any device.
• Print your state course certificate for CE credit.
• Take the online test as many times as need in order to achieve a 70 % or greater score.