Course tuition: $425
16 contact hours (CEUs will be applied for)
Course Schedule

Shoulder pain occurs frequently during the acute post injury phase, particularly in people with tetraplegia and throughout the life of a person with spinal cord injury. Because the upper extremities are used to perform virtually all activities when the legs are paralyzed, should pain is associated with a reduction in functional independence. Participants will leave this course with a new understanding and tools to treat shoulder pain in Spinal Cord Injury.

Course Objectives:

• Appreciate the importance of integrating orthopedic assessment into the early stages of care of patients with SCI in an effort to prevent and treat shoulder pain.
• Understand normal shoulder mechanics and be able to identify abnormal movement patterns seen during evaluation and functional tasks.
• Perform an orthopedic assessment of the neurologically involved shoulder including:
• Integrating knowledge of ASIA classification and muscle innervation.
• Performing postural analysis and demonstrating an appreciation for the special considerations needed for patients without normal trunk support.
• Demonstrating proper skills in the areas of motion analysis, assessment of join range of motion, soft tissue palpation, neural tissue tension testing, strength and orthopedic special testing.
• Discuss the common areas of shoulder girdle dysfunction seen with this population including muscle imbalance, upper quadrant misalignment, and soft tissue, neural and joint restriction.
• Identify a musculoskeletal diagnosis including being able to distinguish between the common elements seen with Bicipital Tendonitis versus Rotator Cuff Disease.
• Develop a comprehensive treatment program to address the specific areas of impairment and a therapeutic exercise program appropriate to patients’ dysfunction.
• Perform selected soft tissue mobilization, joint play, neural tissue mobilization techniques, and shoulder taping techniques to address common impairments seen with this population.