UQS: Upper Quarter Sports: Prevention to Performance
This is an advanced course designed to provide clinicians the ability to actively review current updates in literature relative to shoulder and upper quarter biomechanics, rehabilitation techniques, efficacy of treatment options, functional outcome measures and return to work and sport progressions. Each participant should have previously successfully completed an upper quarter course relative to anatomy, biomechanics, pathomechanics, evaluation, differential diagnosis and treatment options. This course will review the science of evidence based upper quarter rehabilitation including functional anatomy review, biomechanics, evidence based exercises, functional rehabilitation, outcome measures, and throwing programs for return to sports. The participants will become efficient and confident in performing an upper quarter screen to determine impairments, differential diagnosis, identify faulty scapulothoracic mechanics contributing to common injuries, faulty movement/throwing patterns and how to correct for injury prevention and improved performance. Upon completion of this course, clinicians should be able to clinically reason how best to progress your patients based on tissue healing and physiological adaptation, and be able to integrate the principles of injury prevention & sports performance programs to fully rehabilitate their patients and clients for return to higher function, life, work and sport.
Course Objectives
- Upon completion of this course, participants will better understand the science and art of implementing upper quarter rehabilitation principles based on physiological healing & progression, and techniques to prevent injury and improve rehabilitation outcomes.
- By the end of the course, given case studies of medial epicondylitis and shoulder impingement, participants will be able to identify signs and causes of core & scapular insufficiency and the influence on kinetic chain breakdowns which contribute to common upper quarter injuries and reduced athletic performance.
- Upon completion of the course, participants will be able to prioritize the patient’s problem list/impairments for appropriate periodized therapy treatments and progression of exercise prescription as well as taping techniques for stability, injury prevention, function and performance (throwing, overhead serving, etc).
- By the end of the course, participants will be able to demonstrate appropriate and evidence based manual techniques to assist in normalizing UQ nerve dynamics, UQ flexibility, GH& ST mobility, spinal mobility, periscapular motor control and muscle activation for improved functional ability to progress to higher level rehabilitation.
- Upon completion of the course, given case studies on shoulder impingement and post-operative status, participants will implement manual therapy techniques for eccentric loads and for fatigue to assist with improved motor control and stability for advanced rehabilitation and return to sport.
- By the end of the course, participants will be able to develop and implement injury prevention and sports performance principles including plyometric progression into the therapy program to fully rehabilitate your patient/client for return to full function and sport.
- Upon completion of the course, given case studies of shoulder impingement and post op RTC repair, participants will be able to develop an exercise program for return to sport and specific throwing program that is evidence based and safe for return to softball, baseball and football.
- Upon completion of the course, given case studies of shoulder impingement, post op SLAP and RTC repairs, participants will be able to develop an exercise program to return to sport and a specific throwing program that is evidence based and safe for return to softball, baseball and football.
- Upon completion of the course, given case studies of shoulder impingement and multi-directional instability, create a return to sport specific overhead activity program that is evidence based and safe for return to work and sport (volleyball, tennis & swimming).
- By the end of the course, participants will be able to clinically reason the need and application of appropriate bracing and or taping techniques to utilize to assist with recovery and possible use for return to function, work and/or sport.
- By the end of the course, given a case studies of SAD, SLAP repair, RTC repair and Bankart repair, the participates will be able create rehab programs based on the different protocols and tissue healing for appropriate progression of ROM, strength, balance, neuromuscular control, loading (isometric, concentric, and eccentric), and to be able to progress the patients through strengthening, stabilization, plyometrics and sport specific principles.
- Upon completion of the course, participates will have the knowledge and confidence to incorporate Upper Extremity functional tests into daily practice for improved functional outcomes with your patients and determine when your patient is ready for return to sports and/or discharge from rehabilitation.
- Upon completion of the course, participants will be able to create an injury prevention exercise program for long term benefits for athletes performing overhead and throwing activities.
General Schedule
Day One
- 8:00 am – 8:30 am Introduction & Course Overview
- 8:30 am – 9:00 am Functional UQ Rehab: The Science of PT
- What is “our” (PT, PTA, ATC) role and responsibility?
- Pain management, ROM, mobility, flexibility, NMR, strength, stability, motor control, function
- Rehab, Injury Prevention & Sports Performance
- 9:00 am – 9:30 am Shoulder Overview(Break Out the Markers!)
- Anatomy: (GH, ST, AC, SC, Cervical, Thoracic, 1st rib)
- General Overview, Bony landmarks, Brachial Plexus
- 9:30 am – 10:00 am Biomechanics & Pathomechanics
- GH & ST
- Cervical & Thoracic influence & Kinetic Chain
- Faulty kinetic chain and common injuries
- 10:00 am – 10:15 amBREAK
- 10:15 am – 11:00 pm History & Physical: Evaluation and Special Tests
- LISTEN and OBSERVE
- Nerve, Cervical and Shoulder
- Differential Diagnosis and Referred Pain Patterns
- 11:00 am – 12:00 pm LAB: Quick Screen, Evaluation, Palpation and Special Tests
- 12:00 pm – 12:45 pm LUNCH
- 12:45 pm – 2:00 pm Treating the “Shoulder”: How Should We Do it?
- GOALS: Restore ROM, Normalize GH & ST rhythm, Strength & Stability and Function
- To Tape or Not to Tape (McConnel vs Kinesio)
- Manual versus Exercise: What’s Best?
- Exercise Prescription When and What?
- Specificity, Prioritization & Periodization: Mobility, Flexibility, NMR/Strength, Stability & Function
- 2:00 pm – 2:15 pmBREAK
- 2:15 pm – 3:45 pm LAB: Manual Skills & Techniques
- UE nerve mobilization
- Mobilizations, Stretching, Massage, Perturbations/Rhythmic Stabilization
- 3:45 pm – 5:00 pm LAB: Exercises, Your Choice
- Specificity and Periodization
- Mobility, Flexibility, NMR/Strength, Stability & Function
- “Capture” the joint
- Posterior cuff, periscapular stability
- CORE & LQ?
Day Two
- 8:00 am – 8:30 amReview and Q&A
- 8:30 am — 10:00 am The Overhead Athlete
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- Pitcher, Swimmer, Tennis, etc
- Return to Sport progression
- Sport Specific Throwing Programs
- Injury prevention principles
- Functional Testing & video assessment
- Functional Outcome measures
- 10:00 am – 10:15 am BREAK
- 10:15 am – 12:00 pm The Overhead Athlete -continued
- 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm LUNCH
- 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm Cases:Treating “Common” Conditions
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- Adhesive Capsulitis, Tendonitis, Impingements, Dyskinesia & RTC Dysfunction
- 2:30 pm -2:45 pmBREAK
- 2:45 pm – 4:00 pmLAB: Functional Upper Quarter Rehab
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- Case Examples, Functional Rehabilitation and Review
- 4:00 pm – 5:00 pmWrap-Up, Q&A & Seminar Evaluation Tool