Functional Strength - An Updated Approach to Exercising our Patients

Course Objectives

At the completion of this seminar, the participant will be able to:

• Demonstrate the ability to assess functional weakness in a patient
• Demonstrate the ability to assess the primary, and if appropriate, secondary compensations that are occurring due to the weakness
• Demonstrate and understand the difference between manual muscle testing and functional strength testing
• Demonstrate the ability to perform and/or instruct exercises that work on the functional approach of muscle activity

Goals of this Course

• Demonstrate the ability to state the rationale for and perform an in-depth and proper functional strength assessment of upper extremity, lower extremity and trunk.
• Demonstrate how to apply force couples, synergies, and muscle slings to the body to address function specific strength deficits.
• Demonstrate the ability to develop and implement a comprehensive functional exercise program, progressing from basic to advanced levels.
• Obtain the skills to immediately apply the methods learned in this course.

Topics & Regions Covered

• Overview of the principles of functional muscle assessment
• Differentiation between muscle action and muscle function
• Proper technique for open kinetic chain exercises and closed kinetic chain exercises
• Functional Exercises for the upper body
• Functional exercises for the lower body
• Functional exercise for the trunk/core
• Exercises using body weight, therapy ball, resistance bands and foam roller

Course Outline

Course Brochure & Registration Form

Download a course brochure.
Download a registration form.