Finding Dysfunction: A Master Clinician’s Approach to Finding the Cause of Patients' Pain
Course Description
This class will give the participant a unique and systematic framework for assessing the body and finding the true cause (what we call the driver) of a patient’s limitation of motion and/or symptoms. The major focus-points of the approach are the muscle, joint, fascial, and compensatory barriers that a patient has in their system that are causing their limitation of motion and/or symptoms. The student will learn to assess the body in such a way that they will look beyond the pain area and find the dysfunctions causing the limitation of motion and/or symptoms, which are oftentimes in other parts of the body. The 2-day course will cover the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, ankle, and foot, including looking at spinal referred pain.
View Finding Dysfunction Schedule
Course Objectives
At the completion of this seminar, the participant will be able to:
- synthesize data from a clinical exam to develop a master-level approach to finding the root cause of upper and lower extremity pain
- identify 4 pathological barriers to motion which can contribute to peripheral joint pain
- apply the Joint-Muscle-Fascia-Compensation Framework to justify single and multiple dysfunctions that can contribute to peripheral joint pain
- devise 1-2 pain pathways for upper and lower extremity joints in all 3 planes of motion
- apply the Hypo-Hyper Compensation Model, and as outlined in the manual, and identify 4 ways in which this model contributes to the origin of peripheral joint pain
- accurately describe the significance of applying the Test-Treat-Retest concept and justify the use of 1-2 manual therapy techniques for each pathological barrier to motion
- explain 2 mechanisms by which mechanical pain is perceived in the brain
- interpret 3 key pieces of the patient's subjective history that give the clinician information by which to find dysfunction effectively and efficiently
Course Instructors
Kelly Poppaw
PT, DPT, CIMT
Kelly holds a Doctorate degree in Physical Therapy from Grand Valley State University. Kelly received her Bachelor’s degree from Eastern Michigan University where she was a NCAA Division One athlete and Captain of the Women’s Soccer Team. As a Certified Integrated Manual Therapist, Kelly is credentialed through Great Lakes Seminars to assess mechanical dysfunction from a holistic perspective, and she is very comprehensive in her treatment approach. She uses a wide variety of manual therapy techniques, functional exercise, and patient education to provide people with an exceptionally high quality of care. She treats orthopedically across the entire age spectrum from birth to adult to geriatrics. Kelly created this course after working under Patrick Hoban for a number of years. She has a passion to teach clinicians how to think systematically; find the root of the patient’s problem on day-one, and eliminate the potential for misdiagnosis. Kelly is a Physical Therapist and Clinic Director at Probility Physical Therapy, a Trained Steward of the leadership methodology Intentional Energetic Presence (IEP) and uses her experience in these areas to create and sustain thriving businesses and cultures.
Course Outline
Saturday
Continental Breakfast
Lecture: Introduction, Overview of the Keys to Finding Dysfunction
Lecture: Key Concepts - Discussion on Mechanical Pain
Lecture: Key Concepts with Finding Joint Dysfunctions:
- Hypo-Hyper Compensation Model
- Test-Treat-Retest Concept
- Clinical Pearls of Palpation
Lunch (on your own)
Lecture: Key Concepts with Finding Muscle Dysfunctions:
- Hypo-Hyper Compensation Model
- Muscle Length-Tension Relationship
- Muscle Tone Dysfunction
Lecture: Key Concepts with Finding Muscle Dysfunction, continued:
- Muscle Actions, Functions, and Force Couples
- Etiology of Muscle Dysfunctions
Review of Evidence-Based Literature for Today's Topic's
Review Questions and Self-Assessment
Adjourn
Sunday
Continental Breakfast
Lecture: Review Questions
Lecture: Key Concepts with Finding Fascial Dysfunctions:
- Recognizing the Four Fascial Layers
- Scars
- The Roles of Fascia
- Myofascial Slings
Lecture: Key Concepts with Finding Compensation Dysfunctions
- Compensation and Hyperactivity
- Examples of Movement Compensations
- Functional Synergies
Lunch (on your own)
Lecture: Applying the Join-Muscle-Fascia-Compensation (JMFC) Framework (identifying key dysfunctions in hip, knee, ankle, foot, shoulder, elbow, and wrist regions)
Lecture: Case Studies and Speed Thinking using Pain Algorithms
Questions, Post-Test, Course Evaluation
Adjourn