An Introduction to Diagnosis and Treatment of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

Course Description

95% of lower back pain patients have an associated pelvic floor dysfunction. This course helps you learn how to rule in and/or out orthopedic conditions that may encompass the pelvic floor. Additionally, it gives you general tips on treating different pelvic floor dysfunction using a clothed, external approach.

This introductory course will provide confidence for the clinician looking to master basic diagnosis and treatment of pelvic floor dysfunction. An evidence-based beginner's guide, instructors will lead you through a manual, externally-based approach to assist with treating pelvic floor dysfunction. You will improve your understanding of the myofascial system and its functional roles to the urological and gynecological systems. This a lab-based course and students will attain a set of tools to use with confidence on Monday morning.

This course incorporates all external techniques that are performed with the subject fully clothed.

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What people are saying!

This course sets you up to understand ‘the basics’ if you will. By basics I mean your human base. The information taught can be applied to almost every patient in the clinic and I did not learn it anywhere else! The instructor was amazing and she really helped me understand what I’m palpating, the why, and how it apples clinically and functionally.

Newark, NJ

Loved the instructor! Very knowledgeable and passionate about the subject. Made the class fun and made learning about the pelvic floor not so scary to treat!

Raleigh, NC

The lecturer is very knowledgeable on the topic and very professional on her demonstrations. Pelvic floor management is very new to me and I'm very glad I took the course. I am now confident to treat incontinence and I can incorporate new treatment and assessment for low back or hip problems.

Newark, NJ

I have been to many GLS courses and a pelvic floor course in the past. I would recommend this course to all Great Lakes Seminars followers and those wanting a more useful knowledge of pelvic floor incorporation to your current treatment.

Toledo, OH

Top Takeaways

A better understanding of pelvic floor anatomy and the interchange between the pelvis and the inner core system.
A better understanding of common pelvic floor diagnosis and treatment.
This is a great external orthopedic manual therapy based course for treating the pelvic floor.
1/3 of women have urinary incontinence at some point in their lives and this class teaches you how to help them.

What makes this course great?

Pelvic floor is a missing link and often not considered area for treating any lumbar/pelvic/hip differential diagnosis. Whether your decision to take the course is based on interest to convert to a pelvic floor therapist or to help with orthopedic conditions in a less intrusive manner, this course provides a valuable introduction to the pelvic floor and certainly pertains to many of the patients that come into your clinic.

Course Objectives

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

Correctly identify and palpate 7 specific tissues in the abdominal pelvic area that create pelvic floor dysfunction and diagnosis
Correctly diagnose 5 specific lumbar dysfunctions and explain how each can impact 5 pelvic floor diagnoses
Correctly demonstrate the ability to choose from and instruct patients in 5 specific home program exercises/techniques for the urological and gynecological systems
Correctly perform 5 specific mobilizations and MET to the lumbar-pelvic complex
Correctly palpate 7 landmarks of the pelvis, sacrum and coccyx

Course Instructors

Jessica Wyen

PT, DPT, ATC, CIMT

Jessica received a doctorate in physical therapy from the University of Dayton. She also has a Bachelor of Science with a focus on Athletic Training from the University of Toledo and is a certified athletic trainer (ATC). Jessica lives an active lifestyle, participating in sports and running. Jessica is a clinic director for Probility Physical Therapy in Plymouth, MI and offers a specialized Women's Health treatment program.

Stephanie Hemker

PT, DPT

Stephanie graduated from St. Louis University with a Bachelor's degree in exercise science in 2008 and a Doctorate of physical therapy in 2010. She found her true passion in physical therapy in 2013 when she began treating the pelvic floor. Stephanie works for WholeBody Physical Therapy where she uses a manual therapy approach to improve the lives of men and women suffering from pelvic floor dysfunction. She is a true pelvic floor advocate and strives to inspire other therapists to treat pelvic floor dysfunction so they can have a positive impact on their patients' lives. Stephanie lives in Germantown, IL with her husband, Chris, and their 3 young children. She enjoys an active lifestyle including running, yoga, biking, hiking, cooking, and trying to make the best of all of life's moments.

Course Outline

Saturday

7:30am

Continental breakfast

8:00am

Lecture: Instruction on normal and abnormal function of the core and pelvic floor

9:00am

Lecture: Anatomy instruction and review of the bones and muscles of the lumbar and pelvic region

10:30am

Lecture: Instruction on the concepts of Myofasical Release and Muscle Energy Technique for the pelvis

12:00pm

Lunch (on your own)

1:00pm

Lab: Bony pelvis palpation, MET - flares, slips, rotations

3:00pm

Lab: Sacrum palpation, MET - torsions, 3D sacral release, sacral taping, HEP

4:00pm

Lecture: Coccyx

5:00pm

Lab: Coccyx palpation

5:30pm

Adjourn

Sunday

7:30am

Continental breakfast

8:00am

Lab: Coccyx palpation, cont., MET, mobilization, taping

10:30am

Lab: MFR Anterior Fascial Line - diaphragm, abdominals, psoas, pectineus, adductors

12:00pm

Lunch (on your own)

1:00pm

Lab: MFR Posterior - QL, multifidus, piriformis, glute med, QF, sacrotuberous ligament

2:30pm

Lab: MFR Pelvic Floor (all external) - Ischiocavernosus, superficial transverse perineal, bulbocavernosus, perineal body, levator ani, coccygeus, obturator internus

4:15pm

Lab: Case study group work and overall review

4:45pm

Question/answer session, post test and course evaluation

5:00pm

Adjourn

Course PDF

Course Brochure PDF