Early Bird Discount: $575 until Oct 16th, 2019

Teacher: Susan C. Clinton PT, DScPT, OCS, WCS, FAAOMPT

Course Description: 

November 16th-17th (one time, does not repeat)

A comprehensive approach to gastrointestinal disorders including bowel and digestion dysfunction.  This approach allows for the consideration of management of multiple factors s including nutritional, psychosocial, medical-surgical decisions, and physical therapy examination/intervention advanced intervention.  A multifactorial approach can often lead to improved management of this complex patient as a varied intervention approach may be required to be successful.  A comprehensive understanding of the physiology and symptom manifestation can improve the ability to develop a comprehensive intervention strategy tailored to each patient's needs throughout the episode of care.

Audience:

This course is open to physiotherapists, naturopathic doctors, nurses, midwives and medical doctors. Internal palpation is required. Successful completion of level through II (or equivalent) is required.

Physiotherapists other Health care providers that have completed this course are able to perform an evaluation of the musculoskeletal aspect of the GI system (including a focus on the lower GI region), establish and create a treatment plan and it’s progression for GI dysfunction and movement impairments of the abdomen and pelvic region.  The interventions will include manual therapy, movement/exercise, respiration and balloon catheter techniques to reduce dysfunction. They also have a foundational knowledge of the GI system including digestive disorders, basic nutritional contributions, abdominal and pelvic floor dysfunction, and psychosocial/behavioral contributions.

Course Hours: Two day live course:  (7:30-5:00 Day 1 and 8:00-5:00 Day 2) and 6 hours pre-course readings

Course Objectives:

Upon completion of this seminar, participants will be able to:

1. Understand and define functional bowel disorders and bowel disease
2. Recognize the latest evidence on the HPA axis and the relationship of the GI system to multisystem physiology in the human
3. Define the multidisciplinary role in assessment of the patient with gastrointestinal disorders including the latest evidence on specialized testing.
4. Understand and implement a physical therapy examination algorithm for differential diagnosis of musculoskeletal impairments and functional movement dysfunctions of individual with gastrointestinal disorders including the lower GI tract.
5. Identify potential medical “red flags” that warrant referral to the appropriate physician.
6. Recognize the psychosocial and behavioral component as well as the expanded role of physical therapy intervention.
7. Demonstrate appropriate physical therapy examination and intervention techniques for patients with gastrointestinal disorders.
8. Develop and discuss examination and intervention of clients with complex gastrointestinal disorders in a case study format.

PLEASE note: This course is both lecture format and includes practical labs with anorectal palpation

About the Instructor:  

Susan C. Clinton PT, DScPT, OCS, WCS, COMT, FAAOMPT received her Physical Therapy degree from Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas and a Masters of Health Sciences at LSU Health Science Center in New Orleans, Louisiana.  She completed her Doctor of Science degree at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan and graduated with her NAIOMT fellowship in orthopedic manual therapy in 2013. She was accepted as a Fellow by the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Therapists in 2014 and serves as a clinical faculty and specialty course faculty for NAIOMT. As a Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Manual Therapy, Orthopedics and Women’s Health, she has been actively treating patients with pelvic floor, urinary, bowel, reproductive, oncology, persistent pain, sports injuries and post-surgical diagnoses.  She currently practices in Sewickley, Pennsylvania and is the co-owner and founder of Embody Physiotherapy and Wellness, LLC. Susan is active in teaching and research as an adjunct instructor for the University of Pittsburgh and Chatham University.  Additionally, she is an international instructor and presenter of post-professional education in women’s health and orthopedic manual therapy and a certified Total Control® Instructor.  Her research activities include publications on chronic pelvic pain and clinical practice guidelines for the APTA Section on Women's Health and Orthopedic Section.  Susan is active with the American Physical Therapy Association, serving in governance as a local delegate and alternate delegate, and as the Chair of the Clinical Practice Guidelines steering committee for the Section on Women’s Health.  She is the past secretary on the Section on Women’s Health Board of Directors and the former President of the Performing Arts Special Interest Group of the Orthopedic Section of the APTA.  She has served as an item writer and case reviewer for the WCS board certification examination and is a member of the credentialing committee with ABPTRFE.  Susan is proud to serve as an inaugural board member of the Women’s Global Health Imitative (GWHI) and she concurrently serves on the board for the Association of Pelvic Organ Prolapse Support (APOPS).  Susan has received awards for outstanding research in pelvic girdle by AAOMPT and Outstanding Clinical Educator by Chatham University.  She is the 2016 winner of the Elizabeth Noble Award from the Section on Women’s Health.

Course Schedule

Suggested Pre-readings:  http://www.romecriteria.org/ look under Rome lll articles

• Functional Anorectal Disorders
  E. Bharucha, A. Wald, P. Enck, and S. Rao
• Applied Principles of Neurogastroenterology: Physiology/Motility Sensation
  E. Kellow, F. Azpiroz, M. Delvaux, G. F. Gebhart, H. R. Mertz, E. M. M. Quigley, and A. J. P. M. Smout
• Psychosocial Aspects of the Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders
  L. Levy, K. W. Olden, B. D. Naliboff, L. A. Bradley, C. Francisconi, D. A. Drossman, and F. Creed