Fellows-Only-Weekend Intensive

This two-day onsite laboratory course is focused on the advanced examination / interventions targeting the lower quarter, including mechanical diagnosis and therapy concepts, adverse neural dynamics, mobilization/manipulation techniques, and manual resisted exercise. The course will include discussion on optimizing the patient history, key differentiation testing to use in the physical exam, and strategies to select optimal intervention procedures.

An eclectic approach combining evidence-based examination techniques along with thrust and non-thrust techniques (including graded mobilization, MWM, etc.), exercise, neural dynamics to all lower quarter regions will be used. Students are taught with sequential levels of difficulty beginning with more foundational techniques and building towards techniques with additional complexity. This approach is taken to allow lead faculty and assistants to fine tune each technique at progressive levels of challenge resulting in greater overall psychomotor proficiency. We enforce regular switching of partners to allow for modification on different body types and sizes with the addition of clinical reasoning discussions to add depth to the clinical application.

Lab attire that allows for appropriate exposure of the lower quarter.

1. Analyze the selection of lower quarter manual therapy techniques or integrated exercise using clinical reasoning and application of current best evidence.

2. Performed selected manipulation and mobilization techniques in patients with lower quarter pain or dysfunction.

3. Performed advanced lower quarter techniques with growing expertise, including mechanical diagnosis and therapy concepts, adverse neural dynamics, mobilization/manipulation techniques, and manual resisted exercise.

4. Demonstrated ideal progression of exercise with increasing demands on the patient with lower quarter symptoms and conditions.

5. Discuss evidence-informed communication strategies that enhance clinical-decision making processes in those with lower quarter presentations.

16 hours

Tim Fearon: Timothy Fearon received his PT degree from The Ohio State University. He completed the Musculoskeletal Sequence graduate program at Northwestern University. He completed his Doctorate in Physical Therapy at Northern Arizona University. While doing extensive long-term study with the Folsom Physical Therapy group he founded Phoenix Manual Therapy, which initially offered courses, based on the Nordic System of orthopaedic manual therapy. Phoenix Manual Therapy progressed to offering a long-term course frame for study of the Australian approach to orthopedic manual therapy and integration of Norwegian techniques. The course has been running over the last 35 years. He has participated as both a student and now lead instructor through out those years. He earned his Full Fellowship status in the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Therapy by the challenge process in 1999, he successfully renewed that status in 2010. He has been specializing in orthopedic manual therapy and spinal rehabilitation for the last 35 years.

Dr. Fearon is currently adjunct faculty at A. T. Still University where he teaches manual therapy concepts as well as clinical instruction for the residency program. He has taught manual therapy courses across the country over the last 15 years as well as fellowship instruction.

Britt Smith: Britt Smith is a physical therapist and owner of SOAR Physical Therapy, a private practice in Grand Junction, CO. He received his doctorate of physical therapy at Regis University in 2007. He is a graduate of Northern Arizona University (BS, 1981), Samuel Merritt College (MSPT, 1997) and Regis University (DPT 2007). He serves as adjunct faculty at Regis University and NAU.

Dr. Smith is a member of American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and a fellow of American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists (AAOMPT). Britt serves on boards of directors and committees in the Grand Junction medical community and he has presented at national conferences for the three associations. Britt received the 2008 Colorado Outstanding Physical Therapist award.