Course Overview
Pregnancy and Postpartum Physical Therapy Course
This live two-day course will teach participants how to appropriately treat and manage the female athlete from preconception to postpartum return to sport.
There are more females pushing the boundaries of sport through motherhood. Female athletes are wanting to continue to participate in and return to sport after baby. As clinicians, we need to understand the needs of these athletes and help empower them to return to sport whenever they wish to.
This course will be structured in lectures and labs that will teach you basic internal intra-vaginal techniques to guide your plan of care, pelvic floor anatomy, common pelvic floor issues in female athletics, coaching for the female athlete with or without pelvic floor dysfunction and planning treatment to get them back to the sport they love!
This course is usually held in a gym, although occasionally Day 1 is held inside a traditional physical therapy clinic & Day 2 inside a gym. These facilities may not be co-located and may require a short drive (5-15 minutes) on Day 2.
Schedule
DAY ONE
8:00am - 9:30am
Lecture: Introduction to pelvic floor dysfunction
9:30am - 10:30am
Lab: External pelvic floor assessment
10:30am - 1:00pm
Lab: Pelvic floor internal and standing exams OR alternative assignment
1:00pm - 2:00pm
Lunch
2:00pm - 3:00pm
Lecture: Diastasis recti and issues of the core
3:00pm - 3:30pm
Lab: Assessment & treatment of C-section scars and early diastasis management
3:30pm - 4:30pm
Lecture/lab: Pelvic girdle pain in pregnancy
4:30pm - 5:00pm
Physical skills incorporation
DAY TWO
8:00am - 8:15am
Recap day 1
8:15am - 9:30am
Lecture: Barbell training and the pelvic floor
9:30am - 10:30am
Lab: Heavy lifting and the pelvic floor
10:30am - 11:00am
Lecture: Return to endurance
11:00am - 12:00pm
Lab: Returning to impact and running after baby or pelvic floor complaints
12:00pm - 1:00pm
Lunch
1:00pm - 1:30pm
Lecture: Load and length - bridging back to gymnastics
1:30pm - 2:30pm
Lab: Barbell concepts with pelvic floor considerations
2:30pm - 3:30pm
Lab: Return to gymnastics postpartum
3:30pm - 5:00pm
Cert-Pelvic practical examination (for those pursuing Cert-Pelvic)
Objectives
- Learn how to treat pelvic floor dysfunctions with resistance training.
- Understand pelvic floor anatomy, physiology, and dysfunctions including: pelvic organ prolapse, stress urinary incontinence, and pain.
- Proficiently perform internal and external pelvic floor exams with a focus on safety, consent, and assessment.
- Develop expertise in assessing and treating pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain, including diagnostic methods and therapeutic strategies.
- Assess and manage urinary leaking for impact-related activities: jump rope and running.
- Develop and implement a comprehensive core rehab plan, covering foundational movements and multi-plane strengthening to address issues including diastasis recti and c-section scar mobility.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there internal examination and treatment in this course?
There is a 2 hour block of internal examination during the morning of Day 1 (Saturday).
Is internal work required?
The internal portion of this course is not mandatory. If you want to receive CEU credit, you must either:
A) "Bring a vulva" to the course (family member, friend, colleague, etc.) to perform internal work on in place of yourself or perform the alternative assignment.This applies to you whether you own a penis or a vulva but do not wish to haveyour vulva examined.
B) Participate in an alternative assignment: leave class during the internal block of instruction to watch a video lecture & pass a quiz.
What privacy measures do you use during this course?
We utilize sheets for draping during the internal portion of this course for modesty. In addition, we block off any windows and ensure all doors/points of entry are locked. If the facility has cameras, we tape over the cameras during the internal portion of the course.
What if Iam currently menstruating during the course?
That's ok! You are still able to fully participate in this course. We utilize gloves and other sanitary procedures to ensure that this will not be a limiting factor.
Additional Information
PREREQUISITES
- None
EDUCATION LEVEL
- Entry-level
