Jo Gibson – 2020 Shoulder: Steps to Success online course

In Module 2, you’ll learn how to use a simple, structured assessment that quickly and clearly guides your treatment. You’ll confidently target the right areas with your treatment and rehab program.

You’ll also:

• Understand pathology and the function of the rotator cuff and scapular muscles, their relevance in shoulder pain, and how this impacts your assessment and treatment.
• Enhance your exercise selection from the start, using symptom modification in an evidence-informed approach.

At the end of this module, you’ll know when, where and how to target the rotator cuff and scapula in your rehab programs.

In Module 3, you’ll make rehabilitation easier for your patients. You’ll incorporate the kinetic chain into rehab to improve pain and performance in athletes, active patients AND more sedentary, older patients.

You’ll also:

• Quickly and easily assess the kinetic chain, and identify when to include the kinetic chain in your patients rehab.
• Get tools and strategies that help your patients return to work, function and sport.
• Motivate patients with new exercises that immediately and consistently improve pain and function.

By the end of this module, you’ll have the tools you need to include the kinetic chain, and motivate your patients to get stuck into your shoulder rehab exercises.

In Module 4 you’ll master a simple assessment of patients with shoulder pathology such as rotator cuff tears. You’ll clearly identify when your patients should start conservative management, or will benefit from investigations or an early surgical opinion. You’ll also:

• Identify which special tests provide useful information, and which tests you can leave on the scrapheap.
• Understand structural pathology, when it matters, and when it’s just a blip on the radar.

By the end of this module, you’ll be able to quickly assess structural pathology and decide with your patient on the best treatment pathway.

In Module 5, you’ll learn how to dramatically improve your results with frozen shoulder, osteoarthritis, and other stiff and painful shoulders. Accurately and efficiently diagnose your patient’s pain, and use targeted and effective treatment, exercises and manual therapy for maximum effect. You’ll also:

• Explore common causes of shoulder stiffness, including frozen shoulder, osteoarthritis, avascular necrosis, posterior dislocation and more.
• Understand which injections will help improve pain and function in each of your stiff shoulder patients.
• Know when to refer your patients for an injection, and how to combine this with your rehab program and manual therapy.
• Use effective, evidence-based manual therapy that can improve range and pain in your patients.

By the end of this module, you’ll know exactly how to assess, diagnose & treat shoulder stiffness, and get your patients quickly onto a pathway to recovery.

In Module 6, you’ll quickly and confidently identify the cause of your patients acute shoulder pain, and how to calm their pain down. You’ll also:

• Diagnose common causes of acute shoulder pain, including rotator cuff tendinopathy, frozen shoulder, calcific tendinopathy & 3 other diagnoses that each require different assessment and treatment.
• Use exercises and manual therapy to effectively improve pain and range of movement.
• Have options when your patient is reluctant to move and symptoms are unchanging.
• Know when to refer your patient for an injection.

By the end of this module, you’ll have winning strategies you can use straight away to quickly diagnose and calm your patients acute or irritable shoulder pain.

In Module 7 you’ll leverage strength training to accelerate your treatment results. You’ll harness the most effective strengthening exercises to improve your patients pain – where to start, and how to build them up. You’ll also:

• Sort the good from the great, and find out which strengthening exercises will have the biggest impact on your patients pain.
• Know when to use strengthening exercises, and when your patients need a different approach.
• Build your patients strength, to become robust, resilient and ready for life’s challenges.

By the end of this module, you’ll have the strengthening tools and knowledge you need to set your patients on the path to a speedy recovery.

In Module 8, you’ll know when shoulder pain is referred from the Cervical spine, and how to design the perfect rehab program for cervical driven shoulder pain. You’ll also:

• Assess and diagnose cervical spine driven shoulder pain.
• Know how to explain pain referral and recovery timeframes to your patient.
• Identify when the thorax is stopping your patients recovery, and why your rehab program for the thorax needs more than mobility exercises.
• Discover effective cervical and thoracic spine exercises you can incorporate into your shoulder rehab.

By the end of this module, your outstanding results with referred pain will set you apart from other therapists in your area, and drive patient referrals left, right and centre.

In Module 9, you’ll master the treatment of ACJ pain, and shoulder pain caused by ACJ stiffness, with simple assessment and treatment techniques and exercises. You’ll also:

• Explore ACJ pathology, stiffness or mobility and pain so you can start a targeted exercise program.
• Discover exercises for patients with an ACJ injury, to enhance their joint stability.
• Improve ACJ mobility with manual therapy and targeted exercises when stiffness is contributing to shoulder pain.

By the end of this module, you’ll have effective exercise and manual therapy treatment strategies to boost your results with ACJ stiffness, pain and injury.

In Module 10, you’ll develop a winning strategy to rehabilitate patients with massive rotator cuff tears (MRCT). You’ll use innovative exercises guided by the latest evidence to help your patients recover their shoulder strength and function, and get back to the activities they love. You’ll also:

Discover specific tests you can use to identify patients that are likely to do well with conservative management, and who will require a surgical referral, so you can confidently choose the best treatment pathway. Develop and implement an effective, tailored treatment program for your MRCT patients, that goes beyond the limitations of commonly prescribed anterior deltoid programs, to achieve your patient goals.

By the end of this module, you’ll know how to design an exercise program to get massive results with your massive rotator cuff tears patients.

In this crucial module, you’ll turn your communication into a superpower! You’ll develop key communication skills and language to help your patients make a full recovery. You’ll harness the power of language to develop a therapeutic alliance with your patients, and reap the rewards of improved treatment results that come from skilled, effective communication. You’ll also:

• Identify and incorporate your patient goals into your treatment, so your patients stay motivated to perform their exercises.
• Discover where communication often goes wrong, and how to get back on track when patients don’t fully understanding your messages.
• Identify biopsychosocial elements that hamper your patients recovery, and effectively address these to create a successful treatment outcome.

By the end of this module, your clear, powerful communication will inspire your patients, and multiply the impact of your entire treatment.

In Module 12, you’ll apply everything you’ve learned in The Shoulder: Steps to Success online course to navigate through three real life case studies. You’ll improve your clinical reasoning, build your confidence to use the “Steps to success” approach with your patients, so you know exactly where to start, and the key ingredients that will provide you and your patients with outstanding treatment outcomes.

By the end of this module, you’ll have the tools you need to confidently use this simple, structured approach, make a huge impact on your patients shoulder pain and enjoyment of life, and give you the treatment results you’ve dreamed of.