Sports Injuries & Rehabilitation

As anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction has evolved to less invasive, more anatomical approaches, rehabilitation of the injured athlete has become more progressive and innovative.

This correspondence course will help you become familiar with these innovations, looking at everything from planning rehabilitation timetables to re-establishing the athlete's confidence and self-efficacy; and preparing patients for return to play which is, after all, what we all want to achieve.

1 Video
3 Ceu's Package, Gareth Devine - MSc (Wits) Med Biokinetics; BAHons (Wits) Phys Ed; Sport Science and Biokinetics (UJ); PGCE (Wits)

The video will cover the following:

Theory

• ACL and the different ways the ACL can be injured.
• The importance of pre-rehabilitation before an ACL operation
• Later phase of the ACL rehabilitation (Criteria based)
• Return to Sport assessment for ACL

Practical

• Assessment of the knee after ACL operation?
• RTS assessment and what I look for before clearance to sport

This e-Learning course summarises the tendinopathy continuum and articulates the authors' clinical reasoning and hands-on experience managing Achilles tendinopathy.

We outline graded loading concepts while emphasising that relying on recipes is likely to fail.  We also provide a perspective on the role of central pain processing and peripheral input from nociceptive fibres in the context of tendinopathy.

Rehabilitation should be tailored to address identified impairments (muscle bulk asymmetries, kinetic chain dysfunction, tolerance of energy storage and release in the Achilles tendon), and progressively work toward movements and activities relevant for the individual's sport or daily activities.

1 Video
3 Ceu's Package, Gareth Devine - MSc (Wits) Med Biokinetics; BAHons (Wits) Phys Ed; Sport Science and Biokinetics (UJ); PGCE (Wits)

Tendinopathy is a clinical diagnosis of pain and dysfunction in a tendon. It most commonly affects athletes from adolescence through to the fourth decade of life. This condition affects health and quality of life by limiting sports and activity participation for recreational athletes and can be career-ending for professional athletes. Once symptoms are aggravated, activities of daily living are affected.

Tendinopathy clinically presents as localised pain at the proximal or distal tendon attachment to bone with high-level tendon loading, such as jumping and changing direction. It is commonly clinically diagnosed in conjunction with imaging (ultrasound or magnetic resonance where structural disruptions on the scans represent areas of tendon pathology. Importantly, there is a disconnection between pathology on imaging and pain; it is common to have abnormal tendons on imaging in people with pain-free function.

Treatment of tendinopathy may involve prolonged rehabilitation and can ultimately be ineffective. Management is limited by a poor understanding of how this condition develops, limited knowledge of risk factors and a paucity of time-efficient, effective treatments. This webinar discusses the prevalence of tendinopathy, associated and risk factors, assessment techniques and treatment approaches that are based on evidence where possible, supplemented by expert opinion. This webinar utilizes videos of practical rehabilitation.

This illustrated on-line course covers the assessment, interpretation and treatment of the following short/tight muscles:

• gastrocnemius and soleus
• medial hamstrings
• adductors (pectineus, adductors brevis, magnus and longus) short and long adductors

1 Video
3 Ceu's Package, Gareth Devine - MSc (Wits) Med Biokinetics; BAHons (Wits) Phys Ed; Sport Science and Biokinetics (UJ); PGCE (Wits)

The hamstring video will look at:

• Assessment of hamstring

• Initial rehabilitation of hamstring

• Continued assessment of hamstring

• Isontonic strengthening of hamstring into multi joint strengthening

• Different stages of hamstring rehabilitation

• Are they ready to return to sport?

These courses are based on the physiology and biomechanics of the shoulder. They provide very effective rehabilitation protocols in terms of return to play. They will assist you to diagnose not only local anatomical lesions, such as rotator cuff tear or Bankart lesion, but also the biomechanical deficits that exist in the shoulder girdle and spine.

But that?s not all. Distant disorders such as inflexibilities of hip rotation, short hamstrings, or the stiff back also often contribute to shoulder abnormalities. The course will enable you to make a complete diagnosis and to look beyond the injured tissues to tissues that may be overloaded.

You will also learn to detect functional biomechanical deficits as well as the subclinical adaptations that sports people use to try to maintain performance.

1 Video
3 Ceu's Package, Gareth Devine - MSc (Wits) Med Biokinetics; BAHons (Wits) Phys Ed; Sport Science and Biokinetics (UJ); PGCE (Wits)

• Assessment of the shoulder

• Rehabilitation of the shoulder

- Stage 1

- Stage 2

- Stage 3

- Stage 4

- Psychosocial aspect

- Return to sport

As therapists, we often recommend exercise to reduce patients low-back pain, as well as increase their active range of motion and muscle strength. However, Biokineticits face a challenge when recommending exercise to reduce low-back pain because the pain itself often inhibits the patient's ability to exercise or perform activities of daily living.

This situation becomes even more challenging if the prescribed exercise progam aggravates the individual's low-back pain.

This article discusses a method which provides for the effective treatment of low back pain by allowing patients to exercise pain free earlier in the rehabilitation process.

The method comprises a unique approach utilizing the following four components simultaneously from the onset of treatment: isometric muscle contraction (IMC); assisted active oscillatory movement; end-of-range passive stretch; and mindfulness.

1 Video
3 Ceu's Package, Arie Michaeli - MSc PT, MCMT

As therapists, we often recommend exercise to reduce patients low-back pain, as well as increase their active range of motion and muscle strength. However, physical therapists face a challenge when recommending exercise to reduce low-back pain because the pain itself often inhibits the patient's ability to exercise or perform activities of daily living. This situation becomes even more challenging if the prescribed exercise program aggravates the individual's low-back pain.

This video discusses a method which provides for the effective treatment of low back pain by allowing patients to exercise pain free earlier in the rehabilitation process.  The method comprises a unique approach utilizing the following four components simultaneously from the onset of treatment: isometric muscle contraction (IMC); assisted active oscillatory mobilization; end-of-range passive stretch; and mindfulness.

At last. An easy to understand insight into the applied biomechanics of the patella. Along with discussions of various exercise and treatment modalities make this online course immediately applicable in your clinical practice.

1 Video
3 Ceu's Package, Gareth Devine - MSc (Wits) Med Biokinetics; BAHons (Wits) Phys Ed; Sport Science and Biokinetics (UJ); PGCE (Wits)

The focus of the video will be to look at the correct techniques to assess the movement of the full body and determine any biomechanical issues that would be causing the anterior knee pain. It will also try help to get the participants to understand the many different factors that can lead to anterior knee pain.

The presentation will go through a full assessment of a patient to identify the issues the patient may have. Then will discuss the different stages of rehabilitation looking at criteria-based assessment to help the patient move into the correct stages at the correct time for their rehabilitation.

There will also be discussion on how it is important to allow the patient to be educated through the process so that they can learn the ways to help themselves during the rehabilitation process.

There will also be a look at return to sport protocols and how they play a role in getting the patient back to their sport as ready and prepared as possible.

Until recently, the hip joint was not thought to be a significant cause of problems in the athletic population. Now, thanks to MRI, and hip arthroscopy we have been able to learn more about some of the common underlying causes of groin pain. These will be covered in part one and two of this course.

Part 3 covers the clinical assessment and treatment of labral tears, ligamentum teres tears, synovitis, chondropathy, surgical management, os acetabulare and lateral hip pain.

This on-line course includes ample photos of exercises for hip rehabilitation.

1 Video
3 Ceu's Package, Gareth Devine - MSc (Wits) Med Biokinetics; BAHons (Wits) Phys Ed; Sport Science and Biokinetics (UJ); PGCE (Wits)

The video will take a look at the uniqueness of the hip and how there are many factors that can cause the hip to move and be positioned to cause problems and pain. The hip joint will be looked at and how the different structures (Bone and muscles) will affect the position of the hip and the way it will function.

The hip assessment is a very unique assessment that will look at the different range of motions, strength and function movements that affect the hip. After these have been assessed it will look at the different rehabilitation stages and how they must be moved through criteria-based assessment so that the hip will not be flared or reinjured.

Once the correct process is followed the presentation will look at practical ways that the therapist can allow the patient to exercise and move slowly back to their correct activities.

There will also be a major focus on what to avoid as to avoid reinjury or flaring of the hip.

There will be a return to sport assessment as well as return to sport drills that will allow the patient to return safely back to their sport.

What is said to be the most common sport injury? Which of the many different sports injuries is most likely to recur?  Answer: Ankle injuries.

Is there anything you can do to reduce the pain, improve the function and prevent recurrence of a sprained ankle or should you just tell your patient to let the natural recovery process take its course?

This two part course provides valuable answers to these important questions.

1 Video
3 Ceu's Package, Gareth Devine - MSc (Wits) Med Biokinetics; BAHons (Wits) Phys Ed; Sport Science and Biokinetics (UJ); PGCE (Wits)

The ankle is a joint that can cause many problems when it is injured due to the amount of load that goes through the ankle all the time. The presentation will look at how it is important to assess the ankle and its range of motions so that the therapist is aware of how and what the ankle joint can do.

The initial stages of rehabilitation will focus on small intrinsic muscles that need to be worked on so that they are working in the later stages of rehabilitation. These intrinsic exercises are difficult and often take lots of concentration to get right.

Once the patient has got the fundamental movements working they will work on correct rehabilitation through different stages and allow them to progress through criteria-based assessments so they move at the correct level for their abilities.

There will be focus on a staged rehabilitation process finalized with a return to sport assessment and slow integration into their sport.

Low back pain can be difficult to treat. Management of chronic low back pain and leg pain requires a multifactorial approach.

This course will not only help you to identify the underlying causative factors of LBP, but will also provide you with techniques that will enable you to assist patients to increase their active control of the passively unstable and associated areas in a way that will minimise symptom reoccurrences.

And add an important modality to your tool box.

1 Video
3 Ceu's Package, Clare-Anne Kilroe - BSc PT

An integrated look at the various taping methods used for common sporting injuries.  These techniques will help you manage both the acute and chronic ankle, knee and shoulder conditions for protection as well as a wonderful tool to use to advance the rehabilitation of your athletes.

Joint and muscle techniques will be practically addressed and the current research presented and debated for a clearer understanding of how and when conditions will benefit most from taping as part of an integrated treatment plan.

How can you, as a health care professional balance the needs of the sports team or organization that is paying your bills, the athlete's (your patient's) desire to perform while in pain and with injury; and the economic consequences of playing/not playing for both the athlete and the team/organization.

This comprehensive course examines some of the difficult legal and ethical issues, the potential consequences surrounding the decisions sports medicine practitioners have to make in this age of professional sport.

• confidentiality aspects of disclosure such as injury, use of drugs, alcohol or psychological issues that may impact player's performance;

• the ethical implications of performance enhancing drugs; and

• playing or competing with an infectious disease.