Foundation to Clinical Success – 2025 Summer Cohort

2.0 CEUs or 20 Contact Hours

Pricing is per person – edit the number of slots you need in your cart.

This course is designed for physical therapists seeking to elevate their clinical reasoning, differential diagnosis, and manual therapy skills. Through interactive lectures, case studies, and hands-on techniques, participants will refine their ability to accurately assess, diagnose, and treat musculoskeletal and neuromuscular conditions. The course integrates evidence-based practice with real-world clinical applications, ensuring that therapists leave with actionable skills that enhance patient outcomes.

*The first three dates listed are Zoom calls.

Target Group: PT, PTA, DPT, OT, OTA, AT
Educational Level: Basic

Course Outline

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

1. Differentiate between pain generators and dysfunctions using evidence-based assessment techniques (e.g., palpation, range-of-motion testing)
2. Classify pain patterns to distinguish musculoskeletal pain from systemic or referred conditions using visual and tactile cues
3. Identify characteristic patterns of joint, soft tissue, nerve, and visceral pain through case-study analysis
4. Demonstrate clinical exams with standardized techniques (e.g., joint play, end-feel assessment).
5. Execute key orthopedic and neurological tests (e.g., Spurling’s test, Lachman’s test) with >90% procedural accuracy.
6. Compare capsular patterns to differentiate arthritis/arthrosis from soft tissue restrictions using imaging or diagnostic criteria.
7. Interpret joint mobility assessments to rule in/out structural impairments (e.g., hypomobility vs. hypermobility).
8. Perform joint mobilizations progressing to end-range with appropriate force grading (I-IV).
9. Modify graded mobilization techniques based on joint mechanics and patient tolerance.
10. Design manual therapy protocols targeting identified pain sources (e.g., myofascial release for trigger points).
11. Select mobilization and soft tissue techniques aligned with pathology (e.g., oscillatory techniques for acute edema)

• Financial: The instructor(s) receive an honorarium for presenting this course.
• Non-financial: The instructor(s) have no relevant non-financial relationships to disclose.
• Partial credit is not available. For online courses, passing module assessments and completing the course evaluation is required to earn continuing education credit. For live courses, attendance is confirmed by signing the attendance sheet at the course; ensure name and professional license number are accurate, and initial both morning and afternoon attendance.