This Virtual Course covers:

Foundational Concepts

• the evidence and foundation for the Thoracic Ring Approach™ – understand why it is a myth that the thoracic spine is “inherently stiff and stable” and the importance of training control and optimizing muscle balance 3-dimensionally around the thorax
• what is optimal function of the thorax – the myths, misperceptions and facts about optimal function of the thoracic spine and ribcage – so much more than biomechanics!
• the role the thorax plays in whole body function – and how dysfunction of the thorax can be the underlying, pain-free cause (the “Driver”) for problems elsewhere in the body
• the relationship of the thorax to the nervous system and our sympathetic “fight or flight” responses – patient experiences of decreased anxiety and agitation & neurophysiological mechanisms to explain these responses
• breathing – is there one best way to breathe? Insight from LJ’s research on when to use breathing techniques in the clinic and why
• the many biologically plausible mechanisms LJ has proposed over the past 20 years that explain how thoracic dysfunction can “Drive” diverse problems or pain anywhere from your head to your toes – such as low back and pelvic girdle pain, groin pain, incontinence and prolapse, dyspareunia, shoulder problems, persistent concussion symptoms, and load-related problems in the lower extremity such as persistent Achilles tendinopathy and patellofemoral pain
• introduction to ConnectTherapy™ & the Circles of Influence™ – the whole person clinical reasoning framework that enables you to organize all your current knowledge and skills, and make sense of all the information you gather in the clinic – understand connections between past injuries, current symptoms, movement strategies, dysfunctional regions, and other influences such as cognitive and emotional factors – and how to simplify all this information and decide for your individual patient, what are the most important influences to address to make lasting change

TeleHealth Specific Skills

• skilled history taking is key for a successful Virtual session – from the ConnectTherapy “story” you’ll learn the essential questions to ask and the patient answers that increase the likelihood that your patient has a Primary Thoracic Ring Driver – and therefore indicates you should focus your treatment on the thorax for greatest clinical change
• learn the visual skills that enable you to confidently assess thoracic function in the TeleHealth context – training accuracy of Vision is an essential ConnectTherapy skill taught across all LJLI courses and is why ConnectTherapy trained physios are well-equipped for success in the TeleHealth context
• learn a clinical reasoning algorithm for both assessment and treatment framework to that your work makes sense – and LJ will share common clinical patterns so that you have the benefit of her years of expertise while you work on implementing your new skills
• discuss the ConnectTherapy Circles of Influence and how other important influences like emotions and beliefs can be addressed by your language and explanations at the same time as you address their neuromuscular dysfunction – treat the whole person in a biopsychosocial treatment framework
• use “Movement as Medicine” – ConnectTherapy & the Thoracic Ring Approach are functional, movement based models – learn how to
  • more effectively assess movement dysfunction in the thorax across multiple meaningful movements
  • choose the key exercises and movement cues to decompress and improve thoracic ring function
  • coach new movement patterns and strategies so patients experience change quickly
• enhance patient self-efficacy – the ConnectTherapy exercise tools provide a way for the patient to “self-treat” – learn how the “Cue Check”, “Self-Check”, “Resets” and “Presets” empower your patients

Assessment – you’ll observe and learn:

• how to assess the thoracic spine and ribcage in a 3-dimensional, functional framework, called “Meaningful Task Analysis” – which integrates hands-on assessment during functional movement analysis and centres around the patient’s meaning construct
• the diagnostic algorithm – the ConnectTherapy Drivers Diagnostic Chart – that provides a predictive, clinical reasoning framework for deciding when dysfunction in the thorax is relevant to treat – and give powerful results – and when it is not and you should focus treatment elsewhere
• the assessment tests & clinical reasoning that allow you to rule-in and rule-out the thorax as the “Primary Driver” of the patient’s non-optimal experience and movement patterns – no more trial and error – instead, a predictive framework to increase your confidence in knowing you are on the right treatment path
• the charting system for the thoracic rings, developed by LJ & the inaugural Certified Practitioners based on findings from pilot radiological data
• understand how changing the patient’s experience in your session in a meaningful way creates the “Wow” for the patient and opens the door for new brain maps and access to new movement patterns

Treatment – you’ll observe and learn the ConnectTherapy framework to clinically reason and plan a treatment pathway for a patient with a Primary Thoracic Ring Driver:

• understand the importance of training neuromuscular control, balance and capacity – and how exercise programs for Thoracic Ring Drivers need to be progressed differently
• learn the 3 ConnectTherapy exercise and treatment Phases – LJ will share training concepts from early imagery and cueing to change motor patterning, to prescribing targeted exercises to address the key “strength holes” common for Thoracic Ring Drivers, based on her many years of developing training programs for patients with high level goals and elite athletes
• learn how to teach your patients how to use the ConnectTherapy tools for Self-Management – the Cue Check, Self-Check, Reset exercises, Preset Exercises and how these are powerful tools for patients to “self-treat”.
• how to decide which of your tools to use and when – understand why manipulation, mobilization and mobilizations with movement (MWM) are sometimes very effective, and other times can make no change, or make patients worse – thinking 3-D for thoracic ring function enables you to understand treatment responses in the clinic
• how & why we need techniques to release 3-dimensionally around the driving Thoracic Rings – for optimal results and to open the door to train new neuromuscular strategies & capacity – learn LJ’s innovative “Stack & Breathe”, “Stack & Release”, and “Stack & Train” techniques that use hands-on release in a dynamic movement context for when you’re back in the clinic – and the exercises to prescribe for 3-D release