Online Continuing Education Courses

• Discuss the history behind the discovery of and development of releasing somatic dysfunction via positional release techniques via the work of Lawrence Jones, DO, George Goodheart, DC and others
• Discuss the basic concepts of how the body responds to stress and trauma  according to Irvin Korr and how slackening the dysfunctional muscle and joint tissues works to restore normal function.
• Apply anatomy and kinesiology as a means of finding and unwinding somatic dysfunction.
• Include the learned techniques into your practice.
• Compare and contrast the rapid thrust vs. positional release modes of releasing subluxations or somatic dysfunction. 

• Summarize the muscle spindle, specifically, the anatomy and physiology of the spindle subcomponents and how it regulates function of skeletal muscle.
• Breakdown the neural reflex mechanisms of the muscle spindle and appreciate how these mechanisms operate in both somatic function and dysfunction.
• Explain the hypothesis of the “facilitated segment” aka somatic dysfunction, explained both in terms of neurology and by analogies so as to be clear to both the doctor and the patient
• Identify somatic dysfunction via locating tender points and learn the mechanism of slackening in order to relieve the tender point reactivity and restore normal function to the muscle and joint.
• Identify and correct tender point locations and positional releases.

• Define and classify adverse events associated with manipulation and mobilization
• Review symptoms patients perceive as adverse
• Describe the incidence of severe adverse events among chiropractic recipients
• Outline adverse events in the pregnant and postpartum periods

Hour 1

• Review common hand, wrist and shoulder anatomy.
• Evaluate the hand write and shoulder.
• Perform physical and neurological examinations and tests related to hand wrist and shoulder.
• Identify uncomplicated common conditions during the evaluation of the hand wrist and shoulder

Hour 2

• Discuss evidence-based literature suggesting the practically of manipulation of the hand, wrist and shoulder.
• Perform adjustments of the hand.
• Perform adjustments of the wrist.
• Perform adjustments of the shoulder

Hour 3

• Describe the impact of disturbances on the determinant factors of health in the structures of the hand, wrist and shoulder
• Apply corrective and preventative measures to conditions affecting the health of the hand, wrist and shoulder
• Utilize evidence-based low technology rehabilitative methods to manage patient care of common hand, wrist and shoulder
• User strategies to address challenges patients have with adhering to rehabilitative programs.

Hour 1

• Review common foot and ankle anatomy.
• Evaluate the foot and ankle.
• Perform physical and neurological examinations and tests related to the foot and ankle.
• Identify uncomplicated common conditions during the evaluation of the foot and ankle.

 Hour 2

• Discuss evidence-based literature suggesting the practically of manipulation of the foot and ankle.
• Perform adjustments of the foot.
• Perform adjustments of the ankle.
• Utilize a speeder/toggle board for the foot.

 Hour 3

• Describe the impact of disturbances on the determinant factors of health in the structures of the foot and ankle
• Apply corrective and preventative measures to conditions affecting the health of the foot and ankle
• Utilize evidence-based low technology rehabilitative methods to manage patient care of common foot and ankle conditions.
• User strategies to address challenges patients have with adhering to rehabilitative programs.

• Examine the effect of chiropractic manipulation on reaction and response time in combat-ready special operations forces qualified personnel
• Assess the influence of chiropractic care on the strength, balance, and/or endurance in active-duty United States military personnel
• Evaluate the impact of upper- vs lower-extremity chiropractic manipulation on postural sway and dual task performance
• Provide an update regarding the mechanisms of action for manual therapy, the impact of manual therapy on pain management, health care conditions for which manual therapy may be beneficial and treatment plans

Hour 1

• Identify important spinal anatomy with relation to joint pain, degeneration and stabilization.
• Explain the efficacy of spinal manipulation (SM) for various clinical presentations
• Discuss current literature reviews regarding safety concerns and controversies with SM.
• Perform joint manipulative procedures to the spine and pelvis

 Hour 2

• Discuss common clinical anatomy related to the trunk and torso, with practically to joint manipulation.
• Examine the thoracic and lumbar spine through important clinical landmarks and topical anatomical structures.
• Perform alternative manipulative procedures to the spine and pelvis

 Hour 3

• Discuss common clinical anatomy related to the head, and neck.
• Examine the cervical spine through important clinical landmarks and topical anatomical structures.
• Perform joint manipulative procedures for cervical spine.
• Perform manipulative and mobilization procedures to the temporomandibular joints.

• Identify a sub-group of recurrent low back pain patients that might respond most favorably to a maintenance care schedule
• Summarize existing research literature on chiropractic maintenance care
• Investigate short-term changes in pain-pressure threshold (PPT) and temporal summation (TS) after lumbar spinal manipulation (SMT) compared to a credible sham intervention
• Determine whether cervical spinal manipulation leads to meaningful changes in vertebral and cerebral hemodynamics, compared to neutral or end-range neck rotation postures in adults with chronic neck pain
• Summarize the current state of the literature regarding the neurophysiological effects of high-velocity, low-amplitude spinal manipulative therapy (HVLA-SMT) in asymptomatic and symptomatic humans
• Critique the existing, sham-controlled literature evaluating the acute changes in autonomic nervous system (ANS) markers and function in patients receiving manipulation to spinal or peripheral joints

• Examine the effects of thoracic manipulation and non-thrust mobilization on pain sensitivity and intensity in patients with chronic mechanical neck pain
• Summarize the state of the literature on the utility of spinal manipulation for managing hypertension
• Critique a recent study on the importance of cavitation in the autonomic nervous system (ANS) effects of thoracic spinal manipulation
• Evaluate the scientific literature on the validity and reliability of the common methods used by chiropractors to inform the choice regarding where spinal manipulation is to be applied once it is deemed an appropriate treatment
• Explore biomechanical and neurophysiologic mechanisms of thoracic manipulation that might result in clinical benefit for patients with rotator cuff tendinopathy

• Critique the state of the evidence for manual therapy interventions in the treatment of cervical radiculopathy
• Compare two common interventions – spinal manipulation and nerve root injection – for patients with MRI-confirmed lumbar disc herniation
• Critique the state of the evidence for spinal manipulation (specifically) in the treatment of cervical radiculopathy
• Interpret the results of a cohort study of MRI-confirmed symptomatic cervical disc herniation patients treated with cervical manipulation
• Compare isolated cervical SMT versus a combination of cervical, cervico-thoracic and thoracic SMT in patients with chronic mechanical neck pain