Course Information

Course Name:

I Can: Enhancing Quality of Life Through Effective Orthotic Intervention

Course Description:

This interactive course is designed to address and meet challenges commonly faced by children with neuromuscular deficits. Physical therapists and orthotists can benefit from understanding why their patients are struggling to meet a goal and why it’s important that they accomplish it. Surestep’s Education Team has worked closely with families and patients to develop a course that addresses these challenges and provides solutions to facilitate successful goal attainment. Participants will work in small groups throughout the course to develop a strong understanding of deficits leading to and consequences of poor trunk and head control, as well as toe walking. Building on that foundation, attendees will learn to evaluate and assess for orthotic solutions.

Course/learner objective:

- Describe how trunk and head control develop

- Explain the consequences (structural, postural and functional) of poor head and trunk control

- Apply this knowledge to evaluate patients with poor head and trunk control

- Assess and recommend orthotic treatment solutions to improve function for those patients

- Describe typical gait development, including the development of a heel-toe gait pattern

- Gain a firmer grasp of modern treatment advances above the common standard of care

- Explain the consequences (structural, developmental and functional) of toe walking gait

- Understand the risk factors for developing a toe walking pattern and distinguish between different types of toe walking

- Evaluate patients who toe walk with an orthotic assessment form and recommend orthotic treatment solutions

- Describe the open heel modification, it’s benefits and uses

Outline: (3.5 Hours)

- 5 min -- Intro

- 30 min -- Trunk and Head Control Development: Discuss how trunk and head control develop. Includes discussion of postural control development and consequences of poor trunk and head control in everyday activities.

- 25 min -- Trunk and Head Control Module: Work in small groups to navigate through multiple commonly faced challenges of patients with poor head and/or trunk control. Learn about why patients may struggle with skills and why achieving those skills is important. Understand how Surestep’s TLSO and DCO can help address these deficits and facilitate successful goal attainment.

- 20 min -- Integration / Discussion – Break out session debrief: Work in groups to answer questions on previous module and present take-aways to entire group.

- 25 min -- Break

- 30 min -- Toe Walking – Issues, types and assessment: Discuss when toe walking should be addressed with therapy and/or orthoses. Learn to identify reasons for and different types of toe walking gait patterns. Discuss Surestep’s Toe Walking Assessment Guide and consequences of a toe walking gait pattern to everyday activities.

- 25 min -- Toe Walking Module: Work in small groups to navigate through multiple commonly faced challenges of patients with a toe walking pattern. Learn about why patients may struggle with skills and why achieving those skills is important. Understand how Surestep’s SMO, Toe Walking SMO and Indy 2 Stage AFO can help address these deficits and facilitate successful goal attainment.

- 20 min -- Integration / Discussion - Break out session debrief: Work in groups to answer questions on previous module and present take-aways to entire group.

- 15 min -- Open Heel Modification: Learn about Surestep’s new Open Heel Modification and its benefits and application to many devices.

- 15 min -- Close / Questions