DESCRIPTION

This lab course offers the physical therapy professional skills immediately applicable in the clinic and includes complete internal vaginal pelvic floor, internal rectal pelvic floor muscle, and external abdominopelvic examination and treatment techniques.

Clinical decision-making and an integration of skills and knowledge acquired at Pelvic Health Physical Therapy Level 1 (webinar and lab), Level 2 Bowel Dysfunction (webinar), and Level 2 Pelvic Pain (webinar) will be included.

We will cover the following topics during the lab activities: infection control, rectal exam, biofeedback, balloon lecture/hands-on lab, pelvic manual therapy lab, summative skills assessment, and more.

Lab Overview

• Infection control
• Rectal exam
• Biofeedback
• Balloon lecture/hands-on lab
• Pelvic manual therapy lab
• Summative skills assessment

PRE-REQUISITES

• Pelvic Health Physical Therapy Level 1 Webinar/Lab/ or Combined
• Pelvic Health Physical Therapy Level 2 Bowel Dysfunction Webinar
• Pelvic Health Physical Therapy Level 2 Pelvic Pain Webinar

REQUIREMENTS

Dress Code: Please wear comfortable clothes you can easily remove for lab activities, bring a pen/pencil for the on-site lab workbook (workbook will be printed and available onsite), and bring hair band(s) to keep hair away during lab exams (if you have long hair)

COVID-19: The Academy will provide facemasks onsite however, we recommend you to bring your facemasks to enter the building/lab room. Each state and host site has its COVID-19 regulations that change frequently.

PC/Laptop/Printouts: You are not required to bring your laptop or printed course materials however many participants bring them for note-taking.

Lab Participation & Consent: Most of this course is lab-focused to provide more hands-on learning. Participants are expected to stay through the entire course; please make your travel plans accordingly. The Consent & Release Form must be filled out and turned in to the instructor on Day 1 of the course (this form is provided on-site). If the course participant does not turn in the completed form on Day 1, he/she will not be permitted to take the course. All participants must participate in labs as both “therapist” & “patient.” Participants who cannot participate as lab subjects are required to provide their lab partners. Failure to participate as a lab subject, or to provide the required lab partner if needed, will result in forfeiture of course completion and registration costs. If you are unsure whether you need a medical model or are unfamiliar with the process of obtaining a medical model, please read Medical Models for Internal Pelvic Assessment.pdf. Participants that MUST provide their lab partners include (but are not limited to):

• ALL Male participants
• Pregnant women (except with written physician permission for FULL participation)
• Active vaginal infections
• Active STD or herpes lesions
• Active bladder or rectal infections
• Severe pelvic/vaginal/rectal pain that inhibits examination
• Lack of prior vaginal exam by a physician
• Active OB/GYN cancer

ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENT

Attendees must be present throughout the course. Contact hours will be forfeited, and the attendee will be dismissed if the attendee:

• Misses two (2) or more lecture hours
• Misses any part of the Case Study Presentation and related group activities

To advance to the next course level, the attendee who missed the above will have to retake the course at her/his/their own expense. Should extenuating circumstances arise, it is the responsibility of the participant to notify a course faculty member of the need to leave. Consideration for course completion will be made on a case-by-case basis.