Course Summary

This didactic program addresses the typical development of postural alignment and control and its significance in healthy and pathologic sensorimotor and orthopedic development. The discussion includes a review of sciences of optimum postural alignment, control, and movement acquisition including kinesiology, biomechanics, sensory input, physiologic adaptation, massed practice, and treatment principles drawn from S.A. Sahrmann’s Movement Systems Analysis. 

Instructor Beverly Cusick, PT, MS, NDT, COF then suggests science-based management strategies using TheraTogs™ systems to improve functioning torso alignment in daily life with photographs and videotaped cases.

Course Description: Download the full Course Description (PDF).

Course Level: This course is appropriate for qualified clinicians from Student through Intermediate levels.

Target Audience: This course is intended to enhance the knowledge of a range of qualified clinicians who are likely to work together to maximize physical function, including: physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, orthotists, occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants and  physiatrists. 

Program Access

Once you have registered, you will have 60 days to review the course material. Each section must be completed before moving on to the next, but you can review any completed section at any time

CEU's

In addition to offering a substantial investment in your professional development, the Posture & Torso Alignment online course delivers 4.75 contact hours of Cusick-level content.

Certificates will be emailed within 2 weeks to those who complete all sessions, record 90% or better on all quizzes, and submit their online evaluation. 

For Physical Therapists: The Posture & Torso Alignment  course has been approved for 4.75 contact hours and CEUs in multiple states (39 as of this date) by Redefine Health Education, Inc. For a list of approved states, visit their website. If you are in a state not listed, Redefine Health Education will assist you in applying for individual approval. You will receive two certificates — one recognizing your course completion, and one documenting the CEU approval.

For Orthotists: The Posture & Torso Alignment  course has been approved for 4.75 scientific contact hours by ABC. 

For Occupational Therapists: Progressive GaitWays, LLC is an AOTA Approved Provider of professional development. PD activity approval ID# 7689. This Distance Learning-Independent activity is offered for .475 CEUs,  an intermediate learning level, in the OT Service Delivery and Foundational Knowledge categories. AOTA CEUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA.


Course Objectives

Your learning objectives for this course include the following....

  • Name the primary benefit of antigravity righting reactions to body COM (weight) shifts in daily function.

  • Name the three planes of acquisition of antigravity muscle function and control in the neck and torso in sequential order.

  • Name the most fundamental component of motor development.

  • Relate postural alignment to somatosensory input from loaded joints and segments.

  • Describe the relationship between postural control and the acquisition and functional limb use.

  • Compare the status of sensory processing in typically developing children to that of children with hypotonia and cerebral palsy.

  • Describe the physiologic effects of massed practice of balance and movement skills on the developing musculoskeletal system.

  • Explain Sahrmann’s attention to muscle recruitment strategies in the management of muscle contractures.

  • Explain Sahrmann’s focus on shortening the dominant muscles and using them in their shortened state before attempting to lengthen the shortened, dominant muscles.

  • Apply one principle from each of the sciences discussed in this program to the use of TheraTogs systems designed to improve functioning torso alignment in daily life.

Registration

Group discounts available: contact [email protected] for details.

Course Curriculum

    1. Welcome to the course!

    2. Introduction

    3. Section 1. Foundations in Science: Postural Control Acquisition & Significance

    4. Section 2. Building the Foundation

    5. Section 3. Building Upon the Foundation

    6. Section 4. Postural Control Deficit in Cerebral Palsy

    7. Section 5. Significance of Trunk Control in Cerebral Palsy

    8. Session 1: Wrapping Up

    9. A word on the quizzes

    10. Session 1: Review Quiz

    1. Section 6. Bringing MSA to Neuromusculo-skeletal Management

    2. Section 7. Muscle Imbalance in Children with Cerebral Palsy

    3. Section 8. MSA-Based Treatment Principles

    4. Section 9. Clinical Evidence of MSA-Based Interventions

    5. Session 2: Review Quiz

    1. Section 10. Postural Assessments: Introduction

    2. Section 11. Resting Posture: Prone

    3. Section 12. Resting Posture: Supine

    4. Section 13. Resting Posture: Sitting

    5. Section 14. Resting Posture: Quadruped

    6. Section 15. Resting Posture: Standing

    7. Section 16. Assess & Address the Trunk First

    8. Session 3: Review Quiz

    1. Section 17. On TheraTogs Research

    2. Section 18. TheraTogs Effects: Postural & Functioning Alignment

    3. Section 19. TheraTogs Effects: Muscle Recruitment

    4. Section 20. TheraTogs Effects: Lower Extremity Muscle Extensibility

    5. Section 21. TheraTogs Effects: Sitting / Standing Balance

    6. Section 22. TheraTogs Effects: Muscle Strength

    7. Section 23. TheraTogs Effects: Motor Skills Acquisition

    8. Section 24. Research: Closing Considerations

    9. Session 4: Review Quiz

    1. Section 25. Product Contents, Properties, Limitations & Contraindications

    2. Section 26. Routine Use Requirements

    3. Section 27. Training Caregivers Towards Compliance

    4. Section 28. Managing TheraTogs Effectively

    1. Section 29. The Dragonfly TLSO

    2. Sessions 5 & 6: Review Quiz

About this course

  • $79.00
  • 41 lessons

Instructor

President / Senior Instructor Beverly (Billi) Cusick

Beverly (Billi) Cusick PT, MS, NDT, COF/BOC is an internationally known pediatric physical therapist whose specialty is the orthopedic development and orthotic management of children with cerebral palsy and other neuromotor deficits.

She has been teaching these and related topics since 1978 - including presentations by invitation for the APTA, AACPDM, AOPA, and AAOP and more than 460 full programs and workshops worldwide.

Ms. Cusick received her BS in PT from Bouve College at Northeastern University in Boston, MA in 1972, and her MS in Clinical and College Teaching for Allied Health Professionals from the University of Kentucky in Lexington in 1988. She is an Associate Professor for the Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions – Pediatrics Program – Provo, Utah (2006-present) and is NDT basic- and baby-trained.

Registration

Group discounts available: contact [email protected] for details.

Financial Disclosure

Instructor Beverly Cusick PT, MS, NDT, COF/BOC is the inventor of TheraTogs orthotic garment systems and co-founder of TheraTogs, Inc. She is also the co-founder and President of Progressive GaitWays, LLC. She possesses a financial interest in both companies.