Course Description

This program features an overview of somatosensory function and development, the role of postural control in movement acquisition and physiologic adaptation of neuromusculoskeletal tissues, and features of orthopedic development of the trunk and selected aspects of the extremities. The first two sessions span an overview of biomechanical, kinesiologic, and physiological sciences at work in orthopedic and sensorimotor development, both typical and pathologic. The operating mechanisms of movement-based modeling of the growing skeleton are reviewed and applied to children with unilateral and bilateral cerebral palsy, and to the upper extremity in children with brachial plexus palsy. The mechanisms at work in the acquisition of - and the role of - postural control are reviewed in the context of building effective limb use, with suggestions for assisting a child to develop this essential foundation.
Download the Full Course Description

Who Should Take this Course

The content has relevance to pediatric rehabilitation clinicians who set treatment goals and design management strategies to optimize upper and lower limb use in children with neuromotor dysfunction and deficits in sensory processing and postural control. The two session course is only approved for continuing education credits for Occupational Therapists and Occupational Therapy Assistants. 

Course Objectives

Participants completing this course are expected to be able to...

  • Describe these features of normal, postnatal immaturity of skeletal structure and alignment: thoracolumbar kyphosis, scapular and upper limb segment alignment, hip flexion contracture, increased femoral anteversion, increased femoral antetorsion, coxa valga, genu varum, and leg and foot rotation.

  • Distinguish between strain and load and apply this distinction to the skeletal modeling process and to modeling potential in an aging child.

  • Relate movement-based loading history to bone growth rate in children. Explain the significance of the innate drive for verticality.

  • Explain the presence of symmetry in supine and prone positions at age 4 months as evidence of fundamental postural control.

  • Describe how the normal neonatal hip flexion contracture influences the early modeling of the lumbar spine in the sagittal plane.

  • Relate ideal, full‐term neonatal lower limb joint alignment to the acquisition of skilled transitions between quadruped and sitting positions.

  • Relate the achievement of competent weight shifting in the frontal plane to emerging upper and lower limb use.

  • Describe the torsional status of the radius and ulna of the affected side in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy.

  • Describe the upper limb modeling errors in brachial plexus palsy that limit shoulder lateral rotation and forearm supination.

  • Discuss the components of Targeted Training that apply to the enhancement of upper limb use.

Course Completion Requirements

  • Section Videos and Quizzes

    Watch each section video in its entirety. Complete all quizzes with a score of 80% or better. You get unlimited attempts to pass the quizzes.

  • Course Evaluation

    Let us know what you thought and how we can improve this course. Complete the course evaluation at the end of the course to receive your course completion certificate.

  • Course Access Period

    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.

CEUs

For Occupational Therapists and Occupational Therapy Assistants: Progressive GaitWays, LLC is an AOTA Approved Provider of professional development. PD activity approval ID# 6649. This Distance Learning-Independent activity is offered for .69 CEUs at 6.9 contact hours. The content is at an intermediate learning level, in the OT Service Delivery and Foundational Knowledge categories. AOTA does not endorse specific course content, products, or clinical procedures.

What students are saying

5 star rating

Informative!

Katherine Saphire

Extremely informative! This stretched the scope of my practice as an OT.

Extremely informative! This stretched the scope of my practice as an OT.

Read Less
5 star rating

Part One review

Debbie Chabak

Very Clear & Thorough explanation of all concepts Immediately & directly applicable to treatment with children related to boney alignment/developmen...

Read More

Very Clear & Thorough explanation of all concepts Immediately & directly applicable to treatment with children related to boney alignment/development, muscle activation patterns & ways to intervene to improve postural control

Read Less
4 star rating

Developmental Orthopedics

Alison Sheppard

Thank you very much for providing this really informative course of study. I am really pleased that I have invested time in this opportunity to enhance my th...

Read More

Thank you very much for providing this really informative course of study. I am really pleased that I have invested time in this opportunity to enhance my therapy skills and enquiry. Due to some covid health issues and more recently several family bereavements, my learning on this course has been quite fractured. I have appreciated that you were therefore able to offer additional time to me for completing this course as I was able to do so - thank you again. I have certainly found that it has taken far more than the 14.5 hours indicated as frequently you needed to rewatch or return to information in order to try and understand it. I still do not feel confident with the mathematical aspect of ante version angles so am trying to ensure the understanding of torsion and version is understood initially. Ill have to keep reading over this! I also found the examples regarding the use of the theratogs challenging only as this is equipment I have not had experience of using in my gatekeeper clinic. However, the theory implied remains applicable for extending my skills and and the observational and enquiring lens I can use to assess MSK and orthopaedic development as well as neurodevelopment progress of the babies and infants I see in my clinic and in the NICU. Now that I have formally completed the course, I am now looking forward to taking the time to read over all my notes to further consolidate this knowledge. Thank you again for making this opportunity available in this format for those of us that do not live in the States. Kind regards Alison

Read Less

Pricing & Registration: Team discounts are also available - contact us at [email protected]

Course curriculum

    1. Welcome to Developmental Orthopedics!

    2. Section 1. An Overview of Developmental Changes in the Spine and Lower Extremities

    3. Section 2. Strain and Load: Shaping Bones and Joints with Skeletal Modeling

    4. Section 3. Proximal Before Distal: Contributions of Postural Control Acquisition & Maintenance to Orthopedic & Neuromotor Development

    5. Section 4. Biomechanical Advantages to Orthopedic Development of Full-Term Gestation

    6. Section 5. Movement-Related Skeletal Modeling Opportunities

    7. Course Resources

    1. Section 6. Limb Length Inequality: Assessment & Implications

    2. Section 7. Developmental Features of the Knee Joint in the Frontal Plane

    3. Section 8. Ideal Lower Limb Soft‐Tissue Extensibility ‐ Evidence of Use History

    4. Section 9. The Role of Postural Control Deficits in Deformity Development

    5. Section 10. Carry-Over Strategies for Improving Postural Control

    6. Q&A (Recording from original Live Session)

    7. DevOrtho: Two-Session Post-Test

    8. Thanks for joining us!

    9. DevOrtho: Two-Session Course Evaluation

About this course

  • $275.00
  • 16 lessons
  • 7 hours of video content

Instructor(s)

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.

You Should Check Out...

View more products

Inclusion/Non-Discrimination Statement

Progressive GaitWays LLC and the Cusick Center for Learning do not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations.  These activities include, but are not limited to, provision of training services, products, or consultations to rehabilitation clinicians such as physical therapists, occupational therapists, orthotists, and physical therapy assistants.  We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all attendees, colleagues, clients, and vendors.

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.