Workshops for Physical and Occupational Therapists

Judy gives workshops throughout the USA and internationally. If you are interested in hosting a workshop at your facility or wish to attend one, please contact Judy at: info@judycarmick.com.

 The two-day workshops will focus on the use of task-specific neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) to help the child with cerebral palsy improve in functional motor tasks, motor learning and motor control as well as muscle strength and range of motion. Videos and slides of case studies are included showing how NMES is used and has helped.

Case studies with videos and slides are included throughout all workshops. Demonstrations, labs and a practicum are part of each workshop.

NOTE: NMES equipment will be available for use in all workshops for hands-on experience. Partici-pants will be able to purchase NMES units at a discount. Labs for upper and lower extremities will be given throughout both days so that therapists will have a good understanding on how to use the equipment. Advanced workshops are also available for problem solving, gait or as you wish.

 ••••••••••••••••••••••

 LEVEL I:
Current ideas will be discussed from the literature on CP, spasticity, gait and movement science to help understand the rationale for NMES treatment decisions. The focus will be on how to decide which muscles to stimulate when, where and why. This is the most challenging and the most important part of the workshop. A lecture on lower extremity orthoses will help to understand how orthoses may be helpful or harmful and how they can affect movement and NMES outcomes. The active task-specific approach will include using NMES for truck, lower leg, hip, and elbow and forearm muscles.



OBJECTIVES OF LEVEL I:

Participants will be able to:

  1. Understand the mechanics of portable NMES equipment.
  2. Know how and why to choose and set the parameters.
  3. Understand the benefits and precautions of NMES.
  4. Plan treatment with NMES: when and which muscles to stimulate.
  5. Understand the different theories on NMES.
  6. Understand how recent research relates to pediatric therapy and cerebral palsy.
  7. Understand the basics of task-specific movement science.
••••••••••••••••••••••

LEVEL II:
A continuation of Level I with more time to understand how NMES can be used on the knee and hip and with gait. More advanced understanding of NMES is also given for the trunk, shoulder and hand muscles. The participants will learn how to use multiple units for various tasks.

OBJECTIVES OF LEVEL II:
Participants will be able to:
  1. Understand how to evaluate the knee and hip to determine where and why NMES may help.
  2. Understand how to evaluate the trunk and shoulder with active arm and hand function.
  3. Understand how to use multiple NMES units as the problem is not usually only one muscle.
  4. Understand evidence in the literature to support the therapy approach.