II edition

•        Overstimulation of the nervous system through manual therapy, adverse treatment responses and how to avoid these.

•        Segmental and central neurological effects of spinal manipulation, mobilisation and soft tissue / myofascial therapies.

•        Brainstem and cerebellar influences on muscle tone and postural control.

•        Addressing muscle tone imbalances through spinal reflex mechanisms.

•        Spinal reflexes and their effects on muscle tone.

•        Proprioceptive mechanoreceptors: their properties, how to activate them and how to optimise their function.

•        Why mechanoreceptor-based afferent stimulation is so important for the health of the nervous system, for movement coordination and appropriate activation of postural and stabilising muscles.

•        Activation of the nervous system through manual therapy:

•        Cerebellum: its function in motor control, motor adaptation, postural stabilisation and injury prevention. Cerebellar testing & rehab.

•        Examination of the brainstem

•        Cranial nerves and their correlation to functional impairments in the brainstem; and how to examine for these deficits.

•        Ocular examination – pursuits & saccades

•        Cerebral cortex – parietal & frontal

•        Sensory tracts

•        Motor tracts

•        How neurological dysfunction occurs

•        Neuroanatomy

•        Peripheral mobilisation of joints and (neuro)rehab protocols for common limb conditions (e.g. rotator cuff, tennis elbow, carpal tunnel, IT band syndrome, Achilles tendonitis etc.)

·         Common Non-Manual Therapy Treatments

·         Influences on the NMSK System – practical applications

·         MSK & Neurological Comorbidities

·         Cognitive Function & Mental Health

·         Manual Therapy

·         Psychosocial Factors

·         Examination & Diagnosis

·         Anatomy & Biomechanics

Neuromusculoskeletal Approach to Temporomandibular Dysfunction

-  Basic nutritional strategies

-   Neuro-rehabilitation

-  Manual therapy

·       Treatment and prevention of migraines and other headache disorders:

·       Assessment of the headache patient: determining the pro-nociceptive factors and assessing the functionality of the anti-nociceptive mechanisms.

·       Migraine pathophysiology – the neurological basis for the migraine aura and subsequent headache.

·       The neurological basis for cervicogenic headache and other common headache and orofacial pain disorders.

·       Review of functional neuroanatomy of the trigeminal nerve.

·       Peripheral nociceptive inputs that can contribute to headaches and/or orofacial pain through sensitisation of the trigeminal pain pathway.

    Headaches and orofacial pain

    Influence of pain on proprioceptive function and motor control

·       Cerebellar and vestibular contributions to central pain modulation

·       Cognitive and emotional aspects of chronic pain

·       Wind-up, (mechanical) allodynia and central sensitisation

·       Pain gating and descending modulation of nociceptive afferent input

·       Nociceptive pathways from the periphery to the cerebral cortex

·       The concept of brain-based pain

        Pain and the brain

Comprehensive review of the functional roles of the basal ganglia and cerebellum within the motor system.

The concept of surround inhibition for fine motor control.

Neurological wind-up as a consequence of basal ganglionic and cerebellar cortex dysfunction; how this can adversely affect patients both neurologically and in terms of their general health, how this manifests clinically, and how to manage it. 

How proprioceptive deficits and central sensory processing problems interfere with proper control and coordination of movement, and how this contributes to musculoskeletal and movement disorders. 

Musculoskeletal consequences, abnormal movement patterns and injury susceptibility related to basal ganglionic and cerebellar dysfunction. 

How to rehabilitate fine motor control and movement timing with easy-to-prescribe no-tech exercises

Cognitive consequences of basal ganglionic and cerebellar dysfunction, and how this relates to conditions such as anxiety, OCD, depression and various childhood developmental disorders. 

Treatment strategies for hyperkinetic movement disorders, including surround inhibition training, specific sensory afferentation, sensory tricks and visuo-sensory therapy. 

Special considerations for cervical dystonia. The Parkinson's patient - strategies to preserve their functional capacity for as long as possible.

Movement necessitates postural stabilisation. Whether a person is simply walking, working on a computer, performing household activities or participating in high-level sports, appropriate stabilisation of the moving joints and the body as a whole is required to prevent falls, injuries and loss of strength for the movement in question.This seminar will discuss dynamic postural stabilisation in detail and show you how to assess and rehabilitate it. We will also explore how to determine whether the neurological imbalances you find in a patient are likely to be significantly contributing to their musculoskeletal condition; this will help you to distinguish between the musculoskeletal patients who simply require the 'usual' chiropractic approach and those who require more specific neuro-rehabilitation

Dynamic postural stabilisation:

The relationship between postural stabilisation and musculoskeletal injury

Assessment of the systems involved and how to train them to function better - sensory, motor and central sensorimotor integration and processing

Rehabilitation of neurologically-mediated dynamic postural destabilisation

Falls in the elderly: causes, prevention and rehabilitation strategies

How to determine whether or not the neurological imbalances you find in a patient are contributing to their musculoskeletal problem: The concept of neurological challenges in motor assessments.