Pelvic Floor Function, Dysfunction and Treatment (PF1)

Introduction to Examination and Treatment of Female Pelvic Floor Conditions

Level: Beginner
Prerequisite: Link to Prerequisites
Audience: Seminar content is targeted to physical therapists.

Cost: $675

Contact hours: 22.5

CEUs vary by state

Course Overview

This three day seminar is designed to provide a thorough introduction to female pelvic floor function, dysfunction and treatment interventions. It is geared to the physical therapist who wants to synthesize the information and apply it to individual treatment programs for urinary incontinence or the musculoskeletal components of urogynecologic pain syndromes, chronic pelvic pain (CPP), levator ani syndrome, vulvodynia, and interstitial cystitis (IC).  The seminar teaches evaluation and treatment interventions by instructional assessment of the pelvic floor muscles with internal vaginal examination and SEMG biofeedback assessment. The information is immediately applicable to clinical practice.

Presentation of evidence-based evaluation and treatment techniques will be emphasized. Outcome measures and quality of life questionnaires will be presented for both urinary incontinence and pain syndromes. Daily lab time allows for supervised instruction of pelvic floor muscle evaluation with external palpation and internal vaginal examination of pelvic floor musculature. For each condition the therapist will learn to: recognize the key signs and symptoms that lead to impairment, functional limitations and disabilities; use an evaluation/outcome tool; and perform a suggested protocol of treatment interventions. Clinical treatment interventions will include therapeutic exercise, SEMG biofeedback, external manual therapy, patient related education/behavioral instructions and electrotherapeutic modalities.

Objectives

 Upon completion of this seminar, participants will be able to:

1. Identify the muscle layers and specific muscles of the pelvic floor.
2. List the muscle functions.
3. Describe and perform pelvic floor muscle evaluation techniques with observation, vaginal palpation, and SEMG biofeedback.
4. List appropriate outcome measure tools for urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse and pelvic pain.
5. List precautions, contraindications, universal precautions for pelvic floor examination and treatment.
6. Identify specific pelvic pain conditions (vulvodynia, IC and CPP) and common physical therapy interventions applicable to the physical therapist.
7. Identify the various types of urinary incontinence and behavioral treatment options applicable to the physical therapist.
8. List two diagnoses that would benefit from applications of electrotherapy.
9. Describe the applications and instrumentation parameters of SEMG biofeedback for the pelvic floor.
10. Develop evidence-based treatment plans and progressive clinical goals for female pelvic floor dysfunctions.

Special Considerations

As this course includes extensive lab work, all course attendees should come prepared to participate as both clinician and patient. Vaginal pelvic floor muscle examinations will be taught in labs. Male course attendees may participate fully in the entire course if they bring their own lab model for examination. Pregnant women course attendees may participate fully in the entire course if they bring their own lab model for examination, or if the attendee insists on lab participation then a clearance letter from their physician allowing them to participate in the labs is required. We strongly recommend that pregnant attendees bring a model as vaginal examination and internal myofascial manual therapy prior to 32 weeks gestation is not the common standard of medical practice.

Audience

Seminar content is targeted to physical therapists. Content is not intended for use outside the scope of the learner's license or regulation. Clinical continuing education should not be taken by individuals who are not licensed or otherwise regulated, except, as they are involved in a specific plan of care.

Hours

Day 1 and Day 2:   8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Day 3:                   7:45 am – 4:30 pm

Certificates

All participants completing the seminar will receive a certificate of attendance with continuing education contact hours and checklists of skills learned for examination and treatment in the seminar labs. Participants electing to take a post-test multiple choice examination (70% passing required) will also receive a didactic learning certificate.

Certification in Pelvic Muscle Dysfunction BCIA - PMDB

The Biofeedback Certification Institute of America (BCIA) offers a certification in Pelvic Muscle Dysfunction Biofeedback (PMDB) for bowel, bladder, and pelvic pain. For information on complete certification requirements and an application for certification please go to http://www.bcia.org and see certification information. The Pelvic Floor Function, Dysfunction and Treatment curriculum seminars (levels PF 1, PF 2A and PF 2B) provide over 60 hours of pelvic floor continuing education. The topics covered in level PF 2A partially meet the BCIA criteria (24 hours education and 4 hours of practicum) for BCIA - PMDB Certification. BCIA approval and accreditation for this series is pending at time of brochure printing. Certification is not required for clinical practice.

 To Register, please select the link for the specific course date and location below.

Unless otherwise noted, all course dates listed below are open and still have space for more registrants. Once a course becomes full, it will be noted on the course event page. 

 

Scheduled Course Dates & Locations