Concepts in Therapeutic Exercise

This 8-week course, during the second term of the DPT curriculum, applies the concepts learned in Gross Anatomy, Kinesiology & Biomechanics I, Examination & Evaluation, and Applied Physiology into therapeutic exercise interventions for patient/client care. This course is constructed to introduce basic movement patterns, the common impairments/dysfunctions associated with these patterns, and an introduction to the concepts of patient/client therapeutic exercise design, implementation, and re- evaluation.

The Concepts in Therapeutic Exercise course introduces the student to the underlying frameworks and constructs for normal and dysfunctional movement assessments, and the development of individualized exercise programs as part of the patient management model. Exercise applications that are utilized throughout lifespan that address identified impairments; activity and participation limitations are emphasized. Students will apply clinical decision-making strategies to practice, design, modify and progress exercise programs with proper biomechanical alignment, and proper muscle balance for optimal performance that may include range of motion, postural stabilization, progressive resistive exercise, flexibility, pain, proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, closed and open chain exercise applications, and proprioception/balance strategies. These underlying concepts are applied to disorders of the upper quarter, lower quarter, and spine. Video/Case studies presenting with a variety of musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, integumentary and cardiopulmonary impairments will be used to develop clinical decision-making and therapeutic exercise design for a variety of clinical disorders. Patient-practitioner interaction as well as patient instruction will be integrated throughout the series.