A Rehab Professionals Guide to Foam Rolling

Course Description:

Let’s talk about flexibility!  What’s the difference between muscle length, fascia stretching, and effective myofascial release? How can it impact your patients?  Does it play an important part in poor posture and subsequent impairments? How can you use Foam Rolling techniques with upper and lower extremity muscle groups to treat various diagnoses? In this course, Dr. Rina Pandya, PT, DPT, will explain the theories, evidence, and proper techniques of foam rolling. 

Dr. Pandya will cover:

• Proficiency with the anatomy and physiology of the muscle and the fascia
• Identifying the effect of foam rolling on myofascial and the autonomic nervous system, CNS, cardiovascular, mechanical and neurological systems
• Recognizing the stretch reflex
• Applying the principles of foam rolling on posture, pain and body awareness
• Learning techniques for foam rolling major muscle groups of the upper and lower extremities and correlating to various diagnoses through demonstration videos

Methods of Instruction:

Online audio/video course

Course Instructor:

Rina Pandya, PT, DPT

Target Audience:

Physical Therapists, Physical Therapist Assistants, Occupational Therapists, Occupational Therapist Assistants and Athletic Trainers.

Educational Level:

Intermediate

Prerequisites:

None

Course Goals and Objectives:

At the completion of this course, participants should be able to:

1. Identify the structures related to the anatomy and physiology of the muscle and fascia
2. Recognize fascial pain and identify what fascia does
3. Recognize the evidence-based practice studies supporting foam rolling for various impairments/diagnoses
4. Identify the benefits of foam rolling and trigger point therapy
5. Identify the indications and the contraindications of trigger point therapy, differentiate between SFMA Patterns and Assessments
6. Differentiate between mechanical effects, neurological responses, physiological effects, psychological responses, and cardiovascular effects of foam rolling
7. Identify proper foam rolling techniques
8. Differentiate between different techniques for different muscle groups (cervicothoracic junction, latissimus dorsi, triceps, pectoralis stretch, upper limb neural stretch, upper extremity nerve flossing, lumbosacral junction, piriformis, ITB, quadriceps femoris, hamstring, semitendinosus, semimembranosus, tibialis anterior, gastroc soleus, plantar fascia, tendo-achilles, ankle stretch)
9. Identify balance impairments that are appropriate and would benefit from foam rolling
10. Identify core strengthening and stabilization impairments that are appropriate and would benefit from foam rolling

Criteria for Obtaining Continuing Education Credits:

A score of 70% or greater on the post-test