A Movement System Approach to the Evaluation and Treatment of the Injured Runners and Ways to Leverage Technology for Movement Assessment 

Continuing Education Opportunity (3.0 hours)

Cost: $50 donation to the PT PAC of Missouri
Donations to the PAC are used for political purposes and are not tax deductible.

Location: Capital Region Medical Center Physician Office Building (located adjacent to the hospital on the North side of the campus)

Tunnel/Wherritt Community Room

Course Description

In recent years, running has become an increasingly popular form of physical activity.  Estimates suggest that the number of runners in the United States has increased to up to 4 to 14 million individuals over the past several years.  Running is a relatively cheap and effective form of physical activity, making it a common choice of exercise for a variety of people.  However, running is not without risk.  Recreational and competitive runners alike can sustain injuries as a result of improper training, poor running mechanics, and underlying movement faults.  Healthcare professionals, specifically physical therapists, are becoming more involved with the evaluation and treatment of running injuries.  The purpose of this course is to provide information that will enable the healthcare professional to thoroughly evaluate the injured runner and to confidently prescribe appropriate intervention techniques.  The course will highlight proper running mechanics and describe common running injuries that occur with improper technique. A movement system evaluation will be described to identify specific impairments of muscle strength, length, and recruitment that are relevant to the injured runner.   Specific interventions to modify running mechanics will be discussed, to include various advancements in wearable technology. 

Learning Objectives

After completion of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Understand the physical stress theory as it relates to common running injuries, including the specific impact of sustained postures and repeated movements.
2. Explain how specific impairments of muscle strength, length, and recruitment can adversely affect running mechanics.
3. Describe common running injuries and understand the relationship of faulty running mechanics to these injuries. 
4. Describe specific tests and measures that can be used to thoroughly evaluate the injured runner.
5. Identify specific movement impairments of the hip, knee, or ankle that can contribute to running injuries, and be able to name the specific pattern of impairment. 
6. Describe specific interventions (exercise, education, and physical agents/modalities) that can be used to successfully treat the injured runner.
7. Understand the technology that can be used by the physical therapist or the consumer to assess running mechanics and training effectiveness

Presenter's Bio

Gregory Holtzman, PT, DPT, SCS is an Associate Professor of Physical Therapy at Washington University in St Louis, as well as, the Associate Director of Clinical Practice. Dr. Holtzman maintains a clinical practice with an emphasis on the evaluation and treatment of lower back and lower extremity pain and injury.  In 2011, Dr. Holtzman developed the Washington University Running Clinic and has since been specializing in the treatment of both recreational and competitive runners.   While Dr. Holtzman is heavily involved in instructing entry level physical therapy students in courses related to outpatient musculoskeletal care, he has also been invited to speak both nationally and internationally on the evaluation and treatment of the injured runner.  Dr. Holtzman enjoys running, traveling, and spending time with his family.