Health Behavior Coaching Skills for Physical Therapists and Physical Therapist Assistants

Speaker: MarySue Ingman, PT, DSc

Course Description

PTs and PTAs are uniquely qualified and positioned within the health care system to assess, address and monitor these and other lifestyle behaviors in their patients/clients. PTs provide a dynamic link between health care and health because of their skill in creating a physical therapy plan of care that addresses the patient/client’s functional limitations and is supplemented by their ability to provide a holistic and personalized plan focused on the modification of lifestyle behaviors. 
While PTs and PTAs have the knowledge and skills to support patients/clients to adopt healthy lifestyle behaviors, they are not consistently capitalizing on the opportunities afforded to them in their daily clinical practices. Some of the barriers cited as to why there is a discrepancy between what physical therapists are capable of doing and what they are actually doing include low self-efficacy in how to advise/coach patients on behavior modification and having low outcome expectations that the behavior changes made by their patients/clients will persist. The improvement and practice of counseling skills by physical therapists and assistants in health behavior change and lifestyle coaching is paramount to successful adoption and maintenance of healthy behaviors in their patients/clients. 
The learning objective for this course will be to:

• Explain the importance of health promotion and wellness initiatives in our society
• Explain the role of physical therapists and physical therapist assistants in prevention and health promotion
• Identify and appreciate how physical therapists and physical therapist assistants can address the key environmental/educational/behavioral determinants of health that are adversely affecting the health of the population
• Describe the principles and key constructs of motivational interviewing
• Initiate and engage the patient/client in discussions about health behavior change  

Speaker Biography

MarySue Ingman is Associate Professor in the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at St Catherine University in Minneapolis, MN.  Her physical therapy Bachelor’s Degree as well as her Master of Science Degree is from the University of Minnesota. She received her Doctor of Science degree in Health Promotion and Wellness from Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions in 2011.  Her research interests include the role of physical therapists in health promotion in clinical practice as well as the relationship of physical activity and quality of life in patients who have had bariatric surgery.  Over the past 10 years she has taught numerous courses on the role of physical therapists in promoting health and wellbeing with their patients.  

Concussion Treatment: Introductory Overview of Concussion Diagnosis, Evaluation, and Treatment

Speakers: Scott Peterson, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS and Kate Kennedy, PT, DPT

Course Description

This course will describe the pathophysiology and epidemiology of concussions and discuss the latest guidelines related to concussions. A review of the method and tools in the evaluation of concussions, as well treatment approach and strategies. 

Speaker Biographies

Scott Peterson, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS is a staff physical therapist at Catalyst Sports Medicine in Hudson, WI, a private outpatient clinic and sports performance center. He specializes in treating sports medicine and orthopedics patients. Scott also treats general vestibular conditions, with primary focus on concussion rehab. Scott is board certified in orthopaedic physical therapy (OCS). He received his Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2010. Prior to his DPT, he earned a B.S. in Exercise Science: Movement Science from Winona State University in Winona, MN in 2007. He has been a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialists through the National Strength and Conditioning Association since 2007. He is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and the Sports Section of the APTA, as well as Sports Performance, Knee, and Shoulder special interest groups.

Caitlin Kennedy, PT, DPT is a staff physical therapist at Catalyst Sports Medicine in Hudson, WI and specializes in general orthopedic conditions, sports medicine and post-operative patient conditions. She is currently working on APTA orthopedic specialist certification (OCS) and has a special interest in treating dancers, gymnasts, yoga enthusiasts, and patients with post-concussion syndrome. She also works at Capitol View Transitional Care Center in St. Paul as an on-call therapist on weekends treating patients with brain injury and trauma.  

The Therapeutic Alliance: Patient Therapist Interactions Matter More than You May Think 
My Clinical Instructor (CI) is Wrong!: What to Do When Your CI Demonstrates Unwarranted Practice Variation

Speaker: James W. Matheson PT, DPT, MS, OCS, SCS, CSCS 

Course Description

Therapeutic Alliance: A successful physical therapy episode of care may depend a great deal upon the non-specific effects of a positive or enhanced alliance between the patient and the physical therapist. This relationship is referred to as the therapeutic alliance and is thought to make a significant contribution to the total change that patients make in treatment. Over the past two decades, the importance of an enhanced therapeutic alliance has been examined in the psychotherapy therapeutic setting, whereas the examination of therapeutic alliance in the field of physical therapy is new. Recent systematic reviews in both of these therapeutic settings illustrate that the therapeutic alliance is moderately correlated to treatment adherence, patient satisfaction, and physical function.

My CI is Wrong: This course will focus on defining unwarranted practice variations in physical therapy and review several logical fallacies that experienced clinical practitioners hold. Unfortunately, because of the hierarchical teaching model, students often develop some of the pseudoscience behaviors of their CI’s and lose critical thinking skills that were taught in the classroom. Several case scenarios will be presented.

Speaker Biography

Speaker Biography: J.W. Matheson PT, DPT, MS, SCS, OCS, CSCS is a 1996 graduate of the Mayo Clinic of Health Sciences. J.W. is a 2001 graduate of the first public APTA Credentialed Sports Physical Therapy residency at Gundersen Sports Medicine in Onalaska, WI. He is both a board certified specialist in sports physical therapy and a board certified specialist in orthopaedic physical therapy. J.W. completed his transitional DPT degree from the Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions in 2005. Dr. Matheson is a respected author and clinical researcher. He has authored and co-authored several peer-reviewed research articles on specific exercises for the spine, knee, and shoulder.  J.W. integrates clinical outcomes and functional measurements into his daily clinical practice and is currently working with several payers on different models of reimbursement based on rehabilitation outcomes. He has presented nationally at conferences on the integration of patient reported and functional outcomes into clinical practice. Dr. Matheson is President and Clinic Director of Catalyst Sports Medicine. This is a private outpatient physical therapy practice and sports performance center located in Hudson, Wisconsin. J.W. is an active member of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and serves on several legislative and research committees locally and nationally.  He is also co-host of the popular “PT Inquest” podcast and may be found on Twitter at @EIPConsult.  

An Overview of Aquatic PT

Speakers: Mary Perzel, PT, DPT, Erin Katzmark, PT, DPT & Jeanna Dwyer, PT, DPT

Course Description

This course will be a brief overview of the unique setting of aquatic physical therapy. We will present the types of patients seen, properties of water that effect treatment, benefits of aquatic therapy vs. traditional land therapy, and types of treatment. These types of treatments include BAD RAGAZ, Pilates, Yoga, Balance Drills, games for the kiddos, and strengthening exercises.   

Speaker Biographies

Jeanna Dwyer, PT, DPT graduated PT school from St. Kate’s in 2011 and started working for Fairview as part of the Flexible Work Force team, in which she would float between the University of MN Medical Center, Masonic Children’s Hospital, Fairview Southdale and Fairview Ridges. In 2013 she started working in aquatic therapy, treating both adults and pediatric patients. She now primarily sees pediatric patients at the outpatient facility in Burnsville, but once per week treats patients at the pool.
 
Erin Katzmark, PT, DPT is a MN native and moved to Boston, MA after graduating from the University of Minnesota with her Bachelors in Psychology. She spent 6 years in Boston and graduated last January with her Doctor of Physical Therapy from MGH Institute of Health Professions in MA. Her final internship was an outpatient setting treating individuals with neurological, vestibular, gait and balance disorders, and after graduating she was hired to continue working there as a licensed therapist. She moved back to MN in September to be closer to family and loved ones, and has been working for Fairview in an outpatient setting treating a similar patient population. She treats patients with neuromuscular disorders including: Parkinson’s disease, cerebrovascular accident, brain injury, multiple sclerosis and cerebral palsy. She also assesses and treats vestibular dysfunctions ranging from common peripheral disorders to complex central etiologies using equipment like xDVR Goggles. She just started working as an aquatic therapist 2x/week in the past few months and loves the patient population and seeing the therapeutic benefit of exercising in the water.
 
Mary Perzel, PT, DPT graduated from the University of Minnesota Physical Therapy Program in 2013. She has been working for Fairview for 7 years starting as an aide and now as a physical therapist. She works in the acute care setting at Ridges Hospital as well as the outpatient setting at the YMCA as a pool therapist. She has attended continuing education on pool therapy and very much enjoys this setting of physical therapy.

Muscle Energy Technique: Applications in Orthopedics

Speaker: Galen Wetzell, PT, DPT, OCS

Course Description

This course will discuss muscle energy technique within the historical context of manual therapy as well as its current place within the realm of evidence based practice.  Participants will then be presented with methods of diagnosis and treatment using the muscle energy model.  

Speaker Biography

Galen Wetzell graduated from St. Catherine University in 2010 with a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. In 2012 he completed an Orthopedic Residency program at Riverside Physical Therapy in Grants Pass, OR and in 2013 he was Board Certified as an Orthopedic Clinical Specialist. He currently works at PTOSI in Plymouth, MN specializing in manual therapy for the spine and extremities.