Stepping Stones Fall Prevention Course

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Stepping Stones LogoMike Johanson, MSPT for Horizon Home Health in Idaho, wrote and has trained Cornerstone and other therapists with his Stepping Stones program of fall prevention. The one-and-a-half-day course helps therapists to further their understanding of differential diagnosis regarding symptoms of dizziness, disequilibrium motion sensitivity, imbalance, gait instability resulting from BPPV, central dizziness, visual weakness, somatosensory loss, musculoskeletal imbalance and movement disorder.

Understanding the Rationale for a Balance and Falls Program

  • Approximately 30 percent of community living adults fall at least once a year
  • Ten to 20 percent of these community living adults have two or more falls a year
  • Falls are the most common mechanism for injury in older adults
  • 10 percent of those who fall will sustain a serious injury
  • Approximately 300,000 hip fractures occur annually in the United States
  • 25 percent of these hip fracture patients will die within one year
  • Somewhere between $25 trillion to $80 trillion are spent on healthcare related to falls

Emotional impact of falls

  • Falls tend to lead to fear, leading to inactivity, leading to loss of confidence, leading to decreased quality of life for patients
  • It is a spiraling downward path to decreased independence and mobility
  • Initial reactions to falls may be to protect, limit mobility and provide restraints — strategies that may decrease the risk of a fall in the short term but ultimately lead to declined mobility and increased risk of falls
  • Forty percent of all nursing home admits are related to a fall. Falls are a major reason for moving up/down the continuum of care provided by hospitals, assisted living facilities, SNF, home health and hospice.

Home health has the ability to make one of the greatest impacts on fall reduction. Being in the patient’s home environment gives us the unique opportunity to identify specific problems, deficits and needs and tailor our approach to treatment to address those needs. Nursing has the ability to identify medical conditions, monitor effectiveness of medications, evaluate/assess vital signs, instruct when there are knowledge deficits and act as a liaison between healthcare provider and patient. Physical, occupational and speech therapists are able to address biological factors that increase the risk for falls, i.e., muscle weakness; gait and balance deficits; visual, vestibular and somatosensory deficits; and cognitive deficits. Physical and occupational therapists can also address environmental risks for falls through home assessment — identifying barriers in the home that might contribute to falls; i.e., clutter, unclear pathways, narrow doorways, throw rugs, insufficient lighting, the need for adaptive equipment, etc. They also provide instruction and training for caregivers and patients as needed to minimize the risk of falls or injury to patients.

How Stepping Stones Improves Quality of Treatment and Outcomes

Quality treatment begins with comprehensive assessment: strength, ROM, posture balance, coordination, cognition and motivation. Traditionally, therapists have been effective at assessing strength, ROM, posture and mobility. A better understanding of balance and the systems that affect it will lead to more targeted treatment plans and strategies to address deficits. Balance assessment should include assessment of sensory input from the visual, vestibular and somatosensory systems as well as strength ROM and posture.

  • Visual system: the primary system for balance. Therapist will assess for conditions affecting visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, depth perception and visual field deficits.
  • Somatosensory system: the ability to feel surfaces below the feet and react appropriately to maintain balance. Therapist will assess for history of peripheral neuropathy and check sensation for light touch and pressure.
  • Vestibular system: provides information to central nervous system about movement of head or body, sense of rotation and acceleration. Allows us to stabilize our vision during head and body movement. Therapist will assess for peripheral and central deficits in this system which might cause dizziness, disequilibrium, sensitivity to motion, inability to focus eyes during head movement and benign paroxysmal position vertigo that is the most common cause of vertigo.
  • Therapists will also assess patient’s ability to integrate these systems to perform specific balance tasks. An assessment of the central nervous system will be done through oculomotor testing, cerebellar testing and test to determine patient’s ability to multitask.

By identifying the strengths and weaknesses of each of these systems, we can develop a tailored plan of treatment that addresses the specific deficits for each patient. Specific balance, sensory integration and oculomotor tests will be performed at the beginning of treatment to establish baseline, at mid-treatment and at the end of treatment to determine the effectiveness of the treatment plan and determine outcomes.

Our experience has shown that The Stepping Stones program has the potential to improve outcomes, decrease risk of falls in the future, decrease hospitalizations due to falls, save Medicare dollars, maximize patient independence and improve quality of life for our patients in a significant way.

G Codes

Implementing the Claims-Based Data Collection Requirement for Part B Therapy Services (aka Functional G Codes)

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G CodesThe Middle Class Tax Relief and Jobs Creation Act of 2012 (MCTRJCA; for more information, see http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CRPT-112hrpt399/pdf/CRPT-112hrpt399.pdf ) states: “The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall implement, beginning on January 1, 2013, a claims-based data collection strategy that is designed to assist in reforming the Medicare payment system for outpatient therapy services subject to the limitations of section 1833(g) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395l(g)). Such strategy shall be designed to provide for the collection of data on patient function during the course of therapy services in order to better understand patient condition and outcomes.”

This claims-based data collection system is being implemented to include both 1) the reporting of data by the SNF and the therapists furnishing the therapy services, and 2) the collection of data by the Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs). This reporting and collection system requires claims for therapy services to include non-payable G-Codes and related modifiers. The non-payable G-Codes and severity/complexity modifiers will provide information about the patient’s functional status at:

  • The outset of the therapy episode of care,
  • Specified points during treatment (i.e., at least once every 10 treatment days), and
  • The time of discharge.

These G-codes and related modifiers are required on all Part B claims provided to residents in our SNF and/or to patients visiting our outpatient treatment centers, regardless of their Part B cap or threshold status.

The functional data reporting and collection system is effective for therapy services with dates of service on or after January 1, 2013. The testing period is in effect until June 30, 2013, to allow us to use the new coding requirements with our Rehab Optima (RO) and Point Click Care (PCC) systems in order to assure that they work. During this testing period, the MACs will continue to process Part B claims without the G-Codes and modifiers. However, claims with therapy services on and after July 1, 2013, will be rejected if they do not contain the required functional G-Code/modifier information.

G Code Sub Sections

There are a total of 42 different G-Codes broken down into the following 14 subsections, each including status codes for current status, goal status and discontinuation status:

  1. Mobility
  2. Changing and Maintaining Body Position
  3. Carrying, Moving and Handling Objects
  4. Self Care
  5. Other PT/OT Primary
  6. Other PT/OT Subsequent
  7. Swallowing
  8. Motor Speech
  9. Spoken Language Comprehension
  10. Spoken Language Expressive
  11. Attention
  12. Memory
  13. Voice
  14. Other Speech-Language Pathology

G Code Modifiers

The Severity/Complexity Modifiers reflect the patient’s percentage of functional impairment as determined by the therapist, physician or non-physician practitioner (NPP) furnishing the therapy services. The patient’s current status, anticipated goal status and the discharge status are reported using the appropriate severity modifiers. The seven modifiers are defined below:

Modifier

Impairment Limitation Restriction

CH

 0 percent impaired, limited or restricted

CI

 At least 1 percent but less than 20 percent impaired, limited or restricted

CJ

 At least 20 percent but less than 40 percent impaired, limited or restricted

CK

 At least 40 percent but less than 60 percent impaired, limited or restricted

CL

 At least 60 percent but less than 80 percent impaired, limited or restricted

CM

 At least 80 percent but less than 100 percent impaired, limited or restricted

CN

 100 percent impaired, limited or restricted

The functional G-Codes and corresponding severity modifiers listed above must be used on the therapy claims beginning July 1, 2013. Only one functional limitation shall be reported at a given time for each related therapy plan of care (POC). However, functional reporting is required on claims throughout the entire episode of care. This means there will be instances where two or more functional limitations will be reported for one patient’s POC, just not during the same time frame. In these situations, where reporting on the first functional limitation is complete and the need for treatment continues, reporting will be required for a second functional limitation using another set of G-Codes. So, the claim may demonstrate a status on more than one functional limitation for a single POC, but the claims would not be used simultaneously.

Rehab Optima has integrated this new functional reporting system into the case manager console, which makes the system very accessible to therapists. In addition, hotlist monitoring has also been added to help with the day-to-day management of the functional G-Code reporting process. Your therapy resource team is testing the new tools and the integration with PCC. We have recorded our Webex trainings from March 26, 2013, so ask your therapy resource if you did not receive the link. The trainings will also be added to our Learning Management System (Brainshark) for those that were unable to attend the Webex. The availability of the functional G-code reporting system is set to go live in Rehab Optima for our facilities beginning April 1, 2013. This will allow our therapists sufficient time to practice using the functional G-codes prior to the July 1, 2013, required date.

If you are interested in reading further about the Functional Reporting System, be sure to check out Medicare Learning Network Matters Number MM8005 on the www.cms.gov website or contact your therapy resource.

Pet Therapy

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elderly caucasian woman petting dog.Can a pet improve the quality of life for a human? Those of us who own pets know they make us happy. But growing scientific research is showing that our pets can also make us healthy, or healthier. That helps explain the increasing use of animals — dogs and cats mostly, but also birds, fish and even horses — in settings ranging from hospitals to nursing homes.

Nursing homes were one of the first settings to graciously open their doors to the concept of pet therapy, which was developed by Therapy Dogs International (TDI) more than 30 years ago. Today, therapy dogs and cats are registered from all types of breeds, and many are rescue animals. In 2012, there were roughly 25,000 therapy dogs registered. All therapy dogs and handlers are volunteers and are located in all 50 states. The typical therapy dog is at least 1 year of age, and each dog must pass a temperament evaluation and demonstrate appropriate behavior around people with the use of some type of service equipment (e.g., wheelchairs or crutches) in order to become a therapy dog.

It is profoundly moving to see how dogs and cats have the ability to help calm and soothe agitated individuals while lifting the spirits of those who are sad and lonely. They provide a medium for physical touch and display unconditional affection for those who may live isolated lives. Therapy pets elicit responses from some nursing home patients who are typically withdrawn and limited in their abilities. Stroking the back of a dog leads to more movement from the patient and, consequently, increased physical activity. The introduction of dogs and cats increases interaction among individuals and promotes a positive change in self-esteem.

Over the last several decades, multiple studies have measured aspects of human interactions with pets (Katcher, Friedman, Goodman & Goodman, 1998; Millot & Filatre, 1986; Stallones, Marx, & Johnson 1990) and demonstrated validity and reliability. Evidence suggests that pets may enhance self-esteem in patients/people and may assist them in socializing with one another (Zimmer, 1996). Several studies report positive social behavior changes after introducing an animal into the nursing home environment or hospital. The Australian Joint Advisory Committee on Pets in Society conducted a six-month study of the interaction of 60 nursing home residents with a dog. Using pre- and post-test questionnaires, they found positive behavior changes in interest and conversation and an increase in participation in activities of daily living (Salmon, Hogarth-Scott & Lavelle, 1982).

Studies show that pets can aid in relaxation, lower one’s blood pressure, promote healing and prolong life. With the addition of a well-trained handler/health-care worker, the mere presence of a dog may facilitate therapeutic intervention with the non-communicative patient, assist in recall of memories and help sequence temporal events in patients with head injuries or chronic degenerative diseases of the brain such as Alzheimer’s disease, as well as teach appropriate behavior patterns to those with emotional disabilities (Brickel, 1991). According to the National Institutes of Health, among older people, the ownership of pets does not help the general illness status but does act in combating depression. Pet therapy has had a more positive response in nursing homes in comparison to arts and crafts or visitors coming in for the day. Indeed, visits with therapy pets encourage reminiscence and social interaction and result in stress relief and incidental physiotherapy (Island, 1996).

Furthermore, Lynch, Thomas and Weir (1993) examined marked physiological responses in patients who had a dog to pet. The heart rate of a patient with dementia decreased by five beats per minute when he was introduced to a dog and was allowed to pet him. Even managed care organizations are studying the idea of price breaks for pet owners. In a prospective yearlong study of 938 Medicare Advantage enrollees, beneficial effects of pet ownership on the general health of senior citizens were suggested (Siegel, 1990). Improvements in the quality of life in nursing homes have been suggested by a survey of the effectiveness of a pet therapy program with monthly visits to nursing homes in Florida. Commonly reported effects of the visits included shared experiences among residents and greater socialization among residents, and it gave them something to anticipate. A pet therapy program appeared to improve the quality of life for some residents (Yates, 1987).

The scientific evidence is plentiful that pet therapy is a great adjunct to improve the quality of life of older adults. It may not be possible to have a therapy dog or cat that lives at every facility, but it might be possible to have a therapy dog visit your facility periodically. Luckily, Therapy Dogs International (TDI) has 25,000 U.S. dog/handler teams whose purpose is to provide comfort and fulfill this need of therapy pets for each facility. A visit by a therapy dog/handler is absolutely free, and TDI will work with an individual facility to identify the best days and times for visits. TDI also provides liability and accident insurance to its volunteer teams. The teams have been carefully tested by qualified evaluators to ensure the well-being of those being visited, and all dog records are reviewed continuously and updated as recommended by the American Animal Hospital Association.

To request a TDI dog/handler team visit, send a request on facility letterhead with information about the facility and the type of visits you are seeking. Include a contact name and number. Fax to (973) 252-7171. Therapy Dogs International , 88 Bartley Road, Flanders, NJ 07836, Phone: (973) 252-9800, Email: tdi@gti.net, website: www.tdi-dog.org

By Jon Anderson, PT, Keystone Therapy Resource

The Alta Project

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Congratulations, Alta Vista Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center, on recently being published in the Winter 2012–13 • Vol. 36 .No. 4 issue of Journal of the American Society on Aging!

The article highlights the Alta Project at Alta Vista’s facility in Brownsville, Texas. Led by Medical Director Dr. Lorenzo Pelly, the project focuses on patient accountability and delivering the highest-quality care before, during and after a patient’s admission. Dr. Pelly continually works with and trains staff to enable them to exceed standard care practices, using the following program goals as a guide toward delivering exceptional care:

  • Improve resident care
  • Reduce the number of rehospitalizations related to errors by 20 percent in less than two years
  • Reduce miscommunication at all levels of the care process
  • Improve healthcare professionals’ decision making through staff education and checklists
  • Increase understanding of criteria for admissions to the nursing home from the hospital
  • Avoid futile care (that which does not improve the illness or quality of life)
  • Promote awareness of highly detailed screening and the cross-referencing network for each resident

With the introduction of the new tools and processes below, the Alta Project offers an industry benchmark through which facilities nationwide can enhance their patients’ care.

Resident Admission Checklist

This checklist, completed by two nurses, reminds the nursing staff to place the new resident close to the nurse’s station and ensures the complete transfer of vital clinical information for each resident. The extra checks and balances enable staff members to obtain all of the information required to prevent rehospitalizations, while also allowing for a seamless transition for the patient from acute care into the facility.

Alta Individual Care Plan

This plan, tailored for each resident, offers complete instructions on the short- and long-term needs of residents, including a detailed analysis of medications, special needs, and timelines for treatment and improvement.

Alta Prevention Cart

This mobile cart is stocked with all of the essential medications and equipment needed to intervene in the event of a medical crisis, such as C-paps, B-pap technology, emergency box with IVs, antibiotics and fluids. By facilitating treatment at the Alta Vista facility, the cart helps to prevent patient rehospitalizations.

The Hospital Re-Admission Log

With this tool, the nursing staff and medical director can instantly identify residents who are most at risk for returning to the hospital in 30 days. It incorporates a tracking log spreadsheet that charts patients from high-risk to manageable status within 30 days.

The Resident Discharge Checklist

This innovative checklist includes a traditional medication reconciliation list and “tracker” designed to assist residents and their families in understanding the care requirements upon patient discharge. The document describes the patient’s common clinical conditions, symptoms and signs to watch for as well as special medical equipment in use. In addition, it provides caregivers with pre- and post-tests that enable caregivers to understand fully the expected level of care for their loved ones.

Alta DOT System

As a complement to the other systems, the DOT System consists of large colored dots placed outside a resident’s room that visually define his or her condition or need for special observation.

Through the Alta Project, residents are offered uninterrupted care as they move from one institution to another — whether from acute care into Alta Vista or from Alta Vista to home or hospice care. All staff members, including certified nursing assistants, nurses, dieticians and pharmacists, are equipped with the education and resources they need to provide seamless transitions — as well ongoing quality care throughout each resident’s stay.

Managed Care Control

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One of the golden opportunities for becoming the rehab facility of choice in your community is to be an extraordinary partner and a preferred provider with managed care organizations. Superior communication is the remarkable simple key to success, yet so many facilities do not implement systems and organizational strategies to keep the external case manager informed and integrated into the overall management of the patient. The external case manager can become our biggest ally, and as trust is built and outcomes are achieved, the result is nothing but extraordinary for our patients.

Some of the key factors that have proved to aid in achieving that goal include providing documentation and updates to the managed care organization’s case manager, either directly or indirectly through a case manager at the facility.

The top five ways the therapy team can help may be summarized through the following tips and ideas:

1) Provide accurate, concise, thorough and comprehensive information. It is critical that the information shared with the managed care organization’s case manager be a reflection of the patient’s current status. It is also a good idea to discuss the overall treatment plan and discharge goals at this time. This review must be supported by documentation and should reflect detailed information relevant to the current status and progression toward the discharge goals for the patient. It should also reflect our commitment to the patient achieving the outcome necessary to produce a successful and safe discharge. Assist by stressing to the team how important the process of identifying a discharge goal is and how it can eventually become warranted justification for extensions in Length of Stay (LOS). If progress has not been made, be prepared to assess if the current stated goals are still appropriate or if a change in treatment plan is required. The managed care case manager will not continue to authorize days or extend a LOS if given the same information week after week and if progress is not evident.

2) Review all documentation/updates before sharing the information with the managed care organization. It is important to review this information before it is presented so you can justify what may be your eventual request for additional days or a higher level of care. For example, if the overall status of the patient has declined since last week, be prepared with an explanation as to why and what occurred prior to anyone calling the managed care organization’s case manager. These are just some of the questions to be considered and answered prior to submitting documentation/updates:

  • Has there been a change in the patient’s overall health status that has impacted the treatment plan for therapy? If yes, make sure it is documented appropriately.
  • Is the patient refusing therapy? If yes, why and how many times has therapy been refused and how has the patient’s progress been affected?
  • If the patient does not seem to be progressing at all, does the documentation/update reflect why? Are we targeting realistic, achievable goals for the patient?
  • Is the current discharge plan achievable? Do we need to revise the plan? Make sure the revisions are communicated with detail as to why. In most situations, sending therapy notes is not sufficient in itself and will probably be sent back with a request for more information. A clear understanding of the content of the entire documentation/update (nursing and therapy) can prove to be a timesaver. Read it before you send it!

3) Ensure timely reporting. Make sure documentation/updates are submitted on the date they are requested. Most managed care organizations will stipulate a deadline for review, but if possible, it is good practice to tell the managed care case manager when the facility team meetings/conferences are held and suggest that updates are scheduled on those days, thereby providing the most current and accurate information. It is good practice to make sure a definitive date for the next review is agreed upon.

4) Anticipate the managed care case manager’s questions/concerns. It is always good practice to try to anticipate what the managed care organization’s case manager will need in order to authorize additional days or bump a patient to a higher level of care. The obvious question is, “Did the patient make appropriate progress?” If the patient has not made appropriate progress, we must be prepared to answer why and give them clinical justification as to why the patient’s inpatient stay should be extended (e.g., strengthening, safety issues, cognition). In any event, the managed care case manager will almost always want to discuss the current treatment and discharge plan’s viability — for example, when the discharge plan is for the patient to return home, but treatment progression has clearly defined the patient unable to gain enough function to manage at home. At this point, the managed care case manager will expect that we identify a new discharge plan. The Ensign Team should recommend to the managed care organization’s case manager the new most appropriate discharge plan. Also, if we are asking for additional services to be covered, we will need to be prepared to explain why that service is needed and how it will impact the agreed-upon discharge goal. For example, if you are requesting more units, be prepared to defend the rationale as to what value the extra units of therapy bring to the outcomes of the patient’s stay.

5) Be able to discuss progress toward desired outcomes/discharge plan and estimated LOS. When giving an update, focus the discussion on the desired result of care and the resultant discharge plan. Concurrent reviews of the patient’s status during the stay should evaluate the appropriateness of the current treatment plan and its success at achieving the final discharge result. For example, let’s say you have an 85-year old man who just suffered a massive stroke. His deficits are significant. Upon admission, he requires maximum assistance with all ADLs and transfers and is only able to take a few steps on the parallel bars. He suffers from significant swallowing problems and currently has a feeding tube. He is also incontinent of both bowel and bladder. His wife is 81 and very small in stature. The team agrees that an appropriate discharge plan must include, but not be limited to, her husband being able to toilet independently, transfer on his own and manage three steps to enter the home in order for the wife to be able to care for him alone. Every time this patient’s progress is reviewed, the focus should be on progression toward the discharge goals. If at some point it is clear that the patient is making minimal progress, the team must re-evaluate and design a more appropriate discharge goal and plan. For instance, it becomes clear that the patient will not reach his goals and be able to go home; you should be able to document that a different option has been identified. Finally, always be prepared to give the managed care organization’s case manager an estimate of how much longer the patient needs to achieve the agreed-upon goals/desired outcomes.

By Dawn Webster, Managed Care Resource

Understanding Seating Systems: Skilled Nursing & Long Term-Term Care

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Curtis Merring, OTR/L, MOT developed a seating and positioning course for our therapy programs, and piloted the training at Panorama Gardens on March 21, 2013. Staff from Panorama, Glenwood, and Mission Care learned about the most recent research and seating and positioning solutions specifically for our population. Curtis will hold the course for more to attend at the Service Center on March 27, 2013. This is an excellent opportunity to develop positioning strategies for both our short-term rehab patients and our long-term residents. We will be offering this course across the organization, so check with your therapy resource for when the training will be in your area.

Kinesio Taping® Course 1 & 2 - Salt Lake City Area

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Where: Salt Lake City College – Jordan Campus

3491 W 9000 S

West Jordan, UT 84088

When: Friday, April 12 11:30 am – 9:00 pm (Dinner Served)

Saturday, April 13 8:00 am – 5:30 pm (Lunch Served)

Ensign Services, Inc. hosts seminars in facilities that are ADA accessible. Please let Kelly Alvord (kalvord@ensigngroup.net) know if you will need any special accommodation.

Instructor: ‘Dee’ Virginia Ellis, PTA, CKTI

Dee is a Physical Therapist Assistant who has practiced in many different settings and states. Dee specializes in aquatic therapy and Pilates based spinal stabilization and orthopedic outpatient rehab. She has been a PTA for 15 years, graduating with her A.A.S. from Community Colleges of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas with a Gerontology Wellness Specialty. She also did undergraduate study at San Diego State University in California. Dee has a special interest in wellness and prevention.

Dee has been a Certified Kinesio® Taping Practitioner for 8 years and has been a Certified Kinesio® Taping Instructor since 2005. She has her American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) Advanced Proficiency in the musculoskeletal realm and was the recipient of the Texas Physical Therapy Association’s (TPTA) Joy Davenport award in 2008. She is an active volunteer in the APTA, the TPTA and the Aquatic Section of the APTA. Dee has presented continuing education on Electrical Modalities, Aquatic Physical Therapy and Kinesio® Taping: Fundamentals and Whole Body Techniques.

Dee currently works for as a PRN for local south Texas hospital systems and home health agencies.

Topic: Kinesio Tape Course (KT1 and KT2)

KT1: Fundamental Concepts & Basic Muscle Applications (To be taken in conjunction with KTAI approved KT2 course)

The KT1 course is designed to introduce practitioners to the Kinesio Taping® Method. During this eight-hour class, the instructor will introduce Kinesio Taping® concepts, theory and history, and discuss the four major physiological effects; skin, muscle, circulatory/lymphatic, and joint. During lab sessions, attendees will have ample time to practice Assessment Tests approved for the enhancement of their Kinesio Taping® skills and muscle applications for both the upper and lower body. Upon completion of this course, attendees will be able to discuss and apply the Kinesio Taping® Method to relax overuse syndromes, stimulate weak muscles, and decrease pain and swelling.

KT2: Advanced Concepts & Corrective Techniques (To be taken in conjunction with KTAI approved KT1 course – prerequisite is completion of KT1 course)

The KT2 course builds on material learned in KT1. During this eight-hour class, the instructor will introduce the six Corrective Techniques (Mechanical, Functional, Space, Fascia, Ligament/Tendon, and Lymphatic) and discuss their application in a variety of clinical conditions. During lab sessions, attendees will have ample time to practice applying these techniques to a variety of upper and lower body conditions. Upon completion of this course, attendees will be able to discuss and apply the Kinesio Taping® Method to orthopedic and neurological conditions.

COURSE OBJECTIVES. Upon completion of this course, the participant will be able to:

  • Describe the concepts of Kinesio Taping®.
  • Review muscular anatomy as it is related to Kinesio Taping®
  • Explain and apply the concepts of the Kinesio Taping® Method.
  • Describe the unique qualities of the Kinesio Tex Tape.
  • Recognize the principles of Kinesio Tex Tape application.
  • Utilize and demonstrate application skills in guided laboratory sessions.
  • Demonstrate application skills during lab sessions.
  • Practice the various cutting techniques and their clinical application.
  • Apply Kinesio Taping® Method to relax and stimulate muscles.
  • Apply Kinesio Taping® Methods for pain, swelling, joint mobility and stability.
  • Apply various taping techniques for treatment of the spine, and upper/ lower extremity dysfunction
  • Apply various taping techniques for treatment of unique conditions using the concepts and principals of the Kinesio Taping® Method.

Who Should Attend? PTs, OTs, ATs, DCs, LACs, MTs, PTAs, OTAs and other medical practitioners. THIS COURSE IS INTENDED FOR LICENSED HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONERS ONLY.

CEUS: You can submit 16 hours continuing education credits to UT Physical Therapy Association. The Kinesio Taping® Association is an approved provider for AOTA (Provider # 4489). The assignment of AOTA CEU’s does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA. The Kinesio Taping® Association is recognized by the Board of Certification, Inc. (BOC) to offer continuing education for certified athletic trainers (provider # P2293). Kinesio Taping Association is approved by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) as a Continuing Education Approved Provider (Provider #450030-06).

Cancellation/Refunds: No refunds

KINESIO TAPING® AGENDA

Friday, April 12, Day 1 – Fundamental Kinesio Taping

11:30 Sign in

12:00 Instructor Introduction and Bio

12:10 – 2:00 Introduction to Kinesio Taping Concepts, Theory and History, Qualities of Kinesio Tape, Differences, Benefits and Finger Demonstration, introduction of Five Major Physiological Effects and Skin Function, Circulatory Function, KT Skin & Fascia Function, Iliocostalis Lumborum Demo Lab, KT Muscle Function and Basic App Concepts

2:00 Break

2:15-3:30 Joint Function; Biotensegrity; Application Basics, Directional Lab – Upper Trapezius, Challenges, Contraindications & Precautions, Intro to KT Assessment Tests

3:50 Q&A

4:15-6:15 KT Cervical Flexion Assessmet, Longissimus Cervicis (Cervical Paraspinals) Application Lab, KT Cervical Extension Assessment, Scalenus Anterior Lab, KT Trunk Flexion Assessment, Rectus Abdominis App Lab, KT Pectoral Girdle Assessment, Pectoralis Major and Rhomboid Major Lab,

6:15 Dinner

6:45–8:00 KT Hip Rotation Assessment with Lab, Gluteus Medius App Lab, KT Leg Raise Assessment with Lab, Quadriceps Femoris App Lab, Review Five Major Physiological Systems, App Concepts, Assessment Questions, Extensor Digitorum Lab, Hamstrings Lab

8:00-9:00 Assessment Q&A; KT1 Review & Q&A, Application Requests; Conclusion

Day 2- Advanced Kinesio Taping

8:00 – 10:05 Overnight Responses, Troubleshooting, Assessment Questions, & KT1 Review, Basic Concepts of Corrective Techniques, Tension guidelines, & Precautions., Mechanical Correction, Y Technique with tension in the Tails and base, Mechanical Correction, I Technique, Mechanical Correction Lab: Patellar Tracking, Mechanical Correction, Shoulder Instability, Mechanical Correction Lab: Shoulder Instability

10:05 Break

10:20 – 11:30 Introduction to Fascia Correction, Fascial Oscillation and Gliding. “Y” Tension in Tails, Tension in Base, Rams Head., Fascia Correction, Y Technique with tension on the tails. Manual Fascial Glide Correction With Tension through the tails., Fascia Correction Lab, Fascia Correction, Y Technique with tension through the base. Manual Fascia Winding Correction Technique with tension in base., Fascia Correction Lab, “Y” Strip: Tension on Tails, Rams Head App, Fascia Correction Lab

11:30 Lunch

12:30 – 3:10 Introduction To Space Correciton. Space Correction “I” Technique, Space Correction “Donut Hole” App. Space Correction Lab, Space Correction “Star” App. Space Correction “Button Hole & I Strip” App. Space Correction Lab, Space Correction “Web” App and Lab, Introduction To Ligament/Tendon Correction, Ligament Correction, Tendon Correction “I” & “Y” Techniques, Ligament & Tendon Correction Lab

3:10 Break

3:25 – 5:15 Tendon Correcton with Plantar Fasciitis App, Tendon Correction With Plantar Fasciitis Lab, Introduction to Functional Correction, Function Correcton Technique, Functional Correction Lab, Introduction To Circulatory / Lymphatic Correction, Circulatory / Lymphatic Correction “Fan” Technique Lab, KT Clinical App Finger, Documentation, Billing, Precautions, Contraindications and Rules, Assessment Questions, Glossary Review, Application Requests and Q&A

5:10 – 5:30 Assessment Questions, Glossary Review, Application Requests; Q&A; Conclusion

COST: $569 for licensed professionals

$369 for students (limited space available)

$100 for Professionals working in a facility supported by Ensign Services, Inc.

Questions/Information/Registration: Kelly Wallerstedt, Ensign Services – Therapy

kwallerstedt@ensigngroup.net or 602-538-6783