If you are travelling to attend this course/practical from outside of the province/country where you are registered to practice, please make sure you inquire with the College of the province where you are traveling to as to whether you require a temporary/courtesy licence.
Two-part format course:
The lecture component will be conducted as a live-online course October 27-28, 2023 from 10:30am-6:30 pm ET (Toronto). You will be able to ask questions or just sit back and listen. All pre-recorded labs will be played.
In-Person Labs - to be completed in-person on October 29, 2023 at various set locations: Vaughan, ON / Perth, ON / Calgary, AB / Edmonton, AB / Abbotsford, BC / Kelowna, BC / Winnipeg, MB / Saskatoon, SK / Dartmouth, NS / Paradise, NL / Rothesay, NB. Attendance of both sessions (lecture and practical) is mandatory.
Course Description
Urinary incontinence is an important health issue that has traditionally not been well managed. One in four females and one in nine males are affected by urinary incontinence. Ongoing research into core dynamics recognizes the pelvic floor as an important component of core retraining, and yet, accurate assessment and treatment techniques of the pelvic floor are lacking in clinical practice. Hypertonicity vs. hypotonicity of these muscles needs to be addressed through palpatory assessment of the pelvic floor. The Cochrane Collaboration (2010) has demonstrated that internal pelvic floor muscle training has Level 1 evidence in treating urinary incontinence. Physiotherapists need to go beyond teaching externally driven Kegels in order to effectively rehabilitate the pelvic floor.
Support documents, including assessment forms and patient handouts are included in the course cost.
Through completion of this course, participants will:
- Acquire knowledge of anatomy and physiology of micturition, as well as pertinent pathologies for incontinence
- Acquire knowledge of anatomy and physiology of pelvic organ prolapse
- Acquire knowledge of the urodynamic and urological investigation procedures, as well as medical and surgical treatments for urinary incontinence
- Perform an evaluation of the pelvic floor rectally and vaginally
- Establish and perform a treatment plan and its progression for incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse
- Use manual and behavioural techniques, biofeedback, and electrical stimulation to treat urinary incontinence, as well as pelvic organ prolapse
Audience: This course is open to physiotherapists, physiotherapy students, naturopathic doctors, naturopathic students, registered nurses, midwives and medical doctors. Labs include internal palpation.
Prerequisites: None - beginner level course
Please Note:
This course is both lecture format and practical labs with vaginal and rectal palpation.
The Non-internal Introductory Pelvic Floor Course is not a prerequisite to register for this course.
Registration Form
Schedule
Date/Time:
Live-Online Lecture - October 27-28, 2023 from 10:30am-6:30pm ET (Toronto)
In-Person Labs - to be completed in-person on October 29, 2023 at various set locations: Vaughan, ON / Perth, ON / Calgary, AB / Edmonton, AB / Abbotsford, BC / Kelowna, BC / Winnipeg, MB / Saskatoon, SK / Dartmouth, NS / Paradise, NL / Rothesay, NB. Attendance of both sessions (lecture and practical) is mandatory.
Instructor
PHS Team
Resources
The resources listed below are included in the cost of the course and will be provided to each participant in electronic, PDF format upon successful completion of the course.
Documents:
Education
- AIRBAGs and potty talk
- Bladder irritants – urge
- Bladder re-training
- Complete evacuation
- Constipation
- Double voiding
- Electrical Stimulation
- Fibre – insoluble
- Fibre – soluble
- Fibre solutions
- ILU massage
- Medications
- Pelvic organ prolapse
- Post-prostatectomy instructions
- Post-void dribble
- Screening questionnaire
- Female pelvic floor
- Male pelvic floor
- Urge delay
- UTI prevention
- Vulvar care
Exercise/Stretches
- 8 minute core challenge
- Breathing
- Considerations for RD
- Constructive rest
- Core progressions
- Developing awareness of core muscles
- Face the day
- Functional core progressions using pelvic floor muscles
- Go to exercises
- Strengthening exercises for the pelvic floor
Resources
- Bladder diary
- DASS scoring
- Fibre diary
- Sample introductory letter pelvic health
- Symptom monitor
- Sample assessment report
- Protocol for response to adverse reactions
- Pelvic floor objective assessment
- Pelvic muscle electrical stimulation
What people are saying
The level I Physical Therapy Approach to Female and Male Urinary Incontinence went above and beyond my expectations. I went into the course with the goal of getting a general overview of urinary incontinence in women and men. I had no idea how much I’d learn and that I would feel comfortable enough to start practicing.
The course material’s depth and breadth was just the right amount. The instructors were outstanding. They were extremely knowledgeable, patient and helpful. They were able to explain complex issues using diagrams, jokes, and coloured pictures. At one time, they had 8 people up at the front of the room holding different colors of theraband intricately, so we could understand the anatomy better.
The resources provided in the course handbook were invaluable. The handbook included assessment sheets, marketing ideas, evidence-based articles, websites, outcome measures, and apps (just to name a few).
The practical component of the course really helped me to solidify my learning. We had approximately 11 hours during the course of hands-on experience. Being able to implement assessment and treatment techniques on different partners helped me to feel more comfortable and confident with the female anatomy and also with assessing and treating urinary incontinence.
I’ve been practicing manual physiotherapy for 17 years. This was my favorite course, and it left me excited to take the next level.
– Sara G
An excellent first step in pelvic health physiotherapy training. Comprehensive course notes with the most current research references. Superb teaching with dynamic instructors who are willing to share their knowledge base and ample lab time to practice and learn from the instructors and lab assistants.
– Sheela Z
I thoroughly enjoyed and learned an incredible amount during this course. This was my first pelvic health course and I was anxious about learning anatomy, physiology, and clinical patterns associated with urinary incontinence in one weekend. However, the anatomy and physiology were reviewed extensively in multiple different forms. The assessment and treatment techniques were demonstrated and ample opportunity was given to practice and ask questions. I highly recommend this course to anyone interested in pelvic health.
– Lauren M
I went into the Level I course, The Physical Therapy Approach to Female and Male Incontinence, with limited knowledge and understanding of pelvic health. After the course, I felt prepared and confident to use the knowledge and skills I learned from the course in my clinical practice. The course instructors were experienced and supportive of my learning. I would recommend this course to anyone interested in integrating pelvic health into their practice!
– Devonna T