SFMA Certification Course Selective Functional Movement Assessment
Physical Therapy Continuing Education Course Description:
The Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) certification course is designed for the healthcare professional that routinely treats patients with musculoskeletal conditions across the lifespan. Maintaining or restoring precise movement of specific segments is the key to preventing or correcting musculoskeletal dysfunction. Normal movement is achieved through an adequate balance of mobility and stability to meet the demands of the task at hand. The human system migrates toward predictable patterns of movement in response to injury or in the presence of weakness, tightness, or structural abnormality. An isolated or regional approach to evaluation and treatment will not restore complete function. When the clinical assessment is initiated from the perspective of a movement pattern, the clinician has the opportunity to identify meaningful impairments that may be seemingly unrelated to the main musculoskeletal complaint, but contributes to the associated disability. Functional restoration requires a map of dysfunctional patterns and a working knowledge of functional patterns in order to gain clinical perspective and design effective interventions. The SFMA approach is based on the premise that pain and dysfunction occur as a result of impaired patterns of movement. Specific musculoskeletal dysfunction is considered the consequence rather than the cause of faulty movement patterns. Emphasis is placed upon identifying the root cause of the dysfunction rather than source of the symptoms. Therefore. the SFMA assessment guides the clinician to the most dysfunctional non-painful movement pattern, which is then assessed in detail. By addressing the most dysfunctional non-painful pattern, the application of targeted interventions (manual therapy and therapeutic exercise) is not adversely affected by pain.
The Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) offers healthcare providers a new approach to the treatment of pain and dysfunction. Once Clinical Predictive Rules and diagnosis-specific techniques are exhausted, applying the SFMA model will allow for individualized exercise prescription and progression, which encompasses the concept of regional interdependence. As musculoskeletal system experts, it is essential that healthcare providers understand the relationships between body segments and how impairments in one body region may adversely affect function of another body region. Approaching therapeutic exercise prescription from a movement perspective model allows the concepts of muscle imbalance and regional interdependence to be addressed in a logical, methodical manner. Our standardized clinical model ensures isolating the cause of injury and efficient care.
The goal of this SFMA certification course is to provide a standardized algorithmic system to identify impaired patterns of functional movement. The SFMA approach is designed to complement the existing exam and serve as a model to efficiently integrate the concepts of posture, muscle balance, and the fundamental patterns of movement into musculoskeletal practice. The examination consists of observing functional movement patterns and testing muscle length and strength in relationship to those movement patterns. The SFMA is a comprehensive movement assessment used to categorize movement patterns and link the assessment information to the initial therapeutic exercise strategy. The examination process then drives therapeutic intervention selection.
This course will cover the background, philosophy and evidence related to movement testing and regional interdependence in a lecture format. Then participants will enjoy a demonstration and laboratory sessions covering the full body movement tests and corrective exercise strategies of the SFMA. Participants will be taught the assessment criteria and ample lab time will be given to ensure the participants are comfortable integrating the tests immediately into their clinical practice. All of the information provided is practical, useful, logical, and can be incorporated into clinical practice immediately.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
Following the completion of this SFMA certification course, the participant should be able to:
- Acknowledge and understand the importance of identifying dysfunctional movement patterns.
- Describe the purpose and components of the SFMA examination.
- Understand the role of pain provocation during the examination process and appreciate that pain alters motor control.
- Competently perform the SFMA base screen and all portions of the breakouts derived from the base tests.
- Use the information gained from the SFMA base screen and breakouts to select key impairments in order to establish a diagnosis.
- Describe and demonstrate intervention strategies and techniques based upon the SFMA findings in order to normalize dysfunctional movement.
- Link the assessment information to the initial therapeutic exercise strategy and initiate the most appropriate treatment interventions (manual therapy and functional exercise) into the traditional rehabilitation program to normalize dysfunctional movement.
- Evaluate the intervention effectiveness by monitoring the initial changes in dysfunction and impairment to guide the therapeutic exercise progression.
DAY ONE
08:00-12:30
- Principles And Concepts of Dysfunctional Movement Impairments
- SFMA Introduction: The Base Screen
- Integrating movement theory with practice (lecture-lab)
- Isolating Dysfunction With The SFMA
- Cervical Dysfunction Assessment (demonstration of breakout principles)
- Exercise Program – Progression Design: (Lecture/Lab)
- Developing a rehab program based on the SFMA
- Linking the results to exercise.
- Corrective exercise selection based on the SFMA results
12:30-01:30 – LUNCH
01:30-05:00
- SFMA Break-Out Assessments with Corrections (Lecture-Demonstration-Lab)
- Overhead Deep Squat
- Single Leg Stance
- Multi-Segmental Flexion Assessment
DAY TWO
08:00-12:00
- SFMA Break-Out Assessments with Corrections (Lecture-Demonstration-Lab)
- Multi-Segmental Extension
- Spine Extension
- Upper Body Extension
- Lower Body Extension
- Multi-segmental Rotation
- Spine Rotation
- Spine Rolling
- Hip Rotation
- Tibia Rotation
12:00-01:00 – LUNCH
01:00-05:00
- Optional Assessments to increase the sensitivity of your evaluation
- Case Studies
- Question and answer wrap up