Jeff Morton - Physio
The Force Awakens:
How to REALLY use biomechanics in practice
Biomechanics is a huge field of science which has been misapplied to musculoskeletal healthcare for decades. Ideas of what 'optimal' movement is and dogma associated with certain movements such as spinal flexion and knee valgus is slowly changing.
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Improvements in pain and disability have rarely been found to be attributed to changes in different biomechanical variables through the various treatments that we use, which has maybe left a proportion of us believing that biomechanics don't really matter.
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This course has been designed for people who may not have a strong grounding in biomechanics, to learn and explore what this field actually is and how it can be correctly applied to clinical work.
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Throughout the day we will cover topics including misapplications in the past, what the main branches of biomechanics are before settling in to learn more about forces (kinetics) and how these determine, in part, what movement we are capable of and what we should be setting as goals.
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Alongside this, we will introduce the concept of ecological psychology and its partnership with the field of biomechanics. This is crucial to understand the why behind movement and open up new avenues for us to treat our patients whilst keeping true to biomechanical laws.
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Please see below for the detailed course schedule.
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*Private group bookings are available for this with an optional additional case studies day. Please reach out to me to discuss!
Day Schedule
Please find below our jam packed schedule for the day!
09:00 - 09:15
Introduction
Who we are and what to expect from the day.
09:15 - 10:00
So what even is biomechanics?
Exploring the group perceptions of what ‘biomechanics’ means to us, it’s clinical relevance and applications historically and now.
10:00 - 10:45
The Force Awakens: What can learning about kinetics afford us?
In this module we will explore some background theory with specific reference to force vectors and moment arms before moving into translating these ideas to real examples. How can a knowledge of these principles inform our rehab planning and exercise prescription?
11:00 - 11:45
Optimal movement doesn't matter: So what does?
In this module we will introduce the principles of ecological dynamics as a way to view movement and act as a framework for rehabilitation with a combination of taught content and group work. Ultimately, we will ask the question – what are we actually aiming for when it comes to movement?
11:45 - 12:30
Should you constrain or refrain for the rehab gain?
How can we use the knowledge of biomechanics and ecological dynamics as principles to guide our rehab? Do we need to reduce movement options in rehab or do we need to promote more movement options?​
12:30 - 13:00
Lunch
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13:00 - 14:30
Becoming a puppet master: Get them to move and improve like you want them to!
In this module we will share our collective experience of how we can ensure exercise is completed in the way that we want, in order to expose the tissues we want to the right mechanical stress.
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From building strength to more dynamic movements... we cover it all!
15:00 - 16:30
Can't resist the impulse any longer: It's time to talk about force, time and momentum!
This extremely forced joke I am hoping will at least be understood by the end of the day!
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We turn our focus in this module towards our cohort of patients that need to be able to move quickly and reactively. What does this look like from a biomechanics perspective and how can we plan our rehab around it, using our new frameworks with a sprinkle of dynamic correspondence.
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More case studies, more movement!
16:30 - 17:00
Closing remarks and thinking about what is next
We summarise our key take aways from the day and think about how we can develop this thinking moving forwards.