Physical Therapy Certifications
This month CE For Therapy has partnered with PESI Inc. to offer the online course Orthopedic Myofascial Certificate: Solutions for Pain, Posture & Mobility. Link to Course Join Theresa Schmidt, PT, DPT, MS, OCS, LMT, CEAS, CHy to build a solid foundation in the leading soft tissue treatment techniques, including: Myofascial Release, Cupping, Trigger Point Release, Positional Release (strain and counterstrain), Foam rollers and Mobilization Tools, AND MORE!
CE For Therapy has an extensive database of Physical Therapy Certifications, Methods, Techniques, Specialties, and Topics offered by Continuing Education Providers. If you are aware of additional Physical Therapy Certifications, Specialties, Methods, Techniques, or Topics that you think should be added, please contact us.
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Physical Therapy Certifications and Techniques
The live webinar course will examine Rx and non-Rx medicine used in the therapy setting and will cover adverse effects that influence treatment and outcomes. Information will focus on drug actions and patient errors when treating pain, as well as common disorders of the musculoskeletal, neurologic, cardiorespiratory, and endocrine systems. Common OTC drugs and herbals are examined for occult hazards and drug interactions. Unique responses of gender and special populations will be emphasized. Electronic resources for free drug-related information will be demonstrated. The IAOM-US Certification in OMT is a career-defining achievement. For this reason, it is a life-long credential. The IAOM-US offers the clinician the resources and tools which serve as a segue to expanding horizons and reaching new milestones. This Live Webinar course is designed to provide participants with evidence based research that will contribute to their development and implementation of best practices of therapeutic intervention programs within a NICU environment. This course will arm the NICU therapist with the ability to apply evidence based assessment, application and intervention services for the babies and families they work with. Contemporary NDT has undergone a paradigm shift that promotes thinking and doing in a new way! This Live Webinar course specifically helps therapists provide evidence-based early intervention in order to impact a baby and family’s life. Find out how and why this age is the time to emphasize prevention to maximize outcomes for gross motor, fine motor and respiration. This Live Webinar course will concentrate on progressive, effective evaluation and treatment schemes for infants and young children with a diagnosis of torticollis, including challenging cases. The course is designed to provide therapists with current research and recommendations pertaining to the implications of torticollis, sleep posture and increased use of positional devices on infant postural and motor development. Current evidence-based clinical pathways and guidelines for management of torticollis and related movement impairments, including Clinical Practice Guidelines from APTA – Academy of Pediatric Physical Therapy, will be incorporated. The Healthy-Steps Certification training program is offered as an intensive two or three day workshop. The Instructor Certification includes technical training, as well as access to marketing resources and how-to guides, promotional materials and licensed merchandise. As a Healthy-Steps instructor, you'll also have access to a world-wide network of Healthy-Steps instructors, providing each other with guidance, expertise and encouragement. In this Certification Workshop you will receive comprehensive training, including the guidelines of Healthy-Steps, when your client should begin and how to alter program as needed, music and it's impact on recovery, and when to refer to other health care professionals. The Complete Concussion Management (CCMI) program provides partnered clinics with everything needed to implement an effective, evidence-based concussion management program. Through practitioner education, continuous research updates, state-of-the-art Concussion Testing and Management Software, access to marketing resources and technology tools, the CCMI program has been proven to help our Certified Clinics and Clinicians improve patient outcomes and stay at the forefront of concussion management, treatment, and rehabilitation. This course offers a comprehensive perspective for management of the limb loss patient. Clinical expertise can be difficult to obtain since this population is a small proportion of the rehabilitation caseload. Current research, expert opinions from PT, OT, orthopedic and plastic surgeons, PM&R, prosthetists, as well as patient experiences will be presented. The class addresses the medical issues and common complications that place limbs at risk. Attendees will learn to make educated clinical decisions to improve function. This Live Webinar course will provide practical and effective intervention strategies for these children. Underlying etiologies of clumsiness (developmental coordination disorders) as well as newer concepts of motor control and motor development will be discussed in relationship to other neurophysiologic concepts. This course will discuss evaluation tools to isolate the roots of the problem and treatment techniques and suggestions for the classroom utilizing an integrated approach. Functional outcomes and clinical effectiveness will be emphasized. This course aims to provide an understanding of how vision and visual processing affects persons with brain injury or disease and how therapists can address these needs within a rehabilitation setting. Participants will receive a foundation of the anatomy and neurology of visual processing. The course will then provide an understanding of visual function skills and their effect on occupation. Participants will also be provided with resources and evidenced based screening measures and guidelines for evaluating visual skills and will have the opportunity for hands on learning, administering these tools. Access to appropriate nutrition is critical for any patient to achieve optimal outcomes. This is even more important for older adults who are frail, deconditioned, or recovering from illness or surgery. This module describes the changes in nutritional needs that occur with aging and current nutrition guidelines for these high-risk populations. Learners will gain an understanding of the nutritional requirements necessary to promote health and wellness across the continuum of care, how to screen for malnutrition and connect patients to appropriate resources, and how to educate patients and caregivers on the important role nutrition plays in healing. The course will focus on the assessment and treatment of patients with vertigo and dysequilibrium from unusual vestibular causes. The course is designed for clinicians (PT & OT) with prior vestibular rehabilitation course work and clinical experience. Material covered will include advanced techniques for treating anterior and horizontal canal BPPV, central causes of dizziness (including concussion), identification and treatment of cervicogenic dizziness, chronic subjective dizziness, migraine and other unusual vestibular disorders. This series is one course with 7 short video sessions. Each videos session is 1.5-2 hours. Course Faculty is Richard Clendaniel, PT, Ph.D., FAPTA. Learn effective, comprehensive, and evidence-based treatment and evaluation of the number one reason individuals over the age of 70 seek medical attention: Dizziness. Course faculty is Richard Clendaniel, PT, Ph.D., FAPTA. Learn practical management strategies to improve outcomes for patients with neurodegenerative disorders. Improve your understanding and management of muscle tone, kinetic disorders and ataxia from diagnosis through late-stage. Case studies with videos will be used to develop assessment and treatment plans with strategies to address both motor and non-motor impairments including decreased attention, difficulty multitasking, and behavioral barriers. Presenter is Robert Hand, DPT, NCS, PT. This course is designed to inspire clinicians to promote best practices in the ICU that increase functional outcomes for patients by using functional treatments. Numerous treatment options and ideas will be discussed from transfers to ambulation and positioning to exercises. Lab values, medications, mechanical ventilation, assistive devices, and evidence-based research will be discussed. Instructor is Chris L. Wells, PT, Ph.D., CCS, ATC. This dynamic intermediate-advanced course will elucidate the cardiopulmonary implications for the premature or medically-complex infant as related to physiological stability, evolving motor control, sensory stability, and transition to oral motor skills that support feeding. Participants will learn to facilitate the infant’s ability to cough, produce audible phonation, develop oral motor skills, and improve swallowing skills, as well as gestation-age appropriate positioning and handling to support gross motor skills required for postural stability. Link to Course This Live Webinar presentation will provide evidence-based clinical pathways for management of infant head shape. Differential diagnosis that may lead to head shape differences will be explored. Discussion will concentrate on progressive, effective evaluation and treatment schemes for infants with a diagnosis of plagiocephaly, including challenging cases. Current research and recommendations pertaining to the implications of plagiocephaly and increased use of positional devices will be discussed and incorporated. Red flags for related early infancy and preschool consequences will be appraised. This course, developed by Mary Massery, will challenge the practitioner to make a paradigm shift: connecting breathing mechanics and postural control with management of trunk pressures. Using Dr. Massery’s model of postural control (Soda Pop Can Model), the speaker will link breathing mechanics with motor and physiologic behaviors (a multi-system perspective). The speaker will present novel research demonstrating the role of vocal folds as postural stabilizers, extending the concept of “core stability” from the vocal folds on the top of the trunk to the pelvic floor on the bottom. This course will provide a framework and utilize video-based cases to provide optimal evaluation, assessment, and treatment strategies for individuals with moderate to severe traumatic brain injuries. Best practices and the integration of existing evidence into clinical reasoning, along with strategies for reflection to drive professional growth, will be emphasized. This will facilitate efficient and effective decision-making by the clinician to optimize outcomes for individuals with moderate to severe TBI. This Live Webinar course will provide therapists with assessment and intervention strategies to promote optimal functional cognitive recovery and outcomes in the ICU and acute care setting. Emerging evidence suggests that early cognitive intervention in acute care significantly reduces delirium incidence and duration as well as the adverse effects of surviving critical illness. This course will provide knowledge and tools for assessing, monitoring or improving key cognitive abilities in critically ill and acute care patients. This course will present current understanding of the scope of the problem, best practice, systematic evaluation and treatments to address vestibular deficits in the school-aged child and adolescent. The course combines lecture, hands-on lab, and case study to accurately and efficiently address dysfunction. The primary goal is to challenge therapists to re-think movement and stillness in their practice, using a comprehensive understanding of the vestibular system. Principles presented can be applied across the lifespan and with a multitude of disability levels. The system is the product of years of innovation and groundbreaking research. The FMS provides a standardized approach to assessing fundamental movement, identifying limitations and asymmetries, and developing individualized corrective exercise programs. When you become an FMS certified exercise professional, you will experience firsthand the efficiency and proven results of the FMS system. You will gain access to an exclusive community of certified practitioners, a wealth of constantly updated professional resources, and the database of diagnostic tools and exercises that is key to the FMS systemPharmacology Fundamentals for Therapists
Education Resources, Inc. ↗
Orthopedic Manual Therapy Certification (COMT)
International Academy of Orthopedic Medicine-US ↗
NICU Therapy: Intervention in the NICU: A Neurodevelopmental Approach
Education Resources Inc ↗
NDT – Baby Treatment: Contemporary and Evidence-Based Intervention
Education Resources Inc ↗
Torticollis: Assessment & Treatment of Infants & Children-“Impact on the Movement System of Infants & Beyond”
Education Resources, Inc ↗
Healthy-Steps Certification
Healthy-Steps ↗
Concussion – CCMI Clinic Certification Program
Complete Concussion Management Inc ↗
Link to CourseLimb Loss and Amputee Rehabilitation: Evidence-Based Strategies Across the Continuum of Care
Education Resources Inc. ↗
Praxis – Issues in Practice: The Clumsy Child
Education Resources Inc. ↗
Visual (Dys)Function in Concussion, TBI, Stroke and Vestibular Diagnoses: Evidence Based Neurological Rehabilitation
Gold Standard Seminars ↗
Nutrition: An Intervention for Frailty, Deconditioning, and Recovery
Relias Academy ↗
Vestibular Rehabilitation – Advanced Vestibular Rehabilitation Online
Education Resources, Inc. ↗
Vestibular Rehabilitation: Evaluation and Management of Individuals with Dizziness and Balance Disorders – Online Series
Education Resources, Inc. ↗
Neurodegenerative Impairments: Assessment and Treatment Strategies – LIVE WEBINAR
Education Resources, Inc. ↗
ICU and Acute Care Update-LIVE WEBINAR
Education Resources, Inc. ↗
Premature Infant – Baby Beats and Breaths: Therapeutic Interventions for the Premature Infant with Cardiopulmonary Compromise – ONLINE
Education Resources Inc ↗
Plagiocephaly: Assessment and Treatment of Infants and Toddlers
Education Resources Inc ↗
Postural Analysis and Dysfunction – Breathing and Postural Control – Mary Massery’s LINKED: Breathing and Postural Control – LIVE WEBINAR – Two Half-Day Sessions
Education Resources Inc ↗
Traumatic Brain Injury : Tools and Strategies to Promote Recovery for the Moderately-Severely Challenged – Live Webinar and Online Courses
Education Resources, Inc. ↗
Cognitive Intervention – Functional Cognitive Intervention and Acute Care: From ICU to Acute Rehab
Education Resources, Inc. ↗
Vestibular Therapy for the School-Aged Child and Adolescent Online Series
Education Resources, Inc. ↗
Functional Movement Systems (FMS) Certification
Advances in Clinical Education ↗
CE for Therapy presently features multiple providers that offer a wide variety of Physical Therapy Certifications, Methods and Techniques. Here are some brief descriptions of some of our favorites, taken from the Physical Therapy Certifications / Techniques appearing above:
Torticollis: Assessment and Treatment of Infants and Children Online Series, offered by Education Resources, Inc., is instructed by Cindy Miles, PT, PhD, PCS, NDT, a leading expert on torticollis and plagiocephaly, who discusses the increased incidence, etiology, and pathophysiology of this disorder. This course is chock-full of case studies and interactive at-home lab practice opportunities to provide the knowledge of effective assessment and treatment of children with torticollis. Evidence-based treatment strategies that can be integrated into routines and functional play will be provided as well as recommendations for follow-up. At-home labs are offered and can be practiced with a baby-doll or partner.
Swim Whisperers – Overcome Roadblocks for Aquatic Therapy offered by Swim Angelfish. This course dives into identification of the 14 most commonly seen roadblocks for swimmers with special needs. Connection between each roadblock to the underlying problem as a therapist along with learning a strategy to overcome the roadblock will be identified for clinical use. 2 Hour Online Course. Link to Course
3D Movement Analysis and Performance System (3DMAPS®) Certification, offered by the Gray Institute, leverages movements that are authentic to everyday life by utilizing all three planes of motion. This system allows the practitioner to examine, evaluate, and treat patients based on the philosophy that the influence of one part of the body effects another. This 10-hour, 100% online Physical Therapy Certifications course is the perfect complement for physical therapists and other movement professionals.
Advanced Office Ergonomics Assessment Specialist Certification (AOEAS®), offered by The Back School, provides a comprehensive overview of the many causative factors of and solutions for the prevention of office musculoskeletal disorders. Using the OSHA survey tool the D-2, this Physical Therapy Certifications course certifies that you are able to perform an OSHA-compliant ergonomics analysis in multiple types of offices. Participants will learn to identify and resolve the common risk factors in today’s traditional and non-traditional office environments.
Process-Based Specialist in Movement & Pain (PSMP), offered by Dynamic Priniciples LLC, is a 90-credit hour online and live hybrid Physical Therapy Certifications program which can be flexibly completed over the course of 1 to 5 years. This course work is designed to help participants re-conceptualize movement, manual therapy, and pain science clinical understanding and interventions to current standards of science-based evidence, while simultaneously building up communication and behavior modification skills to help clinicians better work with clients and patients who struggle with movement and pain. In this process, clinicians are introduced to a biopsychosocial process-based framework called the Movement with Pain Framework (MWPF) to help them take on uncertainty and complexity with increased comfort. This coursework is combined with a portfolio review to encourage the clinician to incorporate different science-based perspectives from other educators within the domains of Movement, Manual Therapy, Communication, and Behavior. The program finishes with a capstone providing opportunities for both conceptual and experiential integration.
Geriatric Certification, offered by Evidence in Motion, offers PTs and OTs the opportunity to develop expertise in the clinical management of the aging patient population. The evidence‑based curriculum focuses on the development of clinical competencies in the treatment of older adults with functional and cognitive decline with the intention of returning patients to active and healthy lifestyles. Coursework for this Physical Therapy Certifications course consists of a dynamic combination of didactic, collaborative, and clinical education experiences using a blend of distance learning, online courses, and weekend intensive on-site courses.
Applied Functional Science Certification (CAFS®), Link to CAFS offered by the Gray Institute, was developed for movement professionals from all industries and from all levels. The program includes more than 25 hours of video content, testing, and supplemental documents to help you design and implement functional programs based on the needs, wants, and goals of each unique client. CAFS is entirely online and can be completed at your own pace. Once enrolled, the student will have access to the content for a period of three years and can continue to access the content to this Physical Therapy Certifications course even after completion.
Advanced Exercise Therapist Certification (AET) offered by the
Egoscue Institute, Link to EI will further develop your existing skill set. With your 5-year certification, you will be a health professional with a level of proficiency in the Method that very few have achieved. While this Physical Therapy Certifications course hits on a wide variety of topics, the program provides a particular focus on the gross anatomy knowledge needed for many of your therapeutic interactions.Practitioners with the AET Certification are the only students allowed to open an Egoscue Method facility. Link to Egoscue
Functional Manual Therapy Certification (CFMT), offered by the
Institute Of Physical Art, is an intense 4 days of review of 8 required courses, followed by 2 days of written and oral/practical testing. The Following is the required Physical Therapy Certifications course work: Functional Mobilization I, CoreFirst™ Strategies for Back Education and Training, Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation I, FMT Foundations, Functional Mobilization II, Functional Mobilization Lower Quadrant, Functional Mobilization Upper Quadrant, and in addition, applicants must Attend Functional Gait.
The Human Movement Specialist (HMS) certification, offered by the Brookbush Institute, acknowledges that you have completed 80 hours (or more) of course work toward a growing expertise in human movement science. All courses are short (1 – 4 hours), you choose the courses you think are important to your current work environment, you get credit for each passed exam, there is no giant final exam at the end, no timelines and it’s all included in membership, with no additional fees. Link to Brookbush
In order to receive the Kinesio Taping® Practitioner Certification (CKTP), offered by Kinesio University, candidates must complete the Kinesio Taping Assessments, Fundamental Concepts and Techniques, and the Advanced Techniques and Clinical Reasoning Approved Seminars, and then must pass the online CKTP Exam with 80% or higher. The letters “CKTP” after a name ensure confidence that the practitioner has undergone the necessary training to integrate Kinesio Taping in to their practice.
More Physical Therapy Certifications and Techniques
Offers Physical Therapy Certifications
WoundEducators.com offers Physical Therapy Certifications. The PT Wound Care Certification Course Online Training Component contains 17 interactive modules that pertain to all areas of wound management and includes digital images, animated activities, and video clips that demonstrate important learning concepts. The Certification Training Kit has a current wound management textbook that reinforces online training, an Interactive CD containing case studies that allow you to apply your wound care knowledge through the diagnosis and treatment of patients, and a Wound Certification Study guide that includes an outline of each module and a note-taking area. The course requires 57 Hours to complete. Link to Cert Course
Constraint-Induced Therapy: Introduction to Modified Constraint-Induced Therapy
Offered by MedBridge. Link to MedBridge Learn the most well-known and intensively studied neurorehabilitative therapy, taught by one of its pioneers! Learn from Dr. Page, who was the first to develop and implement modified, distributed versions of constraint-induced therapy, and to show that this reimbursable outpatient approach changes the brains and movements of patients even decades after brain injury and stroke. In this introductory course, Dr. Page will introduce the rationale, scientific basis, and practical application of modified constraint-induced therapy into your clinic, including applications to the upper and lower extremities and speech.
Introduction to Musculoskeletal Imaging offered by Redefine Health Education
This course is designed for health professionals to enhance their foundational knowledge in diagnostic imaging modalities. The course focuses on a range of modalities including radiography, magnetic resonance imaging, and computed tomography. The course will convey the inherent statistical properties of each modality and how that impacts interpretations and clinical management. The course will instruct on radiologic verbiage to maximize the students’ ability to garner information from an interpretation and for inter-professional communication with radiologists. Students will also be taught a communication strategy with radiologists to improve the interpretation, improve the clinical correlation, and ultimately improve the management of the patient.
More Physical Therapy Certifications and Techniques
CLINICAL AI CHI©- Certification Course offered by Inertia Therapy Services
The basis of Ai Chi is it’s 19 kata’s: continuous movements that form a sequence with gradual increasing difficulty. There is no need to perform all movements. Different protocols exist, consisting of a choice of the 19 movements and/or a different amount of repetitions.
Clinical Ai Chi® is Ai Chi, which is used to solve a patient-specific problem. This mostly means that it is adapted to the possibilities of a person with a musculoskeletal and/or neurological problem. The elements of Clinical Ai Chi® should fit in a custom-made treatment program and be the result of a clinical reasoning process.
Certified Expert in Applied Geriatric Neurology offered by Great Seminars and Books
This 5-hour course is designed to extend and enrich learning in the area of geriatric neurology. Prerequisites: successful completion of (>80% correct on the post-test) of 5 of the following 7 courses:
- Gait & Balance: Not Falling for You
- Seating and Mobility: Choose the Right Path
- Wiihabilitation: You Never Knew Skilled PT Could Be This Fun
- Vestibular Rehabilitation: Does the Thought Make Your Head Spin?
- A Master Clinician Demystifies MS: Steps to Rehab Success for Patients with Multiple Sclerosis.
- A Master Clinician Confronts Stroke
- Neuro-Oncological Rehab: Head to Toe
Musculoskeletal (MSK) Soft Tissue Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) Certificate offered by Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS)
The MSK Soft Tissue Clinical Certificate is appropriate for medical professionals whose scope of practice requires the evaluation of MSK Soft Tissue to identify Abscess, Muscle Tear, and other common pathologies. POCUS for the evaluation of MSK Soft Tissue is portable, allowing for real-time imaging and on-the-spot interpretation. Point-of-Care Ultrasound can be used by physicians, advanced practice providers (e.g., physician assistants, nurse practitioners, physical therapists), and other medical professionals who use POCUS for clinical evaluation or therapeutic decision making.
Frequently Asked Physical Therapy Certifications Questions:
How many years does it take to become a physical therapist?
Professional (entry-level) and Post-Professional (transitional) physical therapist education programs in the United States currently offer the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree to all new students who enroll. The length of professional DPT programs is typically 3 years, and the curriculum that is offered is prescribed by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). The course pre-requisites for admission vary significantly across PT education programs. PT programs may require preprofessional (pre-PT/undergraduate) science courses to be completed in a 4-year university/college within the 7-10 years prior to enrollment.
How do you become a certified physical therapist?
After graduation, Physical Therapists have the opportunity to become Board-certified Clinical Specialists through the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS). Specialty certification is voluntary, and Physical Therapists can become board-certified specialists in the following areas: Cardiovascular and Pulmonary, Clinical Electrophysiology, Geriatrics, Neurology, Orthopedics, Pediatrics, Sports Physical Therapy, and Women’s Health. Two avenues that are associated with significant PT Post Graduate Continuing Competency costs, are Clinical Residency and Clinical Fellowships.
A Clinical Residency is a planned program of post-professional clinical and didactic education for physical therapists that is designed to significantly advance a physical therapist resident’s preparation as a provider of patient care services in a defined area of clinical practice. A Clinical Fellowship is a planned program of post-professional clinical and didactic education for a physical therapist who demonstrates clinical expertise in an area of clinical practice related to the practice focus of the fellowship.
NEW ABPTRFE Policies
During the past year there have been several changes in the policies that the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education (ABPTRFE) has put into place, that has caused some practitioners to be concerned about the basic survival of Residency and Fellowship programs.
ABPTRFE now has the following policies:
- Item 13.4 “Change in Curriculum” – requires a physical site visit for every additional participant practice site after the addition of a second new practice site in one calendar year.
- 4.2.4 Admission Criteria: requiring residency training, or American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS) specialist certification– i.e. the elimination of the “Skills Track” as the third path for admission to a fellowship program.
Some practitioners are concerned that these new policies threaten the future of post-professional residency and fellowship programs because they create divisiveness, disruption, and increased administrative burden in these clinical training programs. CE For Therapy will cover this issue on the “Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Programs Face ABPTRFE Mandated Changes” Post
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