COURSES

Instructor:
Mary Ellen Kramp, DPT, CLT-LANA

Mary Ellen graduated from Springfield College in 1992 with a Master of Science degree in physical therapy and received her doctorate from Boston University in 2005. She is the owner of Evolution Medical Associates, a multidisciplinary clinic in Clearwater, FL and has been working in women’s health for almost 20 years. She has also co-founded The Nourish Project to create professional and community education from a multidisciplinary standpoint for the treatment of breast/bottle feeding infant issues and mastitis.  In addition to being a teaching assistant for Barral Institute and Herman & Wallace, she has developed her own continuing education courses to teach Lymph Drainage and Vascular Release for the Pelvic PT, Lymph & Vascular Techniques for the Ortho Therapist, and Breast, Baby & The Difficult Latch. She has been a certified lymphedema therapist for 20 years. In 2014 she became the president and co-founder of Pelvic Health Research Initiative, a non-profit organization established to raise money to fund pelvic research. She published a case series report in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association on manual therapy techniques for the treatment of infertility and has also published in Rehabilitation Oncology.

 
Course Description:
This is a 2 day hybrid course in which participants will learn about the vasculature and lymphatic anatomy of the back and extremities.  Day 1 is the lecture portion of the course and is provided online for you to do at your own pace.  Day 2 of the course is all of the hands-on labs. Basic hand skills will be taught in lab for lymphatic drainage of the deep abdomen and extremities.  Vascular techniques will cover the large abdominal vessels and main vessels of the extremities.   Upon completion of the course, therapists will be able to recognize and treat lymphatic congestion and vascular tension within tissues in patients with various orthopedic issues. Skills covered will only go over the normal lymphatic anatomy and will NOT prepare a therapist for abnormal anatomy and lymphedema treatment.

These are small classes with a maximum of 10:1 student: teacher/lab assistant ratio.
 
Goals and Objectives:

1. Describe the basic anatomy and function of the lymphatic system.
2. Perform basic lymph drainage techniques in the epifascial lymphatic system.
3. Perform drainage techniques on lymph nodes and deep lymphatic vessels.
4. Describe anatomy of drainage pathways of the extremities.
5. Perform lymphatic drainage of the deep abdomen.
6. Differentiate between congested and non-congested tissues and utilize techniques to open congested pathways.
7. Determine when other techniques need to be used in lieu of manual lymph drainage
8. Recognize when basic manual lymph drainage is sufficient and when referrals to other practitioners are needed
9. Understand need for vascular releases
10. Describe large vessel vascular pathways within the abdomen and pelvis
11. Perform vascular releases within abdomen and extremities.

Agenda

Part 1: Online Lecture: Will be emailed after registration and must be viewed prior to the course. 

Part 2: In person Lab Course

8:30-8:45          Introductions

8:45-9:30          Positional Release: Demo, Lab

9:30-10:00        Vascular Release: Aorta & External Iliacs: Demo, Lab

10:00-10:30     Vascular Techniques: Demo, Lab

10:30-10:45   Break

10:45-11:30     Vascular Release: Femoral Vessels: Demo, Lab

11:30-12:00     Vascular Release: Popliteal, Tibial vessels: Demo, Lab

12:00-12:30     Vascular Release: Spinals Vessels: Demo, Lab

12:30-1:30      Lunch

1:30-2:00          Vascular Release: Neck vessels: Demo, Lab

2:00-2:30          Vascular Release: Subclavian: Demo, Lab

2:30-3:00          Vascular Release: UE: Demo, Lab      

3:00-3:15                    Break

3:15-4:30        Demo/Lab: basic lymph drainage techniques, Depth of treatment,

Palpation & drainage of different levels of tissues, nodes, deep vessels

4:30-4:45          Drainage of the Liver: Demo, Lab

4:45-5:00       Questions