Contents | Detailed Course Outline | Final Learning Outcome | Instructor

Lumbar spine in relation to the sacroiliac and the hip joint.
A combination of lecture and lab sessions, during 4 days (09h00-17u00) :

  Specific history taking

  General history

  Inspection : what is relevant ?

  Basic functional examination : how to reach, in a valid and practical way, a diagnosis and differential diagnosis, respecting red flags

  Accessory examination

  (ir)relevance of palpation and other diagnostic procedures

  Accessory SI pain provocation examination

  Clinical reasoning by using a standardized examination protocol incorporating links to McKenzie and other manual therapy approaches : how to reach a diagnosis and differential diagnosis ; is there any compatibility between different methods ?

  Specific indications and contraindications of manipulative techniques ;

Techniques with and without traction

  Specific indications and contraindications of traction techniques

  Specific indication and contraindications of self treatment exercises

  Creating a treatment strategy with incorporation of prophylactic and self treatment procedures

  Non-mechanical disorders : discover the yellow and red flags

  Differential diagnosis with SI-joint and hip problems

  Mechanisms of spontaneous cure

Day 1

0900 1030 Lumbar introduction/hypotheses : pathogenesis/anatomy
1030 1045 break
1045 1145 Lumbar specific and general history
1145 1230 Lumbar clinical examination (1)

1330 1515 Lumbar clinical examination, diagnostic interpretation (2)
1515 1530 Break
1530-1630 Lumbar clinical examination, diagnostic interpretation (3)
1630 1700 Lumbar manipulation : indications-contraindications, techniques (1)

Day 2

0900 0930 Lumbar internal derangements / disc protrusions : typical clinical images
0930 1045 Lumbar manipulation techniques (2)
1045 1100 Break
1100 1130 Lumbar traction : indications, contraindications, procedure
1130 1215 Lumbar manipulation techniques (3)

1315 1400 Practical recapitulation lumbar examination
1400 1430 Profylactic items ; smile@yourback
1430 1445 Indications of epidural local anaesthetic
1445 1500 Break
1500 1600 Lumbar manipulation techniques : therapeutic strategy
1600 1630 Characteristics of spontaneous cure in backache and sciatica
1630 1700 Sclerosing injections ./ "Intractable backache"/coccygodynia

Day 3

0900 0930 "The sign of the buttock" : red flags
0930 1000 Non disc related lesions ; differential diagnosis SI, hip
1000 1030 Practical recapitulation (1)
1030 1045 Break
1045 1230 Practical recapitulation (2)

1330 1500 Clinical aspects of the SI-joints : history - clinical image - relevance
1500 1545 Pressure on single nerve roots / multiple nerve root palsy : clinical items
1545-1600 break
1600-1700 clinical reasoning by using a standardized assessment form (1)

Day 4

0900 1045 : lumbar clinical and practical recapitulation / differential diagnosis postural, dysfunction syndrome, stenosis
1045 1100 Break
1100 1230 : Lumbar differential diagnosis / assessment form clinical reasoning (2)

1330 1500 Problem solving ; final questions

After attending this training program the therapist must be able to examine a patient in an independent and safe way and to reach a diagnosis as specific and as valid as possible.
This only within the field of soft tissue lesions of the locomotor system in relation to lumbar pathology. Once a diagnosis is achieved the therapist can start a relevant conservative treatment, taking into account the nature, the severity and the localization of the lesion, together with the personality of the patient.

The therapist will promote a thorough team work between MD and physical therapist in order to optimize the efficiency of the examination and treatment techniques.

Besides achieving a diagnosis one must also know how to achieve a differential diagnosis including the recognition of certain alarm patterns.

Firstly the therapist must try to achieve a relevant diagnosis and a safe treatment, secondly he should try to relieve the patient from his problems in a period as short as possible, taking into account changing the treatment strategy, also with emphasis on self treatment and prophylactic elements

1965 -1989 : Brussels Free University (B) : lic. Motorische Revalidatie en Kinesitherapie (MSc PT)

1989 : specific Cyriax training for one month ; Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle (GB)

October 1989 - today : private physiotherapy practice, De Haan (B). With focus on diagnosis, treatment and prevention of soft tissue lesions of the locomotor system.

1989 - 1992 : attended seven times the complete course on "Orthopaedic Medicine Cyriax", ETGOM in Belgium ; one course in London (GB)

December 1992 : course "Reflex massage of the sole of the foot", Paris (F)

1992-1993 : training for assistant teacher in orthopaedic medicine Cyriax, ETGOM

29-31 january 1993 : course "The maitland Concept", Antwerp (B)

27-30 october 1995 : course "McKenzie : the lumbar spine", Antwerp (B)

6-8 october 1995 : course "McKenzie : the cervical spine", Antwerp (B)

1993- until today : international lecturer OM Cyriax, ETGOM :
I already presented courses for following organisations :

Brussels, Hasselt, De Haan, Brugge (Belgium), ETGOM
Hamburg (Germany), Fortbildung in Hamburg
Trier (Germany), Zentral Verband für Krankengymnasten
Berlin (Germany), Zentral Verband für Krankengymnasten
Bochum (Germany), Universitätsklinik Bergmannsheil  
Weiskirchen (Germany), Academie Weiskirchen, CTG Trier
Ulm (Germany) , UlmKolleg
Utrecht (the Netherlands), ETGOM
Dallas, Texas (USA), Colombia Medical Center of Las Colinas
Vancouver (Canada) ; Physiotherapy Association of British Columbia
Houston (USA ); Texas Physical Therapy Association
Campinas (Brasil) ; Nucleo de estudos em fisioterapia
Moscow, (Russia) Russian University of People's Friendship
Youngstown (USA) ; Youngstown State University, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio (USA) ; Ohio Physical Therapy Association
Bologna (Italy) ; Associazione Italiana Terapisti della Riabilitazione
Barcelona (Spain) ; Isfyes
Hong Kong (China) ; Hong Kong Physical Therapy Association
Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) ; Saudi German Hospital
Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) ; Saudi German Hospital
Krakow (Poland) ; Reha+
Seoul (South Korea) , Musculoskeletal Medicine Institute
Milano (Italy) ; Riabilitazione Oggi
Philadelphia (USA), Thomas Jefferson University
Vilnius (Lithuania)
Warren, Ohio (USA), Hillside rehab.
Lovran (Croatia), Croation Association of Physiotherapists
Trebnje (Slovenia), ETGOM
Luxembourg (Association Luxembourgeoise des Kinésithérapeutes)
Buenos Aires, Escobar (Argentina), FLENI
Dhaka (Bangladesh), Eastern Hospital and Medical Resaerch Centre)
Manama (Bahrain), Bahrain Physical Therapy Association

June 1993 - october 1994 : member of the board of "Unie van Kringen voor ZelfstandigeKinesitherapeuten"

1992 - until today : during this time I gave several lectures and introduction courses for different physiotherapy associations in Belgium :

Nationale Federatie van Doctors en Licentiaten in de Kinesitherapie
Unie van Kringen voor Zelfstandige Kinesitherapeuten
Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Kine Kring St. Truiden
Aarschotse Kine Kring
Kine Kring Klein Brabant-Vaartland
ZKV Lier
Kinesistenkring Zuiderkempen
Kine Kring Izegem
Waregemse Kinesitherapeuten Vereniging
KZK Wetteren-Laarne-Wichelen
Tiense Kinesitherpeuten Kring
Kine Kring Brugge Oostkust
Tongerse Kine Kring
Instituut Recyclage en specialisatie Kursussen
Gilde van Kinesitherapeuten Arondissement Ieper
Kinesitherapeuten Kring Noorderkempen
Kine Kring Ronse

1993 - 1994 : I acted as a thesis-promotor for a graduate physiotherapy student, H.T.I., Bruges (B)

1998-1999 : idem, H.T.I., Bruges (B)

2002-2003 : idem, K.H.B.O., Bruges (B)

25 may 1996 : key note speaker on the convention of the "Associazione Italiana Terapisti della Reabilitazione", Bologna (I)

30 march - 1 april 1998 : speaker on the "Ohio Physical Therapy Association, Annual Conference"(USA)

11-13 october 1998 : "McKenzie course, problem solving part C", Antwerp (B)

15 june 1999 : co founder and president of the "Global Cyriax Institute" ; author of the quality and contents standards concerning continuing education in orthopaedic medicine Cyriax. Development of the "Cyriax Assessment Forms".

27-29 august 1999 : McKenzie International Conference, poster presentation "Using the assessment form in a differential diagnosis purpose", Maastricht (NL)

23 november 2002 : speaker on the "Convegno : Approccio, Valutazione e trattamento del paziente con algia vertebrale lombare : metodi a confronto" ; Milano, Italy

8 november 2003 : speaker on the "First Congress of Phsyiotherapy" in Lovran, Croatia

5 may 2005 : speaker on the "Physiokongress" in Aachen, Germany

2003-until today : creation of the OMConsult back prevention project.

Publications:

April 1994 - september 1994 : Kineflash : "Een wandeling door het bijscholingsbos, deel I, II, III"

June 1995 : author "Handboek Orthopedische Geneeskunde Cyriax", Etgom

September 1995 : realisation video OM Cyriax "A practical overview of 106 deep transverse massage and manipulation techniques", ETGOM

1997 : realisation video OM Cyriax "Functional examination of the spine and extremities"

1999 : author "Orthopedische Geneeskunde Cyriax in Theorie en Praktijk", SATAS, Brussel
Volume I : "Onderzoek en diagnose"
Volume II : "Behandeling d.m.v. diepe dwarse frictie, manipulatie en tractie".

2000 : various articles in German and Belgian PT magazines

2000: author of the updated Cyriax Assessment Forms (extremities and spine)

2003 : producer of the new DVD's and VHS's : "Orthopaedic Medicine Part I and II"

2003 : author of the new books : "Orthopaedic Medicine in Theory and Practice, Part I and II, OPTP, USA

2005 : author of the book : "Cyriax Compact : updated untersuchen und behandeln", Thieme Verlag Stuttgart

2005 : author of the book : "Clinical Reasoning in Orthopaedic Medicine : a new to the point practical guide" (available on line as an e-book).