In February of 2012, Herman & Wallace founder and faculty member Holly Herman traveled to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where she educated the first class of 34 female physical therapists in the art and science of women's health physical therapy. She was accompanied by instructor and H&W friend Fatima Hakeem, PT. You can read more about that adventure here.

Herman & Wallace instructors Bill Gallagher PT, CMT, CYT and Richard Sabel MA, MPH, OTR, GCFP are currently leading a four-session workshop for men who recently underwent prostate surgery. They recently completed the first two sessions and shared their story and experience with Pelvic Rehab Report:

For the past few weeks, we’ve had a unique experience: leading a four-session workshop for 22 men recovering from prostate surgery. This experience was unique in that it's rare to get a group of men together to discuss health issues- it happens...about as often as congress reaches a bipartisan agreement!

So far it's been an amazing journey. At the first session we did a quick go round, well, actually not so quickly, as each participant had a story to tell. Things picked up when one participant mentioned he was using a penile clamp. Sex, sports, politics couldn't compete in that moment for the groups attention. (Perhaps the details will be shared in another blog.) For now, the key point we'd like to make is that groups work well for this type of practice. Obviously, individual treatment is imperative, but groups help foster the "new habits" learned in therapy and, perhaps more importantly, from other group members. The mutual support and sharing of information can't be beat.

Our Pelvic Rehab Report blogger sat down with Dr. Heather Howard, the instructor of our Sexual Health Clinical Toolkit course, to talk about her course, her practice, and the experience and knowledge she brings to the field of pelvic rehab. Here's what Heather had to say:

What inspired you to create this course?

This course was inspired by my gratitude to the physical therapists who helped me through my own debilitating pelvic pain crisis. The support I received, coupled with the lack of sexuality research and resources for the sexual effects of my condition, led me to become a sexologist and mind-body health facilitator. My mission as a sexologist is to improve sexual health care for all people. In my clinical practice, I help people meet their sexual goals by providing relevant education and skills training. I can help even more people by sharing my tools, resources, and clinical perspective with women's health care providers.

Last weekend, Pelvic Rehab Report guest-blogger, Erica Vitek MOT, OTR, BCB-PMD, attended H&W's Pediatric Incontience and Pelvic Floor Dysfunction course in Madison, WI. This course was developed and is instructed by Dawn Sandalcidi. Erica had this to say about her experience in the course:

The most recent Herman & Wallace course I attended was Pediatric Incontinence course taught by Dawn Sandalcidi. I had been patiently waiting for this course to come to the Midwest/Wisconsin area and when it did I signed up immediately.

I have been treating women's and men's health patients for just over 8 years. Since I took the level 1 pelvic floor course with Herman and Wallace, I have been so impressed with the layout and organization of the material. The take-away information from each course allowed me to return to the clinic on Monday and begin treating patients in new and different ways. I've found that the ideas presented can be immediately implemented and improve the quality of life of all the individuals in need of such specialized treatment. As an occupational therapist coming into the field of pelvic floor disorders, I needed the additional depth and focus on pelvic structure and anatomy since this was not a main focus of my underlying educational degree and I can not say enough about how much their coursework prepared me.

In January, H&W faculty member Elizabeth Hampton PT, WCS, BCB-PMD presented at the APTA’s Combined Sections Meeting in San Diego, CA in a presentation sponsored by the Orthopedic Section. The presentation was called “Core Rehab without ‘Going There’: Evidence Supporting Direct and Indirect Evaluation and Treatment of PFM Dysfunction.”

In her talk, Elizabeth discussed contributing factors to pelvic health and continence, including muscular, fascial, neural, biomechanical and motor control factors. She also noted a pilot study done by HW’s own Stacy Futterman, PT, MPT, WCS, BCB-PMD, which prompted a wonderful discussion about the role hip labral tears and femoral acetabular impingement has on the pelvic floor.

Elizabeth was gracious enough to share details about her presentation with Pelvic Rehab Report. Below is what she had to say about this topic.

In April of this year, H&W is thrilled to be offering a brand new course on Bowel Pathology and Function. Our Pelvic Rehab Report blogger interviewed the instructor Lila Abbate, PT, DPT, MS, OCS about her new course.

1. What can you tell us about this continuing education course that is not mentioned in the "course description" and "objectives" that are posted online?

This course goes into detail about laxative weaning, how and when to use over-the-counter products and some supplements, food that are helpful to aid in bowel function. The course looks at different concomitant past medical histories such IBS, the neurogenic bowel with a SCI patient, MS and fibromyalgia and the progression of their bowel issues and how PTs can assist these patients. The course discusses evidence-based treatment vs. anecdotal and clinical experiences.

We are thrilled to announce the launch of a brand new series of online courses, Integrative Techniques for Pelvic Floor & Core Function. This three-part series instructs on low-tech, non-invasive techniques to address pelvic floor dysfunction that draw from Yoga, Tai Chi, Qigong, Feldenkrais and conventional rehab therapies, with a goal of guideing clients toward improved health and function. These courses were developed and are instructed by Bill Gallagher, PT, CMT, CYT and Richard Sabel, MA, MPH, OTR, GCFP. Throughout each course in this series, Bill and Richard will walk you through various exercises that you are encouraged to perform at home, in order to better prepare you to guide your own patients through the same exercises in your setting of care.

Part A lays the foundation for the series by covering anatomy, core concepts related to "habits of the mind," and the physiology of breathing as it relates to the pelvic floor. Part B will begin by covering modifications of yoga poses to address soft tissue tightness, functional movement, and pelvic dysfunction. The pelvic clock in supine from Part A will be reviewed, and techniques for the facilitation of a client’s understanding of the pelvic clock will be presented. Part C concludes the series with integrating the pelvic floor muscles into everyday functional movements such as standing, lifting from a squat, bridging, and going up steps, as a means to maintain the suppleness (strength and flexibility) of the pelvic floor. These courses can be taken sequentially or in any order.

Don't miss Bill and Richard teaching their live seminar as well. The two course, Integrative Techniques for Pelvic Floor & Core Function: Weaving Yoga, Tai Chi, Qigong, Feldenkrais and Conventional Therapies will be held this September in New London, CT!

Two weekends ago in San Diego, Herman & Wallace offered the first course event of our brand new course, Care of the Pregnant Patient. This course is part of a new series on pregnancy and postpartum, written and developed by Herman & Wallace faculty members (as we call them, our "Preg-perts").

Lisa Lahr, DPT attended this course and wrote of her experience:

The course Care of the Pregnant Patient was a wonderfully put together course. The course outline and handouts were wonderful, easy to follow and gave the right amount of information. Many physical therapist work with pregnant patients who have pain during their pregnancy. We have all had the patient for whom we run out of ideas how to help and have thought that she would feel better once the baby is born. After this class, I do not feel like I will ever have to feel this way again. I have learned so many things that I can try and teach my patients to help with their pain during pregnancy.

In March of this year, H&W is thrilled to be offering a brand new course on Pudendal Neuralgia. Our Pelvic Rehab Report blogger interviewed the two instructors Loretta J. Robertson, PT, MS and Tracy Sher, MPT, CSCS about their course.

1. What can you tell us about this continuing education course that is not mentioned in the "course description" and "objectives" that are posted online?

Loretta: First, I just want to say we are both thrilled to be able to present this course and share all that we have learned in working with these patients. I have always wanted instructors in continuing education courses to “walk me through” their thinking processes. “Why did this patient history and presentation guide you toward diagnosis or treatment A as opposed to B?” So we are going to incorporate that information throughout the entire course.

We are thrilled to announce that Part B of our brand new online course series, Medical Therapeutic Yoga is now available!

This course was written and is instructed by Ginger Garner, MPT, ATC and presents an evidence- based method for using yoga as medicine in rehabilitation and wellness. Part B is intended as a completment Part A . Topics covered include respiration for optimal patient outcomes, applied biomechanics in asana, and achieving structural balance. Neurophysiology, stability, and joint function in practice are also covered, as well as myofascial release and soft tissue mobilization as they relate to medical therapeutic yoga.

In addition to these brand new online courses, H&W will be sponsoring two live seminars taught by Ginger in 2013: Yoga as Medicine for Labor and Delivery and Postpartum, which will be offered in Arlington, VA in October, and Yoga as Medicine for Pregnancy, which we will be offeing in Greenville, SC in September.