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PhysioYoga and the Pelvic Floor

PhysioYoga and the Pelvic Floor

PhysioYoga and the Pelvic Floor

CA$599.00
This course includes
13:57:25 of Course Material (View)
Course Forum
Lifetime access after purchase
Certificate of completion

Overview 

The intention of this course is to offer a theoretical and experiential integration of accessible yoga practices and principles with evidence-informed techniques to enhance overall pelvic floor health and wellness. For both men and women, our pelvic floor plays a role in many aspects of our existence that contribute to a healthy life, including breathing, bowel and bladder function, sexual function, hip and spinal health, core strategies, and more.

Yoga is one of the most popular complementary health practices and is increasingly becoming more recognized and valued by health organizations globally. It is being introduced into college programs and professional continuing education courses, as growing research suggests that therapeutic yoga can be used as an effective and safe form of complementary therapy for numerous dysfunctions, including a variety of pelvic floor dysfunctions.

As such, this course also serves as an introduction to the use of yoga therapy as a complementary approach to the management of people suffering from various pelvic floor dysfunctions.

This online physiotherapy course outlines evidence surrounding biopsychosocial factors that influence pelvic floor function and explores why and how yoga can serve as a valuable adjunct to pelvic wellness and rehabilitation.

Be prepared to participate and enjoy empowering, informative, and inspiring gentle yoga practices and a variety of techniques that you can use with your patients or students.

This includes:

  • pelvic floor awareness practices
  • visualization/imagery
  • mindfulness meditation practices
  • breathing practices in a variety of yoga postures to help promote pelvic floor relaxation
  • mindful movements and yoga postures coordinated with varying breath cycles to help facilitate engagement and excursion of the pelvic floor musculature
  • examples of use of language and principles to enhance more effective cueing.

The techniques offered are intended for immediate use in a physiotherapy clinic or yoga studio setting.

In addition to learning, you get to enjoy the added benefit of some well-deserved self-care as you participate in pelvic floor focused PhysioYoga practices. Experience what it feels like to nourish all aspects of your being, using a biopsychosocial model of health.

Whether you are a pelvic floor physiotherapist looking to expand your current approach or a brand-new practitioner wanting to learn more about the pelvic floor, this course is meant to help support you on your path to learning more about how yoga can address pelvic floor health in an evidence-informed manner.

 

Short Video Introduction

 

Learning Objectives 

  1. Briefly review the anatomy of pelvic floor muscles (PFMs) and landmarks of the bony pelvis.
  2. Learn 11 roles the pelvic floor (PF) plays in overall health and wellness and why gaining skills in addressing pelvic floor health is important and valuable for any movement practitioner working with clients.
  3. Briefly outline a chakra system commonly used in yoga and how it may relate to pelvic floor health.
  4. Outline 4 categories of pelvic floor dysfunctions.
  5. Outline biopsychosocial factors that can influence pelvic floor function and performance.
  6. Review perspectives on the debate of the effectiveness of teaching or cueing isolated Kegel exercises, using an evidence-informed approach.
  7. Develop a practical understanding of Mula bandha (‘root lock’) in yoga and its intentions, comparing potential similarities and differences to pelvic floor muscle engagement.
  8. Outline factors that may contribute to a non-relaxing pelvic floor and health issues that may arise from over-recruitment of pelvic floor musculature.
  9. List 4 different paths of yoga, with a focus on exploring the 8-limbed path of Raja Yoga, and how addressing each limb supports and contributes to a biopsychosocial-spiritual approach to pelvic floor health and rehabilitation.
  10. Define and understand the yogic Pancha Maya kosha model of health as it relates to pelvic rehabilitation and describe the similarities to modern health care’s biopsychosocial-spiritual approach to rehabilitation, health, and wellness.
  11. Learn how the respiratory diaphragm and pelvic diaphragm work together as a coordinated team to contribute to pelvic floor health and wellness.
  12. Understand the scope of practice as it relates to addressing pelvic floor health for those practitioners who do not perform internal pelvic floor exams or treatment and when to refer to a physiotherapist who specializes in pelvic floor health.
  13. Understand the current research surrounding yoga and pelvic health and the gaps in research.
  14. Understand the difference between yoga, yoga therapy, and PhysioYoga.
  15. Learn from and participate in empowering and inspiring yoga practices that include components as described below:
    1. Techniques to enhance pelvic floor awareness (including yoga postures, visualization, breathing practices, awareness practices, mindful movement practices, and meditation techniques).
    2. Techniques to enhance pelvic floor relaxation (including breathing practices, yoga postures, mindful movement practices, meditation practices, awareness practices and ways to incorporate yoga philosophy).
    3. Evidence-informed activities that can facilitate pelvic floor muscle engagement in coordination with various breathing sequences, visualization, awareness practices, yoga postures and sequencing, and a variety of selected mindful movements.
    4. Activities to enhance balance and foot awareness, offering a potential connection to the pelvic floor.
    5. A variety of meditation and mindfulness practices that address focus, concentration, awareness, relaxation, and self-regulation skills.
  16. Gain a general understanding of how yoga practices and principles might be used as an adjunct to support optimal pelvic floor health for people who may be suffering from a variety of pelvic floor dysfunctions, including disorders associated with pelvic pain, pelvic organ prolapse, and bowel or bladder dysfunctions.
  17. Learn from the four Case Studies that are presented in this course.
  18. Understand and appreciate the practical value and benefits of integrating yoga into physiotherapy treatments while also enjoying the opportunity to experience some well-deserved self-care.

 

Audience

Rehabilitation professionals including physiotherapists, physiotherapy assistants, occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants, athletic therapists, exercise therapists, kinesiologists among others. This PhysioYoga course by Shelly Prosko is also for movement specialists, yoga teachers, yoga therapists, and those interested in learning more about yoga and pelvic floor health and wellness. 

This course is an IAYT Approved Professional Development (APD) Course:

C-IAYT Yoga Therapists are awarded 16 CEUs upon completion of the course.

 

What’s Included In This Online Healthcare Course?

  • More than 13 hours of video lessons.
  • A 41-page workbook, which you can download and follow along throughout the course.
  • Bite-sized information: all of the content is broken down into bite-sized chunks, so that you can easily watch a video on your break, over lunch, or for a few minutes at night.
  • Access to an exclusive private forum with Shelly. Ask Shelly and other course participants your questions.
  • A PowerPoint lecture, videos, and audios of yoga practices and patient exercises that can be shared with patients via Embodia.
  • Lifetime access. You can return to this course at any time. If any material is updated or added, you will have access to the new content.
  • Certificate of completion. Once you've completed the course, you will receive a certificate for your professional portfolio.
  • Access to this course is through Embodia, and although some of the content, such as the workbook can be downloaded, the majority cannot. This is to protect the instructor’s material and to prevent the content from being shared freely on the Internet.
  • Embodia is mobile-friendly and can be accessed by phone, tablet, and computer.
  • There is no start date or completion date. You can complete the course at your own pace.
  • Quizzes throughout to help you integrate the knowledge.
  • You will be sent a receipt as soon as you purchase this course. This receipt can be used for education grants and for tax purposes.
  • A Special Coupon for 15% off any other online course on Embodia Academy when you’ve completed this course!

 

**This course is not intended to act as medical advice. Please seek guidance and treatment from your health professional in your area for any unmanaged conditions.**

The instructors
Shelly Prosko
PT, C-IAYT, PCAYT

Shelly is a physiotherapist, yoga therapist, educator, author and pioneer of PhysioYoga who has been integrating yoga into physiotherapy since 1998 with a focus on chronic pain, pelvic health, compassion in healthcare and professional burnout. She guest lectures at numerous yoga therapy and physiotherapy schools, presents at yoga and medical conferences globally, contributes to academic research and writing, provides mentorship to professionals, and offers courses and resources for yoga and healthcare practitioners and the general population. Shelly is a Pain Care Aware Lead Trainer.

She considers herself a lifelong student and emphasizes the immense value gained from clinical experience and learning from the patients she serves, the professionals she teaches, and the colleagues with which she collaborates.

Shelly has written several book chapters in yoga therapy and integrative rehabilitation textbooks and is co-editor/author of Yoga and Science in Pain Care: Treating the Person in Pain. She maintains a clinical practice in Sylvan Lake, Alberta, Canada and believes compassion is the foundation of healthcare and overall well-being.

Learn more about Shelly’s work at www.physioyoga.ca to learn more

Course Material included in this course
  • Anatomy
  • Anatomy Part A
  • Anatomy Part B
  • Anatomy Part C
  • Quiz
  • Feedback
  • Pelvic Diaphragm Roles
  • Pelvic Diaphragm Roles
  • Quiz
  • Feedback
  • Chakras
  • Chakras
  • Quiz
  • Feedback
  • Pelvic Floor Function + Performance Factors
  • Pelvic Floor Function + Performance Factors
  • Quiz
  • Feedback
  • Kegels and Mula Bandha
  • To Kegel or Not To Kegel
  • What About Mula Bandha?
  • Quiz
  • Feedback
  • Over-Recruited Pelvic Floor Muscles: Why? So What?
  • Over-Recruited PFMs
  • Quiz
  • Feedback
  • Yoga
  • Pelvic Health Yoga Research
  • Yoga in Healthcare
  • Yoga: Paths + 8 Limbs
  • Yamas + Niyamas
  • Quiz
  • Feedback
  • Pancha Maya Kosha Model
  • Pancha Maya Kosha
  • Quiz
  • Feedback
  • Pelvic Health Issues
  • Pelvic Floor Health Issues
  • Bowel and Bladder
  • Bowel and Bladder Treatments
  • Sexual Dysfunctions
  • Sexual Dysfunction Treatments
  • Pelvic Organ Prolapse
  • Pelvic Organ Prolapse Treatment
  • Pelvic Pain Disorders
  • Pelvic Pain Disorders Treatments
  • Quiz
  • Feedback
  • Case Studies
  • Introduction
  • Krista
  • Bonnie
  • Candice
  • Ken
  • Feedback
  • 1. Awareness Practice: Kosha Scan
  • Awareness Practice: Kosha Scan
  • Feedback
  • 2. Awareness Practice: Tactile & Visual Feedback of Perineum
  • 2A. Side-Lying Palpation
  • 2B. Seated Tactile Feedback
  • 2C. Prone Tactile Feedback
  • 2D. Squat Visual Feedback
  • Feedback
  • 3. Awareness Practice: Pelvic Diaphragmatic Breath Visualization
  • 3A. Supine Hip Warm-Up
  • 3B. Crook-Lying vs. Supine
  • 3C. Extended Child's Pose
  • 3D. Hip Awareness in Prone
  • 3E. Four Point Cat/Cow Variations
  • Feedback
  • 4. Pelvic Floor Relaxation Practices
  • 4A. Supported Extended Child's Pose
  • 4B. Garland Pose/Squat
  • 4C. Restorative Series
  • 4D. Prone: 4 Part Breath
  • 4E. Hip Poses: Modifications at Wall
  • 4F. Hip Poses: Modifications Seated in Chair
  • Feedback
  • 5. Facilitation of Pelvic Floor Engagement & Excursion with Breath + Movement
  • 5A. Supine Practices
  • 5B. Cat/cow + Thread Needle Breath Variations
  • 5B Half Kneel Stride with Variations
  • 5B Plank, Child’s Plank, Puppy Dog Series
  • 5C. Standing Foot Awareness Practices
  • 5D. Standing Practices: Mountain Pose
  • 5E. Standing Practices: Chair Pose Variations
  • 5F. Standing Practices: Warrior 1 ↔ Tree Flow
  • 5G. Standing Practices: Warrior 2 ↔ Triangle ↔ Half Moon Flow
  • 5H. Standing Practices: Dynamic Squats
  • 5I. Standing Practices: Wide-Legged Side Lunge Variations
  • 5J. Sit ↔Stand Practices
  • Feedback
  • 6. Standing Balance Practices
  • 6A. Tree Pose Variations
  • 6B. Single Knee Up↔Lunge Variations
  • 6C. Warrior 3 Variations
  • 6D. Warrior 2 - Triangle - Half Moon Flow
  • Feedback
  • 7. Additional Mindfulness Meditation Practices
  • 7A. Alternate Nostril Breath Visualization with Single Knee to Chest
  • 7B. Reclined Cobbler's Pose with Self-GI Massage
  • 7C. Chakra Meditation with Hand Mudras
  • 7D. Supine Progressive Muscle Relaxation (Audio Only)
  • 7E Circular Nostril Breath Visualization (Audio Only)
  • 7F Loving Kindness Meditation (Audio Only)
  • 7G Toilet Meditation
  • Feedback
  • PhysioYoga Conclusion
  • Conclusion
  • Continue learning with Shelly
  • Patient Resources
FAQs

Each course purchase is for a single viewer only, and may not be shared. If you are interested in group/staff viewing, please contact us at support@embodiaapp.com to arrange a group discount code specifically for your group.

The larger the group, the larger the discount. Each individual must purchase separately with the discount code, and agree to the terms and conditions (legal). This provides each participant with their own copy to review at their pace, their own certificate of completion, and the opportunity to interact with colleagues as you all work collectively through the material.

This course has been approved for 6 CPD units by the South Africa Society of Physiotherapists (SASP). If you are a physiotherapist in South Africa and would like the number of approved CPDs to appear on your certificate of completion, please follow the steps outlined in this help article. 

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