This course is designed to be attended live during the specific dates and times listed. By attending live, you’ll be able to harness the benefits of live discussions, timely feedback, and a collaborative environment.

Course Description:

Impairments of abdominal wall anatomy and function have been implicated in multiple conditions associated with pregnancy and delivery including low back and pelvic girdle pain, urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse and diastasis rectus abdominis (DRA). DRA is a common occurrence in pregnancy and postpartum, it does not completely recover in some, and the current evidence has not clarified the risk factors for this condition, nor provided direction for treatment.

This live-online course is divided into two parts (4 hours each).

Part 1 will cover theoretical constructs and:

1. Present the current research evidence on the prevalence, risk factors known/not known, and the course of recovery of DRA,
2. Define and suggest a classification model for subgrouping women with DRA both for research and clinical practice,
3. Discuss the anatomical variations of the upper, middle, and lower abdominal wall, particularly the aponeurotic extensions of the lateral muscles in all three regions and how they form the linea alba,
4. Discuss the role of the abdominal wall in function of the thorax, lumbar spine and pelvic girdle,
5. Present the research (Lee & Hodges 2016) that led to a world-wide paradigm shift in the goals for training women with DRA (hint – don’t aim to close that gap!!)
6. Discuss the clinical findings that suggest that surgery is the best option for optimal recovery of both form and function of the abdominal wall
7. Discuss other demographics in which DRA is found

Part 2 will cover the practical constructs for both assessment, treatment, and training of DRA including:

1. Assessment of the three levels of the abdominal wall profile (in standing) and the response of all of the abdominals to a verbal ‘connect cue’ intended to recruit the deep system.
2. Video demonstration of the clinical tests for determining if the individual’s strategy for transferring loads through the thorax, lumbar spine, and pelvic girdle is optimal (i.e. is their motor control strategies and force closure mechanisms optimal for function),
3. Clinically reasoning of the load transfer test findings to determine which level/region of the abdomen (upper, middle lower) requires further assessment,
4. How to evaluate the lateral and midline abdominal muscles as well as their connective tissue connections to determine if the myofascial system can transfer loads. These tests consider the following parameters for function:
   • anatomical integrity
   • motor control
   • strength and endurance capacity,
5. A review of the current clinical thoughts on who should be referred for surgical repair and who should respond to treatment/training
6. The 3 stages of motor learning training (cognitive, associative, and automatic) for the abdominal wall and how to progress this training for strength, endurance, and function.

Audience: Open to anyone who trains women during and after pregnancy and is interested in evidence-informed training for the abdominal wall.

Prerequisites: None