Treating without Pain: Improving Outcomes for Common Conditions of the Upper Extremity

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Two-day, live, in-person, combined-concepts course with plenty of take-home tips and pearls, will enhance your current knowledge and teach advanced concepts and innovative techniques that can be used immediately--even with your most challenging patients.

Neural tension can have a significant impact on the cutaneous sensory nervous system and influence upper extremity pain and dysfunction. Through comprehensive lectures and step-by-step video demonstrations of patient assessments and treatment, you will enhance your current knowledge and learn to select appropriate assessments, treatment strategies, and exercise protocols to attain and maintain pain-free outcomes for common hand and upper extremity conditions. Practice assessments and treatment techniques during hands-on lab sessions.

Focus on the 4 S’s: Skin, Swelling, Scar and Sensation, as well as joint alignment and balance. Learn how to get faster outcomes with innovative techniques that calm the heightened cutaneous sensory nervous system, reduce joint stiffness, improve joint ROM, eliminate compensation patterns, and regain function.

Learn how, when, and why to use a variety of IASTM tools, cupping, tuning forks, Kinesio Tape®, and more to reduce/eliminate pain, and improve function. Video evidence for the concept of Treating without Pain and current research will be included to support these concepts.

Program subject to change. This course content is not intended for use by any participants outside the scope of their license or regulation.

You will be required to:

  • bring along sharp scissors (preferably Teflon coated) for taping labs.
  • dress comfortably for lab sessions, and wear loose fitting shorts and a tank top or halter top.
  • wear comfortable clothing over lab attire, so you are not cold during lecture sessions.

It is recommended that you:

  • bring an anatomy book, if you have one.
  • do not apply moisturizing lotion or use Dove®/moisturizing soap the day of the course as the tape will not adhere to your skin properly.

Please review In-Person Course Covid-19 Policy

By the end of this course, participants will:

  • identify 3 Movement With Motion (MWM) components to increase range of motion for a patient with a fractured finger.
  • identify 3 Movement With Motion (MWM) joint glides for a patient with shoulder tendonitis pain.
  • list 2 Agonist and Antagonist muscle relationships in a patient with Tennis Elbow/Elbow Tendonitis
  • develop a treatment plan, including taping, cupping and IASTM strokes to enhance movement and space in a patient with a wrist fracture
  • develop a treatment plan including 2 appropriate taping techniques for a patient with ECU Tendonitis
  • identify 2 strengthening exercises to reduce pain in a patient with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
  • develop a treatment plan that includes 2 manual joint corrections for a patient with thumb pain
  • explain how joint alignment and muscle imbalance influence a patient with finger pain
  • develop a treatment plan that incorporates taping, cupping, and IASTM strokes for a patient with wrist tendonitis

Day 1 Morning: (8am-12noon)

  • Introduction to the concepts of:  Pain- and the 6 physiological layers; Kinesio Taping®; “MWM” (mobilization with motion); Cupping, IASTM; Focal Vibration
  • Applications to the Hand- Skin, Swelling, Scar and Sensation with hands-on LAB
  • Concepts of Muscle Imbalance and Joint Alignment in the UE
  • 15-minute Break
  • Finger Fractures and Injuries with hands-on LAB
  • Hand Fractures and Injuries- with hands-on LAB

Day 1 Afternoon: (1:00pm-5:00pm)

  • • Wrist Fractures and Injuries- (DeQuervain’s, ECU Tendonitis, TFCC) with hands-on LAB
  • Elbow Fractures and Injuries (Tennis Elbow, Dislocation, fractures) with hands-on LAB
  • 15-minute Break
  • CMC OA, Carpal Tunnel with hands-on LAB
  • Q&A

Day 2 Morning: 8:00am-12noon)

  • • Review of Concepts
  • Shoulder Tendonitis and pain: what is going on? Concepts of Muscle Imbalance and Joint Alignment, Anatomy, Restoring Balance, Joint Mobilization, Taping- Muscle and Joint
  • 15-minute Break
  • Elbow Tendonitis and Pain: what is going on? Advanced Concepts of Muscle Imbalance and Joint, Alignment, Anatomy, Restoring Balance, Joint Mobilization, Taping- Muscle and Joint

Day 2 Afternoon (1pm-5:00pm)

  • Wrist Tendonitis and Pain: what is going on? Concepts of Muscle Imbalance and Joint Alignment, Anatomy, Restoring Balance, Joint Mobilization, Taping- Muscle and Joint with hands-on LAB
  • Hand and Finger Pain: what is going on? Concepts of Muscle Imbalance and Joint Alignment, Anatomy, Restoring Balance, Joint Mobilization, Taping- Muscle and Joint with hands-on LAB
  • 15-minute Break
  • Thumb Tendonitis and Pain: what is going on? Concepts of Muscle Imbalance and Joint Alignment, Anatomy, Restoring Balance, Joint Mobilization, Taping- Muscle and Joint with hands-on LAB
  • Current Techniques – Cupping, IASTM, Tuning Forks, Sensory Reeducation
  • Wrap-up, Research Discussion, Summary, Q&A, Course evaluation

15 Contact Hours (15 clock hours)

Rules and regulations change frequently without notification, and apply differently to live and online courses. Please check with your state board to confirm accuracy of this list and acceptance of contact hours. Certificate of Attendance will be issued to all participants upon completion of the course and may be used for CEU verification of credits. CE credits vary by state. Please check with your state board/certifying agency to confirm conversion of contact hours to CE. See links below.

Rehab Education, LLC is recognized as:

AOTA approved provider of OT and OTA continuing education (#6177)
approved provider of PT and PTA continuing education by the NY State Education Department Board of Physical Therapy.
approved provider of PT and PTA continuing education by IDFPR/ Illinois Board of Physical Therapy (#216000227).

  • American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA): Rehab Education, LLC is an AOTA Approved Provider (#6177) of professional development. This live CE course is offered at 1.5 CEU (15 clock hours) Intermediate level | OT Service Delivery/Foundational Knowledge. The assignment of AOTA CEUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA or indicate AOTA approval of a certification or other professional recognition. (Course must be completed prior to 2/1/2027) Approval #03969


  • Arkansas Physical Therapy Association: This course has been approved by the Arkansas APTA for 15 contact hours. Approval #APTA-AR1977


  • Board of Certification, Inc (BOC) Approved Provider #P8271: Rehab Education, LLC (BOC AP#: P8271) is approved by the Board of Certification, Inc. to provide continuing education to Certified Athletic Trainers. This program is eligible for a maximum of 15 Category A hours/CEUs. ATs should claim only those hours actually spent in the educational program.


  • California OT Board: This course and instructor have been approved by the CA Board of OT for 15 contact hours of post-professional education in the advanced practice area of hand therapy. Approval #22-H27.


  • Physical Therapy Board of California: The Physical Therapy Board of California recognizes Rehab Education, LLC as an approval agency to approve providers offering continuing competency courses for CA licensed PTs and PTAs. This course is approved for 15 contact hours.


  • Illinois State Board of Physical Therapy: Approved CE Sponsor by Illinois State Board of Physical Therapy, Division of Professional Regulations, Approval #216.000227. (Course must be taken prior to 09-30-2026)


  • Maryland State Board of Physical Therapy Examiners: This course has been approved by the Maryland State Board of Physical Therapy Examiners for 1.5 CEUs. Approval #2021-1047. (Course must be taken prior to 01-12-2026)


  • New Jersey State Board of Physical Therapy Examiners: This course has been approved by the New Jersey State Board of Physical Therapy Examiners for 15 CE credits. Approval 2210-08. (Course must be taken prior to 01-31-2026).


  • NY State Physical Therapy Board: Rehab Education, LLC is recognized as an approved provider of PT and PTA continuing education by the NY State Education Department Board of Physical Therapy. (Course must be taken prior to 05-10-2025)


  • Ohio Physical Therapy Association (OPTA): This course is approved bey the Ohio Physical Therapy Association (OPTA) for 15 hours. Approval# 24S1305. (Course must be taken between 11-9-2024 and 11-9-2025)




  • States that Accept AOTA Approval / PT State Boards’ Approval Reciprocity

    The assignment of AOTA CEUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA. At the time of listing, these states currently recognize AOTA Approved Providers for OT continuing education either in regulatory language or by formal written communication to AOTA. For an up-to-date list, see the AOTA website.

    Alabama
    Alaska
    Arkansas
    Arizona*
    California
    Delaware
    District of Columbia
    Florida **(self-report to CE Broker)
    Georgia*
    Illinois
    Indiana
    Kentucky
    Louisiana*
    Maryland
    Massachusetts
    Michigan
    Minnesota
    Mississippi*
    Missouri
    Montana
    Nevada
    New Hampshire
    New Mexico
    New York
    North Carolina
    North Dakota
    Ohio
    Oregon
    Oklahoma
    Pennsylvania
    Rhode Island
    South Carolina*
    South Dakota
    Tennessee*
    Texas
    Vermont
    Virginia
    Wisconsin (self study courses only)

    *see CE Broker
    **FL licensees may need to self-submit courses in CE Broker

    Disclaimer: Rehab Education LLC provides this list for your convenience. At the time of listing, the following state boards accept courses by virtue of approval by other organizations. It is the responsibility of the participant registering for a course to check with their state board to confirm rules and regulations regarding acceptance of contact hours for live and online courses.


    The following PT Boards accept courses approved by other PT State boards*:

    Alaska
    Delaware
    District of Columbia
    Hawaii
    Illinois
    Indiana
    Kansas
    Kentucky
    Michigan
    Montana
    North Carolina
    North Dakota
    Oregon
    Pennsylvania
    Tennessee
    Utah
    Vermont
    Virginia
    Wyoming

    The following PT Boards accept courses approved by other APTA state associations*:

    Alaska
    Arizona
    Delaware
    District of Columbia
    Florida **(self-report to CE Broker)
    Georgia
    Kansas
    Kentucky
    Mississippi
    Missouri
    North Carolina
    North Dakota
    Rhode Island
    South Dakota
    Utah
    Vermont
    Virginia
    Wyoming

    The following PT Boards do not require pre-approval for continuing education activities as long as they are “directly related to the licensee’s practice of physical therapy” and/or meet the guidelines established by the board.

    Alabama
    Colorado
    Connecticut
    Iowa
    New Hampshire
    Washington
    Wisconsin

    HELPFUL LINKS:
    *NBCOT…National Board for Certification of Occupational Therapy (view PDU requirements)

    +HTCC… Hand Therapy Certification Commission (view recertification requirements)
    Hand Therapy Certification Commission (HTCC): This course is accepted by HTCC towards re-certification.

    State PT Boards
    State OT Boards

Instructors:

Alison Taylor, OTR/L, CHT, CKTI, NDT

Alison Taylor, OTR/L, CHT, CKTI, NDT graduated as an Occupational Therapist in 1990, from Sydney University, Australia. She has worked in and out of the United States for over 29 years and obtained her CHT in 2001. Since that time Alison has presented at 6 ASHT Conferences, multiple state ASHT and OT conferences, and special interest group meetings in GA, IL, NH, SC, TX and LA.

She became a KinesioTaping Instructor in 2011 and actively lectures throughout the USA on UE and LE taping.  Alison presented at the International KinesioTaping symposium in Hawaii in 2017 on “Tennis Elbow”, and was published in the Kinesio “Advanced Healing Magazine”

Alison is a guest lecturer for the OT programs at Texas Women’s University (Denton) and LSU (Shreveport). She lectures nationally on Hand Therapy and is developing protocols for tennis elbow and radial nerve impairment. Her specialties include hands, UE sports orthopedics and tendonitis.  Her background also includes neurology, geriatrics, spinal cord and acute care.

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What Students are Saying:

Course was dynamic; provided practical application with comprehensive explanations for clinical reasoning.

The knowledge that Alison presented was immediately useful with multiple patients in my caseload. I am grateful for a variety of new clinical techniques that I can immediately begin using to help my patients progress faster and with less pain.

I learned many manual techniques for reducing my patients’ pain when working with them. I feel I have a better idea of how to use the tools at my clinic to treat patients more efficiently and effectively. The information on skin direction has already made a big difference in how I treat patients and tackle their pain. Thank you so much for this great educational course!

Fast Facts

Skill Level: Intermediate
Delivery Method: Live, in-person

Who Should Attend:
  • Occupational Therapists
  • Occupational Therapy Assistants
  • Physical Therapists
  • Physical Therapist Assistants
  • Certified Athletic Trainers
  • Certified Hand Therapists

Locations:

Dec. 7 - Dec. 8, 2024
Los Angeles, CA

May 3 - 4, 2025
Ellicott City, MD (Baltimore area)