Presents:
Introductory to Pelvic Floor Course: June 4th & 5th, 2016
Course Description:
This course is a two-day introductory course on pelvic floor assessment and treatment for
physiotherapy students. The course will cover female and male pelvic floor anatomy, the
physiology of micturition and the pathology of common pelvic floor disorders, including
urinary incontinence and prolapse. It will also cover the most common medical
investigations and medical and surgical treatments for urinary incontinence and prolapse.
Attendees will learn to perform a basic pelvic floor assessment, including vaginal and anal
exams, and to develop and implement treatment plans. The course will cover the theoretic
basis and practical implementation of various pelvic floor treatment modalities.
This course is open to both women and men. Attendees will be expected to practice the
assessment and treatment techniques on each other. Men will practice the vaginal
techniques on a standardised client and the anal techniques on each other. Attendees will
be evaluated on their ability to perform a pelvic floor evaluation, complete with vaginal and
anal palpation, on a woman.
It is understood that students who successfully complete this course will also be required to
complete a clinical placement in pelvic floor therapy, supervised by a pelvic floor
physiotherapist, in order to be recognised as having the required skills to practice pelvic
floor physiotherapy by the Saskatchewan College of Physical Therapists.
Course Outline:
Saturday
8:45 am
9:00 am
10:30 am
10:45 am
12:00 pm
1:00 pm
2:00 pm
2:15 pm
3:00 pm
4:30 pm
Sunday
9:00 am
10:00 am
10:30 am
10:45 am
12:00 pm
Registration
Anatomy and Physiology
Break
Pathophysiology
Lunch on your own
Medical and Surgical Interventions
Break
Pelvic Floor Assessment
Vaginal Assessment
Wrap Up
Anal Assessment
Developing a Treatment Plan
Break
Pelvic Floor Exercise
Lunch on your own
1:00 pm
2:30 pm
2:45 pm
Other Treatment Techniques and Modalities
Break
Individual Evaluations of ability to perform a Vaginal Assessment
Learning Objectives:
Following this course the student will be able to:
1. Describe the anatomy of the pelvic floor as it is relevant to urinary incontinence and
pelvic floor prolapse;
2. Describe the physiology of micturition including the roles of the central nervous
system and the intrinsic and extrinsic continence mechanisms;
3. List the types of urinary incontinence and to explain the pathologies underlying each
type;
4. List the types of pelvic floor prolapse and to explain the structural deficits underlying
each type;
5. List and define the most common urologic and urodynamic investigations for urinary
incontinence;
6. List and describe the most common medical and surgical treatments for urinary
incontinence and prolapse;
7. Take a history pertinent to urinary incontinence and pelvic floor prolapse;
8. Perform a pelvic floor evaluation in women and men;
9. Develop a treatment plan with progressions for urinary incontinence in women and
men and pelvic floor prolapse in women; and to
10. Explain the theoretical basis and practical implementation of various pelvic floor
treatment modalities, including manual and behavioural techniques, pelvic floor
muscle exercise, biofeedback and electrical stimulation.