Challenges in Gait: NDT Workshop in the Management of Adults with Stroke, Brain Injury & Other Neuromotor Disorders

Course Description: In order for individuals’ post-stroke or brain injury to be truly independent when walking, they need to be challenged beyond forward walking. Functional gait includes being able to walk at different speeds, on different surfaces, changing directions, combining gait with other activities and negotiating stairs. Often this is difficult for many individuals who have suffered a neurological injury. This one-day workshop will present NDT principles related to treating in function during standing and walking. This workshop will focus on strategies to facilitate the trunk, UE and LE with the goal of challenging individuals’ post-stroke or brain injury in standing, during gait, and while performing various functional activities. These functional activities include forward walking, taking a few steps backward, turning, and stair climbing – all necessary to function in one’s home. The workshop will provide an opportunity for analysis of biomechanics and the assessment of movement dysfunction in an individual post-stroke or brain injury during these functional activities.​

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this workshop the participants will be able to:

1. Identify components of typical gait.
2. Demonstrate basic skill in analyzing atypical components of trunk, upper and lower extremity function, frequently associated with conditions of neurological dysfunction, during activities in standing, during gait and on the stairs.
3. Demonstrate basic handling skills to enhance patient’s movement as related to his/her functional goals during standing, gait and on the stairs.

Course Format:  Workshop format will include a short lecture and then practical hands-on lab sessions for the remainder of the day. During lab sessions, participants will have the opportunity to analyze typical movement and practice handling skills on their fellow participants. Participants will have the opportunity to problem solve how these handling skills will be modified and progressed to promote functional improvements in standing and during gait activities.

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