Knowing how to help breast cancer survivors in your community recover best, following surgery and radiotherapy, is rewarding work for therapists as it helps reduce the burden of cancer for patients.

However many of the common impairments require customized palpation skills and these differ from those used for most other medical conditions - for example, lymphoedema skills do not translate well to managing problematic lumpectomy dissection scar tissue.

This online course is designed for therapists wanting to provide assessments and treatments for breast cancer survivors. It will suit therapists with PT, OT oncology massage or lymphoedema training.

This short online course will help you develop hands-on skills in palpation, identification of common impairments and tight tissue release.

The main treatments that will be covered are:

1. Gentle PIR

2. Lewit Barrier release ( skin, superficial and deep tissues, trigger points and scars)

3. Adapted manual cupping ( you can receive a posted a practice cupping device)

4. Low-pressure facilitation for best rib, humerus and scapula positioning

These skills will make positive changes to people after breast cancer who are experiencing limited arm movement, musculoskeletal pain and weakness.

Courses commence in October and November 2022

AEST- Sunday morning or Saturday morning sessions depending on where you live in the world.

This will correspond to USA afternoon sessions- use Brisbane to USA time converter.

The Hand pressure training device is a key part of this training. This item will accelerate your learning and offer you ways of communicating the handhold pressure that you use with your clients in the future. Practising a range of low-pressure handholds to become automatic and reliable will help your oncology rehab practice. See more details in the additional info section for how to construct your own device with two easily obtainable items.

PURCHASE STANDARD TOUCH RENTAL HERE NOW CURRENTLY CANCELLED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

IT WILL BE A SMALL GROUP (Min 4, Max 20) LEARNING EXPERIENCE

We will meet over ZOOM

PLAN YOUR LIVE TRAINING

1. All research and background reading will be available in the Modules only.

2. The Modules are a perfect way to prep for the Live sessions. They take at least 12 hours to complete, so plan to complete the Modules before the Live Sessions.

3. Live sessions will have the following parts:

Instructions for treatment/s
Online practice with a partner attending the session
Questions and debrief from past learning
Recommended practice/s to reinforce learning

4. You will receive a video copy of the Live session for your personal use only. The videos can not be copied or shared.

USA ONLINE & LIVE COURSE: Supporting best recovery

AU$1,000.00

Quantity

Cancelling your course participation 2 weeks prior to commencement will incur a fee of AU $250, if you have received the Modules resources.

Alternatively, you can receive credit and book for the dates listed.
The items can be purchased through online shopping sites like eBay or Amazon.

During the online training, I will guide the hand pressure I use with my clients, using a pressure or scale device. You will have your device at the desk during the training session: practising different pressure levels and reporting on pressures used in your practice cases throughout the training. Practising and delivering set pressures, both with and without visual checking, is designed to fast track your competency in low tension assessment and treatment. There are two parts to the training device: pressure/force measurement + a gel pad to simulate skin + superficial tissues.

I have been using this system for 2 years and I find that I need to recheck/ recalibrate my hand pressures over time; hence I would suggest that you consider a device + pad to purchase.

These are my recommendations:

Standard Touch ™ Device (rental or purchase) OR

Create your own pressure device ( scales and gel pad)

Standard Touch ™ Device

This device is an electronic pressure sensor for monitoring and measuring pressure applied in manual therapy techniques used for educational training purposes in the field of manual therapy

The gel pad is durable and can be readily cleaned.

The digital readout is battery operated and can be used for visually checking your pressure and then during blinded pressure testing, as you see in the image below.

I have 3 devices in Australia available for rental to Australian therapists over 8 weeks.

Mendology, the USA product developer, has devices available for rental.

The price listed is in USA dollars and you’ll be required to return post the device to Mendology.

From Brisbane postage is approx. $100 - I recently converted rental cost USD $198 and it came to $274.

Rental can be arranged here: https://standardtouch.shop/products/breast-and-shoulder-rehab

STANDARD TOUCH IS CURRENTLY NOT ON OFFER

Recommended option: Purchase digital scales + pad

GEL PAD

Item available from Ebay (Aust or USA)

I’ve recommended this item because:

This product has a texture that is somewhat similar to the body’s skin and superficial layers

The 2cm product thickness feels more like the body than the 1cm product

This product is shipped from Australia

Unfortunately, this product surface is sticky and covered with polyethylene film, which will not be durable for our purpose. The product can be used temporarily without any modifications but will need a cover if used over time. I have trialled plastic wrap and a silicone bag. I found the silicone bag (joie brand- Aldi) does not allow the product to slip away and feels good underhand. The plastic wrap is temporary and replaceable; the new recyclable wrap tends to slip away from the product and does not feel good under hand.

Options:

The product can be cut to shape to fit perfectly on the scale and covered with more adhesive “cling” wrap. Trimming the polyethylene cover will be required.

Alternatively, the product can be cut to fit within a silicone bag

The recycle wrap does not adhere well to the gel product

The gel pad can be cut to shape to fit into a 1lt (20/17.5cm) silicone bag

I have also tried the 1cm orange pad; it’s also covered in polyethylene, and the texture is exactly like the blue product. I feel the 1cm thickness is not as close to representing pressing into the skin to the muscle as the 2 cm product.

I like the 2 cm gel pad.

B) DIGITAL SCALE

I’ve recommended the OXO brand because:

The flat surface size is 24.1 x 18.1 which the whole hand can press onto comfortably.

The pull out scale can be used more easily adjusted and read while your hand is in position on the scale

The pull out scale can be directed to the screen if you choose to do a blinded test for your pressure levels

If you have a digital scale that meets point 1 – then try this with the gel pad. This option will mean that you will not be able to engage in the blinded pressure testing task.

Blinded pressure testing: will be explained at Live training

OXO is a USA company:

Items are available from Amazon.com.au and will be delivered by Amazon Export sales (USA)

Items from USA will be delivered locally

I have no affiliation with OXO

Example links

Gel pad

https://www.ebay.com/itm/304176014879?hash=item46d24da61f:g:xyAAAOSwVMBhXmxb
Introduction to low-pressure manual methods.

Practice: practice two set pressures with your hand pressure device.

Review the Arm to ear test and Reach out the Back test.

Use low-pressure hand hold for PIR method.

Palpation locations linked to ROTB positions.

Practice seated testing with zoom room partner

Learn and practice Lewit Barrier Release in palpation zones

Red flags and warnings

Case example/s using these methods

Homework task
Debrief homework task

Introduction to MAP-BC research, method and scales

How a modified version can assist in treatment planning

Practice MAP-BC assessment ( layers1&2) in zoom room with a partner

Assessment of the third layer with a functional variation

Cording: assessment of width, length and insertion.

practice LBR at cording insertion using 2 manual methods

Case example/s using these methods

Homework practice
Debrief homework

Therapist and patient assessments for rib changes ( MAP-BC layer 3)

Breath work and low-pressure treatments for rib changes.

M Weller Vagus N methods

Intro to one neuro-vascular method at the ribs (K Schumaker method)

Pec Minor stiffness assessment: length and compression and decompression sensitivity.

Manual methods to support pec minor atrophy

Risk factors associated with pec min changes

Treatment session planning

Case example/s using these methods

Home work:
Debrief Homework d

Posterior scapula bone + muscle assessment

Manual methods to manage scapula/ humeral movement changes:

trigger point compression modified.

Practice self-management method in Zoom room with a partner.

Stabilization and movement pattern assessment and treatment using reflex turning ( Intro to Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization: P. Kolar)
Abdominal core stability assessment and retraining method ( DNS)

Case example/s using these methods

Case presentation prep

Breast and Shoulder Rehab

USA ONLINE & LIVE COURSE: Supporting best recovery

REFUND on course fee

STANDARD TOUCH (R) rental

Construct your own hand pressure training device

Session 1

Session 2

Session 3

Session 4