This course provides an update of best practices and current evidence-based approaches in providing care to patients with spinal cord injury. Participants will receive training on various medical and rehabilitation considerations in this population including but not limited to autonomic dysreflexia, orthostatic hypotension, thermoregulation, limb overuse syndromes, as well as neurogenic bowel and bladder. By attending this course, participants will gain an improved understanding of how to develop exercise and rehabilitation programs that account for these conditions while maximizing therapeutic outcomes and maintaining patient safety. This course provides an update of best practices and current evidence-based approaches in providing care to patients with spinal cord injury. Participants will receive training on various medical and rehabilitation considerations in this population including but not limited to autonomic dysreflexia, orthostatic hypotension, thermoregulation, limb overuse syndromes, as well as neurogenic bowel and bladder. By attending this course, participants will gain an improved understanding of how to develop exercise and rehabilitation programs that account for these conditions while maximizing therapeutic outcomes and maintaining patient safety.
At the conclusion of this course, participants will be able to:
Identify and understand treatment of Autonomic Dysreflexia
Be able to recognize and address orthostatic hypotension
Understand thermoregulation in the SCI population
Understand upper limb overuse syndromes in the SCI population
Be able to educate SCI patients on secondary health complications
Understand importance of safe physical exercise in SCI population
Be able to address healthy weight loss in the SCI population
Understand new options in the treatment of Neurogenic Bladder and Bowel
Be able to recommend the Voices of Experience Video series for SCI population
Know the considerations that must be made in ordering our patients' adaptive equipment
Kristi Self, M.D., is the Medical Director for the Spinal Cord Injury Program at Jim Thorpe Rehabilitation Hospital. She graduated from OU College of Medicine. She completed her internship and residency at Baylor Hospital College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. She is a member of various professional organizations including: American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, American Medical Association, Oklahoma State Medical Association, Oklahoma County Medical Association, and the Academy of Spinal Cord Injury Professionals. Along with spinal cord injury, her professional interests include musculoskeletal injuries, amputation, and stroke.
