On the 29th and 30th of July 2017, Jane Raleigh attended the ‘Improved Functional Walking’ problem solving workshop at the Manchester Neurotherapy Centre.
The Course
This course explored both the theoretical and practical elements of functional walking in people with neurological conditions.
Jane reported ‘A patient’s rehabilitation goal can focus heavily on getting back into walking following Neurological injury. However abnormal movement or body positioning will negatively affect walking efficiency. It also affects ability to multitask and adapt to diverse environments and expose the joints, muscles and skeleton to biomechanical stresses’.
Jane wanted to further her knowledge and consolidate her facilitation techniques. This is to enhance her patients gait pattern and efficiency when walking. This course gave Jane the ideal opportunity to address these learning goals.
The study weekend began by revising the Central Nervous System and its involvement in walking. This part of the course certainly got the brain active! Following this, participants had the opportunity to analyse the walking patterns of each other. They could also practice handling skills to facilitate improved movement patterns.
The course ended with a patient workshop. This enabled participants to utilise their observational skills in assessing a patient with neurological deficit. The group were then able to observe the Bobath tutor performing the hands-on skills learnt to improve alignment and muscular activity and activate a more efficient walking pattern.