The Back: Movement, Stability and Pain

Professor Willard, with his long experience as a speaker at the most prestigious international neurosurgical congresses, returns with an on demand course structured in three in-depth lectures on the spine.

It goes without saying that this part of the body represents one of the most treated and considered aspects in our profession of osteopaths, chiropractors, and manual therapists in general.

With this innovative course, Professor Willard aims to bring us up to date on the latest anatomical and physiological research regarding the functioning of the spine and the main functions it performs in maintaining the health of the human being. But beyond that, he will guide us to an integrated view of the spine, relating its role to the rest of the body from biomechanical and neurological perspectives.

A special focus will be devoted to the Whiplash syndrome, with the aim of giving us an understanding of the changes the organism undergoes in the short, medium, and long term, not only from a symptomatic point of view, but also at the physiological, neurological, and anatomical levels.

We consider this to be a unique event, an extraordinary opportunity for all of us professionals to gain significant insights into the spine, enriching our knowledge essential to addressing the many daily issues that patients present in our practices.

Learning goals

• Refine knowledge of the anatomy of the spine
• Refine and update knowledge of the biomechanics of the spine Improve knowledge of column-torso relationships
• Know the neurological mechanisms that regulate and manage spinal pain and other associated symptoms
• Increase the ability to frame patients with these issues
• Know how the anatomy and physiology changes under our hands in the presence of a pathological syndrome

Programme

Part I

Movement and stability, the vertebral column and the paraspinal muscles and their integration with the torso.

• Anatomy of the spine
• Biomechanics of the spine
• Relationship between column and paraspinal musculature in the management of movement and stability
• Anatomical relationships between the column, thorax, and abdomen
• Biomechanical relationships between the thoracic spine and abdomen 
• Functional and dysfunctional relationships between thoracic spine and abdomen

Part II

Low back pain - The biomechanics and innervation of the lumbosacral spine in health and disease.

• Biomechanics of the lumbosacral spine 
• Innervation of the lumbosacral spine
• Analysis of anatomical, biomechanical, and activity changes in the peripheral nervous system in the presence of district pathology
• Surgical accesses 
• The scar tissue

Part III

Neck pain and Whiplash injury - The biomechanics and innervation of the cervical spine in health and disease; axial pain, radicular pain and myelopathic pain.

• Specific biomechanics of the cervical spine 
• Somatic innervation of the cervical spine 
• Whiplash syndrome
• Lesional mechanisms 
• Symptomatology
• Modification of the anatomy and function of the district peripheral nervous system in the presence of pathology
• Axial pain 
• Radicular pain
• Pain from spinal cord suffering (myelopathic)