Spinal Mobility: A Manual Technique to Address Neurological Trunk Weakness #531

TUE 1 NOV // 1:30 PM – 5:30 PM

Primary Content Focus: Spinal Cord Injury

The Spinal Mobility Technique is based on theories of Motor Learning while integrating biomechanical principles that include segmental stability, distal locking, and reverse muscle activity. It allows for therapists to think differently about how people with neurologically based trunk weakness or paralysis can be taught to move. During the course, attendees will be able to work with individuals with spinal cord injuries who will serve as model demonstrators and will be able to give feedback and help facilitate the process of learning this hands-on technique.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Upon completion of this course, attendees will be able to describe how the spinal mobility (SM) technique is used to address sitting balance in individuals with SCI from a variety of positions such as in wheelchair, edge of mat and long sitting
Upon completion of this course, attendees will be able to identify three or more functional activities that the SM technique can be utilized to achieve
Upon completion of this course, attendees will be able to provide return demonstration of three different spinal mobility exercises, using a handout as guidance, to employ on a SCI patient.

KEY WORDS

Spinal Cord Injuries
SCI
Paralysis

FACULTY

Maneshka Perera, MS, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist, California Rehabilitation Institute

Ms. Perera is a graduate of Columbia University and will be an Occupational Therapist at The California Rehabilitation Institute. She has been working with spinal cord injury (SCI) patients for the past seven years. She was trained at Mount Sinai Medical Center and has worked on both inpatient and outpatient clinical settings with SCI patients. Ms. Perera has completed a retrospective research study examining the potential impact that the spinal mobility technique has on Activities of Daily Living (ADL). She was also involved in applying for two research grants that would enable prospective research studies to further validate the efficacy and functional impact of a novel technique to address neurological trunk weakness.

Aside from clinical care duties and research endeavors at NYU, Ms. Perera co-developed and co-lead a community based exercise program for individuals with spinal cord injury since April 2012. She is now the Vice President of Spinal Mobility, LLC and in this capacity, is assisting with helping to make the technique evidence based as well as increasing its presence on the west coast. Additionally, she was on the Board of Directors of the NYC Spinal Cord Injury Association. Ms. Perera has provided a poster presentation at the American Occupational Therapy Association and also co-authored an article in OT Advance. She co-instructs a continuing education course on the spinal mobility technique for PTs and OTs. Lastly, Ms. Perera co-presented a podium presentation at the 2015 Academy of Spinal Cord Injury Professional’s Conference in New Orleans, LA.

Lawrence Harding, PT
Physical Therapist, New York Physical Therapy

Mr. Harding has been a physical therapist since 1991 upon graduating from Long Island University in Brooklyn NY. He has practiced in many settings including Acute Care, as the Assistant Supervisor of Bedside Care and on in-patient Rehabilitation, as a staff member on the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) sponsored, Spinal Cord Injury Model System floor, at Mount Sinai Hospital. He is currently based at New York Physical Therapy, a small private practice in NYC.

His teaching experience and career started in his final year of graduate school when he was asked to be a Teaching Assistant in the Anatomy class for the incoming freshman class. Upon graduating and becoming licensed, he was invited to return to his Alma Mater as a lab assistant during a class on Musculoskeletal Assessment. Since then, he has taught at other institutions including Columbia University and Touro College. He is currently on staff as an Adjunct Professor at Hunter College teaching classes in Neurological Assessment and Treatment Interventions in Spinal Cord Injury.

He is the President of the Spinal Mobility, LLC and the developer of the Spinal Mobility technique, a manual treatment intervention designed to maximize trunk strength and control in people with neurologically based disability. He is the Director of Fitness at the Axis Project, an innovative multidisciplinary center specifically designed for people with disabilities that offers programs and activities designed to empower and motivate people with physical disabilities to pursue a healthy, active lifestyle.