Stroke Recovery Fitness Specialist Online Course

$799.00

This product is an online, self-study course.

A stroke is a life-altering occurrence that can profoundly affect activities of daily life to greatly varying degrees. However, after the hospital and rehab is done, there is still so much that can improve, with the right guidance.

Stroke Recovery Fitness Specialists can uniquely position themselves to help stroke survivors regain function as well as improve their fitness. This course will provide the education to do just that! The course provides the fitness professional tools needed to assure survivors, their families, and other medical professionals that they are qualified to provide effective and safe continuing training and care.

Students will gain a basic understanding of stokes and the neurology of movement, balance, and pain. With this basis in neurology, participants will learn neuro-centric assessments and exercises to utilize the governing system of the body, the nervous system, to improve client outcomes.  Students will also learn how to describe and market their newfound skills to clients and referral sources so they can hit the ground running. Included are interviews with stroke survivors, caretakers, practitioners who work with stroke (neuropsychologist), and one trainer’s experience. We discuss the life changes stroke survivors and their caretaker’s experience, how to include the caretaker in training, and the survivor’s emotional and personal/familial impact.

Course Length: Approximately 20 hours

Course Authors: Dr. Grove Higgins and Master Trainer Pat Marques


MedFit Network (MFN) Membership

This course includes a free trial of a professional MFN membership. This offer is valid for new members only, and instructions for creating your MFN account will be sent a short time after your course purchase. Existing MFN members are not eligible to receive this trial membership, but do receive a preferred price on this specialization course, and other courses. Check your MFN account for details.


Payment plan available for this course. Split your course purchase into 3 payments; pay only 1/3 up front. Select “Payment Plan” at check-out.

Description

Course Objectives

  • Understand the definition, causes, and types of stroke
  • Understand concerns and common issues associated with stroke
  • Learn basic neurology for movement, posture, balance, and pain
  • Learn baseline assessments for gait, breathing, vision, balance and motor control
  • Learn how to use sensory stimulus to promote neuroplasticity and better movement
  • Learn exercises for stroke recovery
  • Understand programming for stroke recovery exercises
  • Understand continuing education opportunities

Module & Lesson Overview

  • Module 1: Introduction & General Information Regarding Stroke and Stroke Recovery
    • Lesson 1: Understanding Stroke and Its Causes
    • Lesson 2: Common Issues Associated With Stroke
    • Lesson 3: Cautions and Concerns Associated With Stroke Recovery
    • Lesson 4: Neuroplasticity: What It Is and Why It Matters
    • Lesson 5: Basic Brain Anatomy and Function
  • Module 2: Neurology Basics for the Neuro-Centric Trainer
    • Lesson 6: Foundational Concepts – The Input-Processing-Output Model
    • Lesson 7: Foundational Concepts – The Minimum Effective Dose Concept
    • Lesson 8: Foundational Concepts – Fueling the Brain
    • Lesson 9: The Three Input Systems – The Visual System
    • Lesson 10: The Three Input Systems – The Vestibular System
    • Lesson 11: The Three Input Systems – The Proprioceptive System
    • Lesson 12: How The Brain Produces Quality Outputs and Movement
  • Module 3: Implementing a Neuro-Biomechanical Model of Stroke Recovery
    • Lesson 13: History Taking, Goal Setting, and Assessment Overview
    • Lesson 14: Breathing Assessments and Training
    • Lesson 15: Motor Control Assessments and Training
    • Lesson 16: Sensory Assessments and Implementation
    • Lesson 17: Visual Assessments and Training
    • Lesson 18: Vestibular Assessments and Training
    • Lesson 19: Programming Stroke Recovery Fitness

Course Delivery and Assessment

This is an online course. All materials are delivered digitally, including a written course manual, video narrated slide presentations, videos of sample exercises, and sample forms. Comprehension of the material will be measured via a mandatory competency assessment requiring a minimum of 80% correct responses.

System Note: We recommend students access courses using Firefox as their browser. The Google Chrome browser can automatically play all videos in a lesson at the same time, which may be an extremely annoying feature for some, and for which, at the present, there is no easy fix in the Google Chrome settings.

Prerequisites

All of the online courses on MedFit Classroom which lead to a Certificate of Specialization are considered advanced level education, and are meant to be taken by fitness professionals who have previously acquired education and experience as a professional within the health and fitness industry. In order for one to receive the Certificate of Specialization conferred upon those who obtain and complete this Fitness Specialist course, one must be able to demonstrate that he or she has the following:

  1. Evidence of a current certification, or vocational credential, from a reputable certifying or credentialing organization, and within the health and fitness industry; OR an associate’s degree, or higher, from an accredited college or university in the field of exercise science, kinesiology, physical education, fitness, or a related field; AND
  2. Evidence of current professional liability insurance.

Maintaining this Specialization and Continuing Education Credits

The completion of this specialization course, and the passing of its corresponding competency assessment, leads to a Certificate of Specialization. This Certificate of Specialization will be considered valid for a period of two years. To keep the certificate current, you must complete 10 hours of continuing education, on relevant subject matter, and formally renew the certificate prior to the date of its expiration. As with many certifications and specializations in our field, professionals should anticipate some costs to continuing education and renewal of the certificate.

Continuing Education Credits

Students must pass the competency assessment exam at the end of the course to be eligible for CEUs. If your certifying body is not listed, you will be provided with a Certificate of Specialization at the end of the course that can be used to petition your certifying body for credit.

This course is approved for credit by:

  • Athletics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA) to provide 15 CEUs.
  • canfitpro to provide 4 CEUs.
  • International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) for 20 CEUs.
  • National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) to provide 1.9 CEUs.
  • National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) to provide 2.0 CEUs.
  • Pending approval for American Council on Exercise (ACE)

If your certifying body is not listed, you will be provided with a Certificate of Specialization at the end of the course that can be used to petition your certifying body for credit.

About the Course Authors

Dr. Grove Higgins is a chiropractor, rehabilitationist, soft tissue injury expert, researcher, biomechanist, human performance expert, speaker, and corporate health consultant. Since 1994, Dr. Higgins has been steeped in rehabilitative healthcare, first as a personal trainer/exercise therapist attaining his Doctor of Chiropractic in 2005.  Starting with hospital based acute care neurological rehabilitation, he quickly was able to apply his passional and learning to all areas of rehabilitation from orthopedic rehabilitation to working with military veterans with neurological injury and PTSD.

In 2009, Dr. Higgins started a non-profit, to which he wrote a curriculum to teach transitioning soldiers neurological and physical skills to augment performance and control their own pain. He assembled a large team of personal trainers to eventually work with over 3000 injured veterans in less than 3 years. Now in private practice, he works with professional/world class athletes to individuals with chronic long-standing issues that have failed to achieve results.

Neuroathlete was created to more broadly deliver neurologically based training to a global audience; to help individuals achieve their optimal performance and enjoyment of life through self-driven assessment and guided application of the same neurological drills and skills taught in his clinic.

Master Trainer Pat Marques attended Indiana University where he participated in wrestling, rugby, and Army ROTC. After graduating and being commissioned as an Infantry officer, Pat served in the Active Duty Army for 20 years in the Infantry and Special Forces, including combat tours in Iraq.

Upon retiring Pat decided to try and combine his two passions – soldiers and fitness. As Pat pursued his education and certifications in exercise science, he volunteered as a trainer at a Colorado Springs-based military non-profit, where he first met Dr. Higgins. He was able to work with soldiers through adaptive physical training, helping them deal with amputations, chronic pain, PTS, and traumatic brain injury.

Along with attaining his BS in Exercise Science, Pat has completed over 600 hours of neurological training, becoming a Z-Health Master Trainer. He currently provides exercise therapy, movement reeducation, and strength and conditioning for all levels of clients at NeuroAthlete, from chronic pain sufferers to Olympic-level athletes. Pat strives to bring cutting edge knowledge and techniques to empower his clients to reach their goals – getting out of pain, recovering from brain injury, improving fitness, and maximizing athletic performance.