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Inertia Therapy

Inertia Therapy Services

CLINICAL AI CHI©- *Certification Course

 

 

 

 

ABOUT THIS CLASS: 

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Original Ai Chi has been developed by Jun Konno, the late owner of an aquatic fitness institute in Yokohama, Japan. Around 2000 Ai Chi quickly became popular because of it’s simplicity and effects. Ai Chi is mindful and active, including 20 continuous slow and broad movements (kata’s), accomplished without force. Ai Chi focuses on breathing, upper limb movement, trunk (mobile) stability, lower limb movement, balance and coordinated total body movements. The basis of support is gradually narrowing and challenge the centre of gravity progressively. Different protocols exist, consisting of a choice of the 20 kata’s and/or a different amount of repetitions, see e.g. at www.clinicalaichi.org
Clinical Ai Chi® is Ai Chi that is adapted to the possibilities of a person with a musculoskeletal and/or neurological problem. The elements of Clinical Ai Chi® should fit in a custom-made treatment programme and are the result of a clinical reasoning process. Ai Chi is a postural activity in which transfers of the centre of gravity, reaching with arms, supporting activity of legs and continuous concentric –eccentric contractions are characteristic. 
which is used to solve a patient specific problem. This mostly means that it is adapted to the possibilities of a person with a musculoskeletal and/or neurological problem. Most of these characteristics are related to static – and dynamic balance control and might influence motor control to prevent falling.
Clinical questions then could be: “can Ai Chi be adapted to facilitate hip-strategies in patients with chronic low back pain”, or “can Ai Chi be adapted to Parkinson patients in order to train medio-lateral stability”.
Clinical Ai Chi® is an in-depth application of the well-known regular Ai Chi kata’s, and included in the clinical reasoning process that belongs to choice-making in (physical) therapy. Examples are:
  • focusing on reaching or small bases of support in various kata’s
  • facilitation of hip strategies in patients with e.g foot problems
  • training medio-lateral stability in patients with Parkinson
  • references to literature; Johan Lambeck is co-author of 5 studies in (Clinical) Ai Chi and of chapters in various textbooks
  • the application to breast cancer lymphedema, developed by Anne Bommer and Paula GeigleThese and other adaptations have been worked out in Clinical Ai Chi® and can be found at www.clinicalaichi.org.
The Association IATF in Valens (CH) has developed variations to challenge balance even more, according to research in fall prevention. These variations and the application to patient categories belong to Clinical Ai Chi®(registered by Jun Konno and Johan Lambeck in the EU).
New topics in WST, BRRM or CAC:
  • Neuroprotective aquatic therapy for executive functions
  • Environmental Enrichment with learning through games
  • Stochastic motor learning
  • Agility, muscle power and (an)aerobic condition
  • Fascial resilience
  • Muscular fine tuning
  • Eccentric techniques

Strength of the courses:

  • Patient centered approach based on clinical reasoning
  • All treatments based on justification by evidence
  • Skillful hands-on treatments
  • Learning-by-reasoning-and-doing
  • Faculty with great clinical and scientific expertise
  • Embedded in a European aquatic network
  • Recent topics from e.g. ICEBAT conferences are directly implemented
  • Tacit knowledge of participants is encouraged to be used.
AI CHI IN FALL PREVENTION:
Falls are a major problem, leading not only to an increase of incapacity but also to an increase of morbidity and mortality. Tai Chi is used successfully to increase balance and to reduce fall risk, Ai Chi has the same effects. A pool adds extra advantages however. When persons are safe (and feel safe), they are able to make larger movements than on land without the risk of losing that balance.
 Controlling large reaching movements at the end of a large range of movement is essential for safe activities of daily living. The 19 kata’s have been modified with important evidence based elements of fall prevention in order to comply with the state-of-art in this area.
Maintaining an end-position for a short while is essential in daily living. To this end short moments of posture can be included and open the possibility to also include the Yoga “asana’s”. Asana’s and simple yoga (pranayama) breathing are the most recent extension of Clinical Ai Chi®.
MOBILIZING CONNECTIVE TISSUE:
Ai Chi is known as a relaxation technique. Breathing, control of smooth movements and posture correction give a sense of relaxation. Physically this shows itself as reduced stiffness of connective tissue in and around muscles. Reduction of stiffness is facilitated by the repetitive movements, having direct effects on the ground substance of connective tissue. This means that gradually also small effects of range of movement can be acquired.
The possibility to relax is enhanced by the fact that slow movements in water, as well as maintaining a posture, only require about 25% of the muscular force of comparable land activities. This is another reason why Ai Chi is relaxing: it is easy to grade muscle activity and coordination of movements therefore needs less energy.
This also means that weak persons are able to perform Ai Chi (for an extended time) in the framework of “effortless strengthening”.
Ai Chi was created to help aquatic practitioners (including aquatic exercise instructors, personal trainers, and aquatic therapy and rehabilitation practitioners) and students enjoy the water in a flowing yet powerful progression. Effortless strengthening is also particular important for spinal motor control in persons with (non-specific chronic) low back pain and will be addressed as well in accordance with the possibilities to influence connective tissue in it’s existing range of motion (in the framework of “fascial fitness”.

TARGET AUDIENCE / ABOUT THE IATF:

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Clinical Ai Chi® is ideal for any professional engaged in Aquatic Therapy. Because this course is designed for skilled physical and occupational therapy, certification is only granted to licensed therapists. However, we have had several experienced Athletic Trainers and Aquatic Professional trainers that have found this course crucial in their continuing education.

Skillful Aquatic Therapy depends on a proper clinical reasoning process that finally ends in an intervention strategy with adequate tactics. Tactics include the specific concepts that are used in the pool. Clinical Ai Chi® and the Bad Ragaz Ring Method® are two of these concepts, with pool practice focusing on an evidence based patient treatment.

This is what the Swiss Association IATF offers their students all over the world in their courses, developed in Valens (Bad Ragaz). Continuing a long tradition of e.g. Halliwick® Aquatic Therapy (HAT) and the Bad Ragaz Ring Method (BRRM), additional concepts like Clinical Ai Chi® have been added in order to comply with treatment goals that can be derived from the international classification of functioning, disability and health (ICF). The information is embedded in a European network (Aqua-evidence/outcome) and has recognition for the EU educational credit system (ECTS). Expertise of the IATF lecturer is the basis for teaching up-to-date knowledge, and superb handling / guiding skills are the foundation of every course.

Case related contents provide students with a comprehensive picture of current research that supports decision making, clinical reasoning, problem-solving and goal-setting in aquatic therapy. This intensive postgraduate aquatic therapy course is based on “learning-by-reasoning-and-doing” or “think-pair-share”: pool practice encompasses 70% of the total contact hours. Preparatory and additional studying time needs about 3.5 hours.

Two aquatic treatment concepts form the practical implementation of evidence based, and competence guided approach to therapy. Both classes come with a (digital) course book.

www.badragazringmethod.org

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LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

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At the completion of this module participants will be able to: 

  • Understand the physiological immersion effects on fascia and their therapeutic applications (influencing fascial visco-elasticity, resilience) 
  • Include explicit and mindful motor control topics 
  • Follow the Ai Chi progression and be introduced to the concept of balancing with fluency and security. 
  • Apply CAC in falls prevention in e.g. lateral stability problems 
  • Apply to patient related problems like e.g. media-lateral instability, limited functional reach or decreased hip-strategies in low back pain patients. 

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTORS: 

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Johan Lambeck, PT

Johan 4 Web

Johan Lambeck, PT, owns an Aquatic Therapy Consultancy in the Netherlands, being a knowledge broker trying to implement the existing evidence in the daily practice of aquatic therapy.In 2020 he received the Award “Excellence in Aquatic Physical Therapy”, issued by the Academy of Aquatic Physical Therapy-APTA. He is a long time editorial board member of the Journal of Aquatic Physical Therapy. He was named the Aquatic Therapy Professional of the year in the United States by ATRI in 1998

From 1979 – 1998 he was in charge of the Department of Aquatic Therapy in the Rehabilitation Centre Sint Maartenskliniek (Nijmegen, NL) and was affiliated as Free Research Associate to the Faculty of Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium, co-responsible the EU Erasmus Aquaevidence/Aquaoutcome project till 2017. Since 2017 he is Honorary Professor at the Zhongshan Vocational College, Nanjing, China.

He is co-founder of the International Halliwick Association (IHA) and the Association International Aquatic Therapy Faculty (IATF) in which he is Senior Lecturerand vice-chair.

Johan has taught over 1000 seminars in 53 countries on almost all topics in aquatic therapy. He is the author or co-author of 4 books / CDRom’s/websites, over 45 published articles and chapters in (peer reviewed) journals and books on aquatics and aquatic therapy.

In 2005, he joined the Cochrane Collaboration balneotherapy review group. Johan was co-founder of the aquatic network of the WCPT/World Physiotherapy and performed aquatic projects for WHO.

Maria Eugenia Hernández Ruiz, PT, MSc

Maria Eugenia Hernández Ruiz studied in Mexico at the University UVM where she became a licensed physiotherapist. Following her internship at the hospital IMSSS, she moved to Spain to do a postgrad and the specialization in Aquatic Therapy. During that time, she was an in charge of a pediatric rehabilitation in a private clinic. She became a professor in the university UAQ in Mexico and was in charge of the pool area in the university clinic.
Maria is the founding president of Mexican Aquatic Therapy Association. She is also a member of the International Aquatic Therapy Faculty (IATF), and assists with classes and organization. Maria has been translating for over 8 years in aquatic therapy courses.
Maria was the organizing co-chair for the International Conference on Evidence-Based Aquatic Therapy (ICEBAT- US 2018), and the organizing chair for the International Aquatic Congress (ICEBAT in Mexico 2016). For the past several years she has been educated by Johan Lambeck, and hopes to become a Lecture in the IATF soon…!

CLASS SCHEDULE:

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*There will be 2.5 Hours of Pre-coursework

?, 202? (8.5 Hours)

07.00 – 07.30        <Registration and breakfast (provided)>

07.30 – 09.00        C         Intro – Clinical Ai Chi®

09.00 – 09.30        <Break> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

09.30 – 12.00        P         Pool lab – trunk patterns 1

12.00 – 13.00        <Lunch (provided)> ~~~~~~~~~~~

13.00 – 14.00        C         Clinical Ai Chi® : research

14.00 – 14.30        <Break> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

14.30 – 16.30        P         Pool lab – trunk patterns 1

16.30 – 17.00        <Break> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

17.00 – 18.30        P         Pool lab – trunk patterns 3

?, 202? (9.0 Hours)

07.00 – 07.30        <Sign in and breakfast (provided)>

07.30 – 09.00        C         Clinical Ai Chi® and spinal motor control

09.00 – 09.30        <Break> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

09.30 – 12.00        P         Pool lab – Clinical Ai Chi® 2

12.00 – 13.00        <Lunch (provided)> ~~~~~~~~~~~

13.00 – 14.00        C         Assignments and pool prep

14.00 – 14.30        <Break> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

14.30 – 16.30        P         Assignments – Clinical Ai Chi®

16.30 – 17.00        <Break> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

17.00 – 18.30        P         Ai Chi® music variations

18.30 – 19.00        C         Certification celebration and wrap-up

CAMPUS LOCATION:

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Royal Oaks Lifecare Community

10015 W. Royal Oak Rd.

Sun City, AZ 85351

Click Here to Visit Royal Oaks’ Website

NEARBY HOTELS:

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La Quinta by Wyndham Phoenix West Peoria

16321 N 83rd Ave, Peoria, AZ 85382(623) 487-1900

Holiday Inn Express Peoria North – Glendale

16771 N 84th Ave, Peoria, AZ 85382(623) 853-1313

Extended Stay America Hotel Phoenix – Peoria

7345 W Bell Rd, Peoria, AZ 85382(800) 804-3724

WoodSpring Suites Phoenix Peoria

8949 W Sweetwater Ave, Peoria, AZ 85381(623) 486-2345

Hampton Inn Phoenix/Glendale/Peoria

8408 W Paradise Ln, Peoria, AZ 85382(877) 529-5007

CONFIRMATION & CANCELLATION POLICY:

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Confirmations:

Confirmations of registration are sent via email within three days of receipt in our office.
 

Cancellations and Refunds: 

REFUNDS WILL ONLY BE PAID OUT VIA CHECK/MONEY ORDER! Cancellations received at least 15 working days before the event are refundable less a $150 administrative charge per registrant. *There is no refund for cancellations received later; however, a credit will be issued toward a future event. Please note that if you register and do not attend, you are still liable for full payment. Substitutions may be made at any time. The expense of continuing education, when taken to maintain and improve professional skills, may be tax deductible. Please contact your accountant for complete details.
 

Disclaimer: 

Any opinions, findings, recommendations or conclusions expressed by the speaker do not necessarily reflect views of Inertia Therapy Services.
 
Inertia Therapy Services reserves the right to substitute a qualified instructor due to unforeseen circumstances.


For More Information, Contact:  Inertia Therapy Services
                                                   602.733.6393