REGISTER NOW FOR NATIONAL SHOULDER COURSES & THE VANCOUVER LECTURE SERIES (VLS)

  • HOME
  • SPECIALTY MSK
  • SHOULDER COURSES
    • I SHOULDER FOUNDATIONS
    • 2 THE UNSTABLE SHOULDER
    • 3 THE ATHLETIC SHOULDER
    • 4 THE COMPLEX SHOULDER
    • 5 THE SPINE
  • VLS
  • INSTRUCTOR
  • REGISTER HERE
  • More
    • HOME
    • SPECIALTY MSK
    • SHOULDER COURSES
      • I SHOULDER FOUNDATIONS
      • 2 THE UNSTABLE SHOULDER
      • 3 THE ATHLETIC SHOULDER
      • 4 THE COMPLEX SHOULDER
      • 5 THE SPINE
    • VLS
    • INSTRUCTOR
    • REGISTER HERE
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Orders
  • My Account

  • Signed in as:

  • filler@godaddy.com

  • Orders
  • My Account

  • Sign out

Signed in as:

filler@godaddy.com

  • HOME
  • SPECIALTY MSK
  • SHOULDER COURSES
    • I SHOULDER FOUNDATIONS
    • 2 THE UNSTABLE SHOULDER
    • 3 THE ATHLETIC SHOULDER
    • 4 THE COMPLEX SHOULDER
    • 5 THE SPINE
  • VLS
  • INSTRUCTOR
  • REGISTER HERE

Account

  • Orders
  • My Account

  • Sign out

  • Sign In
  • Orders
  • My Account

MASTERING THE SHOULDER™
SERIES

MASTERING THE SHOULDER™ SERIES MASTERING THE SHOULDER™ SERIES MASTERING THE SHOULDER™ SERIES
FOUNDATIONS & FRUSTRATIONS

MTS™ LEVEL I

Build your shoulder skills & solve difficult problems.


The ultimate diagnostic course for shoulder disorders, with effective strategies for challenging clinical disorders - rotator cuff tears and adhesive capsulitis.

Introduction

MTS™ Level I offers a complete diagnostic course for the shoulder and also starting with two key shoulder disorders that require high experience to treat effectively.


Day 1 begins with updates in applied anatomy and pathology of the shoulder, a critical look at the current academic findings and how to develop a reliable shoulder examination for screening pathology, injury and movement disorders.


Effective treatment plans and predictable outcomes begin with strong diagnostic skills. 


We’ll cover preferred special tests, combinations and novel special tests. The afternoon looks closely at several copycat disorders and a thorough list of MSK differentials for the shoulder.


Day 2 covers two key challenges for physiotherapists - cuff tears (& repairs) and adhesive capsulitis. 


Cuff Tears - you’ll learn correct imaging information along with radiological and functional cuff grading. We’ll cover ideal physiotherapy management using primarily exercise and manual therapy options. As part of this topic, we'll also look at maximizing surgical outcomes in all phases of recovery. Over 1000 clinical cases to draw from in specialty MSK practice.


Adhesive capsulitis - you’ll learn examination and grading severity, potential copycat disorders and a reliable 2 month recovery program that can shorten the disorder by over a year.


We’ll also cover steroid management, when it’s indicated and how it should be delivered. Over 2000 clinical cases to draw from in specialty MSK practice.


All courses include lecture, case studies, group discussion and practical components.

For Physiotherapists

  • Introduction
  • Syllabus Outline
  • Learning Objectives
  • Questions / Discussion Points
  • Try A Clinical Case


Pre-requisites


  • Physiotherapy degree


Course Fee (Sat & Sun 8:30am-4:30pm)


  • $895 CAD Early  (> 60 days)


  • $1095 CAD Regular (60-7 days)


REGISTER HERE

Level I syllabus - FOUNDATIONS & FRUSTRATIONS

MTS™ Level I - Day I - FOUNDATIONS


CLINICAL DIAGNOSTICS I 


  • KEY UPDATES - Applied Anatomy & Pathology of the Shoulder


  • ACADEMIA - Current findings in shoulder research


  • CLINICAL EXAMINATION 
  • Using pain descriptors to assist diagnosis
  • Pain patterns of the shoulder
  • Clinical shoulder examinations
  • Understanding the examination combinations


Practical Session


CLINICAL DIAGNOSTICS II 


  • SPECIAL TESTS 
  • Recommended special tests of the shoulder
  • Combining  special tests 
  • Novel tests


  • DIAGNOSTIC CASE EXAMPLES - Cuff tears & Capsulitis including radiology and interpretation


Practical Session


COPY CAT DISORDERS 


  •  DIAGNOSTICS & DIFFERENTIALS -  Understand differentials of the shoulder in MSK practice


MTS™ Level I - Day 2 - FRUSTRATIONS


TOPIC 1  -  ROTATOR CUFF INJURIES 


  • Clinical & Radiological Classifications
  • Functional Grading
  • Non-surgical vs surgical decisions
  • Injection options
  • Early - Mid - Late stage rehabilitation
  • Recommended Protocols for each cuff tear size


Practical Session


TOPIC 2  -  ADHESIVE CAPSULITIS  (Frozen Shoulder) 


  • Diagnosing  adhesive capsulitis
  • Copy cat disorders for adhesive capusilitis
  • Capsulitis, Contracture and Diabetic Capsulitis
  • Grading severity - decisions for injection vs rehab
  • Patterns and variations in adhesive capsulitis
  • Key principles of successful treatment
  • MTS™  8 week physiotherapy program


Practical Session

Learning objectives

Examination Skills

  • Update your knowledge of current shoulder anatomy and important variants, pathology and important x-rays for the shoulder joint.


  • Improve your workflow - learn rapid  and comprehensive assessment skills for shoulder disorders.


  • Understand how to perform the correct special tests and be able to explain the use and importance  of combined special tests. 


Diagnostic Accuracy

  • Understand the nuances of special tests, combining negative and positive tests and what it means for the diagnosis.


  • Communicate effectively with sports medicine, physiatry, radiology and surgical fields for injection requests and surgical recommendations.


  • Appreciate the diversity of over 50 shoulder disorders and ways to differentiate MSK conditions


Managing Cuff Tears & Maximizing Repairs

  • Understand the difference between US / MRI  findings and functional grading  of cuff tears for effective non-surgical rehabilitation


  • Appreciate the use of injection work including orthobiologics & prolotherapy


  • Understand the thresholds for surgical repair and pre-operative patient expectations


  • Learn when to refer for surgical assessment and clinical insights for successful outcomes


  • Be able to demonstrate the principles of post surgical recovery up to the 12 month rehabilitation goal


  • Identify characteristics of surgical complications and revision surgeries


Adhesive Capsulitis - The 8 week MTS™ program

  • Describe the different capsular pathologies and disorders that mimic capsular signs


  • Recognize the stages of capsulitis through serial examination and movement trends


  • Recall the correct uses of imaging and co-morbidities that reduce movement progress


  • Understand the principles of recovery and necessary progressions of treatment


  • Appreciate the selective use and timing of soft tissue release techniques


  • Determine the stages for injection assistance and effectively communicate with physicians


FALL 2025 REGISTRATION
REGISTER HERE FOR LEVEL I - FOUNDATIONS & FRUSTRATIONS

LEVEL I course QUESTIONS / DISCUSSION POINTS

Foundational Skills

  • Do posterior labral tears require surgery ? 
  • What is a Buford complex ? 
  • Why is the rotator cable so important ? 
  • What implications does the rotator interval have ? 
  • What are the x-ray views for the shoulder  and why? 
  • What relevance are the updates in cuff anatomy dissection ? 
  • What is a dry posterior joint margin on US mean ?  
  • What should be documented on an MRI ? An US ? How do I know if the report is accurate ?

Diagnostic Accuracy

  • Can you separate a acute cuff tear from a bursitis ? 
  • How do you define a grade III vs grade IIIB vs grade V ACJ separation?  
  • What does a positive Yocum test, but negative spin test mean ?
  • Are SSC tests accurate ? 
  • Does a 2.6cm AP SSP FT cuff tear make sense ? 
  • What are the sensitive measures for mild symptomatic GHJ OA ? 
  • What types of tendinopathy are painful ? How do I measure it ? 
  • What special tests are clinically useful ? 
  • What clusters should I use ? How accurate are they ?

Managing Cuff Tears & Maximizing Repairs

  • How are tears graded surgically vs radiologically ? 
  • What are functional grades ? 
  • When should I start strength exercises ? Indirect or direct ? 
  • When should I refer for surgery ? 
  • What are the surgical indications, risks and late complications ? 
  • How do I treat a massive cuff tear ? 
  • What is a ceiling effect in non-surgical tears ? 
  • How long should I rehab a cuff tear for ? 
  • What are the ideal post surgical methods and principles ? 
  • Should I use rotator cuff exercises in the long term ?

Adhesive Capsulitis - The 8 week MTS™ program

  • What are the diagnostic signs and symptoms for capsultis ? 
  • What disorders copy a capsular pattern ? 
  • Does severity matter and how is it measured ? 
  • How do you treat a capsulitis in the initial stages ? 
  • When should I begin movement, in what direction and with how much force ?
  • How do you achieve recovery in 8 weeks ? 
  • When do you decide to inject ? 
  • How many injections and at what dose / interval ? 
  • When is it safe to start manual therapy ? 

MTS™ CLINICAL CASE

37 y/o male, post traumatic fall onto hand

A patient sees you for advice and exercise regarding a recent shoulder injury sustained during a fall. He has restricted movement, strength and moderate pain on shoulder height movement. Dominant arm, night pain. Restrictions to work and sport.


He presents an US for you to read and based on the injury, devise a program of exercise progressions to help with regaining movement. He also wants to know if he should consider surgery and what are the factors to consider.


  • US demonstrates a broad partial thickness (mid grade) articular sided tear to SSP, SASD bursitis and a 'wet' posterior GH joint line.


Some points to consider ?


  • What is the difference of articular vs intrasubstance to bursal sided cuff tears ?
  • How might this change your treatment for pain ? for movement ? for strength ?
  • Should you expect movement loss due to a cuff tear ? When would this settle ?
  • Is this a surgical problem ?
  • Will they get worse with cuff exercises ?....



Keep me updated

Copyright © 2014-2025 Shoulder PT - All Rights Reserved.

  • REGISTER HERE
  • Terms and Conditions