Rehabilitation Course Description
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Rehabilitation Series
The Polestar Pilates Rehabilitation program provides a unique environment for licensed and certified rehabilitation professionals to receive in-depth instruction in Pilates rehabilitation principles, teaching techniques, self-mastery and practice. Each student will receive comprehensive didactic and theoretical review and practical training using a clinical reasoning approach. The Polestar Pilates didactic curriculum has earned the reputation world wide as the most scientifically based Pilates curriculum available, taking Pilates education to a new pinnacle, consisting of formal lecture, reading assignments, research literature review, and writing assignments. Polestar Education is best known for it’s “critical thinking” model and original design of the Polestar Fitness Screening, Polestar Health Model and use of problem solving rehabilitation assessment tools.
Rehab Prerequisites
1. Licensed or certified health care professionals (e.g. MD, PT, OT, DO, DC,RN, and Bach. Sp Sc. / Hum Movt. and Bach Applies Science)
2. Participation in 25 hours of group or private Pilates classes
The Polestar Pilates Rehabilitation Series consists of 7 two day courses as follows: The courses must be taken in the following order: P-R, R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, R-5, R-6.
PR - Pilates Principles for Rehabilitation (2 days, 16 hours)
This non-apparatus course introduces current research in movement science, motor learning, bioenergetics, and communication science to instructional practice through six basic movement principles which will be used throughout the rehabilitation series. You will integrate critical reasoning skills with these principles to facilitate movement assessment and intervention within the Pilates environment.
R1 thru R6: Pilates for Rehabilitation Levels 1-6 ( 12 days - (6 x 2-day courses)
After the Pilates Principles for Rehabilitation course (PR), the Pilates for Rehabilitation program continues with six course modules scheduled approximately one month apart. The time between courses allows you to practice and become comfortable with the material before continuing to the next course. Each course is two days, usually Saturday and Sunday. The Friday evening before each course (beginning with R-2) there is a 2-3 hour self-mastery check-off session with your instructor where you show the course instructor the practice log book (given in the first course) and get passed off on your mastery of the exercises by demonstrating and teaching them. This session is included in the registration fees, and is in addition to the 96 hours of class time. For certification, you will be required to complete at your own expense, the required reading and writing assignments, 40 hours of observation, 200 hours of self mastery practice and 200 hours of apprentice teaching.
You will learn the practical skills needed to become proficient with the assessment techniques, movement sequences and the application of principles learned in PR. The movement selections focus on early intervention and beginning through intermediate exercises on Pilates equipment, including Trapeze Table, Reformer, Chair, Ladder Barrel, mat and small props. Additionally, you will learn:
1. Cueing and movement facilitation
2. Adjustment of equipment for patient safety and instructor efficiency
3. Movement sequences for treatment of specific lesions
4. Progression of movement following an injury
5. Indications and contraindications for exercise selection
6. Integration of manual mobilization skills and Pilates movement (appropriate to your scope of practice)
7. To create treatment plans through use of case studies
Rehabilitation Certification
Certification involves completing the series, completion of assignments and short quizzes, as well as a number of hours of observations, self-mastery, assistant teaching, and practical teaching (as outlined below). Full certification is given once the final written and practical exam is passed - pass mark is 80%.
Course |
Pre-Course |
Lectures |
Observation |
Practice |
Apprentice Teaching |
Rehabilitation Series |
25 |
112 |
40 |
200 |
200 |
Course fees include attendance at lectures, student manuals and handouts, morning and afternoon teas. Students are responsible for all personal extras, such as travel and accommodation and personal supplies and lunch during the course dates.
Text Books
As part of the training students will be required to purchase the following course textbooks (additional to course fees):
- Anatomy of Movement , Blandine Calais-Germain: Eastland Press 1993
- The Complete Writings of Joseph H Pilates (Return To Life & Your Health) , Joseph Pilates: Bain Bridge Books
- Dynamic Alignment through Imagery, Eric Franklin : Human Kinetics 1996
- Energy Medicine, The Scientific Basis, James L. Oschman: Churchill Livingstone, 2000 Chapters 1-4, 15
[Polestar has copies of these books available from head office in Sydney Please call to order.]
Mentoring
As shown above students will be required to complete practice hours (self-mastery), which are in addition to course fees. Polestar have a national network of Australian mentors that can offer assistance with practice and teaching hours. Please contact Polestar for a list of names and locations. Further information will be given out on the first day of the course. Go to our mentoring webpage.
Examination
1) a written exam consisting of 50 multiple choice questions (50 points)
2) a case study with written problem solving (50 points)
3) a practical one-on-one demonstration of theoretical knowledge, exercise mastery, movement teaching skills and problem solving skills with an oral defence (50 points)
The written portion of the exam (parts 1 and 2) lasts approximately two hours in total, and part 3 lasts approximately one hour. The entire exam is worth a total of 150 points. The candidate willneed to achieve an 80% pass mark on both written and theory sections of the exam.
The Rehabilitation examination tests depth of knowledge, skills and ability to facilitate movement in the Pilates-evolved environment. It is designed to establish an essential level of skill, with emphasis on safety and competence, and evaluates cognitive, affective and psychomotor domains as they pertain to movement analysis, problem solving and treatment planning. The oral defence addresses theory, adaptations to pathology, contraindications and precautions associated with treatment planning in the Pilates-evolved environment.
