Overview of Acupuncture Orthopedics:

Chart your path to success in acupuncture orthopedics, sports medicine, and pain management! If you are considering specialization in this rapidly-growing arena, or Certification in Acupuncture Orthopedics through AOM Professional, this class is a great place to start! Gain an overview of ways to build the essential knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as immediately-applicable take-home strategies and techniques.

Overview of Orthopedic Pain and Disability

Pain as a subjective perception of past, current or potential tissue damage
Integrating Eastern and Western understandings of pain and disability
- Chronic pain mechanisms and the degenerative cascade
- The jingjin (“sinew meridians” or myofascial tracts) and progression of bi syndromes in Traditional East Asian medicine
Challenges, standards and goals: paradigm shift from passive pain relief to pro-active functional restoration

Building Clinical Skills in Acupuncture Orthopedics

Taking effective histories of orthopedic conditions
Integrating Easter and Western orthopedic physical exam
Orthopedic pattern recognition, diagnosis, and functional capacity evaluation
Case management and treatment planning for orthopedic conditions
Selecting, combining, and sequencing AOM modalities for optimal therapeutic responses, including:
- Myofascial trigger point acupuncture
- Myofascial gua sha
- Electroacupuncture
- Advanced cupping for orthopedics: passive mobilization, active movement, and “wet” cupping
- Lancet, 3-edged and 7-star needling
- Joint stabilization/mobilization (“prolo-“) acupuncture
- Making distant needling work for orthopedic conditions

Enhancing Abilities to Work in Orthopedics, Sports and Physical Medicine, and Pain Management Clinics

Medical documentation & report-writing for managed care (HMO, Personal Injury & Work Comp)
Making and building effective referrals and collaborative relationships

Resources for further education and training

Texts, online resources
Tools and equipment
Volunteer work and apprenticeships
Educational coursework
Effective study methods