Description: Lower limb tendinopathies are among the most common—and most challenging—conditions managed by physical therapists and sports medicine clinicians. Despite decades of research, patients with Achilles, patellar, and gluteal tendinopathies often experience prolonged symptoms, inconsistent outcomes, and frustration with rehabilitation approaches that fail to account for individual variability. This two‑day intensive course bridges the gap between cutting‑edge research and real‑world clinical decision making. The course will provide a comprehensive, evidence‑based framework for understanding tendon pain, dysfunction, and recovery across the lifespan and activity spectrum. Rather than offering a one‑size‑fits‑all protocol, this course emphasizes why tendons respond as they do to loading, how mechanical, biological, and psychosocial factors interact, and what clinicians can do to tailor assessment and treatment to each patient. Participants will move beyond simple exercise prescription to develop a nuanced understanding of tendon health, injury mechanisms, and progression toward safe and durable return to sport. Across lectures, case discussions, and hands‑on sessions, clinicians will gain practical skills in clinical examination, outcome selection, and exercise progression while grounding their decisions in the best available scientific evidence. The course also highlights emerging concepts such as tendon strain, load management, biopsychosocial influences, and long‑term prevention of recurrence. By the end of the course, participants will be equipped to confidently evaluate and treat patients with lower limb tendinopathies—designing individualized, progressive rehabilitation programs that reflect both tendon biology and patient‑specific goals.

Objectives: • Describe the impact of loading and unloading on tendon structure. • Understand and explain the effects of mechanical loading and exercise on tendon recovery from injury. • Demonstrate an understanding of the evidence for various types of exercise treatments for patients with tendinopathy. • Apply the evidence from research on the topic of examination, diagnosis, and intervention to the individual patient with tendinopathy. • Identify the influence of activity level, age, metabolic, and psychosocial factors on injury risk, treatment, and recovery. • Understand how multiple factors (including personal, structural, and biomechanical) can contribute to tendon pain and function within a biopsychosocial model.

Status: Active

Activity Difficulty Level: Mastery

Domains:

• Assessment
• Evaluation and Diagnosis
• Therapeutic Intervention

Format: Face to Face

Dual Credentials and JA: Occupational Therapy Professionals, Physical Therapy Professionals, Physician Assistants, Physicians

Presenter(s): Karin Grävare Silbernagel PT, ATC, PhD, FAPTA

Start Date & Time: 03/06/2027 09:00 AM CST

End Date & Time: 03/07/2027 05:00 PM CST

Cost: $400.00

Capacity: 40

City: Stillwater

State: MN

Zip Code: 55082

CEUs: 13.25