Applied Neuroscience for Movement:

100+ Treatment Strategies

Associate Professor James McLoughlin

NEXT COURSE:

May 10/11th 2025, £325pp

Manchester Neurotherapy Centre, 466 Bolton Road, Pendlebury, Manchester, M27 8UR

Book your place via email [email protected]

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Applied Neuroscience for Movement is a clinical reasoning course that blends together the best bits of movement neuroscience, neuroplasticity, motor control theory, musculoskeletal, vestibular and neurorehabilitation knowledge - and applies it to human movement! This course has evolved from it's popular predecessor 'Balance & Motor Control' (2016-2024) and continues to be updated with exciting developments and even more treatment ideas.

8 Chapters below are reviewed with lectures, discussions and demonstrations over 2-days with Associate Professor James McLoughlin.

1 ‘Start your engines’

‘After gaining substantial experience working with patients on their mobility and movement, it becomes an ideal time to revisit and update the various theories of motor control that provide insight into the neuroscience of movement. While some of these theories may be familiar from past university lectures, exams, and assignments, this course will put them to the test, examining how they can explain the barriers and facilitators of movement control in our patients. The goal is to integrate these theories immediately to enhance clinical reasoning for specific scenarios and exercise programs, influencing everything from techniques, setups, timing, coaching, to sets and repetitions. Because balance and stability are integral to almost everything we do, it is a great place to start.’

2 ‘Can you feel it?’

‘Our central nervous system is an incredible powerhouse, processing a flood of sensory data through electrical impulses. To make sense of this overwhelming information, we've traditionally grouped it into categories like visual, vestibular, tactile, nociceptive, auditory, and olfactory senses yet the brain does not categorise information this way! Somehow brain takes these interconnected signals and predicts, interprets, and transforms them into meaning, guiding our actions and ensuring our survival. Even more astonishing, these predictive abilities are highly adaptable—they can be modified, enhanced, or even corrupted. This incredible flexibility is what excites therapists!’

3 ‘What can you afford?’

‘As a physiotherapist, one of the most game-changing concepts I’ve encountered in the realm of motor control is 'embodied perception.' This revelatory idea goes beyond the traditional notion that the brain simply constructs a representation of the body and world through sensory inputs. Instead, perception is deeply intertwined with our ability to control and explore movements. It’s about how we perceive the world through the lens of what actions we can afford to take. This breakthrough has profound implications, from revolutionizing our understanding of chronic pain to enhancing skill acquisition, boosting performance, and empowering self-efficacy.’

4 ‘From elasticity to neuroplasticity’

‘Neurons and neural networks can strengthen their relationships to become more efficient and streamlined in their ability to organise information. In terms of motor learning, binding relationships can form motor synergies for faster and more accurate skill execution, which can be facilitated by nurturing some of the key principles of neuroplasticity, where more permanent structural change can occur. Many theories exist, but the key is to articulate ways to make these concepts operational in practice for each individual.’

5 ‘Now you see it’

'The skills to be able to observe, feel and measure body movements takes time and experience. If movement strategies, both present and missing during functions are not observed, then specific training opportunities can be missed. We only treat what we identify through our keen observations, which can be via methodical assessment and/or through careful observation of spontaneous movement behaviour. A framework to help assess and identify common movement patterns from the elite to severely dysfunctional can be very useful for therapists.'

6 ‘Redundancy package’

‘Movement dysfunction is usually a blend of impairments and compensations. Sometimes they are best left alone, but often there is the desire, capacity and opportunity to change these movements to improve performance and function. Identifying common dysfunctions and reasoning through how they have adapted to seek reward and avoid threat is a fascinating process to discuss. Ever enhancing observation and clinical reasoning skills allow early identification of movement patterns that reveal individual stories, with an admiration for the remarkable redundant ability of the brain and body to adapt over time. As therapist, trainer or coach, the question will be what elements do you try and enhance, modify, change or just leave alone?’

7 ‘Movement Super-coaching’

The ten movement training principles were created as an aid to enhance clinical reasoning and practice with consideration of a a simplified process of coaching principles using a consistent terminology. Many fields of science and practice are thrown into the mix, from neuroscience to movement science, sports, musculoskeletal, vestibular and visual rehabilitation. These specialities have historically rarely intersected, let alone been taught together in clinical practice. Movement super-coaching involves a selective decision-making process that considers everything form self-efficacy, biomechanics, sensory perception, attention, feedback and learning types. Research progress from the lab to the clinic, then further afar into real life movement behaviour has always been a challenge in all forms of physical rehabilitation practice. In the face of such challenges, it always good for a therapist or coach to design rehabilitation plans using a framework that can evolve with knowledge and experience.

8 ‘Innovation & implementation’

‘There is an exciting paradigm shift in advanced clinical practice, where collaboration between historically separate fields of practice is facilitating a fast route to innovation. Once an idea has been born (or reborn as is often the case!) it needs to be both safely implemented into practice and researched further. Assessment techniques, treatment ideas and technology require a comfortable forum for constructive critical analysis and debate, while sharing and fostering excitement in the potential to advance practice. Traditionally academics and researchers have seemingly held the sway of power in dispersing information through publications, conferences and training. In the field of rehabilitation this has been a frustratingly slow process. A shift in power where information is more rapidly shared amongst patients, clinicians, industry and the public are creating a change which is long overdue.’

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In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are not. (Unknown)

NEXT COURSE:

May 10/11th 2025, £325pp

Manchester Neurotherapy Centre, 466 Bolton Road, Pendlebury, Manchester, M27 8UR

Book your place via email [email protected]

 ”

Very interesting, clinically relevant, knowledgeable+++. Excellent referencing. Great teaching style and obviously passionate. Creates an easy forum for discussion Thank you so much.

 ”

A ‘breath of fresh air’! Great to have a course bringing so many aspects together and looking at clinically useful work & research. It will modify my practice and gave me lots to think about & research further. Really useful. Please come back to do more B&MC courses.

Applied Neuroscience for Movement: