Series 1 – Spinal Manipulation

Skill, Art, Science

This Series 1 – Spinal Manipulation course and examinations has been accepted by the Alberta College as adequate preparation for its restricted practice and registration as a manipulative therapist.

  • Four weekends totaling 80 hours of learning, tutorials, case discussions and practical instruction and supervised practice that will consist of:
    • 20 hours of clinical reasoning in diagnosis and technique selection and differential diagnosis of serious conditions that mimic biomechanical dysfunctions
    • In depth safety examinations of all regions including vertebrobasilar, myelopathic, bone and collagen fragility, and more
    • 60 hours of continuous practice of demonstrated manipulative techniques using a unique method of practice developed by Jim that ensures minimal down time for the students (no standing around chatting waiting. This method also ensures that each region will be revisited multiple times during the course
  • Manipulation of the cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and sacroiliac regions will be taught
  • At least two techniques, sometimes three, will be taught for each region, so that you will have a default technique and one that you can use when the patient demands it
  • 12 zoom sessions containing instruction and discussion recorded for those who cannot attend live
  • Approximately 16 on demand instructional videos which will form a basis for the zoom sessions discussions
  • A USB with about 2GB of information in the form of PowerPoint presentations, assessment and technique videos and sample written exams.
  • Included in the cost are the tests and examinations and all course materials
  • An email address that you can send questions and comments to and expect an immediate response from Jim

Upcoming Dates

Edmonton

April 28-30, 2023
May 12-14, 2023
May 19-21, 2023
June 2-5, 2023

Calgary

September 8-10, 2023
September 22-24, 2023
September 29-Oct 1, 2023
Oct 20-22, 2023

Ottawa

October 6-8, 2023
October 11-15, 2023
October 27-29, 2023
November 3-5, 2023

Full Description

This Spinal Manipulation course is entirely devoted to the safe and effective manipulation of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spines; the ribs and the sacroiliac joints. The course runs over four weekends for a total of 80 hours with another 12 hours of Zoom instruction and about 10 video presentations. The zoom presentations will be recorded if the participant is unable to attend. After the last classroom session, the zoom sessions will continue as examination preparation until the written exam has been passed. The course has been accepted by the Alberta College for eligibility for registration as a manipulative therapist since the initiation of the restricted acts in physiotherapy. 

Included in the cost are all classroom and zoom sessions, all materials, all examinations and tests and all materials.

Course Materials 

Included in this course at no extra cost are:

  1. Course manuals
  2. A USB containing over 2GB of information will be distributed to all participants as future reference material and includes the following:
    • PowerPoint presentations of anatomy and pathology
    • Course Manuals
    • Sample written examinations
    • A digital copy of Jim’s textbook “Orthopedic Differential Diagnosis In Physical Therapy: A Case Study Approach”
  3. Access to instructional video library
    • And more

This Spinal Manipulation course is entirely devoted to the safe and effective manipulation of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spines; the ribs and the sacroiliac joints. The course runs over four weekends for a total of 80 hours with another 12 hours of Zoom instruction and about 10 video presentations. The zoom presentations will be recorded if the participant is unable to attend. 

The instructor Jim Meadows FCAMPT developed this course about 25 years ago has taught it in BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, Boston MA, Denver CO. He has graduated about 900 therapists from this course in that time, so he knows the material and how to run the course efficiently and effectively. A method of technique practice has been developed by Jim that ensures continuous supervised practice of techniques with no downtime so that students will, by the end of the course carry out manipulative therapy automatically leaving them only to continue to use the techniques in the following weeks to gain mastery.

This course has been accepted by the licensing bodies of Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and the Yukon Territory as meeting their requirements for eligibility for the practice of this restricted act.

The course is divided into three components:

  1. Video and Zoom
  2. Theory and assessment techniques
  3. Manipulative techniques and practice
  4. Tests and examinations

  1. Video and Zoom (15 hours)
    • About 10 videos each lasting an average of about 20 mins

This Spinal Manipulation course is entirely devoted to the safe and effective manipulation of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spines; the ribs and the sacroiliac joints. The course runs over four weekends for a total of 80 hours with another 12 hours of Zoom instruction and about 10 video presentations. The zoom presentations will be recorded if the participant is unable to attend. After the last classroom session, the zoom sessions will continue as examination preparation until the written exam has been passed. The course has been accepted by the Alberta College for eligibility for registration as a manipulative therapist since the initiation of the restricted acts in physiotherapy. 

Included in the cost are all classroom and zoom sessions, all materials, all examinations and tests and all materials.


  1. Theory and Assessment Techniques 
  • Safety concerns including; neurovascular problems, bone fragility fractures, disc lesions, infections, systemic arthropathy
  • detailed instruction on the diagnosis of manipulable dysfunctions and differential diagnosis of serious conditions that can mimic them
  • the therapeutic and adverse effects of spinal manipulation, post-manipulative treatments (e.g. electrotherapy, exercises and advice) and all allied topics
  • biomechanical theory and it’s application in the form of the biomechanical examination and treatment
  1. Spinal Manipulation (20 hours)
  • Using the continuous practice method developed by Jim it has been estimated by students that each will supervised practice of cervical manipulation 40 times, lumbar 15, thoracic 150 and SJI 40. Each area will be returned to again and again so it remains fresh. 
  • Each area will have two (sometimes three) alternative techniques, one as a default decided by the therapist and one required because of the patient’s needs. 
  1. Tests and Exams

All examinations and certificates are included in the cost of the course. 


Jim Meadows - Manual Therapy Instructor

Instructor

The instructor Jim Meadows FCAMPT developed this course about 25 years ago and has taught it in BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, Boston MA, Denver CO. He has graduated about 900 therapists from this course in that time, so he knows the material and how to run the course efficiently and effectively. A method of technique practice has been developed by Jim that ensures continuous supervised practice of techniques with no downtime so that students will, by the end of the course carry out manipulative therapy automatically leaving them only to continue to use the techniques in the following weeks to gain mastery.

Jim has written a diagnostic textbook that was published by Magraw-Hill, has published a set of assessment and treatment techniques video, has written numerous articles in US and Canadian Journals, has presented at Canadian conferences of CAMPT and the CPA and has been keynote speaker multiple times to the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy (AAOMPT) and spoke at an International Federation of Orthopedic Manual Therapy. He is a past teacher and examiner with the Orthopedic Division, Chair of the Orthopedic Division’s’ Examination and Education Committee’s, and co-founder of NAIOMT and IMPACT educational groups in the USA. Swodeam Institute has been operating for about 25 years and is Jim’s Canadian company.