Sarah Key MVO
PROBLEM BACK MASTERCLASSES
‘Five Stages of Breakdown of the Human Spine’

Australia and the United Kingdom

Unique, multi-facet teaching and hands-on programs to make you better with backs

The Sarah Key 'Problem Back Masterclasses' utilise highly intensive experiential teaching and demonstrating to highlight the theory and practical application of Sarah’s working hypothesis: the progressive breakdown of a spinal segment through five well-known pathological disorders.

Over several years, persistent media interest generated by Sarah's popular books has raised awareness of The Sarah Key Method and the clinical reasoning underpinning her approach. Masterclasses inaugurated at the behest of HRH the Prince of Wales in June 2003 marked the beginning of the sharing of this knowledge with the wider community of registered physiotherapists. 

Sarah Key's Masterclasses are highly practical, with direct participation of all delegates. Delegates also observe while Sarah treats problem back patients new to her and this highly effective teaching method is used more frequently in Stages 2 and 3. This necessitates limitation to small numbers.

All delegates receive a hardback ring folder of the complete course content, plus an up-to-date and comprehensive reference list of all the evidence base literature. The course also provides a BackBlock and one of Sarah Key's books of choice. A CD is also available [at extra charge] of some of Sarah Key's single-line anatomical drawings, diagrams and exercise procedures. Sarah Key gives permission for these to be used in patient handouts provided her copyright is acknowledged on the handouts. Graduates from all Stages 1-3 of SKMCs will receive a laminated 'Certificate of Completion' signed by Sarah Key and for accrual of CPD points.

At the completion of Stage1 all delegates are issued with password and access to the Forum on the Sarah Key website www.sarahkey.com. This is an 'information exchange' where delegates can talk to one another and Sarah Key. Delegates are emailed a 'Weekly Activity Report' of Forum activity and the topics initiated and updated.

At the end of Stage 3 selected delegates are invited to sit an Accreditation Exam, whereafter their name will appear on the Sarah Key website as an 'Approved Practitioner of The Sarah Key Method' [APSKM]. Delegates can expect some number of patients through this source. The APSKM examination comprises three parts: one hour written exam, one hour practical exam [lumbar, thoracic and cervical spine], three case studies [these must include photographs of MRI scans] presented prior. Sarah Key marks the written papers and the case studies herself and provides comprehensive written feedback on the content. There is a charge to take the APSKM Examination.

The practical element of the Masterclasses increases from Stage 1 to Stage 3. Delegates are urged to complete Stage 1 and 2 within the first 6 months and Stage 3 within 12 months. Courses are also open to practising General Practitioners. See below for course content.

Content of Masterclasses:
Stage 1 [SKMC1]

Stage 1 Theory Sessions
Lecture 1: 'Anatomy, Physiology and Biomechanics of the Lumbar Spine'
Lecture 2: 'The Stiff Spinal Segment, its Causes and Treatment'
Lecture 3: 'Facet Joint Arthropathy, its Causes and Treatment'
Lecture 4: 'Acute Locked Back, its Causes and Treatment'
Lecture 5: 'The Prolapsed Intervertebral Disc, its Causes and Treatment'
Lecture 6: 'The Unstable Spinal Segment, its Causes and Treatment'
Lecture 7: 'The Importance of Spinal Decompression'
Lecture 8: 'To Bend or Not to Bend'
Lecture 9: 'Posture and Leg Length'
Lecture 10: 'The Trouble With Sitting'

Stage 1 Demonstration Sessions
Demonstration 1: Analysis of the lumbar spine of all course participants and manual diagnosis
Demonstration 2: Lumbar spine mobilisation techniques using the hand and the heel
Demonstration 3: Lumbar spine decompression techniques

Stage 1 Practical Sessions
Practical 1: Lumbar spine diagnosis using the hands
Practicals 2&3: Course participants practise lumbar spine mobilisation with the heel
Practical 4: Group Presentations
Practical 5: Course participants practise lumbar spine decompression self-treatment techniques, including the using the BackBlock

See schedule of course below. To book your place on the next course please email:
Sarah Boag (admin@sarahkey.com) for Australian courses
Carmel Neale (carmelneale@sarahkey.com) for UK courses

COURSE PRESENTERS:

Sarah Key  MVO, Dip Phys SRP MCSP is the author of the popular books ‘The Back Sufferers' Bible’, ‘Back in Action’ and the soonto be re-released ‘The Body in Action’.  

Sarah is an Australian physiotherapist with an international reputation for treating problem backs. Over her years in clinical practice she has developed a working hypothesis comprising a rational blend of clinical experience and cutting edge evidence-based theory. She bases her concept on a solid foundation of spinal biomechanics and pathological processes, to provide the clinical reasoning behind her unusual treatment techniques.

The primary authors of Sarah’s source material are Michael Adams, Associate Professor of Anatomy at Bristol University, UK and Nikolai Bogduk, Faculty of Medicine, Newcastle University, New South Wales, although she uses over 400 other papers to help throw light on the complexity of understanding and managing low back pain.

                                                                    
     
Tony Morley graduated as a physiotherapist in 2001 from Sydney University and presently owns and operates PhysioPlus, which is a highly successful practice in Ballina, Lismore in Northern NSW. Tony has been practising the Sarah Key Method since 2006, and completed all 3 levels of the Sarah Key MasterClass program, becoming an accredited Sarah Key practitioner in 2008.

Tony was invited to be a training assistant on the Sarah Key MasterClass Stage 1 in Sydney 2009, and later in that year was given the honour of head trainer on the Sarah Key MasterClass Stage 1 course in the United Kingdom. Tony has provided on-going educational workshops for GP's in the Northern NSW area and exclusively practices the Sarah Key Method in managing and treating patients with back pain. Tony has a real passion for the Sarah Key Method, is stand out in his teaching methods and will play a large role in the future of the Sarah Key MasterClass program in Australia.
                                         

Sarah Boag - Co-ordinator of Masterclasses [Aus], Trainer and Liaison Physiotherapist

Accreditation exam in Australia 2007

To read more about the Australian Masterclasses [click here]

To read more about the UK Masterclasses [click here]

Content of Masterclasses:
Stage 2 [SKMC2]

Stage 2 Theory Sessions
Lecture 1: 'Is Disc Regeneration a Myth?'
Lecture 2: 'Understanding and Treating Crisis Situations, Common Conditions and Congenitial Disorders'
Lecture 3: 'Lifting'
Lecture 4: 'Muscle Spasm: The Wild Card'

Stage 2 Demonstration Sessions
Demonstration 1: Analysis of the cervical and thoracic spines of all course participants and manual diagnosis
Demonstration 2: Cervical spine posterior and anterior palpation
Demonstration 3: Spinal decompression techniques for the thoracic spine
Demonstration 4: 'Problem back' patients in vivo consultations with Sarah Key - includes history taking, MRI/X-ray viewing, clinical reasoning to decide upn diagnosis & treatment, home routine and written patient summary

Stage 2 Practical Sessions
Practical 1: Course participants practise anterior and posterior cervical spine mobilisation techniques
Practical 2: Course participants practise thoracic spine mobilisation with heel
Practical 3: Fine-tuning lumbar spine techniques with the heel
Practical 4: Group Presentations
Practical 5: Course participants practise cervical and thoracic self-treatment techniques
Practical 6: Therapy Class: Appeasing the Spine in Acute Flare-Ups
Practical 7: Therapy Class: Spinal Decompression using the BackBlock for the lumbar and thoracic spine

See schedule of courses below. To book your place on the next course please email:
Sarah Boag (admin@sarahkey.com) for Australian courses
Carmel Neale (carmelneale@sarahkey.com) for UK courses
Delegates are asked to bring their original SKMC1 hardback ring folder back to Stages 2 to 3

Content of Masterclasses:
Stage 3 [SKMC3]

Stage 3 Theory Sessions
Lecture 1: 'Movement versus Inactivity'
Lecture 2: 'Are you a Technician or a Healer?'
Lecture 3: ' Don't be afraid of treatment soreness'
Lecture 4: ' The pitfalls of core stability training'

Stage 3 Demonstration Sessions
Demonstration 1: Fine tuning of techniques ( cervical , thoracic and lumbar)
Demonstration 2: 'Problem back' patients in vivo consultations with Sarah Key includes history taking, MRI/X-ray viewing, clinical reasoning to decide upon diagnosis & treatment, home routine and written patient summary

Stage 3 Practical Sessions
Practical 1: How do you manage? Students present 'clinical cases' and implement the treatment in front of the group
Practical 2: Clinical reasoning: How do you diagnose and explain? Students present patinet summaries using single line drawings and photographs
Practical 3: Hypothetical cases posed and discussed with students as well as problem solving sessions about therapists own problem cases
Practical 4: Therapy Class
See schedule of courses below. To book your place on the next course please email:
Sarah Boag (admin@sarahkey.com) for Australian courses
Carmel Neale (carmelneale@sarahkey.com) for UK courses

Australian Masterclasses Stage 1 and Stage 2 is held in Sydney at The Sarah Key Physiotherapy Centre, 6th Floor, 44 Bridge Street Sydney 2000. Stage 3 SKMCs are run at the 'Fernleigh Academy' via Scone in the Upper Hunter Valley. A small daily tariff for food and accommodation [alcohol not included] is charged and together with the shared cost of a hire car, usually constitutes a significant cost saving for delegates travelling interstate. Delegates may upgrade to the more luxurious 'Back-in-a-Week' accommodation at extra charge. Past delegates have observed that the live-in SKMC format creates a learning experience of greater depth.

UK Masterclasses from Stage 1 to 3 are run at Apartment 8 Kensington Palace. Significant security checks apply and movements in and out of this Royal precinct are restricted. Sarah Key and her three assistants on the UK courses, Julie McCammon, Vicky Roberts and Kay Bradley-Higgins, contribute their expertise on a voluntary basis.

Carmel Neale - Personal Assistant to Sarah Key [UK] and Co-ordinator of Masterclasses [UK]

'Practical Plus Workshops' in Northern Ireland run by Julie McCammon

Top-up practical sessions are run periodically in Northern Ireland by Julie McCammon APSKM to give UK therapists the opportunity to keep their skills honed. Julie is an exceptional communicator about The Sarah Key Method and a gifted hands-on operator, with a highly successful private practice. She is one of Sarah's first accredited specialists. Recent semimars were held 26th 27th Feb 2009. Stand by for future seminar dates.

Julie McCammon - APSKM Physiotherapist [Belfast]