Orthopaedic Manual Therapy Certificate (OMTC)
Assessment – Differential Diagnosis – Manual Therapy – Motor Control Exercise – Education Strategies
Course Overview
The OMTC Program, started in 2013, has successfully trained over 12,000 graduates across 19 countries through more than 700 intakes.
This program is designed to answer important clinical questions using a robust clinical reasoning framework with a strong emphasis on practical application.
Course Content & Learning Objectives
Master evidence-based musculoskeletal assessment and management approaches, develop advanced clinical reasoning skills, and integrate manual therapy with exercise Strategies for immediate clinical application.
Upper Quadrant
Cervical Spine
- Safe manual therapy strategies for patients with cervical disc bulge and myelopathy.
- Assessment of cervical instability with stabilization exercise and manual therapy.
- Assessment of cervicogenic headache with manual therapy and motor control exercise.
- Role of sensory training in managing neck pain.
Thoracic Spine
- Thoracic spine pain and movement limitation
- T4 syndrome, costovertebral, and costotransverse joint dysfunction
Shoulder
- Shoulder pain of spinal origin – differential diagnosis, manual therapy and exercise therapy
- Shoulder differential diagnosis (Frozen shoulder – soft tissue or articular)
- Shoulder mobility strategies
- Shoulder motor control strategies with movement retraining and exercise therapy
- Shoulder tendon pathology – differential diagnosis and effective loading exercise with supportive manual therapy
Elbow
Four common sources of lateral and medial elbow pain:
- Tendon pathology
- Cervical spine referral
- Radioulnar joint dysfunction
- Radial / Ulnar nerve involvement or scapular dyskinesis
- Differential diagnosis with manual therapy and exercise therapy for each presentation.
Wrist
Four common sources of Wrist mechanical pain:
- Articular problem
- Cervical spine referral
- Radial nerve/median or ulnar involvement
- Differential diagnosis with manual therapy and exercise therapy for each presentation.
Lower Quadrant
Lumbar Spine
- Lumbar spine instability – assessment, stabilization exercise, and manual therapy.
- Lumbar radicular symptoms – differential diagnosis, neural mobility exercise, and manual therapy.
- Lumbar spinal stenosis and disc sequestration – clinical reasoning, exercise therapy, and safe manual therapy.
- Lumbar spine motor control and mobility strategies – movement retraining and manual therapy.
Pain Patterns – Differential Diagnosis
Sciatic pain – possible causes:
- Lumbar spine origin
- Piriformis involvement
- Hamstring-related pain
- Neural mobility dysfunction
- Managed with manual therapy, neural exercise, and motor control retraining.
Anterior thigh pain – possible causes:
- Lumbar spine referral
- Femoral nerve involvement
- Soft tissue dysfunction
- Managed with manual therapy, neurodynamic exercise, and movement correction.
SI Joint (SIJ)
- SIJ and hip differential diagnosis.
- SIJ mobility dysfunction – manual therapy and mobility exercise.
- SIJ motor control strategies – stabilization exercises.
Hip
- Hip mobility restriction – manual therapy and mobility exercise.
- Hip motor control strategies with motor control exercise and functional movement.
Greater Trochanter Pain
- Lumbar spine referral
- Gluteus medius tendon pathology
- Managed with manual therapy, load management, and motor control exercise.
Lateral Thigh Pain
- Lumbar spine referral
- Iliotibial band dysfunction
- Lateral femoral cutaneous nerve involvement
- Fascial restrictions
- Managed with manual therapy, targeted motor control exercise, and movement retraining.
Femoral Impingement (FAI)
- Lumbar spine referral
- Muscle tightness around hip (flexors, adductors)
- Managed with: Manual therapy to improve hip joint mobility and soft tissue flexibility
- Motor control exercise for hip control and functional movement; Load modification strategies to reduce impingement pain.
- Role of proximal motor control in lower limb injury prevention and management of hip-related dysfunctions.
Knee
Mechanical knee problems:
- Knee osteoarthritis
- Patellofemoral pain syndrome
- Meniscal-related knee pain
- Differential diagnosis with manual therapy, motor control exercise, and movement retraining.
Emphasis on the role of proximal motor control (hip and trunk) in knee pain and injury prevention.
Lateral Lower Limb Pain
Iliotibial band pain syndrome – possible sources:
- Lumbar spine referral
- ITB dysfunction
- Lateral femoral cutaneous nerve involvement
- Fascial restriction
- Managed with manual therapy, motor control exercise, and movement correction.
Flexibility and Motor Control Concepts (Upper and Lower Quadrant)
- Different types of flexibility training (static, dynamic, functional).
- Role of active inhibitory re-stabilisation.
- Exercise strategies to improve flexibility in over-protective or hyper-mobile patients.
- Manual therapy as an adjunct to improve movement and reduce guarding.
Key Clinical Questions
The OMTC program addresses critical clinical questions to enhance your practice. Here are a few examples of what you will cover:
- How can you use the subjective examination as a treatment tool?
- How can you screen and exclude red flags to keep patients safe?
- What are the essential physical examination steps that every clinician must follow?
- What is central sensitivity and is it different from psychological pain?
Prerequisites
- Physical therapist and medical professional.
- Basic musculoskeletal anatomy knowledge.
Course Requirements
- 100% attendance
- Practical skill demonstrations
- Final competency assessment
London
5-7 June 2026
Registration Fee
Registration Process
- Submit the registration fee
- Fill out this registration form.
- To confirm your registration, kindly send proof of payment via WhatsApp.
El Madina Al Munawara
26 – 29 June, 2026
Registration Fee
Registration Process
- Submit the registration fee
- Payment link / Early bird -Individual registration
- For group registration please contact office
- Fill out the registration form.
- To confirm your registration, kindly send proof of payment via WhatsApp.
Riyadh
3 – 6 July, 2026
Registration Fee
Registration Process
- Submit the registration fee
- Payment link / Early bird -Individual registration
- For group registration please contact office
- Fill out the registration form.
- To confirm your registration, kindly send proof of payment via WhatsApp.
Kuwait
Block 1: 24-25 April 2026
Block 2: 8-9 May 2026
Cairo
Block 1: 10-14 April 2026
Block 2: 23-25 April 2026
Block 2: 23-25 April 2026
Registration Fee
Tripoli
7-10 May 2026
Registration Fee
Jakarta
9 – 12 July 2026
Registration process
For inquiries & booking, please contact Primephysio office in Indonesia
Amman
2 – 5 July 2026
Algiers
19 – 22 June 2026
Registration process
For inquiries & booking, please contact Primephysio office in Algiers.
Istanbul
30 September – 3 October, 2026
Registration Fee
Registration Process
- Submit the registration fee.”You can pay the equivalent amount in Turkish Lira (TRY) at the exchange rate of the day.”
- Payment link / Early bird – individual registration
- For group registration, contact office.
- Fill out the registration form.
- To confirm your registration, kindly send proof of payment via WhatsApp.
Join OMTC waiting list