Blanquerna Ramon Llull University

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Continuing education course in Cervical Spine. Assessment, manual treatment and therapeutic exercise

Pre-enrollment open

Imatge recurs d'una columna vertical
  • Modality
    In-person
  • Languages
    Catalan
  • Duration
    5 sessions / 25 hours
  • Date
    February 27, 2026
  • Ending Date
    Sunday, March 1:
  • Planning

    02/27 - from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.

    02/28 - from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.

    03/01 - from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

  • Places
    24
  • Faculty

    Blanquerna School of Health Sciences

The content aims to provide physiotherapists with the capacity to carry out a proper assessment of the patient's clinical presentation, both of the cervical spine and of the areas of most direct influence, such as the pectoral girdle and the thoracic spine.


This course presents strategies based on current methods and concepts of neuromusculoskeletal physiotherapy that enable the orderly and reasoned assessment of the cervical spine and related structures. This capacity should include the identification of alarm signals and consideration of all aspects related to the patient’s psychosocial environment.


This course is aimed at physiotherapists and physiotherapy students interested in incorporating an approach to the cervical spine based on understanding the pathological process, a thorough exploration and assessment of the different structures involved and a therapeutic approach proposal based on manual therapy and the most suitable therapeutic exercise based on findings and clinical reasoning in physiotherapy.

Who is it aimed at?

Graduates in Physiotherapy and 4th year students of the bachelor degree in Physiotherapy.

Course content

Joint, muscular, neurological, biomechanical aspects (expected mobility, coupled movements). Symptom areas: local and referred pain map. Most prevalent clinical patterns (basic identification criteria). Physiological and accessory movements. Degrees of movements. Identification of red flags and yellow flags.

Most influential factors in clinical reasoning; most common mistakes and how to avoid them. Clinical History Model. Contents and order in the subjective examination (“what the patient explains”) and in the objective examination (“what the patient does or perceives”).

Most prevalent presentations: mobility deficit, coordination deficit, headache of cervical origin and cervical pain with irradiation through the upper extremity.
Most common subjective examination depending on the clinical presentation. Reason for consultation. Body map. Behavior of symptoms. Clinical history of the issue. Special questions and risk factors for neck pain.

  • Inspection. Influence of posture on cervical pain. "Bad postures".
  • Functional demonstration. Differentiation in case of symptoms in cervical rotation or in case of symptoms in the upper cervical spine.
  • Active movements. Procedure and reference values. Interpretation of results.
  • Test if necessary. Use of overpressure. Combined active movements. Quadrants.
  • Additional tests. Neurological and neurodynamic assessment.
  • Somatosensory function test. Cervical flexion-rotation test. Clusters for cervical radiculopathy.
  • Passive intervertebral movements. Assessment of intersegmental mobility, through physiological (rotational) or accessory (sliding) movements.

Basics of the method. Types of techniques. Mechanisms of action. Principles of action. The most commonly used techniques in the approach to the cervical spine. Self-treatment options.

Basics of the diagnostic method and mechanical therapy. Clinical syndromes. Physical examination following the method: repeated movements test. Basic procedures used in the treatment of the cervical spine. Clinical reasoning: symptomatic and mechanical traffic light system.

Physiological movements and accessory movements as treatment for the thoracic spine. Criteria for using degrees of movement.

Proposal for assessment and non-manipulative mobility and automation techniques.

Assessment of the deep flexor muscles of the neck (craniocervical flexion test and neck flexor muscle resistance test) Cervical muscle training program. Progression criteria.

Tuition fee

Academic tuition
€450
Facultat de Ciències de la Salut FCS

Certificate of attendance

Course participants will receive a certificate of attendance. Attendance to 80% or more of the sessions is required to obtain it.

Teaching staff (specify affiliation and academic degree)

  • Xavier Vericat Matamoros

Enroll in the course

To enroll, click here and follow the instructions given. On the first screen, if you do not have Blanquerna credentials (username and password), you will need to register.

The application will ask you for the following documents during the enrollment process:

Identity card

Bachelor degree enrollment

Enrollment
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