Clinical Care of the Chiropractic Sports Patient April 2026
**Registration will close at 12:00 p.m. on Friday April 17**
Saturday, April 18, 2026
Palmer College of Chiropractic, Davenport, Iowa: Room P206
Check in begins at 7:30 a.m.
8-10 a.m.
Adam Altman, D.C., DipMDT
Foundations of Modern Sports Chiropractic Care (hour 1)
- The course will begin with my professional background, clinical journey, and experience working with athletic and active populations.
- Discuss the major obstacles we face as Chiropractic Sports Physicians
- Traditional patho-anatomical models of care will be reviewed, with an emphasis on why they often fail to guide effective, individualized treatment plans.
- A diagnosis-only approach will be contrasted with movement- and response-based models that better reflect real-world clinical outcomes.
- The role of active therapy versus passive therapy will be introduced, highlighting why long-term success depends on patient engagement and self-management.
History, Physical Examination, and Clinical Reasoning (hour 2)
- A structured approach to the clinical history and physical examination will be outlined for the chiropractic sports patient.
- Key findings from the EXPOSS Study will be reviewed to demonstrate how clinical examination outperforms imaging alone in guiding care.
- Emphasis will be placed on identifying meaningful clinical patterns rather than structural abnormalities.
- Attendees will learn how efficient assessment drives confident decision-making and clearer communication with patients.
10 a.m.- 12 p.m.
Adam Altman, D.C., DipMDT
Classification-Based Care and Lumbar Spine Injuries (hour 3)
- The McKenzie Method will be introduced, with a focus on why classification is more important than a specific diagnosis.
- Repeated End Range Loading (RTM) will be discussed as a practical framework for classifying and treating spine-related disorders.
- Common lumbar spine injuries in athletes will be reviewed, including key assessment strategies to guide treatment direction.
- Lumbar spine case studies will be presented to demonstrate how classification informs exercise prescription and progression.
- Review of common tendon injuries seen in the lower extremity (includes case management).
Cervical and Thoracic Spine Injuries and Clinical Integration (hour 4)
- Common cervical and thoracic spine injuries seen in sports and active populations will be reviewed with emphasis on mechanism and presentation.
- Cervical spine assessment strategies will be outlined, including red flags and decision-making considerations.
- Common tendon injuries seen in the upper extremity and management
- A detailed case study of a young adolescent athlete with multiple disc extrusions will illustrate the principle of treating the patient, not the MRI.
- This session will conclude with clinical takeaways, professional growth insights, and a final discussion connecting evidence-based care with real-world practice.
12-1 p.m.
Lunch provided by Palmer College Continuing Education
1-3 p.m.
Emma Forlow, DACBR, CCSP©, ATC, RMSK
Game Day Diagnostics: Navigating Upper Extremity Sports Injuries
This course aims to guide clinicians in their imaging evaluation of common sports-related pathologies of the shoulder, elbow, hand and wrist using radiography with secondary assistance from advanced imaging modalities (ultrasound, MRI, and CT). We will focus on the "high-yield" injuries seen in athletes, emphasizing the choice of modality and key diagnostic pearls.
Section 1: Shoulder: The shoulder is the most commonly injured upper extremity joint in sports, particularly in overhead athletes.
- Instability and Labral Tears
- Rotator Cuff and Impingement
- The AC Joint
Section 2: Elbow: Focuses on the biomechanical stress placed on the medial and lateral compartments during the throwing motion.
- Medial Compartment
- Lateral
- Posterior Compartments
- Ulnar neuritis and subluxation at the cubital tunnel.
- Youth injuries (little league elbow)
Section 3: Wrist and Hand: Focuses on traumatic falls (FOOSH) and sport-specific repetitive strain.
- Scapholunate (SL) Dissociation: Radiographic signs (Terry Thomas sign) and MRI appearance.
- TFCC Tears: Understanding the peripheral vs. central zones and surgical implications.
- Scaphoid Fractures: occult fractures and non-unions
- Hook of the Hamate: Common in racquet sports and baseball (best seen on "carpal tunnel view" or CT).
- The Gamekeeper’s Thumb/Ulnar Collateral Ligament tear of the MCP joint and identifying the Stener Lesion.
- Climber’s finger (pulley lesions)
3-5 p.m.
Patrik Schneider, D.C.
Palmer Package Extremity Technique Review
In this two-hour presentation, Dr. Schneider will review the examination, procedural progressions, analysis, and adjusting technique for both the upper and lower extremities via Palmer Package Extremity Technique. Taking care of the appendicular skeleton is worthwhile for most patients, especially athletes as they work to prevent injuries and successfully return to play.
5-7 p.m.
Aaron Hildreth, D.C.
Evidence-Informed Chiropractic Management of Youth & Adolescent Sport Specialization Injuries
This continuing education session equips chiropractors to confidently evaluate and manage the most common sport-related complaints seen in youth and adolescent athletes, especially those training year-round in a single sport. Using an evidence-informed framework, the course reviews the epidemiology and mechanisms driving today’s injury patterns (with emphasis on overuse injuries, workload spikes, growth-related vulnerabilities, and concussion considerations), then translates that knowledge into practical clinical decision-making.
Participants will learn streamlined history and exam strategies, red flags and referral thresholds (including when imaging is appropriate), and stepwise conservative care pathways for high-frequency presentations such as throwing-related shoulder/elbow pain, patellofemoral pain, apophysitis, ankle sprain, and low back pain patterns. The course also emphasizes prevention and performance continuity: workload counseling, recovery planning, neuromuscular warm-ups, and clear return-to-sport criteria. Throughout, chiropractors will practice patient/parent/coach communication and co-management coordination to improve outcomes while staying within scope and documentation best practices.
Activity Type
- Knowledge
Accreditation(s)
