Course Description

In the past, cancer survivors were encouraged not to exercise for fear that such activities were detrimental. Today, however, exercise is increasingly viewed as an integral component of the treatment plan regardless of where these survivors are on the cancer spectrum. Cancer and its treatment often results in patients with complex medical problems, making it clinically more challenging to utilize exercise training as a therapeutic intervention. This course will address issues associated with using exercise interventions with this population including why exercise interventions are needed for this patient population, how to implement exercise programs for this patient population and do so safely, and how to assess changes in fitness in this patient population. The course includes a lab component which provides the attendees with hands on instruction in both the assessment of exercise capacity survivors and the application of exercise training methodologies to these individuals. Completion of this course will increase the ability of a practicing rehabilitation professional to more successfully treat cancer survivors.

Location

Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital
Meijer Conference Center
Professional Building
350 Lafayette Ave SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503

Course Objectives

At the conclusion of this course, a participant should be able to:

• Explain the basic biology of exercise, cancer and acute and adaptive responses to exercise
• Describe cancer diagnoses, cancer treatments, and side effects particularly as they relate to impairments
• Understand how exercise training can improve functional capacity, quality of life, and improve prognosis following a cancer diagnosis.
• Recognize and respond to adverse responses to exercise training
• Appropriately modify exercise program in response to acute patient status
• Write exercise prescriptions for the oncology patient and survivor
• Identify and use of appropriate outcome measures in the oncology setting
• Discuss safety concerns associated with exercising this patient population
• Discuss the use of exercise training across the cancer spectrum
• Discuss exercise interventions in the context of  lymphedema and treatment associated peripheral edema
• Describe the role of exercise in treating the cancer survivor

Participants will receive a certificate of participation for 0.8 CEUS (8 contact hours) at the conclusion of the course.

Snacks will be provided and lunch is on your own. Please dress comfortably.

Course Schedule

8:00 am – 6:00 pm

• 7:30 am      Registration
• 8:00 am – 12:00 pm      Session
• 12:00 – 1:00 pm      Lunch
• 1:00 – 6:00 pm      Session

Instructors: G Stephen Morris, PT, PhD, Fellow American College of Sports Medicine

Biography:

G. Stephen Morris, PT, PhD, FACSM received his PhD from the University of Texas and completed a NIH Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at UC Irvine.  Seeking credentials to do human research, he later earned a MS degree in Physical Therapy from Texas Woman’s University, Houston, Texas and a license in Physical Therapy.  After teaching stints in physical therapy programs at Texas Woman’s University and Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, he joined the Dept. of Rehabilitation Services at UT MD Anderson Cancer Center.  There he both treated patients and pursued research focused on identifying treatment outcome measures that are most appropriate for use in the oncology rehabilitation setting and the integration of the principles of exercise physiology into oncology rehabilitation.

He served briefly as the Director of Rehabilitation Services at St. Jude’s Children Research Hospital and conducted research in the area of cancer survivorship. He recently retired from the Physical Therapy Program at Wingate University, Wingate, NC and was named the University’s first Distinguish Professor.  He currently serves as the President of the Academy of Oncologic Physical Therapy of the American Physical Therapy Association. Dr. Morris has published over 60 manuscripts and 3 book chapters and has spoken nationally and internationally on the utility and implementation of exercise training principals in the context of oncology rehabilitation.

Hotels

Amway Grand Plaza Hotel
187 Monroe Ave. NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
616.774.2000
0.9 miles west of Mary Free Bed 

Holiday Inn
310 Pearl St. NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504
616.235.7611
One mile northwest of Mary Free Bed 

Downtown Courtyard by Marriott
11 Monroe NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
616.242.6000 or 800.321.2211
One mile west of Mary Free Bed 

Hampton Inn & Suites – Downtown
433 Dudley Pl. NE, Grand Rapids 49503
616.456.2000
One mile north of Mary Free Bed