WHM Trigger Point Certifications
There is a severe global dearth of Trigger Point practitioners who have extensive knowledge of this therapy; we continue to work toward correcting this shortage.
‘Basics’ is an ideal adjunct to massage therapy, bodywork, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, osteopathy, sports medicine and other health professionals who typically employ hands-on techniques and could benefit from basic skills in comprehensive Trigger Point theory, protocol, and palpation/treatment techniques.
Attendees discover that there’s so much more to Trigger Point Therapy than simply following an illustration to inactivate a specific TrP.
This course is presented by William Huhn, to professional groups, by arrangement.
- It is presented live, in-class, over 5 consecutive days.
- There is pre-reading required (perpetuating factors)
- A Certificate of Achievement is issued upon full attendance and successfully passing a written test.
Sorry, this course is NOT open to the general public.
Contact us for specific details.
Note: this course covers manual compression only.
It does NOT include dry needling nor injection techniques.
Day 1:
Trigger Point theory; 4.0 hours
- Myofascial Trigger Points are real
- Causes of trigger point formation
- Trigger points refer pain in predictable patterns
- Trigger points affect muscle, fascia and ligaments
- Other symptoms that trigger points produce (e.g. autonomic/proprioceptive phenomena)
- Susceptibility to trigger points
- Vitamins and minerals; their relationship to muscle health
- How to carry out basic “trigger points” assessment of your client
- How to physically train/rehab the client when trigger points are suspected
- The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook: by Clair Davies, N.C.T.M.B.
- Travell and Simons, M.D. and their contributions to Trigger Point
Lunch 1.0 hour
Intake/Assessment; 2.5 hours
- Patient/client Intake interview
- Assessment techniques
Questions 0.5 hour
Day 2:
Hands-on; 1.0 hour
- TMJD and related issues.
- Practicing location/palpation techniques on sternocleidomastoid, levator scapula, masseter, temporalis, lateral pterygoid, medial pterygoid, digastric, pectoralis and trapezius muscles.
Hands-on; 2.0 hours
Treating headaches, neck pain, vertigo, migraine.
- detailed palpation techniques of muscles for trigger points, treatment techniques, post-treatment protocol, latent/active TrPs, contraindications.
- explain how TrPs play a major role in vertigo, neck pain, headache issues and migraine.
- discuss the muscles that play a causal role in these issues – and how to deactivate their trigger points.
Some muscles we will treat are: sternocleidomastoid, suboccipital, trapezius, temporalis, and others.
- demonstrate how exercise affects trigger points in these muscles.
- protocol for rehabilitating the TrP affected muscle
Lunch 1.0 hour
Hands-on; 3.0 hours
Shoulder issues, including Frozen Shoulder.
- detailed palpation techniques of muscles for trigger points, treatment techniques, post-treatment protocol, latent/active TrPs, contraindications.
- explain how TrPs play a major role in Frozen Shoulder, shoulder pain, stiffness, rotator cuff injuries, and range of motion issues.
- discuss the muscles that play a causal role in these issues – and how to deactivate their trigger points.
- Some muscles we will treat are: trapezius, rhomboid, infraspinatus, supraspinatus, teres minor, subscapularis, and others.
- protocol for rehabilitating the TrP affected muscle.
- how TrPs always affect muscle strength and performance and why muscle performance always improves when trigger points are removed.
Questions 0.5 hour
Day 3:
Review Day 2. 1.0 hour
Hands-on; 2.5 hours
Arm pain, CTS, tennis/golfer’s elbow, hand pain/numbness.
- detailed palpation techniques of muscles for trigger points, treatment techniques, post-treatment protocol, latent/active TrPs, contraindications.
- explain how TrPs play a major role in arm pain, CTS, tennis/golfer’s elbow, hand pain/numbness.
- discuss the muscles that play a causal role in these issues – and how to deactivate their trigger points.
- Some muscles we will treat are: triceps, scalenes, biceps, hand extensors/flexors and others.
- demonstrate how exercise affects trigger points in these muscles.
- protocol for rehabilitating the TrP affected muscle.
- how stress, medications, over-use, trauma and skeletal abnormalities affect TrPs.
Lunch 1.0 hour
Hands-on; 3.0 hours
Chest pain, breast pain, and upper back pain.
- detailed palpation techniques of muscles for trigger points, treatment techniques, post-treatment protocol, latent/active TrPs, contraindications.
- explain how TrPs play a major role in chest pain, breast pain, and upper back pain.
- discuss the muscles that play a causal role in these issues – and how to deactivate their trigger points.
- Some muscles we will treat are: pectoralis major/minor, serratus anterior, serratus posterior superior, scalenes, rhomboids, and others.
- demonstrate how exercise affects trigger points in these muscles.
- protocol for rehabilitating the TrP affected muscle.
- how stress, medications, over-use, trauma and skeletal abnormalities affect TrPs.
Questions 0.5 hour
Day 4:
Hand-in written tests
Review Day 3. 1.0 hour
Hands-on; 3.0 hours
Lumbar, hips, buttocks and groin issues.
- detailed palpation techniques of muscles for trigger points, treatment techniques, post-treatment protocol, latent/active TrPs, contraindications.
- explain how TrPs play a major role in lumbar pain, hips, buttocks, and groin issues.
- discuss the muscles that play a causal role in these issues – and how to deactivate their trigger points.
Some muscles we will treat are: gluteus maximus/medius/minimus, quadratus lumborum, erector spinae, piriformis, iliopsoas, rectus abdominis and others.
- demonstrate how exercise affects trigger points in these muscles.
- protocol for rehabilitating the TrP affected muscle.
- how stress, medications, over-use, trauma and skeletal abnormalities affect TrPs.
Lunch 1.0 hour
Hands-on; 2.5 hours.
Bladder, IBS, genital pain, dysmenorrhea, abdominal, and autonomic/proprioceptive phenomena issues.
- detailed palpation techniques of muscles for trigger points, treatment techniques, post-treatment protocol, latent/active TrPs, contraindications.
- explain how TrPs play a major role in bladder, IBS, genital pain, dysmenorrhea, and abdominal and autonomic phenomena issues.
- discuss the muscles that play a causal role in these issues – and discuss how to deactivate their trigger points.
- Some muscles we will treat are: abdominal obliques, rectus abdominis, adductor magnus/ longus/ brevis, pectoralis major and sternocleidomastoid.
- demonstrate how exercise affects trigger points in these muscles.
- protocol for rehabilitating the TrP involved muscle.
- how stress, over-use, trauma and skeletal abnormalities affect TrPs.
Questions 0.5 hour
Day 5:
Return Tests and Review Day 4. 1.0 hour
Hands-on; 2.5 hours
Thigh, (includes hamstring issues) knees, legs and feet. This will include sciatic pain, plantar fasciitis, heel spurs, and shin splints.
- detailed palpation techniques of muscles for trigger points, treatment techniques, post-treatment protocol, latent/active TrPs, contraindications.
- explain how TrPs play a major role in thigh, knees, legs and feet; this will include sciatic pain, plantar fasciitis, heel spurs, and shin splints.
- discuss the muscles that play a causal role in these issues – and how to deactivate their trigger points.
Some muscles we will treat are: biceps femoris, semitendinosis, semimembranosus, hip adductors, quadriceps, extrinsic/intrinsic foot muscles.
- demonstrate how exercise affects trigger points in these muscles.
- protocol for rehabilitating the TrP affected muscle.
- how stress, over-use, trauma and skeletal abnormalities affect TrPs.
Lunch 1.0 hour
Hands-on; 2.5 hours
Morton’s Foot and Intrinsic/Extrinsic Foot Muscles. This will include
- identifying Morton’s Foot Structure (MFS),
- demonstrate simple and effective corrective orthotic use for MFS
- TrPs that may be causal to chronic foot or toe pain
Review – Intake/assessment and applied treatment techniques
Questions/Summary/Certificates/Evaluations 1.0 hour
As well as having a background in health/wellness, here’s what you’ll need to study and do to obtain your WHM™ Level 1 Certification. Lots and lots of study and practice. In my humble opinion, it is well worth the effort.
- Have an above average knowledge of human anatomy.
- Know most of the muscles that are involved with Trigger Point… this includes their names, attachments/location, and their function (there’s a lot of them – get busy!)
- You should have a superior knowledge of bones (most of them) – their names/location
- You own the Travell & Simons Trigger Point Manuals (hardcopy please) and
- You must study the first four chapters of Volume 1 Travell & Simons’ Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual (2-Volume Set) by Simons, David G., Travell, Janet G., Simons, Lois S., Cummin 2nd (second) Edition [Hardcover(1998)]
- Since my applied approach to TPT is based on Clair Davies method of treatment, I’d like you to study the Trigger Point Therapy Workbook, by Clair Davies and Amber Davies.
- The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook: Your Self-Treatment Guide for Pain Relief (A New Harbinger Self-Help Workbook)
- You have attended at least 3, William Huhn Method™ 1-day workshops, or have attended the WHM™ (5-day) “Introduction to Trigger Points; Hands-on Workshop – Upper Half of Body and Lower Extremities”. This will introduce you to my way of employing effective TPT. Note: You can wait for me to come to your city to present a workshop or you may come to me for a private workshop.
- You have practiced your applied techniques on your friends and family and anyone else who is willing to offer their body to you for practice. I suggest you should not charge a fee to these folks, because you still know very little about TPT and they’re helping you to acquire some skills. You should ideally log about 100 hours of applied practice.
- Then, finally, you will successfully complete the WHM™ Level 1 workshop that includes a written exam, to obtain your Certificate of Achievement.
- Congratulations, now the real learning begins!
- Holds a current William Huhn Method™ – Level 1 Certificate of Achievement
- Logged over 500 hours employing Trigger Point therapy/bodywork as their primary treatment method, not adjunct to to other therapy models
- Extensive knowledge of Travell & Simons Trigger Point manuals
- Demonstrates comprehensive “client intake” methods
- Exceptional client care skills
- Demonstrates extensive understanding of Trigger Point protocol
- Demonstrates above average knowledge of human anatomy and physiology
- Successful completion of the 1-day, Level 2 written / practical examination
- Holds a current WHM™ – Level 2 Certificate of Achievement
- Logged at least 100 intern hours at WHM™ workshops
- Exceptional speaking/instructing skills
- Well organized and self-motivated
- Employs Trigger Point methods as their primary method of treatment for their clients
- Successful completion of the WHM™ Approved Educator, examination process
