Certificate in Orthotic & Prosthetic Exercise

 This 8-hour live continuing education course focuses on the application of functional exercise and functional training within the scope of orthotic and prosthetic practice to improve patient outcomes, device tolerance, and real-world function. Participants will explore how functional exercise and task-specific training can be used as clinical tools to assess prosthetic and orthotic fit, alignment, loading patterns, safety, and skin integrity, rather than as isolated conditioning or rehabilitation interventions.

The course will clarify the distinction between functional exercise, functional training, and gait training as defined by the ABC Scope of Practice, with emphasis on how these activities are appropriately implemented in direct relation to orthotic or prosthetic care. Practical examples will include preparatory activities performed with and without the device, strategies to support early post-operative and pre-prosthetic patients, and training approaches for patients returning to activities of daily living, work, and physically demanding occupations.

Instruction will also address clinical decision-making, basic screening considerations (including vital signs and safety), and defensible documentation practices to support scope-aligned implementation. Case-based discussion, decision trees, and real-world documentation examples will be used to help participants confidently integrate functional exercise and functional training into everyday orthotic and prosthetic practice.