Many physical therapists understand the why behind strength training, but struggle with the how—especially when patients are in pain or early post-op.

This CEU course bridges that gap. You’ll learn how to integrate foundational strength and conditioning (S&C) principles into clinical rehab, so you can build durable outcomes without over- or under-dosing.

Ideal for outpatient ortho, post-op, and sports PTs, this course gives you practical tools to progress your patients safely, efficiently, and confidently—from pain to performance.

What You’ll Learn

  • How to apply S&C principles to post-injury and post-op rehab

  • The difference between strength, power, hypertrophy, and endurance programming

  • How to assess baseline capacity and adjust load/dosage accordingly

  • How to progress exercises based on tissue healing, irritability, and motor control

  • When to regress, when to push, and how to educate patients through it

Course curriculum

    1. How to use this course

    2. Before we begin...

    3. Welcome!

    4. Strength _ Conditioning Principles in a Rehab Setting

    1. Lesson 1.1: Strength & Conditioning Terminology

    2. Lesson 1.2: Adaptation is Resource Intensive

    3. Lesson 1.3: Specificity & Mechanotransduction

    4. Lesson 1.4: Supercompensation and Progressive Overload

    1. Lesson 2.1: Principles of Program Design

    2. Lesson 2.2 - Muscle Fiber Type & Exercise Dosing

    3. Lesson 2.3: Factors Affecting Exercise Adaptation

    4. Lesson 2.4: Time to Get Moving!

    5. Lesson 2.5: Central vs. Peripheral Fatigue

    1. Lesson 3.1: What is Periodization?

    2. Lesson 3.2: Load and Stress in Tissue Adaptation

    3. Lesson 3.3: Practical Application

    4. Lesson 3.4: The Ankle Sprain Case

    5. Lesson 3.5: The Patellar Tendinopathy Case

    6. Lesson 3.6: The Femoral Neck Stress Reaction Case

    7. Lesson 3.7: Injury Basics

    1. Case 1

    2. Case 2

    3. Want Feedback?

    1. Knowledge Assessment

    2. Course Evaluation Form

    3. Thank You!

    4. CCU Certificate

    5. Resources

About this course

  • $79.99
  • 28 lessons
  • 2.5 hours of video content

Clinical Integration for the Real World

This course goes beyond sets and reps. You’ll learn:

  • How to apply strength training when pain is still present

  • How to train around red flags or restrictions (like post-op protocols)

  • How to adjust based on irritability and capacity, not diagnosis

  • How to build athlete and non-athlete programs with limited clinic equipment

This isn’t “fitness for therapists.” It’s rehab-forward S&C with clinical reasoning at the core.

Who This Course Is For:

  • Physical therapists looking to build strength-based treatment plans

  • New grads unsure how to safely dose strength work in clinic

  • Sports and orthopedic PTs treating active populations

  • Providers frustrated with vague or overly conservative protocols

  • Anyone who wants their patients to move well, lift confidently, and stay resilient

What You'll Gain

  • A clear approach to progressive loading in rehab

  • Confidence in exercise dosing, regressions, and progressions

  • Clinical application tools to integrate into your next session

  • Better patient outcomes, satisfaction, and carryover

Refine your rehabilitation, outcomes, and take your practice to the next level!

Enroll today

Worth 4 CCUs for Physical Therapists

Designed specifically for rehab professionals, this course provides a solid foundation in strength training concepts tailored to the rehab setting.

  • Strength Training in Rehabilitation

    Learn the core principles of strength training and their direct applications in rehab. Understand how to integrate strength-building strategies into treatment plans, targeting specific impairments and optimizing patient outcomes across various stages of rehabilitation. Build a foundation in tissue healing to promote safe progression from early rehab to return-to-activity.

  • Individualized Exercise Prescription for Rehab Goals

    Master exercise prescription by focusing on specificity and appropriate dosage tailored for rehab. Discover techniques for adjusting exercise parameters to accommodate different stages of healing, injury types, and functional goals, ensuring exercises are safe and effective for each patient's unique recovery journey.

  • Periodization Strategies to Enhance Rehab Outcomes

    Explore vertical and horizontal periodization models and how they can be applied to rehab settings. Learn to design phased rehab programs that progressively build strength and functional capacity while minimizing the risk of re-injury. Apply these concepts through practical case studies to develop problem-solving skills and handle complex clinical scenarios.