Le Domaine Notre-Dame de la Route
Chemin des Eaux-Vives 17, 1752 Villars-sur-Glâne (Fribourg)
Robyn Midgley, BSc OT (Hons), Hand and Upper Extremity Therapist
Hybrid course (e-learning + 1 day in-person training course)
E-learning, approx. 20 hours online at home to manage on your own
In person course Saturday 31 January 2026, the participants will meet in Fribourg in a classroom and Robyn will be online from South Africa
E-learning (videos; readings; Q&A)
- Introduction to the stiff hand and CMMS treatment philosophy, including underlying causes and risk factors
- Prevention and early intervention strategies to minimise stiffness and how they apply to various hand injuries and conditions
- Assessment techniques specific to stiff hand rehabilitation, focusing on range of motion deficits, tissue tightness, and oedema management
- Practical plaster casting techniques to mobilise stiff joints, including intrinsic plus and intrinsic minus positioning and serial casting methods
- Integration of sensorimotor feedback and motor cortex re-patterning to retrain effective hand movement
In-person course
- Live casting demo with Robyn online from South Africa
- Workshop into pairs to practice applying the casts (finger extension, MCPJ immobilisation, intrinsic plus & intrinsic minus casts)
- Holistic management strategies for stiff hands, combining casting with active movement exercises and home programs
- Clinical reasoning and treatment implementation for complex stiff hand cases
- The workshop is kindly sponsored by Essity.
CMMS is a specialized approach for rehabilitating stiff hands, originally developed by Judy Colditz (OT/L, CHT, FAOTA). It involves selective immobilization of proximal joints using a non-removable plaster of Paris cast to direct motion distally, and is widely regarded as the treatment of choice for stiff-hand conditions. This intensive course will combine interactive lectures with hands-on practice, following the official CMMS online syllabus and learning objectives to ensure a comprehensive, accredited learning experience.
Occupational therapists & physiotherapists
meals and materials included
Note:
- Participants will be added to the CMMS Online Course platform 4 weeks prior to the in-person course. Participants must have completed the training 100%, i.e. having watched all the videos and answered the Q&A, before attending the in-person course (certification will be required and checked at the beginning of the in-person course).
- Optional: participants have the opportunity to present their own case study on one of their patients to Robyn Midgley, including images, videos, and a one-page written summary.
- 3 months access included to the CMMS Club to help therapists continue honing their CMMS skills.
- Course in English