2025 Fall Conference: Evidence Based Respiratory Muscle Testing and Training, Rich Severin PT, DPT, PhD, CCS
When: 10/4/2025
Where:
TBA
M
Evidence Based Respiratory Muscle Testing and Training, Rich Severin PT, DPT, PhD, CCS
Presented by Rich Severin PT, DPT, PhD, CCS
7 hours (1 day), Category A
Full Course information can be found by scrolling down below.
If you are registering a member, and you find the selection does not give you member pricing, please log in with the email we have on file for you. This will recognize you as a member. If that doesn't work, feel free to call or email and we will find the problem and fix.
Provisions:
Provisions include coffee/tea in the morning and lunch at the business meeting. Snacks are not served at breaks.
Accommodations and Meeting Sites:
Accommodations and meeting site: TBA
Committees and Board Meeting
October 3, 2025:
- 6:00 - 8:00pm Board Meeting. Guests are welcome to attend, please contact the office to RSVP.
Member Business Meeting
Business meeting and elections will be held at noon on Saturday, October 4, 2025, at the CE site. Lunch is included for those registered for the course. Please RSVP if you are not registered (you may register online for this without paying). Please send agenda items to the office or President Emily Herndon by September 13, 2025. Final agenda will be posted in the members only section at www.aptamt.com by Sept. 24, 2025.
Cancellation Policy
APTA MT reserves the right to refuse/cancel an event registration. If APTAMT refuses a registration, registrants will be offered a full refund.
Registration Cancellation by Participant:
Cancellations will be accepted in writing via email or mail. A $25.00 administration fee will be withheld when cancellation occurs up to ten days prior to the start of the event; 50% refund if cancelled 2-10 days prior; 25% refund if cancelled 0-1 day prior.
Cancellations will be accepted in writing via email or mail. A $25.00 administration fee will be withheld when cancellation occurs up to ten days prior to the start of the event; 50% refund if cancelled 2-10 days prior; 25% refund if cancelled 0-1 day prior.
Discounts:
Group Discounts:
10% Discount for 3 or more APTA Member PTs/PTAs from one clinic. Fees for all persons must be made with one payment. No exceptions. Credit will not be provided at a later date. Combining discounts (ie Lifetime AND Group) is not applicable. If you need to take advantage of this, call us for a group code to pay online, or mail in your check with participant names.
Student Discounts:
Students may take this course at a rate discounted by 50% of the member and non-member rate, if there is space available prior to the start of the course. This course is a laboratory class with limited space, and therefore we must limit the spaces available at the student rate. If you are a student and would like to attend if we do have extra room for this course, please register for the student waitlist. APTA MT will notify you one week prior to start of the course to offer you a space in the course, if available.
Lifetime Member:
Lifetime members may take any non-limited seating, APTA MT sponsored CE at 50% discount. Combining discounts (ie Lifetime AND Group) is not applicable. If you need to take advantage of this, call us for a group code to pay online, or mail in your check with participant names.
About the course:
Course Description:
The respiratory muscles are the most active skeletal muscles in the body and play a critical role in ventilation and human movement. Some patients may demonstrate loss of respiratory muscle strength, endurance, or both making it difficult to exercise due to dyspnea, and early fatigue. In such patients, examining for impaired respiratory muscle performance and potentially intervening with respiratory muscle training is a crucial element of effective care.
Despite decades of evidence suggesting the impact of respiratory muscle performance on human movement, and the value of respiratory muscle testing and training they are not routinely implemented across physical therapy practice.
This course will provide attendees with a thorough review of respiratory physiology, evidence-based testing protocols, and guidelines for training. Additionally, attendees will also learn how to modify protocols for health conditions where impaired respiratory muscle performance is more prevalent. Lastly, attendees will learn how to implement respiratory muscle testing and training into their clinical practice.
Objectives/Learning Outcomes:
Upon completion of this course, attendees will be able to:
- Utilize clinical evaluation procedures of respiratory muscle performance, to determine indications for training and gauge progress.
- Recognize clinical signs and symptoms of respiratory muscle fatigue and weakness.
- Identify patient applications and special considerations for respiratory muscle training in cases of heart failure, COPD, obesity, Long COVID, and difficult ventilator weaning.
- Correctly interpret the findings provided by respiratory muscle testing in order to implement appropriate plans of care incorporating RMT.
- Incorporate respiratory muscle testing and training programs in their current practice setting.
- Individualize a patient-centered, respiratory muscle training exercise prescription for improving endurance or strength.
Keywords:
Respiratory Muscle Training, Clinical Research, Patient Care, Exercise Prescription, Mechanical Ventilation, Muscle Fatigue; Diaphragm, Breathing
AGENDA
8-9:00 Respiratory Muscle Physiology
Break (15 minutes)
9:15-10:15 Principles of Respiratory Muscle Testing
Break and set up lab (15 minutes)
10:30-12:00 Respiratory Muscle Testing Lab
Lunch Break
1:30-2:30 Principles of Respiratory Muscle Training
Break and set up lab (15 minutes)
2:45-4:15 Respiratory Muscle Training Lab
Break (15 minutes)
4:30-5:30 PM Case Study and Post Course Quiz
References
1. Shei RJ, Mickleborough TD. Unresolved questions that need to be addressed in order to maximize the efficacy of inspiratory muscle training. Phys Ther Sport. 2019 Jan;35:97-98. doi: 10.1016/j.ptsp.2018.11.009. Epub 2018 Nov 22. PMID: 30502693
2. Hoffman M, Augusto VM, Eduardo DS, Silveira BMF, Lemos MD, Parreira VF. Inspiratory muscle training reduces dyspnea during activities of daily living and improves inspiratory muscle function and quality of life in patients with advanced lung disease. Physiother Theory Pract. 2019:1-11
3. Severin R, Franz CK, Farr E, Meirelles C, Arena R, Phillips SA, Bond S, Ferraro F, Faghy M. The effects of COVID-19 on respiratory muscle performance: making the case for respiratory muscle testing and training. Eur Respir Rev. 2022;31(166):220006. doi:10.1183/16000617.0006-2022
4. McNarry MA, Berg RMG, Shelley J, Hudson J, Saynor ZL, Duckers J, Lewis K, Davies GA, Mackintosh KA. Inspiratory muscle training enhances recovery post-COVID-19: a randomised controlled trial. Eur Respir J. 2022 Oct 6;60(4):2103101. doi: 10.1183/13993003.03101-2021. PMID: 35236727; PMCID: PMC8900538
5. Kendall F, Oliveira J, Peleteiro B, Bastos PP, Bastos PT. Inspiratory muscle training is effective to reduce postoperative pulmonary complications and length of hospital stay: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Disability and Rehab. 2018; 40(8): 864-882. DOI: 10.1080/09638288.2016.1277396
6. Severin R, et al, Chapter 16. Obesity and Respiratory Skeletal Muscles, in; Walrand, Stéphane (Ed) "Nutrition and Skeletal Muscle", First Edition. Cambridge, MA, Academic Press, January 2019, ISBN: 9780128104224 doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-810422-4.00034-8
About the Speaker
Rich Severin PT, DPT, PhD is a board-certified cardiovascular and pulmonary clinical specialist. Dr. Severin serves as clinical assistant professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at the University of Illinois at Chicago and is the program coordinator of the UIC/UIHealth bariatric surgery rehabilitation program. Additionally, he serves as a member of the APTA Science and Practice Affairs Committee, associate editor of Cardiopulmonary Physical Therapy Journal and Chief Delegate for the APTA Academy of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Physical Therapy. He has published scholarly work and presented both nationally and internationally on the topics of respiratory muscle performance, ultrasonographic imaging, and medical screening in physical therapy practice. Additionally, he is the author of the section on respiratory muscle testing and training in the 12th edition of the American College of Sports Medicine Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription.