Restore Caesarean Rehabilitation
Online, on-demand CIMSPA accredited course for exercise and movement professionals
Why should you sign up?
Caesarean clients deserve post-surgery rehabilitation
The course is founded on the principle that caesarean birth is a major abdominal surgical procedure with distinct rehabilitation considerations. Exercise professionals should approach post-caesarean recovery through an individualised, assessment-led framework that considers surgical healing, scar tissue, movement function, symptom presentation and the wider birth experience. Learn scar specific protocols and expand your knowledge to support this growing population.
Liz Couser was the first person to successfully complete this course – within just under three weeks – and shares her feedback:
“Huge amount of content. Easy to follow. Loved the prompt sheets with notes section for each week so I will laminate these to use as little prompts. The test your knowledge and activity sheets were good too to help consolidate what you’d learned. Thank you.”
Course Aims
The aim of the course is to provide exercise professionals with specialist knowledge and practical skills to support clients recovering from caesarean birth - or with historic caesarean scar related issues - through safe, individualised and evidence-informed exercise programming suitable for delivery within one-to-one and group exercise settings..
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Understand the surgical anatomy involved in caesarean birth and the associated recovery considerations.
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Biopsychosocial impact of scars including practical protocols to support scar connection, fascial glide and the role of exercise and progressive scar loading.
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Apply appropriate screening and exercise-readiness considerations.
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Understand scar-related considerations when designing and prescribing exercise programmes.
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Identify contraindications and indicators for referral.
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Support a safe and progressive return to exercise within professional scope of practice using an eight-week progressive exercise programme, including eight exercises per week with modifications (64 exercises in total).
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Recognise how symptom presentation may be influenced by different birth experiences and understand the primary indications for caesarean birth.
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Modify and progress exercise according to individual needs, presentation, and recovery status.
Course curriculum
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1
Welcome to the course - FREE to watch
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2
Caesarean surgery, breathing mechanics and the relevance for return to exercise
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Welcome to the theory lessons
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Social media Caesarean Rehabilitation certified image
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Theory manual
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Course aims
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History and development of caesarean surgery and it's increasing relevance within modern postnatal rehabilitation
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Test your memory quiz: History and development of caesarean surgery
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What happens in a caesarean surgery? Significance for return to exercise
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Test your memory quiz: What happens in a caesarean surgery - and significance for return to exercise?
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Indications for a caesarean vs vaginal birth - how varied birth experiences may influence readiness to return to exercise
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Test your memory quiz: Indications for caesarean vs vaginal birth
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Caesarean birth complications and considerations for exercise
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Test your memory quiz: Caesarean birth complications
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Caesarean birth common complications printable activity sheet (optional study aid)
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Stillbirth and neonatal death: considerations for language, support and return to exercise
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Changes to breathing mechanics following surgery and birth
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Test your memory quiz: Changes to breathing mechanics following surgery
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Breathing mechanics printable activity sheet (optional study aid)
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Caesarean birth common complications activity sheet answers.pdf
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Breathing mechanics activity answer sheet.pdf
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3
Caesarean birth, scar tissue and exercise
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Healing after caesarean. Timelines and cautions
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Test your memory quiz: Healing after caesarean
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Phases of wound healing printable activity sheet (optional study aid)
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Scar tissue: pathological scars, common concerns and return to exercise
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Test your memory quiz: Scar tissue: pathological scars, common concerns and return to exercise
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Impact of movement on scar tissue after caesarean birth (demonstrated with a bodysuit)
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Test your memory quiz: Impact of movement on scar tissue after caesarean birth
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Scar exercises and protocols (demonstrated with a bodysuit)
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Test your memory quiz: Scar exercises and protocols
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Scar tissue massage and the Restore Caesarean Rehabilitation program
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Phases of wound healing activity sheet answers.pdf
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4
Guidelines and practicalities for using the Restore Caesarean Rehabilitation program
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Contraindications and cautions
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Test your memory quiz: Contraindications and cautions
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Caesarean Rehabilitation programme guidelines
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Test your memory quiz: Programme guidelines
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Contraindications, cautions and program guidelines printable activity sheet (optional study aid)
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Mastering the exercise programme
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Preparing for your course - practical considerations
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Caesarean Rehabilitation eight week exercise programme manual
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Practical Exercise Reference List
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Contraindications, cautions and program guidelines activity sheet answers.pdf
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5
Warm up and cool down
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Warm up
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Cool down (video 1 of 2)
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Cool down: scar mobilisations (video 2 of 2)
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Test your memory quiz: warm up and cool down
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6
Week One: Breathe and engage
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Week one exercises - quick reference guide
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Introducing week one
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Exercise one
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Exercise two
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Exercise three
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Exercise four
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Exercise five
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Exercise six
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Exercise seven
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Exercise eight
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Reflective questions
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7
Week Two: Mobilise and move
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Week two exercises - quick reference guide
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Introducing week two
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Exercise one
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Exercise two
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Exercise three
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Exercise four
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Exercise five
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Exercise six
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Exercise seven
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Exercise eight
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Reflective questions
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8
Week Three: Core connection
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Week three exercises - quick reference guide
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Introducing week three
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Exercise one
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Exercise two
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Exercise three
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Exercise four
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Exercise five
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Exercise six
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Exercise seven
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Exercise eight
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Reflective questions
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9
Week Four: Stretch and load
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Week four exercises - quick reference guide
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Introducing week four
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Exercise one
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Exercise two
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Exercise three
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Exercise four
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Exercise five
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Exercise six
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Exercise seven
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Exercise eight
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Reflective questions
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10
Week Five: Positional challenge
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Week five exercises - quick reference guide
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Introducing week five
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Exercise one
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Exercise two
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Exercise three
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Exercise four
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Exercise five
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Exercise six
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Exercise seven
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Exercise eight
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Reflective questions
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11
Week Six: Get functional
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Week six exercises - quick reference guide
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Introducing week six
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Exercise one
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Exercise two
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Exercise three
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Exercise four
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Exercise five
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Exercise six
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Exercise seven
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Exercise eight
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Reflective questions
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12
Week Seven: Load and move
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Week seven exercises - quick reference guide
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Introducing week seven
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Exercise one
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Exercise two
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Exercise three
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Exercise four
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Exercise five
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Exercise six
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Exercise seven
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Exercise eight
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Reflective questions
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13
Week Eight: Dynamic strength
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Week eight exercises - quick reference guide
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Introducing week eight
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Exercise one
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Exercise two
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Exercise three
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Exercise four
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Exercise five
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Exercise six
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Exercise seven
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Exercise eight
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Reflective questions
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14
Bespoke sessions introduction
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Introduction to the bespoke and 1:1 session examples
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Exercise adaptions and the Goldilocks principle
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15
Bespoke Selection for Individual Clients: case example at four months post-caesarean
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Molly's birth story
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Molly's caesarean scar
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Molly's initial assessment and breathing
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Bespoke mat exercise adaptions for Molly
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Bespoke four point kneeling exercises for Molly
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Bespoke standing exercise adaptions for Molly
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Molly scar tissue connection
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Reflective questions
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16
Bespoke Selection for Individual Clients: case example at 3 and 6 years post-caesarean
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Kim's birth stories
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Kim's caesarean scar - part one
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Kim's caesarean scar - part two
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Bespoke mat exercises for Kim - one
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Utilising scar protocols mid-session with Kim
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Bespoke mat exercises for Kim - two
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Bespoke kneeling exercises for Kim
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Bespoke standing exercises for Kim - one
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Bespoke standing exercises for Kim - two
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Reflective questions
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17
Bespoke Selection for Individual Clients: case example at 30+ years post-caesarean
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Catherine's caesarean scar (from 42 years ago)
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Bespoke mat exercises for Catherine
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Bespoke standing exercises for Catherine
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Reflective questions
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18
Final Test
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Preparing for your final test
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Final multiple choice test - 15 questions 85% pass required
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Congratulations! A final message from your tutors
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Certified Caesarean Rehabilitation Specialist image for website and social media
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19
Bonus: Infographics and marketing materials
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'Log Roll' Get out of bed safely technique pdf for clients
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Client flyer caesarean rehabilitation
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Why train with us?
Restore Therapy are scar tissue experts with a global training program
Since 2017, Restore Therapy has been pioneering change within healthcare with a clear and consistent message: scars should not be ignored. Through our highly respected training, delivered in hospitals, private healthcare clinics, and independent practices worldwide, we are helping transform the standard of scar care.
By equipping healthcare professionals with evidence-based advice and effective scar-specific rehabilitation strategies, we are driving better outcomes for patients and greater recognition of the long-term impact scars can have on health, function, and wellbeing. We believe caesarean birth must be recognised for what it is, major abdominal surgery requiring surgery-specific and scar-specific rehabilitation. Through our global scar therapy training programmes and hundreds of 5-star reviews, Restore Therapy is leading the movement to ensure scars receive the assessment, treatment, and clinical attention they deserve.
Effective exercise protocols
Ideal for group classes and one-to-one rehabilitation
These evidence informed protocols have been developed, tested and refined through both one-to-one treatment and group programme delivery over a number of years.
This course will equip you with the knowledge, assessment skills and progression strategies needed to confidently support return to exercise from early recovery through to higher-level exercise. Empower your clients with a recovery pathway that recognises caesarean birth for what it is—a major abdominal surgery that deserves specialist rehabilitation.
Real patient case examples
From four months postnatal to 30+ years
We show three client examples, all at different stages after a caesarean birth. Molly is just four months postnatal, Kim has a three and six year old (both born by caesarean) and Catherine had a caesarean over 30 years ago - but we clearly see the scar is causing discomfort and limiting mobility. Providing you with a clear understanding that for some people, their caesarean scar is not just a short term problem. Current post-caesarean advice and support is too often just not good enough - but we are pioneering change. Together we can help improve recovery after caesarean birth.
Interactive content
Activity sheets, interactive quizzes and a final test
We will keep you engaged as you work through this program with a variety of interactions. We include activity sheets and multiple choice quizzes to test your recall before completing with a final test.
Emma Holly & Amy Poole
Experts in Scar Tissue and Caesarean Recovery
The Caesarean Rehabilitation programme was developed over many years. The exercise content has been tested and refined within both postnatal group classes and within one-to-one settings by post-natal rehabilitation expert, Amy Poole.
Emma Holly, expert in scar tissue training and scar management has worked with Amy over many months to bring together this comprehensive theory and practical course that we believe will help re-shape attitudes to caesarean recovery and post-natal exercise. We can assure you that the course content is delivered by Amy and Emma - and not simply AI generated.
Accredited with CIMSPA
The Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity CIMSPA is the professional development body for the UK’s sport and physical activity sector.
