Physioplus courses can be done at your convenience, at any time and in any place that suits you. With new courses continuously being developed there is always something to do. Please note – a free trial account only provides access to the COVID-19 Rehabilitation Programme, Coronavirus Disease Programme, ACL Rehabilitation – Introduction & Introduction to the Shoulder courses.
Explore the Physioplus courses below developed by our team of course tutors. Please note that courses with accreditation are identified with the icon (view all course accreditation details):
Displaying 214 of 214 courses.
Achilles Tendon Rupture Management
Traditionally, operative treatment has been the gold standard for the management of Achilles Tendon rupture. However, over the last decade a significant body of evidence has highlighted successful outcomes with conservative management. In this course, you will learn about the inclusion and exclusion criteria of operative and conservative management and the important stages of managing Achilles Tendon rupture conservatively.
ACL Rehabilitation – Acute Management After Surgery
The aim of this course is to give you an overview of the important goals, outcomes and management strategies up to 6 weeks following ACL reconstruction. It will not teach practical skills or lead to any clinical qualification. It is your responsibility to practice within your scope of practice within your country or state.
ACL Rehabilitation – Introduction
In this course you will review your knowledge of ACL anatomy and functional mechanics. You will also learn about the grades of injury, the principles of surgical reconstruction and graft selection.
ACL Rehabilitation – Planning
In this course you will be introduced to the nine phases of rehabilitation following ACL reconstruction, how to set realistic time frames, and when to move your patient to the following phase. You will also learn how to select appropriate exercise parameters for each phase.
ACL Rehabilitation – Return to Sport and Re-injury Prevention
The course discusses the final phases of rehabilitation before returning to sport and how to prepare athletes on high demanding sport-specific skills to prevent ACL-reinjury. It also takes into consideration the associated psychological factors and factors that predict outcomes after ACL-reconstruction.
ACL Rehabilitation Programme
This programme of courses and assignment will provide you with the foundational knowledge of ACL anatomy, injury and repair. It will cover rehabilitation planning through the different phases of ACL recovery up to full return to sport.
Adaptation, compétences et entretien des fauteuil roulant
Dans ce module, nous en apprendrons davantage sur le processus détaillé d'adaptation afin d'assurer l'ajustement correct pour chaque utilisateur de fauteuil roulant. Une fois que la personne est correctement installée dans le fauteuil roulant, nous examinerons la formation des utilisateurs en termes de développement de compétences spécifiques adaptées à leurs besoins et à leur environnement et nous examinerons également l'importance de l'entretien régulier.
An Introduction to Red Flags
When assessing patients in clinical practice, it is always essential to consider serious pathology as a differential diagnosis. Red flag screening questions were developed to help detect these pathologies, but there is limited evidence to support their use. So how should clinicians be using red flags and how do they know when to take action?
Anticipatory Care for Long Term Conditions in Physiotherapy
Long term conditions such as non-communicable diseases (NCDs) account for 70% of all deaths each year and the numbers are expected to rise over the next ten years. Global health organizations continue to establish models for prevention and management of these conditions. Physiotherapists have managed to successfully adapt these structural models into their practice and actively contribute to addressing this global burden. In this course, you will explore different interventions that you can utilize in your daily practice to help your patients live a healthier life.
Applied Ethical Reasoning
This course complements existing knowledge of ethical principles, values and frameworks to explore more specific methods and concepts of ethical decision-making in physiotherapy. It takes a deep dive into more defined situations where ethical dilemmas may occur and explores concepts to surmount these. There will be a strong element of analysing real life scenarios in the discussions, so be prepared to share your thoughts and experiences with others, this will allow us to explore our own professional values, to learn from and with others on this course.
Assessment of Fitness for Return to Work
Musculoskeletal pain is a major cause of disability and affects an individual’s ability to engage in work. Only 40% of patients who have chronic musculoskeletal pain are able to work full time. Employment is an essential part of life and an inability to work due to disability has many negative effects. Occupational health physiotherapists need to conduct thorough assessments to determine fitness to return to work for patients with these conditions. This course introduces this role of the healthcare professional and discusses the key features of an evidence based return to work assessment.
Assessment of Parkinson’s
Parkinson’s, as a condition, has an enormous impact on daily living. People with Parkinson’s will develop difficulties with walking, keeping their balance, and may have experienced, or be at risk of falling. For these individuals changing position is challenging, as is the maintenance of a good posture over the course of the disease process. Physiotherapists play a vital role in supporting people with Parkinson’s. In order to make the appropriate clinical decisions, a thorough assessment of the person's physical limitations should be undertaken. This course includes the primary elements of such an assessment, relevant outcome measures, a model for falls assessment and prediction and also important parts of the European Physiotherapy Guidelines for Parkinson’s Disease.
Assessment of Traumatic Brain Injury
This course explores the assessment and classification of traumatic brain injury in relation to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) and reviews the range of outcome measures available to utilise in its management.
Basic Principles of Physical Activity
This course will cover the key definitions in physical activity, as well as the benefits, physiological adaptations, possible associated risks and global patterns of physical activity. It will not teach practical skills or lead to any clinical qualification. It is your responsibility to practice within your scope of practice within your country or state.
Blood Flow Restriction Therapy
Blood Flow Restriction Therapy is a technique that uses a cuff to apply external pressure to a limb with the intention of occluding venous outflow whilst maintaining partial arterial inflow. The occluded limb is then exercised at a submaximal level. This low load exercise with blood flow restriction can increase muscle strength and size more effectively than low load exercises with no restriction. BFR can be very helpful in a clinical setting where patients cannot exercise at high intensity.
This course will provide you with a basic introduction to blood flow restriction therapy and its application in clinical practice.
Cervical Arterial Dysfunction
Cervical arterial dysfunction (CAD) is term a used in physiotherapy to cover a variety of vascular pathologies which can cause restrictions in blood flow to the brain. When assessing and treating the cervical spine, it is vital to understand diseases of the blood vessels that can present with pain and also to be able to assess the level of risk of a patient experiencing an arterial flow restriction during a physiotherapy assessment or treatment. In this course you will learn from a topic specialists how to make safe clinical decisions that take into account these very serious issues and how the related framework for clinical practice is being updated in 2018.
Chronic Ankle Instability Risk Identification
Cailbhe Doherty will share his research on chronic ankle instability, then we will have a more in depth look into the development of chronic ankle instability, sensorimotor deficits linked to chronic ankle instability, risk prediction, and ways to prevent and manage it. This course will not teach practical skills or lead to any clinical qualification.
Clinical Presentations of Shoulder Pain
This course explores four most common causes of shoulder pain and impairment: rotator cuff / subacromial related, capsular related, glenohumeral instability, and acromioclavicular joint disease. Clinical reasoning skills to differentiate between these presentations will be covered, as well as understanding what affects prognosis including psychosocial factors that affect shoulder pain.
Clinical Reasoning in Tendons
Making the correct diagnosis when tendons are involved is essential to correctly managing the condition. It is useful when clinically reasoning to understand the load and capacity dynamics of tendons. There are tensile, compressive and shearing loads that contribute to tendon pathology and, depending on the capacity of the tendon, these can cause different pathology within the tendons and surrounding structures. There are also key clinical signs and symptoms that can help you accurately diagnose tendinopathy. This course will cover the different types of load that can contribute to tendon pathology and give you some insights into how to clinically reason between various tendon pathologies.
Clinical Reflection
The course will introduce clinical reflection for both the student and the clinician. The different types of reflection will be introduced as well as clinical reasoning and how it is different for the novice and experienced physiotherapist. Clinical reflection for portfolio writing and tips for developing reflection skills will be discussed.
Clinical Reflective Frameworks
Different Reflective Frameworks will be discussed with information on how and when to apply them for Clinical Reflection. Reflective writing and thinking will be explored for both the student and the practising Physical Therapist / Physiotherapist. Practical advice will be shared on how to undertake Critical Reflection in different situations.
Clinical Triaging and Practical Considerations in Telehealth
Telehealth is rapidly expanding as a method of healthcare delivery. It provides many opportunities to enhance patients' access to healthcare services using digital technology, but in order to be effective and safe, physiotherapists must be able to triage patients and ensure that the consultation runs smoothly. This course, the second in a series of telehealth courses, will explore clinical triaging and outline certain practical considerations to enhance your ability to use telehealth effectively.
Common Biomechanical Errors in Runners
Running injuries occur due to a number of intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Running biomechanics and kinematic patterns contribute to the way the body absorbs ground forces. Poor running form can significantly increase the size of these forces and result in damaging tissue and joint loading. Identifying the primary error in a runners biomechanics can help to develop a management plan to comprehensively address their symptoms.
Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment and the Role of a Physiotherapist
Physiotherapists have an important role in frailty management. The Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) is an evidence supported framework that is used to assess people living with frailty. This course discusses CGA and the role physiotherapists play in this multidimensional process.
Comprensión de la enfermedad del COVID-19
Los coronavirus son una familia de virus que causan enfermedades respiratorias o gastrointestinales. En enero de 2020 se identificó un coronavirus previamente desconocido en Wuhan China. El grupo de afecciones relacionadas con la infección por este nuevo virus fue nombrado Enfermedad Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) por la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS). Tras su rápida propagación por todo el mundo, la OMS ha declarado COVID-19 una pandemia. Se presenta principalmente con síntomas respiratorios, fiebre y puede resultar en dificultad respiratoria aguda o grave en poblaciones de alto riesgo.
Concussion Assessment
Concussion is emerging as an exciting new field in many healthcare professions. It affects a myriad of different systems in the human body. Concussion is diagnosed clinically, based on the patient’s symptoms and findings of a comprehensive clinical assessment. In this course, Megyn Robertson will guide you through how to perform an assessment on someone who has had a concussion. You will learn about the prognostic factors for a prolonged recovery time as well as various objective measures to assess for cognitive, vestibular and somatosensory fallout.
Concussion Programme
Concussion results in a constellation of physical, cognitive, visual, emotional, and sleep-related disturbances. In order for us to assess and treat concussion, we need to understand the mechanism of injury, and what happens to the brain at a macroscopic and microscopic level. We also need to understand the anatomy and function of the peripheral and central vestibular systems, and the different systems affecting postural control. This programme of courses addresses these needs and how they relate to the subjective and objective examination and the physiotherapy management of concussion.
Concussion Treatment
A concussion is a functional brain injury with complex and heterogeneous symptom presentation. It should be managed based on the individual presentation. Most concussions resolve on their own in about two weeks. International guidelines recommend an initial period of physical and cognitive rest (48 hours) to allow the individual’s symptoms time to resolve before initiating treatment. If symptoms persist more than a few days, then a referral for comprehensive evaluation and management is suggested, especially if symptoms persist greater than four to six weeks. In this course, you will learn how to apply various treatment approaches with which we can treat a concussion to address the unique cluster of symptoms experienced by an individual patient.
Coronavirus Disease Programme
In January 2020 a new coronavirus was identified from a cluster of cases in the city of Wuhan, China. By mid March this virus outbreak was declared a pandemic by the WHO having infected over 150,000 individuals and caused over 5000 fatalities in 123 countries around the world.
All healthcare workers including physiotherapists / physical therapists have a vital role to play in the global efforts to manage the impact of this disease. This series of courses pulls together information relevant to all rehabilitation professionals to assist them to develop an understanding of the virus and the related disease, and to explore their role in working to treat related patients and also to contain and mitigate the disease.
COVID-19 and Community Rehabilitation
An increase in the rehabilitation needs of COVID-19 patients following their discharge from the hospital is to be expected during the pandemic. Rehabilitation services in local communities are often the best-placed to provide rehabilitation and long-term care. Community-based physiotherapists will be key in the ongoing rehabilitation of survivors of COVID-19 to optimise the recovery of these patients.
COVID-19 and Nutrition
A high percentage of COVID-19 deaths worldwide are associated with one or more chronic conditions. It is also evident that older people are at a higher risk for severe illness with this pandemic. Nutrition is not a cure for COVID-19, but it is a modifiable contributor to the development of chronic disease, which is highly associated with COVID-19 severe illness and deaths. A well-balanced diet strengthens the immune system and reduces the risk of chronic disease and infectious diseases. It is clear in these challenging times that optimizing nutrition is important, not only for ourselves but also for every patient/client that we treat. Every physiotherapist should be aware of the benefits of healthy eating and be able to provide sound nutritional guidance to their patients, especially those with chronic disease. Having knowledge about nutritional interventions that may help prevent chronic conditions and their associated risks is now more important than ever.
COVID-19 and Sleep
Fatigue, sleep deprivation and stress are common in healthcare professionals especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sleep and the body’s immune system are inextricably linked. Sleep deprivation potentially impairs the body’s immune response, negatively affects inflammatory homeostasis and may also lead to an increased risk of infection and worsen the clinical conditions caused by a disease such as COVID-19. It is imperative to address sleep health for the sake of healthcare professionals and their patients particularly during the stresses imposed during a pandemic.
COVID-19 Post-Acute Rehabilitation
People with severe COVID-19 infection have rehabilitation needs in the acute, post-acute and long-term phases of the disease. Many people who have suffered from COVID-19 may now be at risk of long-term impairment or disability. Physiotherapists are critical to the rehabilitation efforts in all phases of this disease. Rehabilitation has a positive effect on health and functioning outcomes, it improves recovery and can reduce disability, it may facilitate early discharge and reduce the risk of readmission. Physiotherapists also play a key role in supporting and empowering people through rehabilitation process.
COVID-19 Rehabilitation in Vulnerable Populations
COVID-19 poses a severe threat to all communities, but refugees, people who are displaced and those living in low-income areas will face even greater challenges. This course will introduce the issues faced by refugees/displaced people in camps and camp-like settings as well as explore various options that may help to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 in high-risk individuals in these settings.
COVID-19 Rehabilitation Programme
People with severe COVID-19 infection have rehabilitation needs in the different phases of the disease and physiotherapists are critical to the rehabilitation of these patients while also continuing to provide rehabilitation for non-COVID-19 patients. Through this series of courses, you will also explore the effective rehabilitation of different patient population groups during a pandemic.
Differential Diagnosis Programme
When assessing patients in clinical practice, it is essential to consider the differential diagnosis. Around 1% of all musculoskeletal presentations in primary care will be due to serious pathology. Such pathologies include spinal infection, cauda equina, fracture, malignancy and spondyloarthropathies. Despite the low incidence rates, these conditions should be considered as differential diagnoses when individuals present with pain - particularly if the patient is not responding in an expected way or is starting to worsen.
Differentiating Patellofemoral and Tibiofemoral Pain
The knee joint is comprised of the patellofemoral and tibiofemoral joint. There are a variety of structures within both joints that can cause pain in and around the knee joint. Differentiating between the patellofemoral and tibiofemoral joint as a source of symptoms helps to manage a person’s symptoms effectively. Information can be obtained from the subjective and objective examination to obtain a comprehensive clinical picture. In this course, Claire Robertson describes the different assessment findings that can help you determine whether the persons knee pain is arising from tibiofemoral or patellofemoral structures.
Dysfunctional Breathing
In this course we explore Dysfunctional Breathing. It has been reported that around 10% of patients can exhibit hyperventilation syndrome, a condition at the extreme end of the dysfunctional breathing scale. However a much greater number of people have a more subtle, yet clinically significant, breathing pattern disorder. These breathing disorders can mimic many pain presentations including back and neck pain and so it is very important that we are aware of the potential for this to be a part of our clients presentation so that we can manage them effectively.
Early Management of Distal Radius Fractures with ORIF
Distal radius fracture is one of the most common fractures and often requires surgical intervention. This course is the first in a series of courses examining the physiotherapy management of distal radius fractures following open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) surgery. This course will describe the aetiology of distal radius fractures. It will discuss the classification of these fractures, likely outcomes and potential complications, as well as provide a detailed rehabilitation protocol for the first 6 weeks post surgery.
Early Mobility Assessment for Critically Ill Patients
As management of critically ill patients improves, more people are surviving critical illness episodes. However, prolonged stays in intensive care units have various negative effects including increased morbidity and mortality, decreased function and long term weakness. Early mobility programmes can help to address these complications, but patients need to be carefully assessed and monitored to ensure the safety of these programmes. This course introduces early mobility programmes and highlights key assessment points that must be undertaken prior to a mobility programme commencing.
Étapes à suivre pour la fourniture de fauteuil roulant approprié
Ce module donne un aperçu des étapes de la fourniture d'un fauteuil roulant approprié, suivi d'une analyse plus détaillée du processus d'évaluation, de prescription et de préparation des fauteuils roulants.
Ethical Principles and Values
For good ethical clinical decision making healthcare practitioners should utilise a knowledge of ethics that includes an understanding of the underlying basis for ethical principles such as respect for autonomy and justice, and an awareness of the influence one's personal beliefs and values might exert in the decision-making process.
Ethics Programme
This programme of courses and assignment will provide a solid theoretical foundation of ethical principles combined with discussions and reflections of real scenarios that will be shared. It will explore different ethical practice frameworks and experiences from around the world and you will learn how to support sound arguments in the decision making process to justify your decisions. In learning how to apply these ethical reasoning theories and frameworks into your daily practice you may develop an inner roadmap to guide you and your patients safely through challenging situations considering rights and values of all concerned parties.
Évaluation du traumatisme crânien
Ce module explore l'évaluation et la classification des traumatismes crâniens en relation avec la Classification internationale du fonctionnement, du handicap et de la santé (CIF) de l'Organisation mondiale de la santé (OMS) et passe en revue l'éventail des mesures de résultats disponibles pour sa prise en charge.
Evidence Based Practice
Evidence based practice (EBP) has now been a part of our profession for over 20 years. The term and methodology was conceived in 1992 and in more recent years has been challenged. It remains an important part of our practice and should be utilised on a daily basis. This is facilitated by the development of enabling tools however in many circumstances it remains difficult to implement due to barriers that continue to exist. One thing is for sure, we should all know about EBP, understand the concepts and appreciate these barriers and challenges. This course will guide you through the EBP process, directing you to many informative resources along the way.
Evidence-Based Practice in Tendinopathy
Evidence-based practice is about integrating best evidence research with clinical expertise as well as a patient preference. Applying an evidence-based practice approach to the management of tendinopathy is not as simple as applying one set of research findings, from a single article, in a recipe format for a patient. Every patient presents with a unique clinical picture. The therapist managing the patient should apply a broad base of evidence to clinically reason a comprehensive management plan. It is important that management is not recipe-driven but should be based on the best evidence available at that time bearing in mind that evidence-based practice is fluid and constantly changes as more evidence is produced.
Exploring Ethical Issues
The course starts by looking into private practice and palliative care. You will learn how to be culturally competent and also manage professional relationships. Finally considerations for telemedicine and sports medicine are explored. You will be able to apply the things learned on this course into any part of your professional life.
Exploring the Shoulder Programme
Dr Ian Horsley is a leading upper extremity physiotherapist in the United Kingdom. In this programme of courses, he will discuss the aetiology, differential diagnosis, assessment and the different management strategies of frozen shoulder, shoulder impingement syndrome and sternoclavicular joint dysfunction.
Fabricating a Volar Splint for Distal Radius Wrist Fracture
Distal radius fracture is one of the most common fractures and often requires surgical intervention. This course is the third in a series of courses examining the physiotherapy management of distal radius fractures following open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) surgery. In this course, Kate Thorn will teach you the steps on how to fabricate a volar extension wrist splint for individuals following ORIF surgery.
Factors Impacting Mental Health
It is crucial for healthcare workers to understand the effects of lifestyle factors and the adverse or positive experiences on individuals who face mild to severe mental health issues. Traumatic experiences, even if they took place in childhood, can continue to contribute to stress in adult life, with poor lifestyle options taken as a survival strategy or coping mechanism. These individuals can be at high risk for chronic diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular disease due to the side effects of medication, alcohol and smoking combined with a sedentary lifestyle. Exercise and diet are considered core elements of lifestyle modification and are essential to physical health. Another important factor is poor sleep quality as it can be a consequence of, or contributing factor to mental illness and can influence other lifestyle factors.
Fall Prevention Through Exercise
Around a third of all people aged over 65 years fall each year, but falls are not considered a normal part of aging. So why do so many older adults fall? This course will explore the causes of falls and the relationship between falls, ageing and physical inactivity. It outlines the minimum level of exercise required for well-being, explores the guidelines for exercise and considers physical activity as a population strategy.
Foot and ankle
This course introduces the foot and ankle complex for development of foundation knowledge that will enable you to effectively assess and treat foot and ankle conditions. Following an initial revision of the anatomy, structure and function of the foot and ankle we will explore common traumatic and pathological presentations in both the foot and ankle. This course will have a strong emphasis on differential diagnosis, to try and develop your clinical reasoning skills within this area.
Foot Orthoses – When, What and Why?
The uses of orthoses vary from pain relief, comfort and enhancement of athletic performance. While the use of foot orthoses is sometimes considered controversial, they are widely used in the treatment of many different conditions. Supporting orthoses there is evidence of clinical effectiveness, pain relief and improved function. However overuse, muscle weakness and dependency are also believed to be associated with orthoses. In this course, you will explore clinical uses of orthoses, supporting evidence and important clinical consideration.
Foundations of Mental Health
Mental Health is every physiotherapist's / physical therapist's business. As a key component of the bio-psycho-socio model used to understand a patient's individual circumstances, Mental Health concerns in physical therapy are not just confined to those patients who have psychiatric diagnoses. Mental Health issues can accompany a broad range of different health conditions, such as diabetes, stroke, amputation, cancer, chronic pain or childhood disabilities. As a healthcare professional with a long term personal relationship with their client, a physiotherapist is in a unique position to be able to identify and address this aspect of their patients well being. This is leading to the growing use of physiotherapy approaches in the treatment of patients even with severe mental health problems worldwide.
Frameworks for Ethical Decision Making
In addition to having knowledge of ethical principles and an understanding of ones own moral values, the practice of physiotherapy is governed by various ethical frameworks such as laws, regulations, policies, and guidelines. It is important for physiotherapists to be familiar with these and to understand when each is applicable to a given practice setting and/or specific patient.
Frozen Shoulder – Do We Have the Cold, Hard Facts?
Adhesive capsulitis, or more commonly known as frozen shoulder, is a debilitating and chronic shoulder condition that is often seen within a clinical setting. It is a multifactorial pathology which requires a thorough understanding by the treating clinician, in order to individualize the treatment plan for the patient while using proven management techniques. Join Dr. Ian Horsley, a leading upper extremity physiotherapist in the United Kingdom, as he discusses the roots of frozen shoulder, how to identify it in a clinic and what are the best evidence-best treatments presently available.
Functional Anatomy of the Male Pelvic Floor
The male pelvis contains a complicated mix of muscles, fascia, ligaments, blood vessels, organs and nerves. The pelvic floor muscles form part of the pelvic floor and are responsible for the maintenance of continence, sexual function and pelvic organ support. In this course Pierre Roscher discusses the role the pelvic floor muscles play that relate to continence and sexual function.
General Patient Assessment and Management in Telehealth
Telehealth is growing in popularity as a means of delivering healthcare and research shows that it is an effective way to provide physiotherapy treatments for a number of conditions. There are, however, a number of factors you will need to consider when planning a telehealth consultation. This course provides a general guide to telehealth assessment and discusses the management options available via digital technologies.
Global Health Governance, Health Systems & the Role of the Physiotherapist
We have examined some of the biggest challenges to Global Health. Now we will take a look at Global Health Governance and examine Health Care Systems to understand their impact on Global Health Challenges. Finally we will review the historical development of Physiotherapy and consider the Role of the Physiotherapist in Global Health in the 21st Century.
Gluteal Tendinopathy
This course will cover the results from a recent gluteal tendinopathy study, pathoanatomy, clinical presentation, examination, load management, patient education and exercise for gluteal tendinopathy. It will not teach practical skills or lead to any clinical qualification.
How We Sleep
The regulation of sleep can be described by the two-process model of sleep. This model shows us that sleep is governed by two independent, yet interrelated processes, the homeostatic sleep drive and the circadian rhythm. Specifically, these processes govern the timing of sleep, the intensity of sleep and the duration of sleep. Various factors have an impact on sleep propensity such as sleep deprivation, the time of day and our age. In this course, we will explore how sleep is regulated and how we measure sleep and the related regulation processes. It is important to be aware of levels of "sleepiness" as healthcare professionals as this may be the first step in promoting effective behavioural changes in ourselves as healthcare professionals, as well as in our patients.
In-Season Management of Tendons
Managing a lower limb tendinopathy requires replacement of provocative loads with appropriate loading to increase the tendon's capacity without provoking symptoms. This can be particularly difficult when treating an athlete who is in-season as they need to train and compete at a high level. In this course topic specialist, Dr Ebonie Rio discusses her top tips of how to best manage an athlete who is actively competing while suffering from a lower limb tendinopathy.
Incontinence After Prostate Cancer
Urinary incontinence is a common side effect in men who have undergone treatment for Prostate Cancer. There are different types of incontinence that can occur and this depends on the treatment approach. A radical prostatectomy, which is the surgical removal of the prostate, often results in stress incontinence and radiation therapy more often results in urgency, frequency and urge incontinence. In this course Pierre Roscher introduces you to the concept of urinary incontinence in men and how the various treatments for Prostate Cancer can result in this disabling side effect.
Infection Prevention and Control
Procedures and techniques for infection prevention and control are essential for good community health, to limit healthcare-acquired infections as well as control the general spread of epidemics and pandemics. A key component of this is basic hand hygiene which forms the foundation of infection control. The use of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, masks, gowns and goggles allows healthcare personal to treat patients with communicable diseases while protecting themselves and others. The procedures for putting on (donning) and taking off (doffing) of PPE needs to follow specific sequencing and techniques in order to ensure best infection control and prevention practices.
Informed Consent
Being physical therapists / physiotherapists or healthcare professionals, we are fortunate for the care and support we provide and the roles we play in helping others. But did you ever consider that your role as a physiotherapist may leave the patient with an unpleasant experience? Do you always put yourself in your patient’s shoes? Do you think you always know what's best for your patients? In this course you will learn about informed consent in light of ethical and moral practice. It will leave you reflecting on your clinical practice, how to include your patients in the decision-making process and how to respect their autonomy and dignity.
Innovative Approaches in Providing Rehabilitation during the COVID-19 Pandemic
COVID-19 is currently placing significant pressure on health services around the world. A significant number of patients who become infected with COVID-19 will become severely unwell and require hospital-level care. Their ongoing rehabilitation requirements will often be high. However, due to the pandemic, rehabilitation professionals are unable to provide their usual services to both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients. This course explores innovative approaches that rehabilitation professionals can adopt to ensure that they are able to continue providing essential rehabilitation services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Instrumented Gait Analysis
Gait analysis is used by physiotherapists in research and clinical practice and has useful applications in many conditions. Clinically, visual gait analysis using a smartphone or a tablet camera is an easy and quick method but this simplified approach does have limitations. Alternatively, instrumented gait analysis offers accurate and detailed information on various gait parameters. In this course, you will learn about different methods of instrumented gait analysis, and the related interpretation and clinical applications of the generated data.
Internal Shoulder Impingement
This course will explore the clinical presentation, causes, differential diagnosis, evaluation, examination and management of Internal Shoulder Impingement. It will not teach practical skills or lead to any clinical qualification.
Interventions thérapeutiques spécifiques en cas de traumatisme crânien
Un large éventail de techniques et d'approches de traitement sont utilisées en réadaptation neurologique. Beaucoup d'entre elles viennent d'horizons philosophiques très différents. La recherche à l'appui des différentes approches varie énormément, avec une abondance de preuves scientifiques à l'appui de l'utilisation de certaines techniques alors que d'autres approches ne sont appuyées que par des preuves anecdotiques. Dans ce cours, nous explorerons les interventions thérapeutiques spécifiques qui sont actuellement utilisées dans le traitement et la prise en charge des traumatismes crâniens et les données probantes qui les étayent.
Introduction à la prestation de services de fauteuils roulants
Le cours fournira un cadre permettant d'intégrer les principes théoriques de la prestation de services en fauteuil roulant dans tous les contextes. Il présentera le rôle du fauteuil roulant dans la mobilité, explorera l'évaluation et les rôles de l'équipe multidisciplinaire dans la prestation de services en fauteuil roulant et fournir une compréhension théorique des techniques de gestion et des considérations cliniques connexes. Il n'enseignera pas de compétences pratiques et ne mènera à aucune qualification clinique. Le réseau mondial formé grâce à ce cours permettra le partage des connaissances et des expériences pour soutenir de bons soins de santé et une meilleure qualité de vie pour les personnes qui ont besoin d'un fauteuil roulant pour se déplacer dans le monde entier.
Introduction au traumatisme crânien
Ce module se concentrera sur le développement d'une compréhension du traumatisme crânien ; ce qu'il est, ses causes, sa fréquence, ce que vous pouvez vous attendre à voir, ses impacts sur le mouvement et la fonction, et quelles autres pathologies associées peuvent apparaître. Nous devons être en mesure de répondre à ces questions afin de comprendre notre rôle en tant que kinésithérapeutes dans la prise en charge des traumatismes crâniens.
Introduction to Amputee Rehabilitation
To effectively rehabilitate a person with a lower limb amputation it is important to have a good understanding of the amputee rehabilitation process and the multidisciplinary team involvement in the different phases of rehabilitation. An understanding of the major causes of amputation and the principles of amputation will help you to appreciate how the process of rehabilitation may be influenced by the causative condition and the surgery.
Introduction to Frailty
Frailty is a clinical state that is associated with many negative outcomes, including falls, harm events and disability or death. It is estimated that 25-50% of the population aged 85 years and over can be classified as frail and, as such, most physiotherapists will encounter frail patients. This course will introduce frailty and provide you with key insights on how it impacts patients and their quality of life.
Introduction to Neurology
Neurology is an extensive topic with many different areas of specialism. This course will provide an overview of physical therapy / physiotherapy practice relating to neurology with many of the different areas touched upon.
Introduction to Occupational Health
Work enhances physical and mental health, plus it develops confidence, purpose and fulfilment. It is therefore essential that individuals who have long term sickness that results in an absence from work, are effectively supported in their return to productivity. Occupational Health specialists are involved in managing this process. This course, the first in a series of courses from The Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Occupational Health and Ergonomics (ACPOHE), introduces the discipline of Occupational Health.
Introduction to Parkinson’s
Parkinson’s is a complex neurodegenerative condition that severely affects how people with this condition live life. It is estimated that seven to ten million people worldwide are living with Parkinson's. Physiotherapists have an integral role to play in the management of this condition working alongside other healthcare professionals. In this course you will learn about the clinical stages of Parkinson’s, criteria of diagnosis, associated symptoms and available treatment options.
Introduction to Plantar Heel Pain
Plantar heel pain is a very common musculoskeletal condition and often misdiagnosed as Plantar Fasciitis. The cause of plantar heel pain varies and there is a number of risk factors that can contribute to overloading this area. To manage plantar heel pain we need to consider the differential diagnosis as well as address all the associated factors. In this course, you will learn from an experienced clinician about plantar heel pain risk factors and how to implement effective evidence based management.
Introduction to Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer affecting men across the world and constitutes an important global public health burden. Prostate cancer is a major cause of disease and mortality among men, and each year approximately 1.6 million men are diagnosed with, and 366,000 men die of prostate cancer. Disability amongst men is high during and after their treatment for prostate cancer with impairments such as chronic pain, incontinence and sexual dysfunction continuing to impact their quality of life. Physiotherapy can assist men with managing these impairments and symptoms following prostate cancer treatment. This course will provide an overview of prostate cancer, its diagnosis and the various treatment options available.
Introduction to Spinal Cord Injury
Spinal Cord Injury refers to any damage to the spinal cord resulting from trauma, disease or degeneration with symptoms dependant on both the severity of injury and its location on the spinal cord. According to the World Health Organisation there is no reliable estimate of global prevalence of spinal cord injury, but it is estimated that annual global incidence varies from 40 to 80 cases per million population, which means between 250,000 to 500,000 people acquire a spinal cord injury every year. Approximately 90% of these cases occur as a result of traumatic causes, though the proportion of non-traumatic spinal cord injury appears to be growing. This course will focus on developing an understanding of spinal cord injury; what it is, what causes it, how often it occurs, what you might expect to see, the impacts it has on movement and what other associated conditions may occur. We need to be able to answer these questions in order to understand our role as physiotherapists in the management of spinal cord injury.
Introduction to Telehealth
Telehealth is rapidly expanding as a method of healthcare delivery. While it offers many benefits for patients and practitioners, there are various ethical, legal and practical issues that health professionals must consider before engaging in telehealth. This course will introduce telehealth and these related issues.
Introduction to Telehealth and Paediatrics
In paediatric telehealth, the physiotherapist/physical therapist can reach a wide range of paediatric populations specifically those with barriers to access such as physical location, limited resources, or during social distancing. Telehealth in the pediatric population helps parents to continue therapy even if they have busy schedules, multiple children, or if their child is immunocompromised. It also allows the child to have therapy in the environment of their own home and provides an opportunity for parents to become actively involved with the therapy provision.
Introduction To The Knee
The knee is an enormous topic that we are unable to cover comprehensively in one course. This course will be a general introduction to develop an initial knowledge base that provides a good grounding to enable you to understand any knee condition that presents. We will be revising knee structure and function, exploring common conditions including paediatric conditions, consolidating assessment skills and also exploring current trends in prevention, management and rehabilitation of knee complaints. It is by no means an exhaustive exploration of the knee and we advise you to use it as a starting point for your understanding of treating knees.
Introduction to the Shoulder
Initially this course will explore the epidemiology of shoulder injuries globally and locally within your community allowing you to assess the impact of injuries to the shoulder in your individual context. This is followed by a review of shoulder structure and function which ensures a good foundation of knowledge for effective clinical reasoning. Age-related differences can have an impact on clinical reasoning, which will be explored in the paediatric and older populations. Finally the currently used classification systems for individuals with shoulder pain will be covered and how you might utilise these in your practice.
Introduction to Traumatic Brain Injury
This course will focus on developing an understanding of Traumatic Brain Injury; what it is, what causes it, how often it occurs, what you might expect to see, the impacts it has on movement and function, and what other associated conditions may occur. We need to be able to answer these questions in order to understand our role as physiotherapists in the management of traumatic brain injury.
Introduction to Wheelchair Service Provision
The course will provide a framework to develop theoretical principles for the management of wheelchair service delivery in all contexts. It will introduce the role of the wheelchair in mobility, explore assessment and the roles of the multidisciplinary team in wheelchair service delivery, as well as provide a theoretical understanding of management techniques and related clinical considerations. It will not teach practical skills or lead to any clinical qualification. The global network formed through this course will allow for shared knowledge and experiences to support good health care and a better quality of life for individuals who require the use of a wheelchair for mobility around the world.
Knee Assessment and Hip Mechanics
This course will review the thought process when doing a knee assessment and provide you with useful tips to remember when evaluating a patient. It will also focus on how faulty hip and pelvis mechanics influence knee function under load. The course will not teach practical skills or lead to any clinical qualification.
Knee Crepitus
Crepitus of the knee can be a very alarming symptom for people with knee problems and even those who have no other knee symptoms. It can provoke avoidance behaviours and anxiety responses because of lack of understanding of what the noise is and where it is coming from. Recent studies are showing that a lot of knee crepitus is actually physiological and does not have any impact on knee strength, function and pain. In this course, Claire Robertson explains exactly what crepitus is and how we should educate patients who have “noisy knees”
Lateral Ankle Injury Assessment
Lateral ankle sprains have a high rate of recurrence and a tendency to develop into chronic instability. There are a set of factors that can be used to determine the likelihood of progressing into chronicity and assessing these factors can help to predict and prevent this.
Leadership – Balancing Time and Workload
Time is a limited commodity and in this digital age, life seems to be getting even busier. Effective time management is a vital skill to get the most out of your available time and has been shown to decrease stress, anxiety and even depression. There are many different time management strategies and tools and they all have their pros and cons, and they address different aspects of time management. In this course Jason Giebsrecht will teach you the Time Optimisation Roadmap which he developed from trying a variety of time management strategies and tools.
Leadership – Coaching and Mentoring
Coaching and mentoring are both collaborative processes that assist individuals in reaching their full potential. Coaching is generally a shorter term relationship focused on an individual achieving performance driven goals. Mentoring is often an ongoing relationship where a more experienced individual works with someone less experienced on personal and professional growth. Coaching and mentoring both play an important role in personal and professional development in healthcare. This course will equip you with insights and practical skills to develop your effectiveness as both a coach and mentor as part of your portfolio of leadership skills.
Leadership – Developing High Performance Teams
Working in a team is not always easy. Team members invariably have different values and beliefs, all of which can lead to conflict. Why then do some teams consistently exceed expectations while others never seem to reach their goals? This course explores the features and characteristics of high performance teams and their leaders.
Leadership – Emotional Intelligence
Emotional Intelligence (EI) is the ability to recognise, understand and manage the emotions of oneself and of others. It is developed throughout life and can be learnt and improved on. Emotional intelligence has been shown to positively influence work performance, leadership, relationships, patient satisfaction and psychological health. A person’s EI can be assessed and areas of strength and weakness can be identified and worked on.
Leadership – Leading Change
Change and transitions are a fact of life. They occur all the time and can evoke a range of emotions, from optimism and excitement to fear and anxiety. Change is an event whereas transition is the psychological process that occurs during a change. Healthcare is constantly facing change from the impact of technological advances such as electronic record-keeping, updated treatment protocols and updates to evidence-based practice. Whether you are in a small private practice or working for a large hospital organisation, managing and leading change, and more importantly the transitions involved in the change, is a vital skill. Various models have been created to help better manage and lead change and transition processes. This course will describe and define change and transition as well as differentiate between them. It will explore a variety of models of change and transition as well as a method for assessing change readiness. It will finally guide you through practical applications of the models focused around rehabilitation.
Leadership – Managing Conflict in Rehabilitation
When people come together there will often be conflict. In healthcare, conflict can occur between healthcare professionals and auxiliary staff during the healthcare delivery process and result in serious problems with significant consequences. A good leader can recognise the causes of conflict and is able to facilitate a conflict management process where all parties feel they have been heard and their needs met. This course will show you various conflict management styles and behaviours as well as lead you through a step by step conflict management process.
Leadership – Personal Values and Beliefs
Personal values are broad goals that represent what is important to someone. Beliefs are thought constructs that people apply to themselves, others, the world or the future. Personal values and beliefs help to guide our behaviours and decisions we make. A person's beliefs can be positive or negative and true or untrue. When analysing beliefs by their polarity and accuracy one can see where improvements can be made in their lives. This can be done by reframing untrue beliefs and recognising negative, true beliefs as an opportunity to change.
Leadership – Therapeutic Alliance
A therapeutic alliance is the sense of collaboration, warmth, and support between the client and therapist. It is made up of the therapeutic relationship, collaborative goal setting and shared decision making. There is strong evidence to show that a robust therapeutic alliance has positive influences on patient satisfaction and outcomes in rehabilitation.
This course will enable you to understand what a therapeutic alliance is, and show you what you can do to help improve your therapeutic alliance with patients.
Leadership programme
In this series of online courses explore the Rehab Leadership Framework with Jason Giesbrecht. This will allow you to develop an understanding of your own Personal Values And Beliefs and also Emotional Intelligence that will influence all aspects of your leadership effectiveness. Then the courses will review seven key aspects of leadership including Effective Communication, Leading Change and Managing Conflict offering practical approaches and tools to support your leadership activities.
Les Accidents Vasculaires Cérébraux
Ce cours vous donnera d'abord une compréhension plus approfondie de la neuroanatomie et de la neurophysiologie liées à l'AVC. Puis, en explorant l'épidémiologie et les facteurs de risque, nous parviendrons à comprendre la charge globale de l'AVC et les mesures de prévention auxquelles les kinésithérapeutes peuvent participer. L'évaluation est une compétence clé pour les kinésithérapeutes dans la prise en charge efficace des personnes ayant subi un AVC, nous prendrons en considération les échelles d'évaluation, les mesures des résultats et les rôles de l'équipe multidisciplinaire. Ensuite, sur la base des dernières données disponibles, nous explorerons différentes options de prise en charge pour la réadaptation des présentations aiguës et chroniques. Ce cours mettra fortement l'accent sur le diagnostic différentiel, afin de tester et développer vos capacités de raisonnement clinique dans ce domaine.
Lower Limb Amputee Assessment and Post-op Management
Ideally rehabilitation will begin prior to amputation surgery. As a minimum, it should start immediately following surgery. This course will help you to understand both the pre- and post-amputation assessment as well as the initial management of this patient. It will also cover other crucial considerations during this period, such as avoiding and treating complications, post-amputation pain, and the related emotional and psychological reactions. Finally the risks and consequences of falling are reviewed with strategies to reduce this risk.
Lower Limb Amputee Pre-Prosthetic Management and Introduction to Prosthetics
The loss of a lower limb has severe implications for a person’s mobility, and ability to perform activities of daily living. This negatively impacts on a person's participation and integration into society. Prosthetic rehabilitation is a complex task that ideally requires input from an interdisciplinary rehabilitation team. This is the third course in a series and will cover all the aspects of pre-prosthetic rehabilitation and what therapists should know about prosthetics. You will learn more about outcome measures, pre-fitting physiotherapy management techniques, including bed mobility and transfers, stump/residuum management, musculoskeletal considerations and patient education. You will also be introduced to the different kinds of prostheses available, their component parts, fabrication and fitting.
Lower Limb Amputee Prosthetic Assessment and Rehabilitation
The goal of prosthetic rehabilitation should be to establish an energy efficient gait, preserve the sound limb and prevent secondary complications. This is the fourth course in a series on lower limb amputee rehabilitation. This course will teach you how to approach prosthetic rehabilitation and will include gait assessment, exercise programmes/ideas, gait and balance training, functional activities, advanced gait training skills and high level rehabilitation. The course will also cover related evidence based practice guidelines and patient education.
Lower Limb Amputee Rehabilitation Programme
There are many circumstances that can lead to amputations affecting the lower limb such as trauma in road traffic accidents and resulting from chronic diseases such as diabetes. With appropriate care, access to a prosthetic and related rehabilitation, many of these individuals can regain a high level of functioning and quality of life. The role of the physiotherapist is key in the process and this series of courses provides a comprehensive physiotherapy perspective on working with individuals with lower-limb amputations covering working with the client both before and after prosthetic prescription.
Management of Distal Radius Fractures Programme
The distal fracture of the radius is the most common fracture of the wrist and so is regularly seen by clinicians. Where this injury is sufficiently severe it is treated with surgery involving open reduction internal fixation (ORIF). Due to the many types and severity of fractures observed and the variety of treatment techniques utilised the clinician needs to have a deep understanding of the related conditions and versatility in their treatment options. This programme of courses addresses these needs in a comprehensive examination of the physiotherapy management of distal radius fractures following open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) surgery.
Management of Distal Radius Fractures with ORIF from 6 weeks
Distal radius fracture is one of the most common fractures and often requires surgical intervention. This course is the second in a series of courses examining the physiotherapy management of distal radius fractures following open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) surgery. This course will provide a detailed rehabilitation protocol from 6 weeks post surgery, as well as discussing potential complications that can arise at this point.
Management of Parkinson’s
Parkinson’s is a complex disorder with a wide impact on quality of life. This often challenges the physiotherapist when designing an appropriate individualised management program. After learning about the assessment of Parkinson’s in the previous course you are now about to dive into an intervention framework that considers primary and secondary symptoms of Parkinson’s. Dr. Bhanu Ramaswamy, a physiotherapist consultant specializing in the treatment of older people with neurological conditions, will share with you the aims of physiotherapy when sharing the management of Parkinson’s, and practical intervention strategies to help individuals with the condition fulfil their maximum capabilities.
Management of Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
The course will provide you with practical advice on education, exercises, and treatment modalities for knee pain and will then focus on the specific evidence based treatment options for PFPS. It will not teach practical skills or lead to any clinical qualification.
Management of Spinal Cord Injury
Each time you work with an individual with spinal cord injury it is a unique experience depending on that individual’s presentation. You will use your knowledge and clinical reasoning skills to develop an individualised management plan specifically for that individual. As such we cannot prescribe to you specifically how to treat individuals with a spinal cord injury but you can use the resources below to inform your practice. We will examine different phases of management of individuals with spinal cord injury: acute, rehabilitation and long term management including best practice guidelines.
Managing Children with Cerebral Palsy
The World Disability report mentions that of 93 million children between 1-14 years present with a moderate to severe disability and 13 million with a severe disability. In low and middle-income countries, the literature reports a prevalence ranging from 0.4% to 12.7%. It also highlights that children in low and middle-income countries are exposed to multiple risks including poverty, malnutrition, poor health, and unstimulating environment, which can further impair their condition (WHO, 2011).
The ICRC Physical Rehabilitation Department is working in 30 countries in situations of conflict/post conflict and witnesses that the situation of children with Cerebral Palsy merits increased attention and care. Indeed, not only the prevalence is very high but those children and their families often don’t received basic minimal care, which ensures them an acceptable quality of life. For the families this adds an additional burden to an already challenging life (ICRC, Annual Report 2015).
Many professionals around the world neither benefit from any specialized training in paediatrics nor have access to the current literature. The ICRC Physical Rehabilitation Department have identified education in Cerebral Palsy as a priority. Through this course, the ICRC and Physiopedia aim to provide physiotherapists and other health related professionals free access to quality information on managing children with Cerebral Palsy, the ultimate goal being to increase theoretical knowledge as a basis for sound rehabilitation practice.
This course does not intend to discuss or debate on advanced theories, techniques or build on additional advances in research as there are many specialists around the world who already do a great job. The ultimate goal of this course is first of all to provide physiotherapists and other health professionals involved in the management of children with Cerebral Palsy around the world basic knowledge and references, which will further increase their knowledge and most probably their competencies. They will then be in the position to find, read, critically appraise and choose the references and techniques appropriate to their needs and context.
We also hope that the information shared will prevent physiotherapy interventions too far away from evidence based practice or even malpractice. Indeed, children with Cerebral Palsy should not cry during treatment, be systematically placed under electrophysical agents or benefit merely from passive or active range of movement. Mothers should not walk for hours to get the information and hope that their children will be “cured”.
Last but not least, we hope again to bridge the gap between professionals from low and high income countries and therefore enlarge the community of practice in the field of Cerebral Palsy for the benefit of all, children, families and professionals. For clinicians working in under resourced regions the magnitude of this problem is self evident, a paradigm shift in response to the need is essential to begin to give children with Cerebral Palsy a meaningful life.
“Children are a quality of life ... when our children are happy, then we are better as human beings." Whoopi Goldberg
Managing Children with Clubfoot
The course will provide a framework to develop theoretical principles for the management of children with clubfoot relevant in all contexts. It will introduce the pathoanatomy, etiology and epidemiology underpinning idiopathic clubfoot, including: idiopathic in an infant, idiopathic clubfoot in the older child, relapse and atypical clubfoot. The course will explore assessment and the roles of the multidisciplinary team, as well as provide a theoretical understanding of management techniques and related clinical considerations. It will not teach practical skills or lead to any clinical qualification. The global network formed through this course will allow for shared knowledge and experiences to support good health care and a better quality of life for children with clubfoot around the world.
Managing Difficult Tendinopathies
Sometimes patients just don’t get better as you would expect them to. Tendinopathies can be difficult to treat and require a high level of clinical reasoning and skill to manage effectively. In this course, Ebonie Rio takes you through a variety of helpful tips to help you reevaluate a tendinopathy patient to investigate why they are not improving. She will take you through techniques such as differential diagnoses, evaluating for co-morbidities and carefully analysing the patient’s current management plan, to determine why there is a problem and to identify a way to make progress.
Managing Tendon Pain Programme
Tendinopathy is a common condition that we see regularly in the clinic. There is much research available on this topic and new knowledge emerging all the time. This programme of short courses from tendon pain specialist Ebonie Rio takes a specific look at clinical reasoning, tendon plasticity, assessment and rehabilitation.
Manejo Respiratorio De Personas Con Covid-19
Aproximadamente el 15% de las personas con COVID-19 desarrollan enfermedades de moderadas a graves y requieren hospitalización y apoyo de oxígeno, con un 5% adicional que requieren ingreso a una Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos y terapias de apoyo que incluyen intubación y ventilación. La complicación más común en pacientes graves con COVID-19 es la neumonía grave, pero otras complicaciones pueden incluir síndrome de dificultad respiratoria aguda (ARDS), sepsis y shock séptico, insuficiencia orgánica múltiple, incluyendo lesión renal aguda y lesión cardíaca. Los fisioterapeutas necesitan entender su papel en el manejo de pacientes con COVID-19 en el entorno hospitalario agudo y también en la rehabilitación tras la recuperación de la enfermedad.
Meeting Future Global Health Needs
So far we have covered what we mean by the term “Global Health”, how we measure it and why it is important. We have highlighted many of the challenges facing us and discussed the implications for us and discussed our role as physiotherapists. So, how will we meet future Global Health needs? What might global health needs be in the future. This course will consider the future of global health and examine how we as physiotherapists can continue to play a role in addressing these needs.
Mental Health during the COVID-19 pandemic
The global outbreak of the novel Corona virus touches everyone - patients, health care professionals, and the public in general. One important aspect of human wellbeing is mental health which is likely to be overlooked in the pandemic response. In this course, we learn about how the mental health of patients and healthcare professionals could be affected and introduce relevant management strategies.
Mental Health Programme
An increasing body of evidence indicates that mental health issues are responsible for a large proportion of the burden of disability experienced by people across the world. As healthcare practitioners involved in ongoing close personal interaction with clients, physiotherapists need to be aware of the impact of mental health on the conditions experienced and on how their management can positively influence this aspect of their patient's well being. In this programme of courses we will explore a range of relevant topics and explore how physical therapists can tackle this important and complex issue.
Motivational Interviewing
Motivational Interviewing is a communication style that facilitates behavioural change. In the physiotherapy setting patients will almost always need to commit to a form of change in their day to day actions, whether it is big or small. Understanding Motivational Interviewing (MI) and developing the communication skills and techniques that support this approach can help patients resolve any feelings of ambivalence to change as well as effectively bring about new behaviours.
Movement Dysfunction
This course explores Movement and the Movement System. The Movement System is an important concept for physical therapists to understand; particularly those who seek to achieve the full potential of their critically important role in supporting a healthy society. Movement is the action of an entire system and its component parts; these include muscular, skeletal, neurologic, cardiovascular, pulmonary, and metabolic components. This course will explore some of the basics of understanding movement and go on to explore the current thinking on Movement and the Movement System.
Muscle Performance in Neck Pain
The deep and superficial muscles of the neck will be reviewed as well as how their function changes in the presence of pain. Assessment and rehabilitation strategies for the cervical flexor and extensor muscles will be discussed. This course will not lead to any clinical qualification and clinicians should only apply the mentioned management and assessment strategies if it falls within their scope of practice.
Neck Pain
Initially this course will explore the epidemiology of neck pain globally and locally within your community allowing you to assess the impact of Neck pain in your individual context. This is followed by a review of neck structure and function which ensures a good foundation of knowledge for effective clinical reasoning. Assessment is a key skill for Physiotherapists and Physical Therapists to effectively manage individuals with Neck Pain, we will consider key assessment skills, specific techniques and appropriate outcome measures. Then, based on the latest evidence available, we will explore different management options for acute and chronic presentations. This course will have a strong emphasis on differential diagnosis, to try and develop your clinical reasoning skills within this area.
Neck Pain Assessment Case Study
Assessing and treating patients with neck pain is far from straightforward. Neck injuries can cause an array of issues beyond pain and range of motion deficits, including sensorimotor impairments and changes in muscle performance. This case study provides a model assessment of a 22-year-old male patient who has chronic neck pain. Chris Worsfold explores all the aspects of the assessment from balance to vision and muscle performance as part of the differentiating diagnosis for this patient’s chronic neck pain and then discusses potential treatment options.
Non-operative ACL Rehabilitation
Considering the potential for postoperative complications, a small percentage of patients with ACL injuries might be suitable for non-operative management. An evidence-based set of screening tests can help us identify this group. Rehabilitation concepts are similar for both operative and nonoperative treatment of ACL injuries. However non-operative treatment is different with an increased emphasis on neuromuscular training to restore joint stability.
Non-operative PCL Rehabilitation
The posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) is a major knee stabilizer and its injury can result in long term consequences. In some cases, a non-operative approach to treatment has shown positive outcomes and long term benefits. In this course, you will learn about the decision-making process to guide PCL management and the components of a successful conservative rehabilitation plan.
Occupational Health Programme
Occupational health is a multidisciplinary field of health care focused on the well-being and safety of employees in the workplace. Fulfilling and engaging work provides many benefits to the worker, the employing organisation and society at large. Physical therapists / physiotherapists have a key role to play in this field in both preventing injury, returning individuals to the workplace following disability and also optimising performance in the workplace.
Papel De La Fisioterapia En Covid-19
La enfermedad del coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) ha dado lugar a una pandemia mundial que afecta a una gran proporción de los países del mundo. Como profesionales de primera línea, es probable que los fisioterapeutas entren en contacto directo con pacientes infectados por este virus. Por lo tanto, es esencial que comprendan los muchos aspectos de su papel en la identificación, contención, mitigación y tratamiento de los síntomas de esta enfermedad. Esto incluye la implementación de métodos para reducir la transmisión de COVID-19, iniciar estrategias de identificación temprana y tratar los casos identificados adecuadamente en la clínica y los entornos domésticos. Nota: una revisión detallada de la atención respiratoria fisioterapia de estos pacientes se abordará en un curso posterior.
Parkinson’s Outcome Measures Case Study
In the previous courses, you learned more about Parkinson's, assessment, and treatment. In this case study, Dr Bhanu Ramaswamy will share the assessment, treatment planning and post-treatment results of an example patient. This case study considers the application of two specific measures used to assess and then reviews the outcome of treatment in a person with Parkinson’s. A video allows you to compare your assessment and treatment ideas with notes made by Dr Ramaswamy. The Timed up and go test is validated for people with Parkinson’s, but the ‘Forward and backward walk test’ is a suggested measure given its functional use in treatment decision-making. A third tool, validated for use in Parkinson’s is suggested for you to use with any patients you have with Parkinson’s who are still ambulatory in the community.
Parkinson’s Programme
Physiotherapists play a crucial role in the assessment, management and rehabilitation of the individual with Parkinson's Disease (PD). This programme of online courses will explore the latest evidence related to PD to assist you in clinical practice with outcome measures, assessment techniques, management approaches and examples through the use of case studies and a final assignment. Throughout these courses Dr Bhanu Ramaswamy will share practical advice that you can integrate into your clinical practice.
Parkinson’s Treatment Planning Case Study
A typical case presentation of Parkinson’s may not always be straightforward. Your Parkinson's patient may come to your clinic with simple MSK symptoms asking for help. Your role is to assess your patient thoroughly with a solid base of understanding of Parkinson's to design an effective management programme. In this case study, you will get to learn from Dr Bhanu Ramaswamy on how to think when you are assessing and creating a treatment plan for a patient with Parkinson's.
Patellar Tendinopathy
The course will provide you with an overview of the pathology and different stages of tendinopathy. The clinical presentation, and the medical and physical therapy management of patellar tendinopathy will be discussed. It will not teach practical skills or lead to any clinical qualification.
Patellofemoral Joint Programme
The knee is a complex joint made up from many different anatomical structures. It is joint that is subject to large, dynamic forces over the course of our lives and can often be a cause of pain and disability. In this series of short courses, knee specialist Claire Robertson guides you through many of these conditions and the latest evidence based approaches to their management are identified and explained.
Patellofemoral Osteoarthritis
Patellofemoral osteoarthritis occurs in almost 25% of the general population. It is a significant contributor to pain and disability. Research and clinical practice often focuses on tibiofemoral osteoarthritis but the patellofemoral joint often develops osteoarthritis before the tibiofemoral joint. There are a variety of risk factors that contribute to patellofemoral osteoarthritis. Being able to recognise and specifically target these could potentially slow down the progression of the condition as well as effectively manage the symptoms associated with patellofemoral osteoarthritis. In this course, Claire Robertson presents the latest literature on patellofemoral osteoarthritis and the effective management of this condition.
PCL Reconstruction Rehabilitation
Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injuries can occur in isolation and in combination with other knee pathologies. Despite being very strong, PCL tears are not uncommon however there is limited research evidence available to guide rehabilitation after reconstruction surgery. In this course, Luke O’Brien will share his experience in rehabilitating PCL injuries following surgery and how he prepares athletes to return safely to sport.
Pharmacology and Physiotherapy
The course will review different antidepressant medications and the physiological effects they have on the body, as well as how these affect physiotherapy exercise prescription. Practical advice will be provided on how to gather information about different medications, and how to relate any medication effects a patient may have to the rest of the interdisciplinary team. Note - this course will not teach practical skills or lead to any clinical qualification or prescription rights.
Pharmacology in Pain Management
This course will review different pharmacological pain management drugs including their actions and side-effects. A topic expert will provide advice on the considering a patient’s pharmacological uses or needs during therapy. The course will not teach practical skills or lead to any clinical qualification or prescription rights.
Physical Activity and COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented time all across the world. Extensive social distancing policies have been applied, restricting people’s daily activities across the globe. These social distancing and lockdown measures mean that people have far fewer opportunities to be physically active. Although these extreme measures are important and needed in a time such as now, our bodies and minds still need physical activity and the many related benefits. This course focuses on the importance of physical activity even under lockdown and the implications of physical inactivity during lockdown periods. It also highlights the role of physical activity as part of physiotherapy interventions during COVID-19.
Physical Activity as EBP in Mental Health
Physical activity (PA) and exercise are increasingly being recognised as efficacious components of treatment for various mental health disorders. There is now increasing evidence supporting the inclusion of PA programs as an adjunct to treatment for various conditions for depression, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder and substance abuse. These research results support the inclusion of clinical PA programs within mental health treatment, facilitated by dedicated clinicians (exercise physiologists/physiotherapists) and there are now many examples of successful integration of clinical PA programs within mental health treatment facilities.
Physical activity programme
Physical inactivity has a major health effect worldwide. It has been identified as a leading risk factor for global mortality causing more than 5 million deaths globally per year. Of the deaths attributable to physical inactivity, 2.6 million are in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). While physical inactivity is more prevalent in high- and middle-income countries, even in low-income countries it is among the top ten risk factors contributing to death.
The global physical inactivity crisis, and the epidemic of life-style related diseases (non-communicable diseases or NCDs) has created an urgent need for health care professionals to develop effective approaches for including physical activity into patient interactions. Creating a more active population requires joined up thinking and action from many health care professionals and related stakeholders.
Physiotherapy after Hallux Valgus Surgery
Hallux valgus is a common condition that causes significant functional disability and foot pain. In cases of severe deformity or failure of conservative treatment, surgical correction is advised. Appropriate physiotherapy management is very important following the correction. Many patients go through the operation with high expectations of recovery and they are often faced with some challenges that we can help them to overcome when they start their physiotherapy treatment. This course discusses the post-operative management of hallux valgus and the key principles to successful rehabilitation
Physiotherapy Assessment After Prostate Cancer
Problems relating to incontinence and sexual dysfunction are common side effects after both surgical and non-surgical interventions for prostate cancer. The assessment of a patient who is having problems after their treatment for prostate cancer is essential to understanding their full clinical picture. Assessing men with problems in their pelvis is complicated and a comprehensive subjective and objective examination needs to be performed. In this course, Pierre Roscher will take you through the basics of the subjective and objective examination for male pelvic health issues and how to differentiate between causes and what other conditions to screen for. The Prostate Cancer Programme of courses is an introduction to men's health and physiotherapy and further education is recommended to effectively treat this patient population.
Physiotherapy Management After Prostate Cancer
The side effects from both surgical and non-surgical management of Prostate Cancer can be disabling for men. Urinary incontinence and sexual dysfunction are common in men who have undergone treatment for Prostate Cancer. Various Physiotherapy interventions can address these disabling side effects and help improve a man’s quality of life. In this course, Pierre Roscher will take you through some of the ways Physiotherapists can help educate and treat men for the various side effects after Prostate Cancer treatment.
The Prostate Cancer Programme is an introduction to men's health and physiotherapy and further education is recommended to effectively treat this patient population.
Physiotherapy Management of the Elbow
The elbow is a complicated 3 joint complex and there are many conditions and contributing factors that can cause pain and dysfunction, either laterally, medially, posteriorly or anteriorly. It is very important to have an in-depth knowledge of the elbow's anatomical structure and biomechanical functionality that you can use in your assessment and management of pain and dysfunction around the elbow. It is also important to assess a person as a whole and look at all the contributing factors distant from the elbow to develop a comprehensive management plan that involves a multi-modal treatment approach that best manages an individual’s unique symptoms. Join specialist Tanya Bell-Jenje in this course where she provides a comprehensive review of the physiotherapists' role in the management of elbow pain and dysfunction.
Pied Bot
En 2017, Physiopedia, le Comité international de la Croix-Rouge (CICR) et l'Initiative mondiale Clubfoot (GCI) collaborent pour dispenser une formation en ligne gratuite intitulée "Pied Bot".
Le pied bot est une malformation complexe et congénitale du pied, également appelée "Pied Bot Varus Equin" (PBVE), causée par le développement anormal des os, des ligaments et des muscles du bébé pendant la grossesse. Dans le monde entier, 150 000 à 200 000 bébés naissent chaque année avec des pieds bots, dont environ 80 % dans les pays à faible et moyen revenus. Sans traitement, la malformation du pied bot entraîne une incapacité permanente, car l'individu atteint éprouve des douleurs et des difficultés à marcher. Les personnes dont les pieds bots ne sont pas traités éprouvent des difficultés à accéder à l'éducation, à l'emploi et sont victimes d'exclusion de la société. Cependant, la plupart des cas de pieds bots peuvent être traités avec succès par une équipe multidisciplinaire de travailleurs de la santé utilisant des méthodes pouvant inclure une combinaison d'étirements, de plâtres et d'attelles.
Predicting Outcomes in Whiplash
This course will explore the four indicators identified by research as reliable predictors of ultimate recovery from whiplash injury. Learn how to identify each of these factors during patient assessment and how to interpret these findings. In particular discover how these should influence your approach to clinical management during the acute and chronic phases of whiplash symptoms. Please note that this course will not teach practical skills or lead to a clinical qualification.
Prestation de services en fauteuil roulant
Dans ce module, nous en apprendrons davantage sur les services en fauteuil roulant, examinerons les différents modèles de prestation de services en fauteuil roulant et développerons une compréhension de la fourniture de fauteuils roulants dans votre région, pays ou district. Nous envisagerons également les prochaines étapes dans le développement de vos connaissances et de vos compétences en matière de fourniture de fauteuils roulants.
Prevención Y Control De Infecciones
Los procedimientos y técnicas para la prevención y el control de las infecciones son esenciales para una buena salud comunitaria, para limitar las infecciones adquiridas en la atención sanitaria y controlar la propagación general de epidemias y pandemias. Un componente clave de esto es la higiene básica de las manos que constituye la base del control de infecciones. El uso de equipos de protección personal (EPP) como guantes, máscaras, batas y gafas permite que la atención médica personal trate a los pacientes con enfermedades transmisibles mientras se protege a sí mismos y a los demás. Los procedimientos para poner (ponerse) y despegar (doffing) del EPP deben seguir técnicas y secuenciación específicas para garantizar las mejores prácticas de control y prevención de infecciones.
Principles of Exercise Rehabilitation
This course initially explores the key principles of exercise rehabilitation in relation to the physical stress theory, effects of loading, mobility and rigidity and the influence of pain. These are then discussed in relation to rehabilitation considerations which will ultimately enable us to understand loading in relation to the tissue and the individuals needs, and apply a series of loading experiences to an individual to achieve intended outcomes.
Prise en charge d’un traumatisme crânien
Chaque fois que vous travaillez avec une personne atteinte de traumatisme crânien, il s'agit d'une expérience unique, qui dépend de la situation de cette personne. En raison de la complexité des nombreuses affections qui peuvent survenir, il n'est pas possible de prescrire spécifiquement comment traiter les personnes atteintes d'un traumatisme crânien. Cependant, vous pouvez utiliser les ressources de ce module pour éclairer votre raisonnement clinique et votre pratique afin de développer un plan de prise en charge individualisée spécifiquement pour cette personne. Ce module examine également les différentes phases de la prise en charge des personnes souffrant de traumatismes crâniens et passe en revue les lignes directrices sur les meilleures pratiques existantes.
Prise en charge des enfants atteints de paralysie cérébrale
La paralysie cérébrale est l’un des troubles les plus courants du développement de l’enfant, avec une incidence de 2 à 2,5 pour 1 000 naissances vivantes. La pathologie a potentiellement un impact majeur sur la qualité de vie et l’implication dans la société de l'enfant atteint de paralysie cérébrale. La qualité de vie de la famille de l'enfant est également affectée, ce qui a des conséquences sur la capacité des parents de travailler, de se loger et de s'occuper d'un jeune enfant handicapé tout au long de leur enfance et jusqu'à l'âge adulte. La pathologie a également un impact majeur sur les services de santé, les services sociaux et l’éducation avec la survie croissante des enfants les plus gravement atteints.
Prostate Cancer Programme
Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers among men. This form of cancer generally develops slowly over many years and when detected early the chances of successful treatment are high. However, the interventions used to treat prostate cancer can incur significant risks and side effects which lead to conditions that significantly affect well being and quality of life. As a physiotherapist, there are a variety of ways we can work with individuals who have or have had prostate cancer in order to address these related conditions.
Rebound Therapy
Rebound Therapy is the therapeutic use of trampolines. It is used clinically to facilitate movement, improve balance, impact muscle tone, improve communication, promote relaxation as well as improve fitness and exercise capacity. It is a therapeutic intervention aimed at populations with special needs and can benefit a wide range of individuals including those with physical disabilities, learning difficulties, sensory impairments and those on the autistic spectrum. This course will focus on an introduction to Rebound Therapy; its indications; contraindications; safety considerations; measuring and recording progress as well as practical examples of Rebound Therapy for physically challenged patients with Cerebral Palsy and Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities as well as able-bodied individuals with learning disabilities.
This course does not imply validation as a Rebound Therapy practitioner, but it does offer useful knowledge for the candidate to operate in an assistant capacity to a qualified Rebound Therapy practitioner. However there is a 30% discount on the full online distance learning Level 2 Rebound Therapy course to all who complete the Physiopedia course and wish to become a validated Rebound Therapy practitioner.
Rehabilitation During a Pandemic in People with Specific Rehabilitation Needs
It is critical that rehabilitation continues in people with specific rehabilitation needs, even during a pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused countries to implement strict infection control measures such as social distancing and restricting people’s regular movement. A lack of access to rehabilitation could have serious implications on the health outcomes of people with specific ongoing rehabilitation needs. Physiotherapists need to make difficult decisions relating to the continuation of rehabilitation services during the COVID-19 outbreak. Changes in rehabilitation services due to pandemic constraints will have significant implications for today and the future.
Rehabilitation of Running Biomechanics
Running injuries occur due to a number of intrinsic and extrinsic factors and developing a comprehensive plan of care to rehabilitate a running injury can be a complicated process. A detailed assessment of the runner will help to identify the source of symptoms as well as any contributing factors involved. This will allow the therapist to develop an individualised plan of care that addresses the runners unique needs.
Respiratory Management of People with COVID-19
Approximately 15% of individuals with COVID-19 develop moderate to severe disease and require hospitalisation and oxygen support, with a further 5% who require admission to an Intensive Care Unit and supportive therapies including intubation and ventilation. The most common complication in severe COVID-19 patients is severe pneumonia, but other complications may include Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), Sepsis and Septic Shock, Multiple Organ Failure, including Acute Kidney Injury and Cardiac Injury. Physiotherapists need to understand their role in the management of patients with COVID-19 in the acute hospital setting and also in the rehabilitation following recovery from the disease.
Respiratory Muscle Training
Are you aware of the implications of the fact that the muscles involved in respiration are also involved in core stability as well as other upper body movements and exercises. Research has demonstrated that exercising to increase the strength and endurance of the respiratory muscles can benefit back pain, balance and falls, artistic and athletic performance as well as address breathing difficulties caused by chronic conditions such as COPD and ageing.
Role of Physical Activity in Non-Communicable Diseases
This course will introduce you to the concept of Non-Communicable Diseases and will cover the role of physical activity in 5 diseases. It will not teach practical skills or lead to any clinical qualification. It is your responsibility to work within your scope of practice in your country or state.
Role of Physiotherapy in COVID-19
The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has led to a global pandemic affecting a large proportion of the countries of the world. As front line practitioners, it is likely that physiotherapists and physical therapists will come into direct contact with patients that are infected by this virus. It is therefore essential that they understand the many aspects of their role in identifying, containing, mitigating and treating the symptoms of this disease. This includes implementing methods to reduce the transmission of COVID-19, initiating early identification strategies, and dealing with identified cases appropriately in the clinic and home environments. Note: a detailed review of the physiotherapy respiratory care of these patients will be addressed in a subsequent course.
Running Gait Retraining
Abnormal running mechanics have been linked to many types of injury. Running gait retraining is an approach to adapt an individual's running form and has been proven to have significant positive impact on pain and function in a variety of different conditions. This course discusses three different techniques for running rehabilitation and highlights what to consider when addressing running mechanics.
Running Mechanics for Clinicians
Running is one of the most popular sports in the world due to its low cost and low barriers to participation. It is an exercise that is also linked to weight management and improving cardiovascular capacity. However, about 93% of runners will experience MSK injuries associated with their participation in the activity. As physiotherapists, we can help our clients to identify the mechanical causes of injuries, guide them through the management process and hopefully help them to optimize their athletic potential while avoiding injury.
Sensorimotor Impairment in Neck Pain
The course will cover sensorimotor function and impairment in patients with neck pain as well as differentiation, evaluation, and specific management. It will not teach practical skills or lead to any clinical qualification.
Sexual Dysfunction After Prostate Cancer
Sexual dysfunction is strongly associated with outcome satisfaction after Prostate Cancer treatment. Treatment options for Prostate Cancer all have their advantages and disadvantages. Impacted sexual function is a common side effect regardless of the treatment approach taken. This is due to the close relationship of the prostate with the nerves, vascular structures and muscles that control an erection as well as other aspects of sexual function such as ejaculation and orgasm. Damage to these structures during surgery or from radiation therapy can result in debilitating sexual dysfunction that can negatively impact a man's quality of life. In this course, topic specialist Pierre Roscher will explore sexual function in males and the dysfunctions that can occur after prostate cancer treatment.
Shoulder Assessment
This course starts with a review of the principles of shoulder examination. Following this, there is a review of the evidence for orthopaedic special tests of the shoulder and explore when it is appropriate to use them. Next, the course covers shoulder pain and the importance of recognising the differences between acute and chronic pain, and the implications for assessment and management of the patient. Finally outcome measures and diagnostic imaging complete the assessment puzzle.
Shoulder Programme
Shoulder pain is a common musculoskeletal condition that is is recognised as a disabling problem and can be associated with substantial economic burden. It has been reported as being the third most common musculoskeletal complaint presenting to physiotherapy. The pain and disability associated with shoulder pain can have a large impact on individuals and their families, communities, and healthcare systems affecting daily functioning and ability to work.
This course will explore how shoulder pain impacts on global health, review structure and function of the shoulder through the ages, delve into assessment and provide an evidence base for the therapeutic interventions for effective management of the individual with shoulder pain.
Sleep Deprivation and Sleep Disorders
Sleep is a universal experience, and it is essential for general health and survival. However, sleep has become a significant public health issue, as more and more people are becoming sleep deprived. This course, the third in a series of three sleep courses, explores the impact of sleep deprivation on health and introduces you to the main types of sleep disorders and the impact these can have on our patients' health and our own professional performance.
Sleep Programme
Quality sleep is vital to ensure good health and optimal function for patients and healthcare practitioners. In this three-part series, Dale Whelehan will review the evidence and theories related to why we need sleep, the physiological processes involved in sleep, how sleep is regulated and measured, sleep disorders and how sleep deprivation affects health.
Specific Therapeutic Interventions for Traumatic Brain Injury
A wide range of treatment techniques and approaches are utilised in neurological rehabilitation. Many of these come from quite different philosophical backgrounds. Research to support the different approaches varies widely, with a wealth of scientific evidence supporting the use of some techniques while other approaches are only supported by anecdotal evidence. In this course we will explore specific therapeutic interventions that are currently utilised in the treatment and management of traumatic brain injury and the evidence base behind each.
Spinal Cord Injury Assessment
Assessment is arguably one of the most important steps in the rehabilitation process, as it provides the information on which clinical reasoning will be based and upon which decision-making is reliant. The treatment efficacy is only as good as the assessment on which it is based and should be an ongoing and continuous process. This course will explore the assessment of Spinal Cord Injury in relation to the World Health Organisation (WHO) International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) and review the range of outcome measures available to utilise across neurological conditions.
Spinal Cord Injury Programme
Spinal Cord Injury refers to any damage to the Spinal Cord resulting from trauma, disease or degeneration with symptoms dependant on both the severity of injury and its location on the spinal cord. According to the World Health Organisation there is no reliable estimate of global prevalence of Spinal Cord Injury, but it is estimated that annual global incidence varies from 40 to 80 cases per million population, which means between 250,000 to 500,000 people acquire a Spinal Cord Injury every year. Approximately 90% of these cases occur as a result of traumatic causes, though the proportion of non-traumatic spinal cord injury appears to be growing.
Spinal Cord Injury is a complex pathology with many different clinical presentations. Best practice requires skills in assessment, treatment and rehabilitation when working with individuals with acute and chronic impairment as a result of a spinal cord injury. Spinal Cord Injury is a large topic area, and can be studied as an area of clinical specialism within Physiotherapy, therefore this programme of courses is by no means exhaustive. These courses will provide an overview of physiotherapy practice relating to Spinal Cord Injury to develop a foundation of knowledge that will enable you to assess and treat individuals with acute and chronic impairment as a result of Spinal Cord Injury. It will provide an understanding of the anatomy, structure, clinical presentation, assessment and management of spinal cord injury based on the latest evidence available.
Spinal Malignancy
Between 1% and 5% of all musculoskeletal presentations in primary care are due to serious pathology. Spinal malignancy is the second most common serious pathology of the spine. However, identifying these types of pathologies as the cause of musculoskeletal pain is very complex. This course reviews a framework that has been developed to enable clinicians to identify patients with serious pathology as part of a differential diagnosis, as quickly and reliably as possible. This course will introduce spinal malignancy and explore the basis and application of this framework in detail.
Sport and Exercise Physiotherapy
Sport and Exercise Physiotherapy is now recognised as a specialist area with growing numbers of physiotherapists seeking to work in this diverse and exciting field. People are increasingly encouraged to undertake sport and exercise as part of a healthier lifestyle. Although this has a number of global health benefits, a related caveat is an increased risk of injury. Currently, sporting injuries commonly present to the health professional; these injuries present a unique challenge in terms of their aetiology, management and potential for recurrence.
The responsibility of the pitch-side medical team has never been higher. Sport related healthcare professionals are under more and more scrutiny in terms of skill maintenance and professional development. The pitch-side physiotherapist has a duty of care to the team, but also a responsibility to update and improve their skills. This course will provide an introduction to the management of pitch side trauma. Physiotherapists working within Sport need to respond appropriately to acute injury or illness in both training and competition contexts, and require specific qualifications relating to cardiopulmonary resuscitation and first responder skills.
Sport is an enormous topic that we are unable to cover comprehensively in one learn topic. This course will focus on developing an initial knowledge base by providing an overview of Sports Physiotherapy Practice based on the latest evidence available. We will be exploring the Role of the Sports Physiotherapist, investigating how we assess sport both on and off the field and also exploring current trends in prevention, management and rehabilitation of sports injuries. It is by no means an exhaustive exploration of Sports Physiotherapy and we advise you to use it as a starting point for your understanding of working within sport.
Steps to Appropriate Wheelchair Provision
In 2008 with input from more than twenty-five wheelchair and rehabilitation experts the World Health Organisation (WHO) released guidelines on the provision of manual wheelchairs in less resourced settings. It outlines eight main steps that wheelchair service personnel need to carry out in order to provide a wheelchair. This course provides an overview of the steps to appropriate wheelchair provision followed by a more detailed review of the wheelchair assessment, prescription and preparation process.
Sternoclavicular Joint Dysfunction
The Sternoclavicular joint is the only skeletal articulation between the axial skeleton and the upper limb. Despite its importance, it is often ignored in the physiotherapy assessment and management of shoulder pain. A minor dysfunction of the sternoclavicular joint can be manifested as a major shoulder and arm dysfunction and pain. This course explores the anatomy, biomechanics, assessment, and management of the sternoclavicular joint.
Strength Training for Walking in Neurological Conditions
Muscle weakness is a key physical impairment in neurological conditions that limits mobility. Progressive resistance training is recommended to address strength deficits in stroke and other neurological conditions however, the selection of proper exercise techniques requires an understanding of walking biomechanics and muscle function during gait. This course discusses the implementation of a specific approach to strength training to improve walking in individuals with neurological conditions.
Subacromial Space Impingement – Space Invaders
The shoulder is one of the most complex regions of the body to rehabilitate. Among the most common reasons to experience shoulder pain, is the dreaded shoulder impingement syndrome (SIS). Understood to be a mechanism rather than a diagnosis, Dr. Ian Horsley explores this often mis-understood classification of shoulder pain and outlines the underlying anatomical considerations as well as the best rehabilitation strategies for clinical practice. This course is ideally suited to any clinician looking to better understand the biomechanics of the shoulder and how to effectively identify and manage the various types of shoulder impingements.
Subjective Examination of Patellofemoral Pain
The subjective examination is the starting point in the assessment of any knee condition. Patellofemoral pain is an umbrella term encompassing a wide variety of etiologies. It is important to focus your investigation and a good subjective examination will help guide your physical examination. Asking key questions in your subjective examination helps to identify the root cause of pain and aggravating factors so as to ensure an efficient physical examination leading to appropriate management.
This course will describe the basic anatomy of the knee. It will provide an understanding of how the mechanism of injury can relate to various pathologies. It will identify key questions to ask in the subjective examination that will help to identify the cause of patellofemoral pain as well as explain the common causes of patellofemoral joint dysfunction and the likely presentation thereof.
Targeted hip and knee strengthening
This course will cover information on muscle reloading and strengthening for lower limb conditions, and provide an evidence based review on gluteus medius strengthening. It will not teach practical skills or lead to any clinical qualification.
Telehealth for Physiotherapy Programme
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic there was a step change in the adoption of telehealth in physiotherapy with a sudden significant increase in its use. However, physiotherapists have been using telehealth successfully for many years in various clinical settings. This programme will focus on different aspects of telehealth including platform selection and related practical issues such as ethics, assessment and management.
Telehealth Technology Selection
Telehealth is the delivery of health-related services and information via electronic communication. Technology is a key aspect of this service delivery but telehealth is not confined to one particular type of technology. While technology enables a clinical interaction to take place over any geographical distance, the choice of technology can determine how these interactions take place. This course covers the types of technology that can be utilised, as well as the considerations when deciding which type of technology to choose. It also provides an overview of suitable platforms that can be utilised for telehealth consultations.
Tendinopathy
Tendon dysfunction is one of the most common soft tissue injuries that we see in our clinics. It's not just related to sports injuries as many un-athletic and even sedentary people can experience tendon dysfunction. It's currently a hot topic of conversation among clinicians and experts online and so we have brought all the most up-to-date information together for you in this online course. This course will explore tendinopathy to give you a deeper understanding of the anatomy, function, pathologies, assessment and treatment based on the latest evidence available.
Tendinopathy Assessment
A thorough assessment is essential in the management of tendinopathy. In the assessment you will not only confirm the diagnosis of tendinopathy and exclude other differential diagnoses, but also determine any contributing and risk factors. The correct diagnosis is important because this will guide the best management approach, which is quite different in tendinopathy compared to other conditions. In this course Ebonie Rio reviews the assessment of lower limb tendinopathy. She explains some key questions to ask in the patient interview, gives insight into clinical reasoning around different diagnoses and provides ideas on how to perform a physical examination.
Tendinopathy Rehabilitation
Lower limb tendinopathy can be very difficult to treat with multiple management strategies and theories suggested. At present, the strongest evidence supports the use of exercise as a management strategy, with tendon loading the only intervention that can change the strength and mechanical properties of a tendon. A 4-stage exercise based tendon rehabilitation programme has been proposed as an effective progressive loading intervention to manage tendinopathy. This programme also incorporates motor control retraining with tendon neuroplastic training. In this course, clinical specialist, Ebonie Rio discusses the fundamentals of rehabilitation and the 4 stage process of tendinopathy rehabilitation. She also briefly discusses the related management of sports players in-season and how to manage their expectations.
Tendon Plasticity
Tendons have an amazing ability to adapt to external load. These changes occur on a structural level within the tendon and can result in an increase in anteroposterior diameter. In tendinopathy, it appears that there are also unique changes in excitatory and inhibitory stimuli from the brain to the muscles. In this course, Ebonie Rio will help you understand why the thickening of tendons is actually a good thing. She will also explain the related changes that can occur in the brain and the effect this has on motor control.
Tennis Elbow Assessment
Lateral elbow pain or "Tennis Elbow" is a common musculoskeletal condition. Clinicians are often challenged by the clinical assessment and subsequent diagnosis of this condition. This course takes you through the pathophysiological model of Tennis Elbow and explores its clinical presentation and the related evidence-based diagnostic tools.
Tennis Elbow Management
Tennis Elbow (TE), also known as Lateral Epicondyle Tendinopathy, is a degenerative condition caused by overuse. Some people may present with bilateral pain when gripping which impacts their daily activities and functional tasks. Following on from the Tennis elbow assessment course where we explored the causes and physical examination of Tennis Elbow, in this course you will learn about the evidence-based management options for this condition and how to design a multimodal programme for your patients.
The Evidence Base for Occupational Health Interventions
Occupational Health serves a vital function in supporting workers to remain in and return to work and it is an area of healthcare that is constantly evolving. However, there is currently no clear definition of Occupational Health research and there are limited high quality studies related to this field of activity. This course, which is the second in a series of courses from The Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Occupational Health and Ergonomics (ACPOHE), examines the evidence base for Occupational Health and explores these issues in detail.
The Impact of Trauma on Mental and Physical Health
Traumatic experiences are unfortunately a fact of human life and can affect the body, mind, psyche and an individual’s physical and emotional self-regulation. After a traumatic experience, some individuals experience physical symptoms and first-line practitioners should be aware of this when seeing clients after a trauma. The physical symptoms could range from sleeping problems and substance use disorders to disorders of different body systems. There is also a connection between trauma and chronic health conditions. For these reasons, practitioners should be aware of trauma-informed health care and understand the common responses and stress reactions to trauma.
The Postural Control System
Postural control is derived from the co-ordination between the visual, vestibular and somatosensory systems. These 3 systems have very close neurophysiological interactions. If they are not coordinated there may be changes in the bodies postural control system. Problems such as headaches, dizziness, blurry vision, frontal headaches, eye strain and balance problems can occur as a result of this. In this course, you will learn about the 3 postural control systems and how they work together to provide static and dynamic balance.
The Role of Physical Activity in Specific Conditions
During this course we are going to continue the focus on long term or age related conditions and the role of physical activity but also have a look at some conditions that may only be temporary such as pre and post surgery and pregnancy.
The Theory, Function and Physiology of Sleep
Sleep is an important part of our daily routine and we spend about a third of our time sleeping. Quality sleep is vital for good health and optimal function in our professional capacity. But what is sleep? Why do we need sleep and what are the physiological processes involved in sleep? Dale Whelehan discusses these topics in this first course of a three-part series on sleep.
Therapeutic Interventions for the Shoulder
After exploring evidence-based interventions for individuals with shoulder pain and the evidence for conservative physiotherapy management, the course delves into specific management approaches including the Shoulder Symptom Modification Procedure, therapeutic exercise and prescription considerations. To finish off there is the opportunity to discover clinical approaches to management of specific conditions including instability, adhesive capsulitis, rotator cuff related pain and subacromial pain syndrome.
Traumatic Brain Injury Programme
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is defined as a non-progressive injury to the brain which occurred as a result of trauma. It occurs when an external force impacts the brain, & is most often caused by a blow, bump, jolt or penetrating wound to the head. It has been estimated that traumatic brain injury affects over 54 to 60 million people annually leading to either hospitalisation or mortality with low and medium-income countries experiencing nearly three times more cases of traumatic brain injury than high-income countries. It is a complex pathology with many different clinical presentations and best practice requires skills in assessment, treatment and rehabilitation when working with individuals with acute and chronic impairment as a result of a traumatic brain injury.
The 2019 MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) aims to provide a basic theoretical understanding of the management of traumatic brain injury in order to equip physiotherapists with sufficient knowledge to manage a person following a traumatic brain injury. This includes assessing impairments, activity limitations and participation restrictions, setting appropriate goals of treatment, formulating an evidence-based treatment plan, implementing treatment and evaluating its success.
This programme of four courses will involve around 4-6 hours of work each week (depending on your learning style). For each of the four courses, on passing the final quiz and completion of all of the required learning activities participants will receive a completion certificate as well as CPD points and any CEUs available.
Note - Completing the overall TBI course programme with the submission of a written assignment is optional.
More information about this programme of courses is available on the Introduction to Traumatic Brain Injury Course Physiopedia page.
Trends and Challenges in Global Health
"The key determinants of health of individuals and populations are the circumstances in which people are born, grow, live, work and age and these circumstances are affected by the social and economic environment.” Sir Michael Marmot, Chair of the Commission on Social Determinants of Health, World Health Organization, August 28, 2008. But what are the biggest Global Health Challenges affecting us? In this course we review emerging trends in global health and take the opportunity to examine in detail some of the major global health issues such as communicable disease, non-communicable disease and the impact of natural disaster and conflict on Global Health. You will also hear from fellow learners around the world about what the most prominent Global Health issues they are experiencing in their country.
Understanding Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)
Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that cause illnesses such as respiratory or gastrointestinal diseases. In January 2020 a previously unknown coronavirus was identified in Wuhan China. The group of conditions related with infection by this new virus was named Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Following its rapid spread around the globe, the WHO has declared the COVID-19 a pandemic. It mainly presents with respiratory symptoms, fever and can result in severe acute respiratory distress in high-risk populations.
Vestibular Anatomy and Neurophysiology
The vestibular system is a sophisticated human postural control system and can be divided into a central and peripheral system. The vestibular system employs complicated strategies to maintain blood pressure when moving from supine to upright, it helps maintain good head and body orientation in relation to our environment. In short, an ineffective vestibular system can have devastating outcomes on the performance of activities of daily living and have a significant negative impact on quality of life, if not restored.
Vestibular and Oculomotor Assessment
Concussions can directly impair vestibular and oculomotor function. Impairments in the vestibulo-ocular system commonly manifest as symptoms of dizziness and visual instability including blurred vision, diplopia, impaired eye movements, difficulty in reading and poor visual-based concentration. The Vestibular and Oculomotor Screening Assessment is a tool that can be used to evaluate symptoms post-concussion. This course will introduce you to this tool and provide insight into how to assess the various components of the vestibular and oculomotor systems.
Wheelchair Fitting, Skills and Maintenance
There is more to enabling someone with a wheelchair than simply providing a wheelchair. It must fit correctly and the user must have the skills to use and maintain this assistive device. In this course we will be learning more about the detailed fitting process to ensure the correct fit for each individual wheelchair user. Once we have the individual adequately set up in the wheelchair we will then consider user training in terms of development of specific skills relevant to their needs and environment and also review the importance of ongoing maintenance.
Wheelchair Service Delivery
Wheelchair Services provide the framework for assessing individual user needs, assist in selecting an appropriate wheelchair, train users and caregivers, and provide ongoing support and referral to other services where appropriate. This course will consider Wheelchair Services, examine the different models for wheelchair service delivery and develop an understanding of wheelchair provision in your region, country, or district. It will also enable you to explore the next steps in further developing your skills and competence in wheelchair provision.
Wheelchair service provision programme
This programme of courses and assignment will provide a framework to develop theoretical principles for the management of wheelchair service delivery in all contexts. It will introduce the role of the wheelchair in mobility, explore assessment and the roles of the multidisciplinary team in wheelchair service delivery, as well as provide a theoretical understanding of management techniques and related clinical considerations. It will not teach practical skills or lead to any clinical qualification. The global network formed through this course will allow for shared knowledge and experiences to support good health care and a better quality of life for individuals who require the use of a wheelchair for mobility around the world.
Whiplash Associated Disorders and Neck Rehabilitation
The course will provide an overview of the following aspects of Whiplash Associated Disorders: Epidemiology/Etiology, Clinical Prediction Rule, Clinical Presentation, Classification, Differential Diagnosis, Diagnostic Procedures, Examination, and Management. Red flags with neck pain and principles for neck pain rehabilitation will also be discussed. This course will not teach practical skills or lead to any clinical qualification.