Introduction

Facial palsy occurs when the facial nerve is damaged, resulting in a range of deficits. Patients may have difficulty eating, drinking and their speech may be affected. In addition, they may be unable to close their affected eye and, thus, experience dry eye. Because they cannot move their lips, they may be unable to control expressions such as a smile. All of these deficits can have a significant impact on an individual’s quality of life. While the treatment of facial palsy varies based on the stage of injury and the patient’s unique presentation, there are specific physiotherapy interventions that can enhance outcomes in individuals who have facial paresis.

Learning outcomes

At the end of this course you will be able to:

• discuss the clinical presentation of individuals with facial palsy
• describe the cause, presentation and management of synkinesis
• discuss outcome measures used to assess individuals with facial palsy
• elect an appropriate treatment for an individual with facial palsy based on a case scenario
• evaluate the effectiveness of physiotherapy interventions commonly used to manage facial palsy

Target audience

This course is aimed at Physiotherapy and Physical Therapy clinicians, students and assistants. Other interested professionals such as athletic trainers, occupational therapists, nurses or medical doctors interested in this subject are also invited to participate.

Practicalities

• Availability - this course is online and can be completed on your own schedule.
• Hours of Learning - No deadlines are applied to this course and it can be started and completed in your own time according to your personal schedule. We expect the required elements to take around 1.5-2 hours depending on your schedule and learning style. Additionally there are many optional resources provided and if you choose to review these the course could take longer to complete.
• Types of Activities - This course includes instructional and/or practical videos, reading activities, AI supported learning activities, reflection, evaluation forms, a quiz and additional resources.
• Certificates - At the end of the course, when you have completed all of the required elements, you will be able to download a certificate of completion and 1.7 Plus points will be added to your personalised learning dashboard.

Instructor financial and non-financial disclosures

No relevant financial relationships disclosed by instructor.
Non-financial disclosures by Wendy Walker:
1. I am on the Medical Advisory Board for the charity Facial Palsy UK. - The role is purely advisory, and I receive no payment.
2. I provide an ad-hoc telephone advice service for The Lindens Clinic Ltd. - The role means that I talk to facial palsy patients with complex issues on the phone. I receive no payment, this is something I volunteered to do.

Accessibility and Non-Discrimination Policy

Physiopedia Plus is committed to providing an inclusive and accessible learning environment for all participants. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, national origin, religion, sex, disability, military status, sexual orientation or age in any aspect of our continuing education services. We are dedicated to ensuring that all learners can fully participate in our programmes. Participants who require accommodations or have special needs are encouraged to contact us with details so that we can make all reasonable efforts to meet these requirements.