Introduction

Individuals with cervical spinal cord injuries depend on their upper limbs to perform activities of daily living, such as transfers, dressing, and wheelchair propulsion. However, range of motion limitations, joint contracture, spasticity, pain and fatigue can significantly limit functional abilities in persons with spinal cord injury. This course will discuss specific therapeutic strategies used to treat and prevent health complications after cervical spinal cord injuries, such as positioning, stretching, strengthening, the tenodesis grasp and spasticity management. It also explores a range of modalities used to treat the upper limb in individuals with tetraplegia.In this course Wendy Oelofse gives the Occupational Therapy perspective with applications and considerations for the multidisciplinary team.

Learning outcomes

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

• identify common upper limb complications in individuals with tetraplegia and the impact on their activities of daily living
• describe optimal positions for maintaining upper limb range of motion in individuals with tetraplegia
• discuss therapeutic strategies for upper limb management in supporting functional independence in individuals with tetraplegia

Target audience

This course is aimed at rehabilitation professionals, students and assistants including but not limited to Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language Therapists, Rehabilitation Doctors, Rehabilitation Nurses, Prosthetists, Orthotists, Psychologists, Audiologists, Dietetics, Social Workers. Community Health Workers, 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 1.3 Plus points will be added to your personalised learning dashboard.

Instructor financial and non-financial disclosures

Wendy Oelofse: No relevant relationships disclosed by instructor.

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.