Unit Outline

This unit builds upon the foundational knowledge and skills introduced in the previous units to examine musculoskeletal physiotherapy (CXA705, CXA736, and CXA737). It therefore retains the focus on applying the biopsychosocial model of practice, person-centered practice, evidence-based practice, reflective practice, critical thinking, and interprofessional collaboration. Students are required to synthesise new knowledge and skills related to responding to clients with clinical neuro-musculoskeletal conditions and trauma affecting the upper extremity, spine, and pelvis and common rheumatological and metabolic bone disorders, and integrate them into the application of clinical reasoning cycle and physiotherapy clinical decision-making model, culturally safe practice for diverse populations, determining the quality of information sources and professional interaction and communication. Students will develop physiotherapy clinical skills and knowledge of the etiology, epidemiology, pathogenesis, and clinical presentation of the common upper extremity, spine, and pelvis neuro-musculoskeletal conditions including common rheumatological and metabolic bone disorders, and trauma affecting upper extremity, spine, and pelvis. Students will be introduced to the concepts of pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, classes of drugs, adverse drug effects, drug toxicity, and its application in common neuro-musculoskeletal conditions.

Intended Learning Outcomes

As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement against specified learning outcomes.

On completion of this unit, you will be able to:


1.	Describe the aetiology, epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical presentation, and conservative and surgical management and associated complications of the common neuro-musculoskeletal disorders affecting the upper extremity, spine, and pelvis.
2.	Apply the upper extremity, spine, and pelvis anatomy and physiology knowledge, to relevant neuro-musculoskeletal conditions and their presentation in various medical imaging.
3.	Explain concepts of pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, classes of drugs, adverse drug effects, and drug toxicity to medicines commonly used for neuro-musculoskeletal disorders.
4.	Apply critical self-reflection and the attributes of life-long learning, inquiry and relate to ongoing professional development.

Requisites


REQUISITE TYPE	REQUISITES
Pre-requisite	CXA736 Foundations of Physiotherapy and CXA737 Physiotherapy Practice 1
Co-requisite	CXA709 Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy Practice

Alterations as a result of student feedback

The feedback from first cohort students was considered with high regard. As reflected in the student feedback, the format of the MyLO contents has been revised to facilitate better navigation of the content for initial learning and to revisit for revision learning. As per student feedback, the online asynchronous content-specific interactive discussions are included in synchronised weekly face-to-face tutorials with the learning activities focusing on the application of theoretical knowledge to hands-on practical skills that are specific to these two units (CXA708 and CXA709). The synchronised weekly learning activity duration has been increased with an additional synchronised online session due to the extent of the content to be covered in this unit. Any repetitions or doubling of the MyLO contents between the CXA708 and CXA709 are reviewed and removed based on workload-related feedback given by the students.

How will I be Assessed?

For more detailed assessment information please see MyLO.

Assessment schedule


ASSESSMENT TASK #	ASSESSMENT TASK NAME	DATE DUE	WEIGHT	LINKS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Assessment Task 1:	Oral Presentation	Week 7	20 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
Assessment Task 2:	Differentiating the clinical presentations of two neuro-musculoskeletal case studies.	Week 9	40 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
Assessment Task 3:	Four Quizzes - Neuro-Musculoskeletal Conditions	Refer to Assessment Description	40 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4

Assessment details

Assessment Task 1: Oral Presentation

Task Description:

Oral presentation (Online) – Pathophysiology, pharmacological and/or surgical management, and prognostic features of the given neuro-musculoskeletal conditions.

In this assessment, you are required to take an evidence-based approach to present a current update on the aetiology, epidemiology, pathoanatomy, pathophysiology, clinical and radiological features (as applicable) of the given neuro-musculoskeletal condition affecting upper extremity, spine, and pelvis. You are required to discuss specific clinical and radiological signs and symptoms of the given clinical condition with its relevant sensitivity and specificity values where applicable. You are required to discuss the pharmacological and surgical management of the given conditions with their associated side effects and complications, as well as the short-term and long-term prognostic features of the pain and movement system impairment of the given condition. Your unit coordinator will assign you with a neuro-musculoskeletal condition for the presentation. You are required to perform this oral presentation to the teaching team and peer group, which includes a 3-min question and answer session.

Task Length:

10 minutes presentation time, and 3 minutes QA time (13 min/presentation)

Due Date:

Week 7

Weight:

20 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Demonstrates contemporary understanding of the given neuro-musculoskeletal conditions by explaining the type of the lesion, epidemiology, relevant pathoanatomy or pathophysiology, clinical features, and where applicable the radiological features.	LO1, LO2
2	Demonstrates a clear understanding of the pharmacological and surgical management and associated complications of the given neuro-musculoskeletal conditions, with the evidence-based short and long-term prognosis of pain and movement system impairment	LO1, LO3
3	Demonstrate responsible communication skills with self-reflection and life-long learning attributes when answering the questions where applicable.	LO4

Assessment Task 2: Differentiating the clinical presentations of two neuro-musculoskeletal case studies.

Task Description:

You are required to employ a systematic clinical reasoning approach to analyse two neuro-musculoskeletal condition case studies. Your analysis should distinguish the etiological mechanisms, pathoanatomy and pathophysiology, and identified impairments of the neuro-musculoskeletal system responsible for the unique clinical presentations between the case studies.
Your evidence-based clinical reasoning approach should include the following steps:
1. Identify the types of lesions (or etiology) with relevant stage or severity of the conditions present between the case studies; and justify the type of lesion and severity of the condition between the case studies with differential clinical presentations of the various neuro-musculoskeletal structures and functions.
2. Interpret any unique clinical presentations between the case studies that are associated with the side effects of the medications and/or complications of the surgical management and reflect any red flags that require medical referrals.
3. Differentiate the prognostic nature of the various clinical presentations within and between the case studies in line with the diagnosis, current conservative, and/or surgical management.
4. Discuss the necessary interdisciplinary referrals to rule out and/or address the potential confounding problems that could impact the physiotherapy rehabilitation between the case studies.

Task Length:

2000 words

Due Date:

Week 9

Weight:

40 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Identify the types of lesions associated within and between the case studies.	LO1
2	Differentiates clinical presentation of the neuro-musculoskeletal structures and function based on the type and stages of lesions within and between the case studies.	LO1, LO2
3	Identify and differentiate the potential clinical presentations caused by adverse effects of the medications and/or complications of the surgical management as identified in the individual case studies.	LO1, LO2, LO3
4	Differentiate the prognostic nature of the various clinical presentations within and between the case studies in line with the diagnosis, current conservative and/or surgical management.	LO1, LO3
5	Identify and discuss the clinical presentation that requires interdisciplinary referrals to exclude and/or address the potential confounding problems that would impact the physiotherapy rehabilitation within and between the case studies.	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4

Assessment Task 3: Four Quizzes - Neuro-Musculoskeletal Conditions

Task Description:

Four Quizzes – Neuro-musculoskeletal conditions on, shoulder girdle (10%), cervical and thoracic spine (10%), elbow, forearm, wrist, and hand (10%), and lumbar spine and pelvis (10%)

This online multiple-choice quiz assesses the knowledge related to applied musculoskeletal anatomy and physiology, and clinical and radiological presentation of the common neuro-musculoskeletal conditions affecting the shoulder girdle, elbow, forearm, wrist and hand, spine, and pelvis.

• Quiz 1: Tuesday 12th March 0830 AM
• Quiz 2: Tuesday 26th March, 9 AM.
• Quiz 3: Monday 8th April, 9 AM.
• Quiz 4: Tuesday 16th April, 9 AM

Task Length:

30 minutes

Due Date:

Refer to Assessment Description

Weight:

40 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Identify features of the neuro-musculoskeletal system structure and function relevant to the neuro-musculoskeletal conditions and their presentation in medical imaging.	LO1, LO2, LO4
2	Identify epidemiology, aetiology and pathogenesis, and clinical presentation related to physiological and pathophysiological neuro-musculoskeletal conditions.	LO1, LO2
3	Identify the conservative and surgical management of the selected musculoskeletal disorders, and their implication for physiotherapy practice.	LO1, LO3

How your final result is determined

To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes, achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater.

Submission of assignments

Where practicable, assignments should be submitted to an assignment submission folder in MYLO. You must submit assignments by the due date or receive a penalty (unless an extension of time has been approved by the Unit Coordinator). Students submitting any assignment in hard copy, or because of a practicum finalisation, must attach a student cover sheet and signed declaration for the submission to be accepted for marking.

Requests for extensions

If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an extension.

A request for an extension should first be discussed with your Unit Coordinator or teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the assessment due date, except where you can provide evidence it was not possible to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your Unit Coordinator.

The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension request within 3 working days of receiving the request.

Late penalties

Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or after assignments have been returned to other students on a scheduled date, whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the Assessments and Results Procedure.

Review of results and appeals

You are entitled to ask for a review of the marking and grading of your assessment task if there is an irregularity in the marking standards or an error in the process for determining the outcome of an assessment. Details on how to request a review of a mark for an assignment are outlined in the Review and Appeal of Academic Decisions Procedure.

Required Resources

Required reading materials

You will be able to access the topic-specific reading list via the Readings List section on the Mylo homepage. You will be directed to topic-specific readings to complete related activities on each topic.