Physiotherapy Modules

Population health is the focus for many health systems in recent years. Population health outcomes are becoming more specific and attention is now shifted upstream, as health impact at population level is greater than at individual level. Recent research evidence suggests that health promoting activities and health education messages must be predicated on established health behaviour change models or theories. In this module, students learn the appropriate public health terminology in relation to population health outcomes, and to integrate various branches of sciences to effect health promotion, disease prevention and overall positive population outcomes.

This module provides students with an understanding of the anatomical and physiological organisation of the nervous system and their related structures. The module is structured to help students gain a basic understanding of neuroscience and its relationship to the practice of rehabilitation science. It covers neurobiology on a cellular and systemic level, together with behavioural and cognitive neuroscience. Topics such as functional neuroanatomy, sensory and motor pathways, auditory, visual and pain systems will be covered. In addition, the neurobiological basis of memory, emotions, aging and repair in the nervous system will also be addressed.

The module focus on the development of critical thinking in the diagnosis and skills in physiotherapy assessment and treatment of the spinal vertebrae.  This module will adopt the problem-based approach placing the theories into the appropriate contexts of practice. Arthrokinematics of the spine will be covered in the module. Students will be introduced to the different musculoskeletal condition affecting the cervical, thoracic, lumbar and sacroiliac joints with evidence-based assessment and treatment approaches. The module will also cover topics on effective communication and manual handling skills for physiotherapy in the musculoskeletal context. Topics on orthopaedics in musculoskeletal and chronic pain management will be included in the module. Students will learn pre and post-surgical management of orthopaedics cases related to the spine (e.g. spinal surgery, fracture management) and management of patients with chronic pain syndrome. Students will also learnt about ergonomic assessment in the programme.

The aim of this module is to provide students with an in depth knowledge of the methodology employed in Research. Secondly the module intends to provide the student with the theoretical and practical methods used in the analysis of data. A further aim is to apply the information gained to the critical appraisal of research studies.

This module introduces students to the broad categories of diseases and injuries from a systems approach. The students learn the contemporary knowledge and perspectives on the pathological and abnormal physiological processes that lead to these diseases and injuries, current medical interventions, including surgery and drugs, and associated complications either arising from the disease processes or medical interventions. Students learn the effects of drugs on the biological systems (for instance, interactions between chemicals and biological receptors) and the effects of biological systems on drugs (that is, absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion of chemicals from biological systems). In addition, students learn to recognize the desired and undesired effects of medication, delivery options, adverse drug reactions that health professionals may observe. The specific roles of these health professionals in communicating adverse reactions and requesting modification in medication delivery to optimize performance and minimize pain will also be discussed.

This module aims to introduce the role and purpose of cardiopulmonary rehabilitation. Applied cardiopulmonary anatomy and physiology provide the basic principles of exercise rehabilitation management in chronic cardiopulmonary conditions. The module will explore the concepts underpinning current approaches to the assessment and management of cardiopulmonary dysfunctions. There will be analysis of the supporting theory and available evidence alongside some practical application of assessment and management techniques. Significant emphasis will be placed on the development of clinical reasoning in the evaluation and management of patients with cardiopulmonary dysfunction. Students will be encouraged to critically appraise and evaluate the theory, evidence-base and practical application of current cardiopulmonary exercise rehabilitation practice.

This module aims to build on the principles of basic exercise physiology, pathology and chronic disease management to enable the students to prescribe exercise in subjects with multiple pathologies. This module will guide students to understand the specific considerations when prescribing exercise in children, in pregnancy, and in the elderly. Prescribing effective exercises for individuals at their present stage of life and state of health with considerations of their impairments and pathologists is an art as well as a science. This is so as a complex partnership between the brain, the muscles, the heart and lungs needs to be taken into consideration to improve each individual’s fitness or performance and reduce the risk of injury. This module aims to empower students with the sound knowledge and practical approaches to assess, monitor, prescribe, progress and enhance exercise performance. 

The aim of this module is to provide the student with a theoretical knowledge and practical skills in the assessment of exercise capacity and body composition, and in exercise training programmes in healthy individuals. This module will build on the the Exercise Physiology module in Year 2 and form the basis for Clinical Exercise Prescription in Year 3.

This module aims to provide the learner with a framework for the assessment and treatment of people with neurological disorders. This includes equipping learners with the knowledge and skills in the assessment of impairments and their contributions to activity limitations and participation restrictions, clinical reasoning and treatment techniques based on motor learning and motor control principles.

This module introduces creative thinking and innovation and applies this in the Healthcare context. Students will be provided with a thorough understanding of how innovation can convert knowledge into products, services and policies for economic and social and cultural benefit. The emphasis will be on how innovation and creative thinking can enhance healthcare for the individual user, employee or organisation.