EXSC639 - Clinical Assessment and Exercise Physiologists for Musculoskeletal Conditions of the Trunk and Upper Limb

Year

Credit points

Campus offering

Prerequisites

Teaching organisation

Unit rationale, description and aim

Within their scope of practice, accredited exercise physiologists must be able to explain the relationship between anatomy and pathology to select and interpret clinical assessments, which inform prescription and delivery of safe, effective, person-cantered and evidence-based exercise interventions for individuals suffering a range of musculoskeletal conditions. In this unit, students will advance their knowledge of anatomy, pathology and develop their practical skills in clinical assessment and exercise selection, prescription, delivery and progression, based on current scientific knowledge, relevant to musculoskeletal conditions of the trunk and upper limb. The aim of this unit is to prepare students for clinical placement and professional practice by applying this knowledge with critical thinking and clinical reasoning to implement these practical skills based on needs and goals of individuals with musculoskeletal conditions of the trunk and upper limb.

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

Content

Topics will include: 

Advanced anatomy and pathology relevant to musculoskeletal conditions of the:

• Pelvis
• Lumbar spine
• Thoracic spine
• Cervical spine
• Shoulder
• Elbow/forearm

Evidence-based clinical assessments, relevant to musculoskeletal conditions of the trunk and upper limb and within scope of practice of accredited exercise physiologists, including but not limited to:

• Subjective assessments
• Range of motion and flexibility tests
• Strength tests
• Orthopaedic testing
• Functional outcome measures

Evidence-based exercise interventions and key principles of exercise selection, prescription, delivery, monitoring and adaptation, relevant to musculoskeletal conditions of the trunk and upper limb and within scope of practice of accredited exercise physiologists.

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

This unit is offered through multi-mode delivery and aims to facilitate learner centred activities and inquiry-based learning. Learning and teaching strategies within this Masters level unit are based on a blend of constructivism, social constructivism, and experiential learning. These strategies focus on active participation and developing a community of inquiry. Purposefully designed content and activities have been identified. This has led to the development of purposefully designed learning activities focusing on inquiry-based learning principles aimed at encouraging critical thinking, clinical decision-making, application of knowledge and skills, evidence for practice, collaborative peer learning, and critical self-reflection.

Students participate in individual and small group activities based on analysis of current practice, to assimilate application of acquired knowledge and facilitate translation of learning into practice. Engagement in extended dialogue is encouraged to guide change to a more interprofessional, person-centred practice. Unit activities include, but are not limited to: guided readings, synchronous on-line tutorials, web-based activities and practical workshops, which include skill development, case-study simulations, work-based activities with reflection to enhance practice. To facilitate practical application of knowledge and skills, multi-mode delivery requires participation in weekly practical workshops. Where possible, workshop activities are designed as reusable learning objects. Activities are aimed to facilitate acquisition of advanced knowledge and skills in assessment and exercise intervention planning strategies.

Assessment strategy and rationale

Assessment tasks in this unit have been purposefully designed to prepare for and replicate authentic clinical practice, with an “assessment for learning” approach to provide evidence for judgement of learning and to reinforce, facilitate and support learning and its application. The assessment tasks have been designed to provide a broad range of tasks aligned to andragogic principles of adult learning, facilitating choice and self-direction for the post graduate student. The design enables timely judgement to ensure students have appropriate knowledge and skills prior to workplace application.

The first assessment task (Written examination) enables students to acquire advanced knowledge and understanding of content delivered throughout the unit. The second assessment task (Audiovisual presentation) enables students to assimilate this knowledge and develop clinical reasoning to interpret the findings of a clinical assessment and prescribe an exercise rehabilitation intervention, which is informed by holistic clinical management, evidence-based practice and based on individual needs and goals of a case study. The final assessment task (Assessment 3 Practical Examination) enables students to develop the ability to apply critical thinking and clinical reasoning to selectively perform and justify the use of appropriate clinical assessments, which will then inform prescription, instruction and delivery of an exercise rehabilitation intervention for a case study with a musculoskeletal condition of the trunk or upper limb. This assessment tasks also enables students to apply knowledge and skills specific to evaluation and monitoring of the case study’s response to exercise and apply clinical decision making to modify the intervention where necessary. The final assessment task (Practical Examination) is also a graded hurdle requiring students to demonstrate, at a minimum, the essential clinical competencies needed to safely and effectively service a client with a musculoskeletal condition of the upper limb. Demonstration of these essential clinical competencies is necessary for safe and effective professional practice as an exercise physiologist.

This graded hurdle (Practical Examination) must be passed with a score of ≥50% to pass unit. If on a first attempt, a student scores less than 45% in the graded hurdle, they will not receive a second attempt, and will not pass the unit. If on the first attempt, a student receives a score of 45-49%, they will be eligible for a second attempt. If a student scores less than 50% on the second attempt, they will fail the hurdle and therefore fail the unit. If a student achieves a score of ≥50% on their second attempt, they will pass the hurdle, however they will receive a score of 50% for this assessment task regardless of the grade achieved in the second attempt.  

To pass this unit and meet the learning outcomes students must achieve both ≥50% in the graded hurdle, and an aggregate score of ≥50%.

Overview of assessments

Representative texts and references

Brukner, P., & Khan, K. (2017). Brukner & Khan’s clinical sports medicine. Volume 1, Injuries (B. Clarsen, J. (Jill) Cook, A. Cools, K. Crossley, M. R. Hutchinson, P. McCrory, & R. Bahr, Eds.; Fifth edition.). McGraw-Hill Education.

Coombes, J. S., & Skinner, T. L. (2022). ESSA student manual for health, exercise and sport assessment (Second edition.). Elsevier Australia.

Neumann, D. A. (2017). Kinesiology of the musculoskeletal system : foundations for rehabilitation (Third edition.). Elsevier.