Sjukgymnast

The 12-week clinical residency of the course is developed around the themes of clinical reasoning, diagnosis, classification and musculoskeletal management/rehabilitation. This includes clinical examination and interpretation, in addition to planning and progression of both active and passive physical treatment and management programmes. Application and development of these objectives are facilitated through supervised clinical practice sessions within physiotherapy outpatient clinics located in teaching and community hospitals in the Perth metropolitan region.

The approaches and philosophies of various schools of manual therapy to assessment and treatment are presented to ensure a broad view and optimal patient management. Treatment methods include articular mobilisation and manipulation, muscle energy and muscle imbalance correction techniques, management of neurogenic pain disorders and rehabilitation of the neuromuscular system. Special emphasis is given to clinical anatomy, musculoskeletal pathology and pain management as they relate to clinical reasoning and clinical practice.

Broader issues of musculoskeletal rehabilitation, exercise prescription and progression, goal-setting, outcome measurement and evidence-based practice are included in the clinical component. The remainder of the course is undertaken by external study. These units cover a range of issues in musculoskeletal biomechanics, pathology and neurophysiology which have direct relevance to the practice of musculoskeletal physiotherapy.