Musculoskeletal I

Catalog description

This four-credit class is the first of a three-course sequence designed to prepare students for musculoskeletal/orthopedic clinical practice. This course introduces components of differential diagnosis and treatment by physical therapists as applied to common conditions of the hip, knee, and shoulder. Students learn a systematic process of examination and begin to develop a clinical decision-making process that is modeled throughout the course. Topics covered and applied throughout the semester include body system review, examination including selective tissue tensioning, biomechanical, and gait assessment, evaluation, and treatment interventions. An emphasis on manual therapy and therapeutic skills involved in the assessment and treatment of musculoskeletal problems associated with these joints is included. Students explore and develop skills in joint mobility assessment/treatment and exercise prescription appropriate to the stage of healing, impairments, and activity limitations presented by the patient. The evaluation of related scientific and clinical literature in the selection of evaluation techniques, treatment techniques, and expected treatment outcomes is emphasized throughout the course. Prerequisite(s): PT 410 .