Rehabilitation

Catalog description

This course introduces the basic principles, diagnoses, impairments, and treatment interventions utilized by the PTA in the rehabilitation setting. Participants will review basic skills necessary for treating rehabilitation patients safely and overview common mobility equipment used in a rehabilitation setting. The following topics will be addressed in lecture and/or lab sessions: basic principles of normal movement and neuro-rehabilitation, teaching and learning theories, and motor relearning; data collection techniques and tools associated with neurological rehabilitation; functional mobility and motor function training techniques for patients with varying levels of disability; wheelchair mobility training and appropriate fitting and adaptations; environmental assessment and ADA considerations; gait deviations and training with and without assistive devices; orthotics; amputations and prosthetics; selected diagnoses in neuro-rehabilitation. This course will address rehabilitation techniques for patients with selected conditions seen in physical therapy neurological and rehabilitation settings. Selected neurological conditions will be covered, including etiology, clinical presentation, medical management, and physical therapy interventions. Neurologic conditions and developmental delays associated with pediatric clients will also be included. In this course, neuroanatomy and neurophysiology will be reviewed and principles of specific neuro-rehabilitation techniques, and neuromotor development will be explored. By the completion of this course, students should be able to recognize and verbalize general signs and symptoms of neurological deficit and demonstrate basic skills used in physical therapy for patients with selected neurological disorders and amputations. Students should also be able to identify specific areas in the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nervous system associated with neurological signs, symptoms, and conditions; perform and discuss the value and use of various data collection tools associated with neuro-rehabilitation; demonstrate safe and effective physical therapy interventions as applied to patients with neurological disorders; discuss and demonstrate basic physical therapy interventions for patients with vestibular dysfunction; discuss the basic developmental milestones associated with human growth and development; and demonstrate and discuss safe and effective handling and positioning principles used with pediatric patients. Gait deviations and interventions, wheelchair fitting and use, and specific physical therapy interventions for various diagnoses will be covered. Using extensive examples, exercises, and real life scenarios, this course teaches students skills to assess, treat and document functional outcomes in a clear and logical progression. Lecture, lab activities, and written assignments will be used to discuss clinical decision-making and intervention strategies for related impairments. This is a writing-intensive course that will include instructor written evaluation and feedback of student writing. Writing assignments will be specific to the Physical Therapy discipline and include multiple and varied assignments. Writing will be a factor in the final grade for this course. Course content will be delivered in lecture and/or on-line materials. A variety of evaluation tools will be used to assess student performance in this course. Written examinations, quizzes, written assignments, including homework may be utilized to assess cognitive understanding of course content. For assessment of psychomotor skills, lab practical examinations, skill evaluations, and oral questioning may be used. Group projects and peer assessment might also be included at some campuses. Enrollment is limited to students admitted to the 2PTA major.