PHTY208 - Pathophysiology for Physiotherapy

Year

Credit points

Campus offering

Prerequisites

BIOL125 Human Biology 1 AND BIOL126 Human Biology 2 AND ANAT102 Physiotherapy Anatomy 2

Unit rationale, description and aim

Physiotherapists work with people whose function is impacted by the consequences of injury or disease. An understanding of disease processes and presentation, including the body's response to stress or injury, and medical investigations and pharmacological management is essential for safe and effective physiotherapy assessment and intervention. In this unit students will build on their knowledge of anatomy, biology and physiology relevant to pathologies of the musculoskeletal, respiratory, cardiovascular and endocrine systems in particular, and of factors that contribute to the development of disease. Students will also be introduced the use of heat and cold as physiotherapeutic interventions. The aim of this unit is to prepare students for the application of this knowledge to physiotherapy assessment and interventions in subsequent physiotherapy practice units.

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.

On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:

LO1 - Apply principles of normal physiological function to explain the body’s response to stress or injury (GA4, GA5)

LO2 - Discuss determinants and patterns of health, illness and disability, and the social, environmental, cultural and global factors that influence these (GA4, GA5, GA8)

LO3 - Describe the aetiology, pathogenesis, pathophysiology and clinical manifestations of common diseases of the musculoskeletal, respiratory, cardiovascular and endocrine systems, relevant to physiotherapy clinical practice (GA4, GA5, GA8)

LO4 - Discuss medical investigations and pharmacological management for common diseases of the musculoskeletal, respiratory, cardiovascular and endocrine systems, relevant to physiotherapy clinical practice (GA5)

LO5 - Discuss and demonstrate the safe application of heat and cold as physiotherapy interventions (GA1, GA5)

Graduate attributes

GA1 - demonstrate respect for the dignity of each individual and for human diversity

GA4 - think critically and reflectively

GA5 - demonstrate values, knowledge, skills and attitudes appropriate to the discipline and/or profession

GA8 - locate, organise, analyse, synthesise and evaluate information

Content

Topics will include: 

Concepts, determinants and patterns of health and disease

• Personal, social, environmental and structural factors 
• Health of priority populations in Australia including First Nation peoples

Introduction to medical terminology

The body's normal physiological response to stress and injury, activity tolerance and fatigue including long COVID

• Inflammation and health; immunity and autoimmunity; effects of age on healing

Musculoskeletal system

• Selected acute and chronic pathologies of the musculoskeletal system
• Diagnostic investigations relevant to physiotherapy clinical practice

Respiratory system

• Advanced anatomy and physiology of the adult and paediatric respiratory system
• Selected acute and chronic pathologies of the respiratory system
• Medications for the management of respiratory disease
• Investigations relevant to physiotherapy clinical practice

Cardiovascular system

• Advanced anatomy and physiology of the adult cardiovascular system
• Selected acute and chronic pathologies of the cardiovascular system
• Medications for the management of cardiovascular disease
• Investigations relevant to physiotherapy clinical practice

Endocrine system

• Selected acute and chronic pathologies of the endocrine system
• Medications for the management of certain endocrine system pathologies
• Investigations relevant to physiotherapy clinical practice

Cancer

• Epidemiology, aetiology and clinical manifestations of common cancers in Australia
• Investigations and management of common cancers relevant to physiotherapy clinical practice

Electrophysical agents (EPA) in physiotherapy practice

• Cryotherapy
• Heat therapy

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

This unit involves 150 hours of learning with a combination of face-to-face, online and other directed independent learning activities.   

Theoretical knowledge will be delivered via lectures and online modules. Practical classes provide students with the opportunity to assimilate and apply this knowledge through simulation learning activities including case scenarios.   

Students will be expected to take responsibility for their learning and to participate actively within group activities, demonstrating respect for the individual as an independent learner. 

Assessment strategy and rationale

Assessment task 1 (practical examination) requires students demonstrate understanding of the theoretical knowledge for the use of (rationale), and to safely and effectively apply, hot and cold therapy in order to demonstrate their emerging professional competence.  Assessment tasks 2 and 3 (written examinations) require students to demonstrate acquisition and understanding of content presented in this unit. 

Overview of assessments

Representative texts and references

Banasik, J.L., & Copstead, L. E. (2022). Pathophysiology (7th edition). Elsevier. E-book.

Bullock, S., & Hales, M. (2013). Principles of pathophysiology (1st edition). New South Wales: Pearson. E-book.

Bullock, S., & Hales, M. (2019). Principles of pathophysiology (2nd edition). Pearson Australia.

Reznik, J., Keren, O., Morris, J., & Biran, I. (2017) Pharmacology handbook for physiotherapists. Elsevier Australia.

Watson, T., & Nussbaum, E. L. (2020), Electrophysical agents: evidence-based practice (13th edition). Elsevier.

Waler, S., Wood, M., & Nicol, J. (2020), Mastering medical terminology : Australia and New Zealand (3rd edition) Elsevier.