This version of the course guide is provisional until the period for editing the new course guides ends.

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Physiotherapy in the Pathology of the Locomotor System III

Code: 102980 ECTS Credits: 6
2024/2025
Degree Type Year
2500892 Physiotherapy OB 3

Contact

Name:
Sergi Sureda Sabate
Email:
sergi.sureda@uab.cat

Teaching groups languages

You can view this information at the end of this document.


Prerequisites

It is highly recommended to have the knowledge achieved in previous courses about Anatomy and Physiology of the Locomotor System, Fundamentals of Physiotherapy, General Biomechanics and of the spine, Human Pathology and Clinical Evaluation in Physiotherapy of the Locomotor System.

This subject is part of the set of Physiotherapy subjects in the Pathology of the rachis, an aspect that implies that the student is aware that concepts of Anatomy, Physiology and Biomechanics that have already been given in previous subjects will not be repeated.

 

 


Objectives and Contextualisation

The subject is programmed in the third year of the Physiotherapy Degree and is part of the group of Physiotherapy subjects of the Locomotor apparatus.
										
											
										
											The specific objectives are:
  • Generate a therapeutic strategy based on a comprehensive model of intervention in the field of Physiotherapy, based on the integration and unification of both new knowledge and that already given in subjects prior to FPAL III.
  • Learn to identify the physiological context in which the patient is, which allows the student to be aware of the patient's possibilities of change.
  • Learn the main tools of manual therapy, articular mobilization of the rachis and clinical-orthopedic examination, as well as learn to personalize them in order to be able to propose efficient therapeutic strategies.
  • To give the student diagnostic clinical evaluation tools, as well as clinical reasoning from a perspective based on scientific evidence.
  • Solve clinical cases susceptible to physiotherapeutic treatment in the field of conditions of the musculoskeletal system, and be able to analyze, adapt and control the results.
  • Know the main affects in the field of Traumatology and Rheumatology.

Competences

  • Act with ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights and duties, diversity and democratic values.
  • Analyse and synthesise.
  • Apply quality-assurance mechanisms in physiotherapy practice, in accordance with the recognised and validated criteria.
  • Design the physiotherapy intervention plan in accordance with the criteria of appropriateness, validity and efficiency.
  • Display critical reasoning skills.
  • Display knowledge of the morphology, physiology, pathology and conduct of both healthy and sick people, in the natural and social environment.
  • Display knowledge of the physiotherapy methods, procedures and interventions in clinical therapeutics.
  • Evaluate the functional state of the patient, considering the physical, psychological and social aspects.
  • Express ideas fluently, coherently and correctly, both orally and in writing.
  • Integrate, through clinical experience, the ethical and professional values, knowledge, skills and attitudes of physiotherapy, in order to resolve specific clinical cases in the hospital and non-hospital environments, and primary and community care.
  • Make a physiotherapy diagnosis applying internationally recognised norms and validation instruments.
  • Make changes to methods and processes in the area of knowledge in order to provide innovative responses to society's needs and demands.
  • Make the most correct decisions in given situations.
  • Organise and plan.
  • Participate in drawing up physiotherapy protocols on the basis of scientific evidence, and promote professional activities that facilitate physiotherapy research.
  • Solve problems.
  • Take account of social, economic and environmental impacts when operating within one's own area of knowledge.
  • Take sex- or gender-based inequalities into consideration when operating within one's own area of knowledge.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Analyse a situation and identify its points for improvement.
  2. Analyse and synthesise.
  3. Apply physiotherapy methods, procedures and interventions in the different clinical specialisations that treat conditions of the musculoskeletal system.
  4. Apply specific physiotherapy methods to promote a healthy lifestyle, in relation to the musculoskeletal system, through health education.
  5. Communicate using language that is not sexist.
  6. Consider how gender stereotypes and roles impinge on the exercise of the profession.
  7. Critically analyse the principles, values and procedures that govern the exercise of the profession.
  8. Define general and specific objectives when using physiotherapy treatment for disorders of the musculoskeletal system.
  9. Describe and analyse human movement.
  10. Describe and analyse the evidence-based physiotherapy protocols for disorders of the musculoskeletal system.
  11. Describe and apply advanced evaluation procedures in physiotherapy in order to determine the degree of damage to the musculoskeletal system and possible functional repercussions.
  12. Describe clinical practice guidelines applied to disorders of the musculoskeletal system.
  13. Describe the circumstances that can influence priorities when using physiotherapy to treat disorders of the musculoskeletal system.
  14. Display critical reasoning skills.
  15. Enumerate the different types of of material and apparatus for using physiotherapy to treat disorders of the musculoskeletal system.
  16. Establish diagnostic physiotherapy hypotheses through clinical cases with disorders of the musculoskeletal system.
  17. Express ideas fluently, coherently and correctly, both orally and in writing.
  18. Identify situations in which a change or improvement is needed.
  19. Identify the physiological and structural changes that may occur as a result of physiotherapy intervention in disorders of the musculoskeletal system.
  20. Identify the principal forms of sex- or gender-based inequality present in society.
  21. Identify the social, economic and environmental implications of academic and professional activities within one?s own area of knowledge.
  22. Locate the different muscles through surface palpation.
  23. Make the most correct decisions in given situations.
  24. Organise and plan.
  25. Propose new methods or well-founded alternative solutions.
  26. Propose new ways to measure success or failure when implementing innovative proposals or ideas.
  27. Solve problems.
  28. Use physiotherapy to treat clinical cases involving musculoskeletal system conditions.
  29. Weigh up the impact of any long- or short-term difficulty, harm or discrimination that could be caused to certain persons or groups by the actions or projects.
  30. Weigh up the risks and opportunities of suggestions for improvement: one's own and those of others.

Content

The subject focuses on physiotherapy applied to pathologies of the musculoskeletal system, and specifically to pathologies of the spine, both traumatic and degenerative.

The subject is organized with two different parts:

  • In the first part, an integrative model of intervention in the field of Physiotherapy is proposed to the student.
  • From there, in the second part of the course, the main pathologies of the spine in the field of Traumatology and Rheumatology are presented, and the procedural skills of clinical-orthopaedic examination, based on scientific evidence, are developed.

To understand physiotherapy in spinal pathologies, we will generate a physiological context that will help us understand the peculiarities of the organic state of these patients. We will also learn to observe and explore in such a way that it facilitates the creation of our diagnostic hypotheses and that will lead us to the diagnosis of physiotherapy. Finally, we will learn how to work with the specific treatment tools needed to treat patients with these pathologies. With all this, we will know the pathophysiology of the main dysfunctions and injuries of the spine and pelvis, classified in such a way that allows us to choose the most effective therapeutic tool in each case.

All in all, we will work on the most appropriate methodology when generating our integrative model of physiotherapy treatment, and we will learn to solve clinical cases in an arranged and effective way.

THEORY

TOPIC 1: INTRODUCTION OF THE SUBJECT AND THERAPEUTIC STRATEGY IN SPINAL PATHOLOGY.

Objectives proposed in the course. Presentation of the program. Types of assessment, seminars, presentation of the teaching staff and bibliography.

Fundamentals of physiotherapy in spinal pathology and concepts of the discipline. Overview of the matter.

  1. Overview of the physiological and pathophysiological context.
  2. Review and integration of the most important concepts in the anamnesis process, and contextualization in our integrative model of physiotherapy action.
  3. General and specificities in the examination of the patient in spinal pathology.
  4. Theoretical concepts of manual therapy.
  5. Contextualization of manual spinal therapy tools , based on the response they provoke in the patient's body, thus including them within our action model.
  6. Generation of the forecast based on the "text-context". Individualization of the expectations of our therapeutic action based both on the resources available to the patient at that time, and on the scientific evidence of the pathology itself.

 

TOPIC 2: ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY OF THE SPINE

  1. Review of the most important aspects of physiology and anatomy of the spine (unification of the knowledge acquired in previous subjects)
  2. Vision of the spine as a whole. Vertebral pivots and their relevance in the stability of the organism.
  3. Basic notions of Biomechanics applied to the spine.

 

 TOPIC 3: PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF THE MAIN AFFECTATIONS OF THE SPINE.

Within our integrative model , and to facilitate the choice of our therapeutic strategy, we will learn to differentiate the pathologies of the spine in relation to the organic response that we understand may be behind the pathological process itself.

We will use the concepts of dysfunction and injury, as well as that of traumatic or degenerative pathological process, for the structuring of the different pathologies of the spine and for the elaboration ofour therapeutic strategy based on the available resources of the individual. 

  1. Traumatic pathologies
    1. Soft tissue pathology.
      1. Dysfunction
      2. Injury
      3. Pathologies of bone parts
        1. It was dysfunctional.
        2. Injury
  2. Degenerative pathologies
    1. Mechanical pathologies
    2. Autoimmune pathologies
      1. Inflammatory
      2. Proliferative

 PRACTICE

We will perform diagnostic procedures that are used in the diagnosis and treatment of physiotherapy in spinal pathologies.

  1. Functional evaluation and therapeutic approach of the pelvic region
    1. Palpation of the main structures
    2. Clinical and diagnostic assessment tools
    3. Main tools for mobilization and treatment of the main conditions of the pelvis.
  2. Functional evaluation and therapeutic approach of the lumbar region
    1. Palpation of the main structures
    2. Clinical and diagnostic assessment tools
    3. Main tools for mobilization and treatment of the main conditions of the lumbar region.
  3. Functional evaluation and therapeutic approach of the dorsal region
    1. Palpation of the main structures
    2. Clinical and diagnostic assessment tools
    3. Main tools for mobilization and treatment of the main conditions of the dorsal region.
  4. Functional evaluation and therapeutic approach of the cervical region
    1. Palpation of the main structures
    2. Clinical and diagnostic assessment tools
    3. Main tools for mobilization and treatment of the main conditions of the cervical region.

Activities and Methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
LABORATORY PRACTICALS (PLAB) 15 0.6 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 12, 15, 16, 19, 22, 24, 14, 28, 27
THEORY (TE) 30 1.2 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 12, 16, 19, 18, 22, 24, 23, 25, 14, 28, 27
Type: Autonomous      
READING ARTICLES /REPORTS OF INTEREST 17 0.68 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15, 16, 22, 28
Research and information treatment 20 0.8 2, 17, 24, 23, 14, 27
SELF-STUDY 40 1.6 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 11, 13, 15, 16, 19, 22, 24, 23, 14, 28
works delivery 25 1 2, 1, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 12, 15, 16, 17, 19, 18, 22, 14, 28

T

Teaching is based on: theoretical lectures (which may include practical demonstrations in the classroom itself and for which the collaboration of a student will be required), and practical classes (which will be held in the laboratory classrooms).

A research project will also have to be carried out in a group of students and that will be related to a pathology of the musculoskeletal system.

The USE of MOBILE PHONES, SMARTWATCHES, HEADPHONES or other ELECTRONIC DEVICES is NOT allowed during the exams. The PLAB dossiers must be printed on paper.

It is NOT allowed to take PHOTOGRAPHS OR RECORDINGS during CLASSES. All material is subject to copyright and will be posted on the virtual campus. Doing business with the material posted on the virtual campus will automatically imply suspending the subject and it will be the decision of the lecturer if he or she takes legal action against the student through the UAB's legal services.

ATTENDANCE AT THE PLAB IS MANDATORY.

Access to the classroom for laboratory practices will not be allowed after 10 minutes from the start of the class, and it will be counted as unjustified lack of attendance.

It is MANDATORY to attend the PLAB with the appropriate clothing (bikini (or sports shorts), and size for the stretcher (or towel or large sarong)) throughout the course.

It will NOT be allowed to carry out the PLABs with watches, rings, bracelets, earrings... or any other element that may be detrimental to the comfort and safety of students during the execution of physiotherapy maneuvers. The student must attend the PLAB with their hair up and their nails short.

An INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOUR of the student during classes, which may be a nuisance to the teacher or other students, gives the teacher the right to expel the student from the classroom. Each expulsion will be treated as an unjustified absence of attendance and 0.5 points will be deducted from the final grade.

You can NOT EAT OR DRINK during classes.

Note: 15 minutes of a class will be reserved, within the calendar established by the center/degree, for students to complete the surveys for the evaluation of the performance of the teaching staff and the evaluation of the subject/module.

This subject is based on a theoretical-practical teaching. 

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.


Assessment

Continous Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Attendance and active participation in class and in seminars 5% 0 0 2, 8, 11, 15, 16, 17, 23, 14, 28, 27
Narrative records 10% 0 0 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 12, 15, 16, 22, 24, 28, 27
Practical evaluation 35% 1 0.04 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 11, 13, 19, 22, 24, 23, 27
Written assessments with objective tests: multiple choice tests 25% 1 0.04 7, 2, 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 12, 15, 16, 17, 19, 21, 20, 18, 22, 24, 30, 23, 25, 26, 14, 27, 6, 29
clinical case 25% 1 0.04 7, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10, 13, 12, 16, 17, 21, 20, 18, 24, 30, 23, 26, 14, 27, 6, 29

Evaluación Única:

Esta asignatura no contempla el sistema de evaluación única.

 

La evaluación FINAL de la asignatura constará de:

 

- Examen final: (50% peso de la nota final):

  • Examen tipo test de los contenidos impartidos en las clases teóricas (25% peso de la nota final). Esta prueba constará de 40 preguntas tipo test, con cuatro opciones de respuesta (de las cuales sólo una será válida) y donde las respuestas mal contestadas descontarán 0,33 sobre la nota final. Las preguntas no contestadas no restarán puntos. Nota mínima para aprobar: 5.
  • Resolución de un caso clínico (25% peso de la nota final): que se realizará el mismo día del examen tipo test, y donde el estudiante deberá establecer los objetivos en cada uno de los apartados del tratamiento de fisioterapia, concretar hipótesis terapéuticas, proponer herramientas exploratorias para llegar a un diagnóstico funcional de fisioterapia, realizar una propuesta de tratamiento coherente (proponiendo inicialmente los objetivos del mismo y las fases de consecución de los mismos), y por último, habrá que generar un pronóstico basado en las particularidades de la patología así como en el perfil del paciente. Nota mínima para aprobar: 5.

- Examen final práctico: (35% del peso de la nota final).

  • Se realizará un examen práctico y/o un examen tipo test mediante la evaluaciónclínica objetiva y estructurada. El estudiante debe aplicar el razonamiento clínico y realizar algunas de las técnicas exploratorias y/o terapéuticas de fisioterapia comentadas en los seminarios y las clases teóricas. En el caso de que se realice tipo test práctico, esta prueba constará de 10 preguntas de verdadero o falso, donde las respuestas correctas sumarán 1 punto, las mal contestadas descontarán 1 punto y las no contestadas no quedarán. Si se realizan las 2 pruebas, la nota final del examen práctico será la media entre ambas. Nota mínima para aprobar: 5

- Trabajo científico y asistencia (15% peso de la nota final)

  • Realización del trabajo de investigación en grupo y exposición oral por parte de todos los miembros del grupo. Se deberá especificar cómo se ha distribuido el trabajo del trabajo entre los estudiantes de cada grupo. La nota final del trabajo estará distribuida en una nota global del trabajo (50%) y una nota específica para cada estudiante (50% restante) que dependerá tanto de su parte específica como de la expresión oral que haya hecho así. El trabajo de investigación equivale 10% de la nota final, y la nota mínima para aprobar: 5
  • Asistencia/participación y evaluación de los seminarios especializados: Mediante ejercicios de evaluación asociados a los seminarios y/o la asistencia y participación a las clases magistrales y seminarios especializados. Se tendrá en consideración la realización de tareas voluntarias relacionadas con la materia dada por las clases. Este apartado se evaluará de la siguiente manera: entre el 80 y el 100% de asistencia supondrá un 10. La asistencia por debajo del 80% será un 0.  Este apartado tiene un peso de un 5% de la nota final.

El porcentaje de cada parte en la nota final de la asignatura será: 50% nota examen final (25% test + 25% caso clínico), el 35% nota del examen final práctico (práctica y/o test práctico) y el 15% de la evaluación continuada (nota de la presentación y exposición del trabajo científico (10%) y el 5% de la asistencia/participación en los seminarios especializados y en las clases magistrales).

Para aplicarse estos porcentajes es imprescindible tener un mínimo de 5.00, en el examen tipo test, en el caso clínico, en el examen práctico y en el trabajo científico.

Se consideran como criterios para asignar la calificación de NO EVALUABLE los siguientes:

  • Se considerará como "No Evaluable" al alumnado que no realice las pruebas de evaluación tanto teórica como práctica, agotando los derechos a la matrícula de la asignatura.
  • Tener una puntuación de 0,00 en alguna de las pruebas evaluables (examen final, examen práctico o trabajo científico)
  • Faltar más del 20% de las clases prácticas (PLAB)

 

Asistencia a clase:

- Clases teóricas. La asistencia a pesar de no ser obligatoria si que es altamente recomendable, ya que se pueden llevar a cabo demostraciones magistrales de determinadas técnicas, así como la realización de dinámicas grupales importantes para el correcto seguimiento de la materia.

- Clases prácticas. La asistencia es obligatoria al 100%. Se aceptará falta justificada por causa médica (con el correspondiente justificante médico), siempre y cuando éstas no superen el 20% del total de las clases, donde se considerará al alumno como NO EVALUABLE. Cada falta injustificada descontará 0.5 puntos de la nota final de la asignatura.

La calificación final de la asignatura tendrá una expresión numérica (con dos decimales) en la escala 0-10 y con la equivalencia cualitativa, de acuerdo con los criterios de la UAB, de: suspenso, aprobado, notable y excelente (con la opción de alcanzar la calificación de Matrícula de Honor).

El procedimiento de revisión de las pruebas se ajustará a la normativa vigente de la UAB y en todo caso será de forma individual, previa solicitud por escrito en los plazos establecidos.

Los estudiantes que no hayan superado la asignatura/módulo por los medios de evaluación anteriormente descritos, se podrán presentar a un examen final o prueba de recuperación. En el caso de no aprobar algunas de las pruebas obligatorias, se podrá realizar un examen de recuperación o síntesis que tendrá las mismas características morfológicas de la prueba suspendida. Nota mínima para aprobar: 5. La nota máxima que podrá obtener el alumno en esta prueba también será un 5.


Bibliography

  • Douglas G, Nicol F, Robertson. Macleod. Exploración Clínica+ StudentConsult en español. 13th Edition. Barcelona: Elsevier; 2014.
  • Hoppenfeld, RS. Exploración física de la columna vertebral y las extremidades. Ed. El Manual Moderno. 1979.
  • Cleland J, Koppenhaver S, Su J. Netter. Exploración Clínica en Ortopedia. Un enfoque basado en la evidencia. 3a Edición. Barcelona: Elsevier Masson; 2006.
  • Palmer L, Epler ME. Fundamentos de las técnicas de evaluación musculoesquelética. Barcelona: Paidotribo; 2003.
  • Clarkson HM. Musculoskeletal Assessment. 3th edition. LWW; 2012.
  • Brotzman SB. Mnaske RC. Rehabilitación Ortopédica Clínica. Un enfoque basado en la evidencia. 4a Edicion. Barcelona: Elsevier; 2018.
  • Parsons J, Marcer N. Osteopatia. Modelos de diagnóstico, tratamiento y práctica. Ed. Elsevier 2007
  • Perry, Clayton R. Manual de fracturas. 2ª ed. Ed. McGrawHill. 2001.
  • Magee D. Orthopedic Physical Assessment (Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation). 6th Ed. ElSevier; 2014.
  • Heimann, D. Compendio de Terapia Manual. Barcelona: Paidotribo; 2007.
  • Kaltenborn FM. Fisioterapia manual columna. Madrid: Mc Graw-Hill Interamericana; 2000.
  • Vilar Orellana E, Sureda Sabaté S. Fisioterapia del aparato locomotor. Ed. McGraw-Hill, Interamericana de España; 2005.
  • Craig Liebenson. Manual de Rehabilitación de la columna vertebral. Ed. Paidotribo. 1999.
  • George V. Lawry. Systematic musculoskeletal examination. Ed. McGraw-Hill. 2011.
  • Karen S. Rucker, Andrew J. Cole, Stuart M. Weinstein. Dolor Lumbar. Enfoque del diagnóstico y el tratamiento basado en los síntomas. Ed. McGraw-Hill. 2003.
  • Haaner-Becker R, Schoer D. Manual de técnicas de fisioterapia. Aplicación en traumatología y ortopédia. Barcelona: Paidotribo; 2001.
  • Travel y Simons. Dolor y disfunción miofascial. 2ª Edición. Ed. Medica Panamericana, 2002

Software

No specific software required


Language list

Name Group Language Semester Turn
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 201 Catalan second semester afternoon
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 202 Catalan second semester afternoon
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 203 Catalan second semester afternoon
(TE) Theory 201 Catalan second semester afternoon