Allied health education

This course provides physiotherapists and occupational therapists with the opportunity to update skills and theoretical knowledge in the management of the upper limb in neurological patients.

It includes online content for participants to complete prior to three online one hour community of practice sessions. This will be followed up by a three month reflective session that participants will be invited to attend. Participants who register for this course will have access to the online content for 12 months from the date of registration.

The SpineCare program is a 12-week multidisciplinary training program to help physiotherapists manage people with spinal pain.

The program was designed for physiotherapists who:

• Want to improve their knowledge and skill in managing back and neck pain
• Would like to learn from neurosurgical and orthopaedic spinal surgeons, rheumatologists, pain physicians, and psychologists, about their perspectives in managing spinal pain
• Would value pragmatic clinical training with specialist and senior musculoskeletal physiotherapists

Program details

A 30-hour training program, spread over 12 weeks with:

• 10 weekly webinar and integrated quiz sessions with presenters from: Neurosurgery, Rheumatology, Orthopaedics, Pain management and Specialist Physiotherapy, presenting on biological and psychosocial aspects of lumbar and cervical disorders, including surgical and conservative management options.
• 20 hours of virtual and face-to-face training on clinical assessment and treatment including exercise prescription and manual therapy skills, interactive case studies and small group sessions with a one to eight ratio, led by specialist and senior musculoskeletal physiotherapists.

Topics covered

• Learning to visually read, understand, explain and use MRI images wisely
• Diagnosing and discerning between patho-anatomic, movement and psycho-social drivers of pain
• Re-framing current views on motor control/movement into new perspectives. Identify strength, fitness, and motor control/movement deficits that contribute to ongoing pain.
• Explore the strengths/limits of a manual therapy approach and how manual therapy leads to specific exercise. Build an exercise program that improves fitness, strength and mobility based on individual needs
• Use case studies to enhance integration of knowledge into clinical practice
• Learn to identify and then engage with cognitive and emotional barriers, to reduce fear and increase engagement and active cooperation with your patients.

Cost

The course will cost $1400, with all payments to the RMH.