Physiotherapy Management of Spinal Cord Injuries
Registration for this course is open. If you are interested in taking part in this course please register your interest.
Course Type - Open, Online
Course Reference - PP0314
Course Leaders - Lisa Harvey and Joanne Glinsky
Institution - International Spinal Cord Society and Physiopedia
About this course - This online course, based on the free modules developed by the International Spinal Cord Society at elearnsci.org, is unique to Physiopedia and will run for the first time in April 2014.
Who can take part- Anyone
Date - 29 April to 30 May 2014
Time commitment - 15 hours over 5 weeks
Requirements - You will complete online lessons, engage with additional resources, take part in the conversation online and complete the course evaluation.
Assessment - Complete 13 lesson self assessments
Awards - Completion certificate and Physiopedia Badge
Related Pages[edit | edit source]
Intended audience[edit | edit source]
This course is suitable for physiotherapy students and junior physiotherapists who have a good understanding of the key principles of physiotherapy but little prior experience in spinal cord injuries (SCI).
Time commitment[edit | edit source]
Participants will be required to devote 3 hours per week for 5 weeks to this course.
Course structure[edit | edit source]
Participants will be given 3 tasks each week, namely:
- Complete 2 to 3 lessons that are part of www.elearnSCI.org – this is freely accessible online training modules
- Look at additional readings, videos and resources
- Contribute to an online discussion run through a closed facebook group
Aim[edit | edit source]
The aim of this course is to equip physiotherapy students and inexperienced physiotherapists with sufficient knowledge to manage a person with SCI. This includes assessing impairments, activity limitations and participation restrictions, setting appropriate goals of treatment, formulating an evidence-based treatment plan, implementing treatment and evaluating its success.
Course moderators[edit | edit source]
The course moderators will be:
Associate Professor Lisa Harvey, Australia. Lisa has 20 years clinical experience in SCI and 30 years teaching experience. She currently holds an academic position at Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney where she teaches, supervises research students and runs her own research program. She has taught extensively in different parts of the world and is currently chairperson of the Education Committee of the International Spinal Cord Society. She has written a textbook on Physiotherapy Management of Spinal Cord Injuries and is on the Editorial Board of Spinal Cord and Journal of Physiotherapy.
Dr Joanne Glinsky, Australia. Jo is a physiotherapist with over 10 years clinical, research and teaching experience in SCI rehabilitation. She has a PhD and multiple publications relating to SCI. She currently works as a senior researcher at Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney.
Both Lisa and Jo are committed to the philosophy of providing free education to all and believe that well educated physiotherapists can help improve the lives of people with SCI in all corners of the world.
Pre-requisites[edit | edit source]
Participants must be either enrolled in a physiotherapy course or have completed a physiotherapy course. This prerequisite has been set to ensure the online discussion is appropriate.
Forum for online discussion[edit | edit source]
The online discussion will be an important aspect of this course. Participants will be expected to post at least one comment each week. The online discussion will take place within a closed Facebook group. Only participants of the course will have access to the discussion at any time. Participants will not be required to share their private facebook pages with other delegates. Participants will however need to have an account with facebook. Participants are free to set up accounts in aliases names for the course but will be required to identify themselves by at least their first names at the end of each post.
Language[edit | edit source]
The course will be run in English although participants will only require basic English skills. Participants will be encouraged to be respectful and empathetic to those in whom English is not their first language.
Assessment and Certification[edit | edit source]
A certificate of completion and course badge will be given to participants from Physiopedia provided participants:
- Contribute to the online Facebook discussion each week
- Complete the 13 self-assessments at the end of each lesson within the physiotherapy sub-module of elearnSCI.org and use the same website to get their results automatically emailed to [to be advised].
- Complete a course evaluation form
References[edit | edit source]
Carr JH, Shepherd RB. A motor relearning model for rehabilitation. In: Carr JH and Shepherd RB (ed). Movement science: Foundations for physical therapy in rehabilitation. Aspen Publishers: Rockville, MD 2000, pp 33-110.
Consortium for Spinal Cord Medicine. Outcomes following traumatic spinal cord injury: Clinical practice guidelines for health care professionals. 1999, Washington, DC: Paralyzed Veterans of America.
Consortium for Spinal Cord Medicine. Preservation of upper limb function following spinal cord injury: A clinical practice guideline for health-care professionals. 2005, Washington, DC: Paralyzed Veterans of America.
Consortium for Spinal Cord Medicine Clinical Practice Guidelines. Pressure ulcer prevention and treatment following spinal cord injury: a clinical practice guideline for health-care professionals. J Spinal Cord Med 2001; 24: S40-101.
Consortium for Spinal Cord Medicine. Respiratory management following spinal cord injury: a clinical practice guideline for health-care professionals. 2005, Washington (DC): Paralyzed Veterans of America.
Connolly S, Aubut J, Teasell RW, Jarus T. Upper limb rehabilitation following spinal cord injury. In: Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Evidence (SCIRE), Eng JJ, et al., Editors. 2006: Vancouver. pp 5.1-5.16.
Dobkin B, Apple D, Barbeau H, Basso M, Behrman A, Deforge D. et al. Weight-supported treadmill vs over-ground training for walking after acute incomplete SCI. Neurology 2006; 66: 484–493.
Harvey L. Management of spinal cord injuries: a guide for physiotherapists. 2008, London: Elsevier.
Harvey L, Lin CM, Glinsky J, De Wolf A. The effectiveness of physical interventions for people with spinal cord injuries: a systematic review. Spinal Cord 2009; 47: 184-195.
Harvey LA, Herbert RD. Muscle stretching for treatment and prevention of contracture in people with spinal cord injury. Spinal Cord 2002; 40: 1-9.
Somers MF. Spinal cord injury: functional rehabilitation. 2nd ed. 2001, Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
UAB Model SCI Center. Functional goals following spinal cord injury. Online. Available:http://www.spinalcord.uab.edu/show.asp?durki=28922.
Van Langeveld SA, Post MW, Van Asbeck FW, Ter Horst P, Leenders J, Postma K. et al. Contents of physical therapy, occupational therapy, and sports therapy sessions for patients with a spinal cord injury in three Dutch rehabilitation centres. Disabil Rehabil 2011; 33: 412-422.
