Mål og innhald

Aim

The aim of the course is to give the student thorough knowledge and understanding of musculoskeletal pathology, individual complaints and its clinical consequences and complex causal relationships. Current management is outlined in scientific, professional and community perspectives.

Content

The current scientific platform for physiotherapeutic methods of assessment and treatment will be addressed. The scientific literature of physiotherapy management of musculoskeletal disorders will be critically analyzed in an evidence-based perspective and related to other common treatments. The competence and boundaries associated with the physiotherapist role in musculoskeletal pain management will be discussed in the perspectives of interdisciplinary and autonomous settings.

Læringsutbyte/resultat

Knowledge

After completing the course, the students will:

- have specialized knowledge about common musculoskeletal disorders etiology and their management

- be able to explain complex causalities (physical, psychological and social), pain, prevalence, development and manifestations of musculoskeletal disorders

- have thorough knowledge about the evidence-based model for evaluating quality of the scientific literature regarding examinations and treatments used by physiotherapists

- be able to use their knowledge in new professional contexts

- have knowledge about general and diagnose-specific principles of training and factors affecting compliance in common musculoskeletal disorders

- be able to explain learning and self-efficacy models

- have knowledge about the peripheral and central pathophysiology of pain and possible avenues for treatment by pharmacological and physiotherapeutic interventions

- have knowledge about how musculoskeletal treatment guidelines are developed in the context of balancing between scientific, professional and financial perspectives.

- have knowledge about how to implement research findings in clinical practice, and limitations regarding the transfer of group-level research results into clinical reasoning at the individual level

Skills

After completing the course, the students will:

- be able to analyze scientific studies examining the effect of physiotherapy interventions in common musculoskeletal disorders like back and neck pain, osteoarthritis and tendinopathies, fibromyalgia and neuropathic pain.

- be able to critically review the sources of information on musculoskeletal treatment effects and how they may be affected by confounding factors like professional preferences and financial conflicts of interest

- have advanced methodological skills which are necessary for developing and performing limited research projects

- understand and handle terms of health and illness related to muscle- and skeletal conditions, and cultural aspects related to bodily habits and habits in work

General skills

After completing the course, the students should be able to:

- assess the quality and power of scientific evidence behind any treatment for musculoskeletal disorders

- communicate approaches, content and evidence behind different physiotherapy interventions and discuss their strength and weaknesses.

- evaluate and discuss physiotherapy relevance against other approaches and treatments in areas of musculoskeletal disorders management.

- identify gaps in the scientific literature where more knowledge is needed

Krav til forkunnskapar

Klinisk helsefagleg bachelorutdanning