School of Health Sciences

400906 Introduction to Physiotherapy Practice

Autumn 2021
 Unit Details

Unit Code: 400906

Unit Name: Introduction to Physiotherapy Practice
Credit Points: 10
Unit Level: 1
Assumed Knowledge: Not Applicable

Note: Students with any problems, concerns or doubts should discuss those with the Unit Coordinator as early as they can.

Unit Coordinator
Name: Daniel Thomson
Phone: 02 4620 3835
Location: Campbelltown Campus, 24.2.104
Email: [email protected]
Consultation Arrangement:
By appointment only

Teaching Team
Name: Luke Jenkins
Location: 24.2.117
Email: [email protected]

Name: Prof Roy Cheung

Location: 24.2.116
Email: [email protected]

Name: Tom Astill

Email: [email protected]

Edition: Autumn 2021

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electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the prior written permission from the Dean of the School. Copyright for acknowledged materials reproduced
herein is retained by the copyright holder. All readings in this publication are copied under licence in accordance with Part VB of the Copyright Act 1968.
Contents
1 About Introduction to Physiotherapy Practice 2
1.1 An Introduction to this Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.2 What is Expected of You . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.3 Changes to Unit as a Result of Past Student Feedback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

2 Assessment Information 4
2.1 Unit Learning Outcomes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.2 Approach to Learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.3 Contribution to Course Learning Outcomes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2.4 Assessment Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.5 Assessment Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2.5.1 Practical viva I: Practical skills assessment with clinical reasoning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2.5.2 Practical viva II: Practical skills assessment with clinical reasoning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
2.5.3 Written examination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
2.6 General Submission Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

3 Teaching and Learning Activities 18

4 Learning Resources 20
4.1 Recommended Readings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Note: The relevant Learning Guide Companion supplements this document

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1 About Introduction to Physiotherapy Practice

1.1 An Introduction to this Unit

This unit introduces students to the concept of physiotherapy as a profession, including regulatory, ethical and legal
frameworks underpinning practice within the context of the changing health environment. In addition, students will
be introduced to fundamental aspects of physiotherapy practice, including gathering, analysing and problem-solving
information through a process of clinical reasoning. Students will also develop practical skills in relation to assessment
of movement, patient manual handling and transfers, and patient education regarding gait and use of assistive devices.

1.2 What is Expected of You

Study Load

A student is expected to study an hour per credit point a week. For example a 10 credit point Unit would require 10
hours of study per week. This time includes the time spent within classes during lectures, tutorials or practicals.

Attendance

It is strongly recommended that students attend all scheduled learning activities to support their learning.

Online Learning Requirements

Unit materials will be made available on the Unit’s vUWS (E-Learning) site (https://vuws.westernsydney.edu.au/).
You are expected to consult vUWS at least twice a week, as all Unit announcements will be made via vUWS. Teaching
and learning materials will be regularly updated and posted online by the teaching team.

Special Requirements

Essential Equipment:
Not Applicable
Legislative Pre-Requisites:
Not Applicable

Policies Related to Teaching and Learning

The University has a number of policies that relate to teaching and learning. Important policies affecting students
include:

– Assessment Policy
– Bullying Prevention Policy and
– Guidelines
– Enrolment Policy
– Examinations Policy
– Review of Grade Policy
– Sexual Harassment Prevention Policy
– Special Consideration Policy
– Student Misconduct Rule
– Teaching and Learning - Fundamental Code
– Student Code of Conduct

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Academic Integrity and Student Misconduct Rule
In submitting assessments, it is essential that you are familiar with the policies listed above and that you understand
the principles of academic integrity. You are expected to act honestly and ethically in the production of all academic
work and assessment tasks, submit work that is your own and acknowledge any contribution to your work made by
others.

Important information about academic integrity, including advice to students is available at https://www.westernsydney.
edu.au/studysmart/home/academic_integrity_and_plagiarism. It is your responsibility to familiarise yourself with
these principles and apply them to all work submitted to the University as your own.

When you submit an assignment or product, you will declare that no part has been: copied from any other stu-
dent’s work or from any other source except where due acknowledgement is made in the assignment; submitted by
you in another (previous or current) assessment, except where appropriately referenced, and with prior permission
from the Unit Coordinator; written/produced for you by any other person except where collaboration has been au-
thorised by the Unit Coordinator.

The Student Misconduct Rule applies to all students of Western Sydney University and makes it an offence for
any student to engage in academic, research or general misconduct as defined in the Rule.

The University considers plagiarism, cheating and collusion as instances of academic misconduct. The University
also considers submitting falsified documentation in support of applications for special consideration, including sitting
of deferred examinations, as instances of general misconduct. You should be aware that changes were made to the
Student Misconduct Rule commencing 1 January 2020 that provide for minimum sanctions that apply to certain
conduct, including the provision of falsified documentation to the University.

You are strongly advised to read the Student Misconduct Rule and the Inappropriate Behaviour Guidelines at the
commencement of each session to familiarise yourself with this process and the expectations of the University in
relation to work submitted for assessment.

1.3 Changes to Unit as a Result of Past Student Feedback

The University values student feedback in order to improve the quality of its educational programs. The feedback
provided helps us improve teaching methods and Units of study. The survey results inform Unit content and design,
learning guides, teaching methods, assessment processes and teaching materials.

You are welcome to provide feedback that is related to the teaching of this Unit. At the end of the semester you will
be given the opportunity to complete a Student Feedback on Unit (SFU) questionnaire to assess the Unit. You may
also have the opportunity to complete a Student Feedback on Teaching (SFT) questionnaire to provide feedback for
individual teaching staff.

As a result of student feedback, the following changes and improvements to this subject have recently been made:

– Additional time to learn key assessable practical components such as Range of Motion, Muscle Length and
Muscle Strength tests, as well as prescribing gait aids.
– Further lecture time has been dedicated to teaching examinable concepts such as Range of motion and Muscle
length testing
– Weekly Q and A sessions will be used to support prerecorded lectures to facilitate discussion and learning around
key concepts presented in the unit

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2 Assessment Information

2.1 Unit Learning Outcomes

Physiotherapy refers to both the profession, as well as the practice of physiotherapy. As a student you will be
registered with the physiotherapy regulatory body in Australia (Physiotherapy Board of Australia or PBA) and as such
are expected to uphold the standards of practice of the PBA. Therefore this unit aims for you to learn and understand
how the profession is regulated and what the expected professional standards of practice are. In addition you will
also learn about key theoretical frameworks that underpin physiotherapy practice (including WHO International
Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework, evidenced-informed/evidence-based practice
(EBP), and patient-centred practice). Practising as a physiotherapist requires the individual to develop an in-depth
knowledge of how people move and the impact that any impairment of the body systems may have on a person’s
movement. Physiotherapists are very skilled at analysing and assessing movement including assessment of walking
(gait) pattern, joint and limb movements and walking endurance. When individuals (patients/clients) present with
any movement problem (disorder) physiotherapists assist in helping the person to move efficiently and safely and
this may involve (a) manual handling for patient transfers and/or (b) the use of gait aids to help patients to walk.
To be effective practitioners, physiotherapists must be effective communicators and educators. When dealing with
patients/clients physiotherapists ’gather’ information that help to problem-solve the nature of the patient’s problems
so it is essential that one can glean and interpret the information using effective interviewing skills. In addition
physiotherapists complement information from interviewing patients with other information sources (e.g. case notes,
reports, expert literature) so one also needs to develop the ability to locate, analyse, and synthesise all the relevant
information using a process of sound clinical reasoning. Information within the profession grows and is rapidly
advancing so to remain contemporary in one’s knowledge base, physiotherapists must also develop lifelong learning
skills including critical self-reflection of one’s capacities as a professional. When providing care to patients/clients
physiotherapists work in collaboration with the individual and their families. To do so effectively physiotherapists
need to be empathic practitioners, skilful educators as well as being technically skilled.

Outcome
1 Describe the regulatory requirements for physiotherapy in Australia
2 Describe physiotherapy with respect to its purpose, role and contribution to health care using the
International Classification of Functioning framework
3 Develop sound clinical reasoning commensurate with level of training
4 Apply basic communication skills to effectively communicate with clients, peers and academic staff in
physiotherapy contexts
5 Perform introductory physiotherapy skills, including movement analysis, manual handling and patient gait
training, in a safe and effective manner
6 Develop critical reflection skills in physiotherapy contexts

2.2 Approach to Learning

This unit includes a variety of learning activities to support student learning. Each week will include a 1 hour online
lecture for you to watch in your own time before the timetabled 1 hour lecture slot - which will be utilised as a Q
and A session if you need to clarify any material from the week. There will also be a 1 hour online tutorial class, and
a 2 hour face-to-face practical class. Tutorial class content includes case scenarios where material delivered in the
lecture can be implemented. In practical classes, students will learn key physiotherapy assessment techniques as well
as how to prescribe gait aids. It is expected that students will also engage with the unit vUWS site, as it includes
material such as videos and readings which will assist in the consolidation of face to face material.

Students are strongly encouraged to attend all classes including lectures, tutorials and practical classes. Previous
results have strongly indicated that students perform better in this unit if they attend all scheduled classes including
lectures.

4
Practical classes are a mixed gender class. It is a course requirement that students need to be working with people from
all genders. Some of the practical classes will involve disrobing. All students are expected to disrobe appropriately
for these classes. Screens will be available for students to use during the classes if required due to personal reasons.

5
 2.3 Contribution to Course Learning Outcomes

The learning outcomes from this unit contribute toward the course learning outcomes for the Bachelor of Physiotherapy, and the attributes expected of WSU graduates
by introducing a number of concepts and requiring communication and collaboration between students. The below tables describes how the knowledge gained in this unit
contribute toward WSU graduate attributes and the learning outcomes of the Bachelor of Physiotherapy.

Western Sydney University Graduate Attributes

Graduate Attributes ULO 1 ULO 2 ULO 3 ULO 4 ULO 5 ULO 6

1. Command multiple skills and literacies to enable adaptable lifelong learning Introduced Introduced Introduced Introduced Introduced Introduced
2. Demonstrate knowledge of Indigenous Australia through cultural competency Introduced Introduced Introduced Introduced Introduced Introduced
and professional capacity
3. Demonstrate comprehensive, coherent and connected knowledge Introduced Introduced Introduced Introduced Introduced Introduced
4. Apply knowledge through intellectual inquiry in professional or applied contexts Introduced Introduced Introduced Introduced Introduced Introduced
5. Bring knowledge to life through responsible engagement and appreciation of Introduced Introduced Introduced Introduced Introduced Introduced
6

diversity in an evolving world

4706: Bachelor of Physiotherapy

Program Learning Outcomes ULO 1 ULO 2 ULO 3 ULO 4 ULO 5 ULO 6

1. Has in-depth knowledge in chosen health discipline Introduced Introduced Introduced Introduced Introduced Introduced
2. Understands how this knowledge is connected with the other health professions Introduced Introduced Introduced Introduced
and the broader social environment
3. Understands the local and international relevance of their chosen health Introduced Introduced Introduced
discipline and applies this to practice
4. Understands the values and principles of scholarly inquiry and evidence-based Introduced Introduced Introduced Introduced Introduced
practice as they relate to investigating and enhancing health outcomes
5. Communicates effectively through reading, listening, speaking and writing in Introduced Introduced Introduced Introduced Introduced
health, community and educational contexts
 6. Applies appropriate numerical skills to understand, interpret and solve Introduced Introduced Introduced
health-related problems and evaluate treatments
7. Is a self-reliant learner who works effectively and demonstrates initiative in Introduced Introduced Introduced Introduced Introduced Introduced
multidisciplinary health teams and who relates appropriately to clients and other
stakeholders within the health and community context
8. Accesses, evaluates and uses relevant information from multiple sources to solve Introduced Introduced
problems and to continue learning
9. Applies communication and other technologies effectively in personal and Introduced Introduced Introduced
professional learning and other activities
10. Appreciates the culture, experiences and achievements of Indigenous
Australians, thereby encouraging an Australian identity inclusive of Indigenous
Australians
11. Communicates ethically and effectively within Indigenous Australian contexts,
and other cultural groups when
providing Physiotherapy.
12. Understands and engages effectively with the culturally and socially diverse Introduced Introduced
world in which they live and will work
7

13. Understands the circumstances and needs of Indigenous Australians, thereby

encouraging responsibility in raising the standard of professional service delivery
14. Integrates theoretical and practical knowledge to analyse and solve complex and Introduced Introduced Introduced Introduced
novel health-related problems
15. Applies critical, reflective, and creative skills to make informed decisions in Introduced Introduced Introduced Introduced
health-related contexts
16. Engages effectively in advancing knowledge and promoting health both Introduced Introduced Introduced Introduced
independently and collaboratively in clinical practice
17. Understands and values ethical conduct, intellectual integrity, and Introduced Introduced Introduced Introduced
professionalism in health contexts
18. Engages responsibly in work and civic life with respect for diversity and social Introduced Introduced Introduced Introduced
justice principles
19. Can initiate and contribute positively to sustainable change and improvements Introduced Introduced Introduced Introduced Introduced Introduced
in health in a diverse and evolving world
2.4 Assessment Summary

The assessment items in this Unit are designed to enable you to demonstrate that you have achieved the Unit
learning outcomes. Completion and submission of all assessment items which have been designated as mandatory or
compulsory is essential to receive a passing grade.

To pass this Unit you must:

There are 3 assessment items in this unit, designed to enable you to demonstrate that you have achieved the unit
learning outcomes. Completion and submission of all assessment items which have been designated as mandatory or
compulsory is essential to receive a passing grade. In addition to achieving over 50% for the unit, students must pass
the Practical Viva II and Written Examination in order to pass the unit.

Item Weight Due Date ULOs Assessed Threshold

Practical viva I: Practical 30% 30/4/21 3-6 No
skills assessment with
clinical reasoning
Practical viva II: Practical 30% Week 14 (Week commencing 31/5/21) 3-6 Yes
skills assessment with
clinical reasoning
Written examination 40% Final Exam period (TBC) 1-6 Yes

Feedback on Assessment

Feedback is an important part of the learning process that can improve your progress towards achieving the learning
outcomes. Feedback is any written or spoken response made in relation to academic work such as an assessment
task, a performance or product. It can be given to you by a teacher, an external assessor or student peer, and may
be given individually or to a group of students. As a Western Sydney University student, it is your responsibility to
seek out and act on feedback that is provided to you as a resource to further your learning.

Group feedback from Practical Viva 1 will be provided in class. Individual feedback for all assessments is available
via appointment with the unit coordinator.

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 2.5 Assessment Details

2.5.1 Practical viva I: Practical skills assessment with clinical reasoning

Weight: 30%
Type of Collaboration: Both (Individual & Group)
Due: 30/4/21
Submission: Youtube link via turnitin
Format: Video
Length: 20 mins
Curriculum Mode: Practical Exam

Submission Details: Students will work in groups of two. Each student in the group will present one of three (3)
tasks related to a practical skill (e.g., measurement of joint range of motion, muscle length, muscle strength test).
Video material for the individuals who were working together in filming of Practical Exam should be submitted via
youtube and uploaded on turnitin (instructions on how to do this will be provided on vUWS). In addition each student
will need to complete an Assessment 1 Cover Sheet.

Feedback Details: The teaching team will aim to complete assessment of student performance in 1-2 weeks. A
summary of how the year performed will be uploaded onto the Unit website. Time will also be made in class to
discuss the exam results with the year group. Individual feedback will be available upon request and this session
should be organised with the respective examiner at a mutually convenient time.

Rationale
As health professionals, physiotherapists are ethically and legally obliged to gain adequate informed consent from
patients before they perform any assessment or treatment technique. To do so, physiotherapists need to commu-
nicate effectively with patients so that they understand the purpose and nature of the procedure. Part of effective
communication is to use appropriate (often “lay”) language to assist the patient to comprehend the information
and to allow the patient an opportunity to clarify any aspect of the information that they do not understand. In
undertaking this task, physiotherapists may either directly instruct individuals and/or their carers but they also often
produce instructional material that patients and/or carers can review to reinforce the important aspects of the task.
This assessment involves direct instruction and production of a video resource focused on patient communication,
gaining patient consent in relation to one of the practical skill that have been covered in class in Weeks 3-5, as well
as performing the task.

Task
Each student will be allocated a case scenario. A fellow student will act as a “patient”and the student acting as
“physiotherapist”will be videoed while they gain verbal consent from the patient, instruct the patient and perform
the task. While this is an individual piece of assessment, to complete the task students will be allocated to groups of
three. This will enable each student to act as patient, physiotherapist or the person who is recording the interaction.
This assessment is one of mastery, so students can practise and record until they are satisfied they have achieved
their best performance. The quality of the video must be adequate to allow clear audio and sufficiently close to
enable examiner to see therapist-patient interaction. Note that these skills would have to be performed concisely as
part of assessment with a real patient. Individual videos should not be longer than 5-6 minutes to address all criteria
of the assessment task - one of which is the ability to communicate in a concise manner.

Criteria

You will be assessed on the following:

– Demonstration of professional behaviour (including dress, language and conduct)

– Ability to introduce self to patient so professional role is clear
– Ability to communicate effectively with patient so they understand purpose and nature of assessment procedure

9
 intended to be performed (communication should be in context, using lay terms and demonstrate appropriate
NVC)
– Ability to respond effectively to any patient queries (as appropriate to scenario)
– Ability to gain valid informed consent (for intended procedure, including disrobing and touching/handling
involved in undertaking procedure)
– Ensuring patient and therapist safety
– Ability to teach task to patient
– Quality of video as a teaching resource (clear audio and visual picture, effective sequencing to demonstrate
task, correct performance of technique)

Resources:

Refer to lecture material, class notes and recommended reading related to classes covering (a) professionalism and
ethics; (b) assessment of active and passive range of movement, muscle length, muscle strength and isometric muscle
test

10
Marking Criteria:

Details will be provided on vUWS unit site.

11
2.5.2 Practical viva II: Practical skills assessment with clinical reasoning

Weight: 30%
Type of Collaboration: Individual
Due: Week 14 (Week commencing 31/5/21)
Submission: Face to Face
Format: Practical Exam
Length: 20 mins
Curriculum Mode: Practical Exam
Threshold Detail: In the event that you have failed (<50%) an assessment task such as a written
(paper-based) or practical viva exam, you may be offered additional assessment. Where
additional assessment is completed due to unsuccessful completion of a threshold
assessment piece, the maximum mark to be awarded for the unit will be a 50. If you fail
an additional assessment you will fail the assessment task and the unit of study.

Rationale
Physiotherapy involves clinical reasoning, as well as performance of assessment or training motor skills that must be
done in a safe and effective manner. This assessment will draw on the practical material that has been covered across
the semester, but within the context of a case scenario.

Task
This examination will involve a face to face practical viva. Students will be allocated a scenario and they will need to
discuss with their examiner a reasoned outline of what the key issues are and to justify potential assessment options.
Students will then be directed to demonstrate a practical assessment/gait aid instruction. Following performance
students will be required to answer further questions pertaining to performance, including interpretation of potential
findings from task.

Criteria
You will be assessed on the following:

– Level of professional behaviour and communication

– The gaining of consent, and compliance with appropriate infection control measures
– Ensuring patient and therapist safety
– Level of clinical reasoning
– Technical merit of task being performed

Resources:

Refer to lecture material, class notes and recommended reading related to classes.

12
Marking Criteria:

Details will be provided on vUWS unit site.

13
2.5.3 Written examination

Weight: 40%
Type of Collaboration: Individual
Due: Final Exam period (TBC)
Submission: Centrally run exam
Format: Written Exam
Length: 2 hours
Curriculum Mode: Final Exam
Threshold Detail: In the event that you have failed ( less than 50%) an assessment task such as a written
(paper-based) or practical viva exam, you may be offered additional assessment. Where
additional assessment is completed due to unsuccessful completion of a threshold
assessment piece, the maximum mark to be awarded for the unit will be a 50. If you fail
additional assessment you will fail the assessment task and the unit of study.

Rationale: Physiotherapists need to be able to convey knowledge and reasoning in a written format. This assess-
ment will focus on how well students can describe and explain (a) the regulation and professional standards of the
physiotherapy profession, (b) frameworks underpinning physiotherapy practice (ICF, EBP, patient-centred practice
and dynamic systems theory), and (c) theory related to introductory physiotherapy practice in analysis and assessment
of movement, manual handling and patient transfers and use of gait aids

Task: The written examination will be a closed book assessment consisting of multiple choice and short answer
questions. All material covered in lectures, tutorials, prac sessions and independent learning activities will be exam-
inable. Sample questions will be provided to students before STUVAC.

Resources:

Refer to lecture material, class notes and recommended reading related to classes Week 1-12

14
Marking Criteria:

Details will be provided on vUWS unit site.

15
2.6 General Submission Requirements

Submission

– All assignments must be submitted by the specified due date and time.
– Complete your assignment and follow the individual assessment item instructions on how to submit. You must
keep a copy of all assignments submitted for marking.

Turnitin

– The Turnitin plagiarism prevention system may be used within this Unit. Turnitin is accessed via logging into
vUWS for the Unit. If Turnitin is being used with this Unit, this means that your assignments have to be
submitted through the Turnitin system. Turnitin from iParadigms is a web-based text-matching software that
identifies and reports on similarities between documents. It is also widely utilised as a tool to improve academic
writing skills. Turnitin compares electronically submitted papers against the following:
– Current and archived web: Turnitin currently contains over 24 billion web pages including archived pages
– Student papers: including Western Sydney University student submissions since 2007
– Scholarly literature: Turnitin has partnered with leading content publishers, including library databases,
text-book publishers, digital reference collections and subscription-based publications (e.g. Gale, Pro-
quest, Emerald and Sage)

– Turnitin is used by over 30 universities in Australia and is increasingly seen as an industry standard. It is
an important tool to assist students with their academic writing by promoting awareness of plagiarism.By
submitting your assignment to Turnitin you will be certifying that:
– I hold a copy of this assignment if the original is lost or damaged
– No part of this assignment has been copied from any other student’s work or from any other source except
where due acknowledgement is made in the assignment
– No part of the assignment has been written for me by any other person/s
– I have complied with the specified word length for this assignment
– I am aware that this work may be reproduced and submitted to plagiarism detection software programs for
the purpose of detecting possible plagiarism (which may retain a copy on its database for future plagiarism
checking).

Self-Plagiarising

– You are to ensure that no part of any submitted assignment for this Unit or product has been submitted by
yourself in another (previous or current) assessment from any Unit, except where appropriately referenced, and
with prior permission from the Lecturer/Tutor/Unit Coordinator of this Unit.

Late Submission

– If you submit a late assessment, without receiving approval for an extension of time, (see next item), you will
be penalised by 10% per day for up to 10 days. In other words, marks equal to 10% of the assignment’s weight
will be deducted from the mark awarded.
– For example, if the highest mark possible is 50, 5 marks will be deducted from your awarded mark for each late
day.
– Saturday and Sunday are counted as one calendar day each.
– Assessments will not be accepted after the marked assessment task has been returned to students.
– This is consistent with Clause 51 of the Western Sydney University’s Assessment Policy - Criteria and Standards-
Based Assessment.

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Extension of Due Date for Submission

Extensions are only granted in exceptional circumstances. To apply for an extension of time, locate an application
form via the Western Sydney University homepage or copy the following link:
https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/currentstudents/current_students/forms

Application forms must be submitted to the Unit Coordinator/Convenor. Requests for extension should be made as
early as possible and submitted within policy deadlines. Appropriate, supporting documentation must be submitted
with the application. An application for an extension does not automatically mean that an extension will be granted.
Assessments will not be accepted after the marked assessment task has been returned to students.

Resubmission

Resubmission of assessment items will not normally be granted if requested.

Application for Special Consideration

It is strongly recommended that you attend all scheduled learning activities to support your learning. If you have
suffered misadventure, illness, or you have experienced exceptional circumstances that have prevented your attendance
at class or your completion and submission of assessment tasks, you may need to apply for Special Consideration via the
Western Sydney University website. http://www.westernsydney.edu.au/currentstudents/current_students/services_
and_facilities/special_consideration2 or the Student Centre/Sydney City Campus Reception. Special Consideration
is not automatically granted. It is your responsibility to ensure that any missed content has been covered. Your
lecturer will give you more information on how this must be done.

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 3 Teaching and Learning Activities

Weeks Assessments Due

Week 1
01-03-2021
Week 2
08-03-2021
Week 3
15-03-2021
Week 4
22-03-2021
Week 5
29-03-2021
Week 6
05-04-2021
Week 7
12-04-2021
18

Week 8
19-04-2021
Week 9 - Practical viva I: Practical skills assessment with clinical reasoning
26-04-2021
Week 10
03-05-2021
Week 11
10-05-2021
Week 12
17-05-2021
Week 13
24-05-2021
Week 14 - Practical viva II: Practical skills assessment with clinical reasoning
31-05-2021
Week 15
07-06-2021
 Weeks Assessments Due
Week 16 - Written examination
14-06-2021
Week 17 - Written examination
21-06-2021

The above timetable should be used as a guide only, as it is subject to change. Students will be advised of any changes as they become known on the Unit’s vUWS site.
19
4 Learning Resources

4.1 Recommended Readings

Essential Reading

Ajjawi, R. (2009). Learning clinical reasoning and its communication in physiotherapy practice. Saarbrücken: VDM
Verlag Dr. Muller. 

Higgs, J., Smith, M., Webb, G., Skinner, M., Croker, A. (2009). Contexts of physiotherapy practice. Sydney:
Churchill Livingstone, Elsevier (615.82 132) 

Additional Reading

Assessment of joint movement, muscle length, muscle strength 

1. Cael, C. (2010) Functional anatomy: musculoskeletal anatomy, kinesiology, and palpation for manual therapists.
Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins. (611.7 9) 

2. Clarkson, H. (2013) Musculoskeletal assessment: joint range of movement and muscle strength (3rd ed.) Baltimore:
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. (616.72075 1) 

3. Hislop, H.J., Avers, D., Brown, M. & Daniels, L. (2014) Daniels and Worthingham’s muscle testing: techniques
of manual examination and performance testing (9th ed.). St Louis, Mo: Elsevier/Saunders. (616.740754 9) 

4. Kendall, F., McCreary, E., Provance, P., Rodgers, M. & Romani, W. (2005). Muscles: Testing and function with
posture and pain (5th ed.). Baltimore: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. (612.74 2) 

5. Norkin, C. & White, D. (2009) Measurement of joint motion: a guide to goniometry (4th ed.). Philadelphia: F.A.
Davis. (612.75 28) 

6. Palmer, M.L., & Epler, M.E. (1998). Fundamentals of musculoskeletal assessment techniques (2nd.ed). Baltimore:
Williams & Wilkins. (616.7075 27) 

7. Reese, N.B., Bandy, W.D. & Yates, C. (2010) Joint range of movement and muscle length testing (2nd ed.) St
Louis, MO: Elsevier. (612.75 14) 

Gait analysis 

1. Kirtley, C. (2006) Clinical gait analysis: theory and practice. New York: Churchill Livingstone. (612.76.73) 

2. Perry, J. (1992) Gait analysis: normal and pathological findings. New Jersey: Thorofare. (612.76) 

3. Rose, J. & Gamble, J.G. (2006) Human walking (3rd ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins
(612.76.68) 

Professional issues 

1. Davis, C.M. (2011). Patient practitioner interaction: An experiential manual for developing the art of health care
(5th ed.). Thorofare, NJ: SLACK Inc. (610.696 44) 

2. Higgs, J., Ajjawi, R., McAllister, L, Trede, F. and Loftus, S (2012) Communicating in the health sciences 3rd ed.
Melbourne: Oxford University Press (808 46 2012) 

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