Required texts

Readings as outlined on Canvas.

Recommended texts:

Brukner P,  Kahn, K. Clinical Sports Medicine. 2^nd ed. Sydney: McGraw-Hill; 2017. UC library call no.

Dutton, M. Orthopaedic examination, evaluation and intervention. 2^nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2011. UC library call no.

Petty NJ, Ryder, D. Neuromusculoskeletal examination and assessment: A handbook for therapists. 5^th ed. London: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2018. UC Library call no. and (4^th Edition version) and (2^nd Edition version)

Whitmore S, Gladney K, Driver A. The Lower Quadrant, A Workbook of Manual Therapy Techniques. Whitmore Physiotherapy Consulting Inc; 2004. UC library call no.

Whitmore S, Gladney K, Driver A. The Upper Quadrant, A Workbook of Manual Therapy Techniques. Whitmore Physiotherapy Consulting Inc; 2004. UC library call no.

Submission of assessment items

Special assessment requirements

To pass this unit students must:

• Attempt all assessment items including the Health Promotion Assignment, Practical Viva 1, and Practical Viva 2
• Achieve an overall mark of 50% or above in the unit.

Supplementary assessment

There are no supplementary assessments offered for this unit.

Students must apply academic integrity in their learning and research activities at UC. This includes submitting authentic and original work for assessments and properly acknowledging any sources used.

Academic integrity involves the ethical, honest and responsible use, creation and sharing of information. It is critical to the quality of higher education. Our academic integrity values are honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility and courage.

UC students have to complete the annually to learn about academic integrity and to understand the consequences of academic integrity breaches (or academic misconduct).

UC uses various strategies and systems, including detection software, to identify potential breaches of academic integrity. Suspected breaches may be investigated, and action can be taken when misconduct is found to have occurred.

Information is provided in the Academic Integrity Policy, Academic Integrity Procedure, and 91Porn (Student Conduct) Rules 2023. For further advice, visit Study Skills.

Participation requirements

This Unit contains participatory elements which are vital to the Australian Physiotherapy Council professional learning outcomes. Except in the case of extenuating circumstances, 100% participation is required in all practicals. It is expected that students unable to fulfil these participation requirements will inform the Unit Convener as soon as practical, preferably by email.

Failure to adhere to these requirements may result in failure of the associated assessment piece. Consideration will be given for illness; however, evidence such as a medical certificate will be required.

Required IT skills

The use of Canvas, library searching skills, word processing, and electronic presentation skills are necessary for this unit. If you are unfamiliar with these, please access help via the library services.

This unit may involve online meetings in real-time using the Virtual Room in your UCLearn teaching site. The Virtual Room allows you to communicate in real-time with your lecturer and other students. To participate verbally, rather than just typing, you will need a microphone. For best audio quality we recommend a microphone and speaker headset. For more information and to test your computer, visit the Virtual Room in your UCLearn site and 'Join Course Room'. This will trigger a tutorial to help familiarise you with the functionality of the virtual room.

In-unit costs

In-unit costs may include a physiotherapy clinical uniform, textbooks, goniometer, tendon reflex hammer, tape measure, and self-printing of the electronically provided material.

Work placement, internships or practicums

While there is no Clinical Placement attached to this unit, this unit content is assessable in all future Clinical Placements.

Additional information

Mandatory notification and physiotherapy student registration

Mandatory Notifications to the Physiotherapy Board of Australia Pursuant to the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Act 2009, physiotherapy practitioners (registered physiotherapists) and education providers have an obligation to report ‘notifiable conduct', to the Physiotherapy Board of Australia in order to prevent the public being placed at risk of harm.

Education providers are also required, under s.143 of the National Law, to make mandatory notifications in relation to students, if the provider reasonably believes:

a) a student enrolled with the provider has an impairment that, in the course of the student undertaking clinical training, may place the public at substantial risk of harm; or

b) a student for whom the provider has arranged clinical training has an impairment that, in the course of the student undertaking the clinical training, may place the public at substantial risk of harm.

Practitioners are required to make a mandatory notification in relation to a student if the practitioner reasonably believes that a student has an impairment that, in the course of the student undertaking clinical training, may place the public at substantial risk of harm.

All concerns raised within the Discipline of Physiotherapy or by clinical supervisors or preceptors will be reviewed by the Head of Discipline and the Course Convener before any reporting action is taken.

These professional obligations are taken seriously by staff and the University. Students should be aware of their obligations under student registration.

For further information, please refer to the following websites:

Occupational Health and Safety

The following applies to all tutorial classes and placements:

COVID-19

Students must be aware of and abide by the 91Porn COVID-19 plan, specifically the plan related to the Faculty of Health.

Pre-existing conditions

Students are advised that the same warnings given to patients apply to students undertaking this course e.g. where a pre-existing condition(s) may be affected by any activity in the unit, the student is responsible to advise the unit co-ordinator or relevant teaching staff.

Also, in the course of studying physiotherapy students may be exposed to clinical cases and situations that may be stressful. At UC a free Counselling Service is available for all students. All sessions are confidential. The UC Counselling Service is located in the UC Health and Counselling Centre on Level B in Building 1. For more information please go to

Manual handling

Physiotherapy work requires manual handling. You will be taught the correct way to perform manual handling and should use the principles at all times to prevent injury to yourself or your client. If you have any injury that may affect your capacity to perform manual handling skills you are required to notify the unit convener at the commencement of the semester. If you obtain a new injury during the course of the semester that may affect your capacity to perform manual handling skills you are required to notify the unit convener prior to the next practical class. In the event of an injury being sustained during the practice of skills in class, you are required to notify the unit convener within 24 hours of the event and complete a UC incident form.

Respect and consent

The student who is role-playing the patient should be given the full respect and courtesy that a patient would. This includes giving warnings, obtaining informed consent before a manual technique is performed, covering body areas that do not need to be exposed for the practice of the technique, and not making any inappropriate verbal comments.

As a ‘patient', you will be expected to partially disrobe to allow the ‘therapist' to see relevant body regions. Please ensure you are wearing appropriate underwear or bike shorts for practical classes. Appropriate clothing reinforces a professional environment that fosters mutual respect, confidence and learning.

As a therapist, your clothing should not prohibit your movements or present in any way as a safety hazard. Hair should be kept short or tied back off your face, and out of the patient's way. Fingernails should be trimmed so that the white of the nail cannot be seen when looking at the hand from the palm. No mobile phones are permitted during lectures, practical classes or tutorials. Phones should be switched OFF prior to the commencement of class.

Privacy and confidentiality

As part of its partnership arrangements with health agencies, the Faculty of Health at the 91Porn requires all staff and students to be aware of the requirements of patient privacy. This requires respect for privacy for patients during work-integrated learning (clinical) visits and when writing case studies, assignments, writing in clinical records or reflective journals.

• Semester 2, 2024, On-campus, UC - Canberra, Bruce (221132)
• Semester 2, 2023, On-campus, UC - Canberra, Bruce (221133)