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PHTY20070

Academic Year 2025/2026

Musculoskeletal 1: The Upper Limb (PHTY20070)

Subject:
Physiotherapy
College:
Health & Agricultural Sciences
School:
Public Hlth, Phys & Sports Sci
Level:
2 (Intermediate)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Assoc Professor Deirdre Hurley Osing
Trimester:
Autumn
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

Students will be introduced to human pathology with provision of a theoretical basis in immunology, rheumatology, orthopaedics and oncology. This module will introduce students to the principles of the biopsychosocial assessment, physiotherapy management and record keeping of soft tissue musculoskeletal conditions, fractures of the upper limb, brachial plexus and peripheral nerve lesions, common rheumatological conditions in adults and paediatric fractures. Students will start to develop an understanding of working within an interdisciplinary team, the ability to select and implement appropriate, safe and effective physiotherapy assessment and management strategies and patient self-management approaches and to develop and integrate their theoretical and practical knowledge within a framework of clinical reasoning, principles of evidence-based practice and safety, and to communicate these treatment options to model service users (i.e. fellow students).

Mapped to CORU SoP: 1.1-1.3, 1.5, 1.8, 1.15, 1.17, 2.1, 2.3, 2.4, 2.9, 2.12, 2.12, 2.14, 2.15, 3.1-3.8, 3.10, 3.14, 5.1-5.21, 5.23, 5.24, 5.26, 5.28

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this module students should be able to:
1. Demonstrate a basic knowledge and understanding of the body's response to injury including the inflammatory process, soft tissue and wound healing and autoimmunity,
2. Demonstrate a basic knowledge of -the pathological processes associated with cancer and the role of the physiotherapist in oncology,
3. Demonstrate a basic knowledge and understanding of the mechanism, classification and diagnosis of fractures, principles of fracture healing in adults and paediatrics, the medical, physiotherapy and interdisciplinary team management of fractures of the upper limb, and the need to work in partnership with service users, their relatives/carers and other professionals throughout their rehabilitation pathway
4.Demonstrate a basic knowledge and understanding of the epidemiology, aetiology, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, medical, physiotherapy and interdisciplinary team management and self-management approaches to common rheumatological diseases (eg osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis),
5.Demonstrate a basic knowledge and understanding of the pathophysiological processes and physiotherapy management of common musculoskeletal soft tissue injuries of the upper limb (eg. tendinopathy),
6. Demonstrate a basic knowledge and understanding of the assessment and interdisciplinary team management of brachial plexus and peripheral nerve lesions of the upper limb and the need to work in partnership with service users, their relatives/carers and other professionals throughout their rehabilitation pathway,
7. Demonstrate a basic knowledge and understanding of the rationale and role of the physiotherapist in upper limb elective orthopaedic surgery,
8. Demonstrate a basic knowledge and understanding of evidence-based practice and its application to musculoskeletal and rheumatological physiotherapy practice,
9. Demonstrate a basic knowledge and understanding of the principles underlying the use of soft tissue and joint manual therapy indications, contraindications, precautions, assessment and treatment techniques for the management of musculoskeletal conditions of the upper limb,
10. Demonstrate a basic knowledge, understanding and application of communicating assessment and treatment options in a way that can be understood by a model service user.
11. Demonstrate knowledge, understanding and application of physiotherapy subjective and objective assessment, its recording and evaluation using performance/ outcome measures, and management principles in musculoskeletal practice underpinned by clinical reasoning, and the service users health and social care needs,
12. Demonstrate a basic knowledge, understanding and application of the use of safe and effective soft tissue and joint manual therapy techniques and muscle rehabilitation approaches for the assessment and treatment of upper limb musculoskeletal conditions underpinned by clinical reasoning.

Indicative Module Content:

Assessment and Management of Upper Limb Soft Tissue Musculoskeletal Conditions, Contraindications and precautions to safe physiotherapy musculoskeletal physiotherapy practice, Introduction to Hand Therapy, Upper Limb Fractures, Rheumatology, Pathology, Paediatric Orthopaedics, Inflammation and Immunity, Introduction to Oncology Physiotherapy, Brachial plexus and peripheral nerve lesions of the Upper Limb in Adults and Paediatrics, Clinical Guidelines for the Management of Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis, Clinical Reasoning, Evidence-based Practice, Outcome Assessment in Upper Limb Conditions, Communication and Musculoskeletal Manual Therapy Skills.

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Autonomous Student Learning

84

Lectures

18

Small Group

18

Total

120


Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
In person and Occasional Online Lectures, Problem-Based Learning Case Studies supported by Online Resources, Practical Skills Tutorials supported by Online Resources, Evidence-Based Practice.

AI/Academic Integrity:
Staff may utilise Artificial Intelligence (AI) during the programme to support teaching and learning and it will be clearly indicated if and when AI is used. Students are prohibited from representing work as their own that they did not write, code or create. Submission of AI-generated content to this module by a student without explicit permission and attribution is not allowed and it may reflect unacceptable professional behaviour. This may result in the initiation of a student disciplinary procedure in accordance with the “University Student Code of Conduct and Academic Integrity Policy.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations
Learning Requirements:

Students should have completed anatomy and physiology modules from the BSc Physiotherapy programme.

Anatomy Module codes for BSc Physiotherapy Programme

ANAT 10110 Clinical Human Anatomy 1

ANAT 10120 Clinical Human Anatomy II

Learning Exclusions:

This module is only suitable for students registered to the BSc Physiotherapy Programme

Learning Recommendations:

Completion of modules in anatomy required prior to registering on this modules


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Pre-requisite:
ANAT10110 - Clinical Human Anatomy I, ANAT20010 - Anatomy III


 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Exam (In-person): Written exam during the assessment period to evaluate knowledge and understanding of the lecture-based content of the module and an understanding of evidence-based practice End of trimester
Duration:
1 hr(s)
Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
50
No
Practical Skills Assessment: This in-course oral practical skills exam evaluates knowledge, understanding and safe application of shoulder joint assessment and soft tissue, manual therapy and muscle rehabilitation techniques Week 6 Pass/Fail Grade Scale Yes
10
Yes
Practical Skills Assessment:
This oral practical examination will evaluate your knowledge, understanding and safe application of upper limb assessment, evaluation and rehabilitation techniques underpinned by clinical reasoning
Week 14 Standard conversion grade scale 40% Yes
40
Yes

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring Yes - 1 Hour
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Group/class feedback post In course practical assessment, feedback individually to students post completion of other components of the assessment


• Warwick D. Apley and Solomon’s Concise System of Orthopaedics and Trauma. 5th Edition. 2021. CRC Press.
• Brukner, P and Khan, K. (2019). Clinical Sports Medicine, Vol 1 & 2, 5th Edition. McGraw-Hill Education, New York – USA. ISBN:1760424595
• Kumar V, Aster JC, Robbins SL, Abbas AK. Robbins and Kumar Basic Pathology. 11th Edition. 2022. Elsevier Saunders, Philadelphia, Pa.
• *Ryder D and Barnard K (2023). Petty’s Musculoskeletal Examination and Assessment. A Handbook for Therapists. 6th Edition, Churchill Livingstone.
• Falla D. Grieve’s Modern Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy. 5th Edition, 2024. Elsevier. ISBN: 9780702080890
• Hengeveld E & Banks K. Maitland’s Peripheral Manipulation -Management of Neuromusculoskeletal Disorders; Volume 2. 5th Edition. 2013. Churchill Livingstone.




Name Role
Dr Keith Smart Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Mr Frank Kenny Tutor

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 Thurs 09:00 - 10:50
Autumn Practical Offering 1 Week(s) - 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 Thurs 14:00 - 15:50
Autumn Practical Offering 2 Week(s) - 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 Thurs 14:00 - 15:50
Autumn Practical Offering 4 Week(s) - 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 Thurs 16:00 - 17:50