Unit rationale, description and aim
Physiotherapists working with sporting injuries and neuromusculoskeletal conditions require current, evidence-based knowledge to support recovery and return to activity or performance. Building on PHTY614 Advanced Principles of Human Movement and prior clinical experience, this unit deepens students’ understanding of the pathophysiology and management of sports and neuromusculoskeletal conditions across regions including the head, neck, spine, limbs, and pelvis.
Students will develop advanced clinical reasoning to guide imaging, pharmacology, biopsychosocial considerations, assessment, treatment, injury prevention, and return-to-sport planning. A person-centred approach is emphasised, incorporating cultural, ethical, and legal frameworks.
Through 70 hours of professional practice experience, including supervised placement, mentoring, and case reflections, students will apply their learning in real-world settings. The unit aims to equip students with the advanced knowledge and skills needed to design and deliver evidence-informed physiotherapy interventions that enhance health, wellbeing, and performance for diverse populations.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
Acquire, select and interpret relevant information...
Learning Outcome 01
Apply advanced knowledge and skills to critically ...
Learning Outcome 02
Apply advanced clinical reasoning skills in the im...
Learning Outcome 03
Content
Topics will include:
Clinical reasoning in assessing and managing complex sports and exercise-related injuries:
- Models of reasoning, person-centred care, biopsychosocial factors.
- Interviewing, examination selection, and clinical reasoning documentation.
Legal, ethical, and cultural frameworks:
- Cultural awareness and population-specific considerations.
- Ethical and professional responsibilities.
Use of medical imaging, investigations, and pharmacology in injury management.
Therapeutic exercise principles:
- Exercise progression for rehabilitation, performance, and return to sport.
Injury and condition management across:
- Scapula and upper limb, head, trunk, spine, pelvis, lower limb.
Assessment approaches:
- Patient-reported outcomes, functional/sports movements, screening.
- Balance, proprioception, movement testing, palpation, special tests.
- Joint/manual techniques, muscle/tendon/nerve function, surgical considerations.
Rehabilitation strategies:
- Manual therapy, muscle and tendon rehab, neurodynamic treatment.
- Taping, soft tissue techniques, post-surgical care.
- Return-to-sport guidelines following injury and post-injury management.
Assessment strategy and rationale
This unit uses standards-based assessment aligned with University requirements to support achievement of learning outcomes and development of graduate capabilities. The strategy is designed to assess and reinforce learning in professional contexts. Graded and ungraded hurdle assessments ensure students have developed postgraduate level clinical reasoning and practical skills for the physiotherapy management of sporting and musculoskeletal injuries. The hurdles:
- Ensure students meet professional and safety standards
- Align with accreditation requirements (e.g., APA, AHPRA and IFSPT)
Assessment 1: Professional Practice Experience (Graded Hurdle)
Includes ~70 hours supervised practice, mentoring, and reflections. Evaluates students’ ability to apply advanced clinical reasoning and evidence-informed, person-centred physiotherapy management in real-world settings. Performance is assessed by a University assigned Professional Practice Educator. A logbook documenting the clinical placement hours needs to submitted at the end of the clinical placement.
Assessment 2: Viva Examination
Conducted during the intensive on-campus block. Assesses students’ ability to apply advanced clinical reasoning in managing a complex patient scenario.
Assessment 3: Practical Skills Competency Assessment (Ungraded Hurdle)
Assesses competency of practical skills in the assessment and treatment of sports and exercise-related injuries during the intensive on-campus block.
Overview of assessments
In order to pass this unit, students must demonstrate that they have achieved each learning outcome, passed the graded and ungraded hurdle assessment tasks and achieved an aggregate score of >50% in the unit as the minimum standard.
Assessment 1 *Graded Hurdle Professional Practi...
Assessment 1
*Graded Hurdle
Professional Practice Experience (70 hours)
Students must complete 70 hours of clinical practice, which includes supervised placement, mentoring, and reflective activities. This assessment evaluates students’ ability to apply advanced clinical reasoning and evidence-informed, person-centred physiotherapy management in real-world settings.
*Graded Hurdle
60%
Assessment 2 Viva Examination: Students will co...
Assessment 2
Viva Examination:
Students will complete a viva-style oral examination during the intensive on-campus block. This assessment requires students to demonstrate advanced clinical reasoning in the assessment and management of a complex patient scenario involving sports and exercise-related injuries or conditions. The viva evaluates students’ ability to integrate theoretical knowledge with practical decision-making in a simulated clinical context.
40%
Assessment 3 ** Ungraded Hurdle Practical Skill...
Assessment 3
** Ungraded Hurdle
Practical Skills Competency Assessment Task:
Students must demonstrate competency in the practical application of assessment and treatment skills for managing sports and exercise-related injuries and neuromusculoskeletal conditions. This includes performing relevant techniques safely and effectively during intensive on-campus classes. Competency of each practical skill is provided on a pass/ fail basis. If a student is not successful in passing the ungraded hurdle, one further attempt at the practical skill will be offered to demonstrate competency at a time referred to on the learning management system.
**Ungraded
Hurdle
Pass/Fail
* Graded Hurdle
Students must achieve ≥ 50% in the professional practice experience clinical placement to successfully complete the unit. If a student does not achieve 50% in the professional practice experience clinical placement, no further attempts will be offered, and the unit will need to be repeated.
Logbook
Students must submit a logbook documenting 70 hours of clinical practice, mentoring and their self-reflections at the completion of the placement, at a date stipulated in the LMS.
**Ungraded Hurdle
If a student is not successful in passing the ungraded hurdle, one further attempt will be offered to demonstrate competency at a time referred to on the Learning Management System.
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
This unit adopts an active learning approach to support students in developing essential discipline knowledge and applying it in professional contexts. Students engage in a mix of online and on-campus activities, including asynchronous discussions and optional synchronous sessions. Learning is student-centred, with opportunities to share examples, collaborate with peers, and receive timely feedback.
Delivered in multi-mode, the unit combines online content (e.g., readings, recorded lectures, forums) with an intensive on-campus block (3–5 days) focused on practical skill development. Tutorials and practical sessions during the intensive block use an evidence-informed approach to enhance clinical reasoning and advanced assessment and treatment skills for complex sports and neuromusculoskeletal conditions.
A key component is 70 hours of clinical practice, including supervised placement, mentoring, and case reflections. This allows students to apply their learning in real-world scenarios, acting as collaborative practitioners and health advocates.
Students are expected to take responsibility for their learning and actively participate in all activities. The overall strategy supports progression from knowledge acquisition to understanding and application, within a culturally respectful and ethically sound framework.