In this section, we want to know just a bit about you, your goals, and what drives you to do what you do! We will also give you a bit of a background about what motivates us to bring you these courses and what you can expect.

That’s when we get stuck into it.

Let’s talk about critical thinking and logic. Imagine if the people we were seeing in the clinic weren’t improving for the reasons we thought they were. Wouldn’t you want to know what the active ingredients were so you could leverage those components and drop anything else that may be getting in the way of a person’s recovery?

That’s what we will explore in this section and much more. We promise you will find this section thought-provoking!

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Introductions

Navigating the platform

Definitions, philosophical frameworks & critical thinking

What does the big data tell us about low back pain? When is imaging helpful, what is it telling us? What are the best-practice guidelines for managing back-related pain? What do we need to consider when applying movement and exercise principles for someone with back pain? Here, we answer those questions, and explore the growing problem – that is, low back pain.

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Epidemiology of back pain

Risk factors for low back pain

Imaging

Invasive procedures

Guidelines

Special orthopaedic tests

Although statistically, we may not see high volumes of it, serious pathology that requires specific support and referral is likely to be something you come across in your career. Remaining vigilant and having a solid grasp of the signs and symptoms that may indicate something more sinister is going on is imperative to being a good clinician. Here, we provide a brief refresher to ensure you’re comfortable with these concepts.

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Red flags

In this module we discuss the basics of the physiology that underpins tissue injury and pain, and how bio, psycho, and social factors can influence this biology. We then explore how our practice can evolve to reflect this science, and how we can apply this knowledge in the clinic.

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The fundamentals of pain science

A closer look at the biology

Tissue injury and pain

Placebo and Nocebo

Biopsychosocial practice

Casual Conversations - 2

Think about this for a second. Your brain is encased in darkness yet right now you can see light… maybe you can even feel that light. Have you ever considered that the light that you see is nothing more than electrical impulses pulsating through your brain, being organised, and constructed based on your best guesses on what the light hitting the sensors in your eyes means? Is this the same as the sensory information coming from that painful body part?

In this module, we explore our most prominent cognitive neuroscientific theory for perception and action, how we can use this to reframe our clinical interactions, have empathy for differing perceptions and behaviours, and how we can leverage this knowledge to enhance client outcomes.

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An introduction to perception

A Bayesian perspective

Perception and action

Clients seek help because they have an issue. They attend with a set of beliefs and thoughts and feelings about their condition and future. They act and behave in certain ways to serve their survival needs. And all these factors can be complex and difficult to comprehend as an outsider (e.g., a clinician aiming to help).

In this module, we explore a useful framework for organising complex human experiences. The framework will enable you to navigate and develop, with the client, a coherent, values-driven, set of strategies to move towards recovery.

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The model and its applications in the clinic

Hold on tight for this one. Here, we go through the literature on loads of common concepts about low back pain, including posture, safe-lifting practices, movement screens, the ‘core’ and spinal instability, and so much more. We discuss clinical examinations of the SIJ and clinical considerations for treatment, alongside diagnoses of spondylolisthesis, and intervertebral disc related injuries.

Which common ideas are fact, which are myth? Is there some nuance in our interpretation of all the information out there?

This section will fast-track you through all the noise, allowing you to focus on the components that really matter for recovery.

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Facts and myths of low back pain

Why sorting myth from fact matters

Posture

The 'core'

Safe lifting

Movement screens

Spondylolisthesis

The sacroiliac joint

The hallmark of a good clinician is the ability to have a client feel heard, validated, and motivated to engage in their recovery. This section leans on motivational interviewing skills, elements of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to ensure you can maximise your client outcomes. This is all exemplified with real client sessions to maximise your learning outcomes!    

Often, people see communication skills as a bit airy-fairy. But we guarantee you will be excited about exploring different strategies and techniques in your practice once you finish this section.

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Fundamentals and the subjective assessment

Experiential learning

Debrief of clinical example

Handling challenging scenarios

Tying it all together

Self-care & summary

Graded activity

Constraint-based learning & motor learning

Constraint-based exercise ideas

Symptom modification exercise ideas

Casual Conversations

In this final module, we summarise the importance of what you’ve learnt, the strategies you can use to implement what you’ve learnt, and the support and resources you can access to continue your journey.

Clinical footprint, mentorship and other resources