Overview
The development of foundation knowledge and competencies in functional anatomy complements anatomy and physiology units and provides the cornerstone to manual assessment of musculoskeletal conditions. This unit will provide you with the knowledge necessary to identify and describe the structural and functional requirements of the musculoskeletal system in relation to human motion for a variety of activities. The unit will develop your understanding of the anatomy of the limbs and the functional principles underpinning movement and posture, including an understanding of the performance aspects of muscle, joints, and the mechanics of movement. You will develop skills in manual location and assessment of musculoskeletal structures as they apply to rehabilitation, exercise conditioning, and general movement.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Co-requisite: BMSC11001 Human Body Systems 1 ORCo-requisite: BMSC11010 Human Anatomy and Physiology
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 2 - 2025
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Unit Coordinator Reflection
The placement of the residential school before break week causes the term to be heavily front loaded with content, potentially overwhelming students.
It is recommended that the unit coordinator request a later timeslot for the residential school so that content can be more evenly spaced across the term.
- Define anatomical terms and identify structures using anatomical models, images, and surface anatomy.
- Using principles of kinesiology, identify and explain the relationships between anatomical structures, movement, and function.
- Analyse exercises to identify muscles that are involved in producing and controlling movement.
- Perform movement and postural assessments, and prescribe corrective exercises to address asymmetries or improve exercise performance.
The Learning Outcomes and Assessment tasks are aligned with Graduate Outcomes as outlined by Exercise and Sport Science Australia (ESSA).
This course is designed to encompass both theoretical and practical aspects of functional anatomy. The course lectures will cover the theoretical knowledge related to the subject matter. The practical laboratory/workshop sessions will then build on the theoretical knowledge gained during the lectures and allow students to gain experience in identifying, locating and assessing muscular actions across a range of movement activities. Assessments for this course will be based on the development of a muscle portfolio and a practical video demonstration of a muscular assessment of movement. Students will also sit an examination of the theoretical knowledge gained about the musculo-skeletal system. The assessment pieces will allow students to gain a comprehensive knowledge necessary to identify the structural and functional requirements of the musculo-skeletal system
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
1 - Online Quiz(zes) - 20% | ||||
2 - Presentation - 30% | ||||
3 - Practical Assessment - 20% | ||||
4 - Written Assessment - 30% |
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
1 - Communication | ||||
2 - Problem Solving | ||||
3 - Critical Thinking | ||||
4 - Information Literacy | ||||
5 - Team Work | ||||
6 - Information Technology Competence | ||||
7 - Cross Cultural Competence | ||||
8 - Ethical practice | ||||
9 - Social Innovation | ||||
10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures |
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- Adobe Acrobat Pro
- Microphone and camera for use with Zoom
- Video Recording Device (Camcorder, Digital Camera, Smartphone, etc.)
- Microsoft Office 2010 (including Word and Excel)
- ZOOM Videoconferencing software. A ZOOM account is available with your student credentials.
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
r.bartlett@cqu.edu.au
j.guy@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Lecture 1. Introduction to Functional Anatomy
Chapter
Chapter 1 - Foundations of Structural Kinesiology
Chapter 2 - Neuromuscular Fundamentals
Chapter 3 - Basic Biomechanical Factors and Concepts
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Lecture 2. Upper Extremity: The shoulder
Lecture 3. Upper Extremity: Elbow, Wrist, Hand
Chapter
Chapter 4 - The Shoulder Girdle
Chapter 5 - The Shoulder Joint
Chapter 6 - The Elbow and Radioulnar Joint
Chapter 7 - The Wrist and Hand Joints
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Lecture 4. Lower Extremity: Hip and Pelvis
Lecture 5. Lower Extremity: Knee, Ankle, and Foot
Chapter
Chapter 8 - The Hip and Pelvic Girdle
Chapter 9 - The Knee Joint
Chapter 10 - The Ankle and Foot Joints
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Lecture 6. Trunk and Spine
Chapter
Chapter 11 - The Trunk and Spinal Column
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Lecture 7. Neuromuscular and Skeletal Mechanics
Chapter
Readings provided via Moodle
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Lecture 8. Functional Movement Analysis
Lecture 9. Movement Limitations and Corrective Exercise
Chapter
Readings provided via Moodle
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online Quiz Opens: Week 6 Monday (25 Aug 2025) 9:00 am AEST
Written Assessment for Cairns Res School - Due Week 6 Friday (29 Aug 2025) 5:00pm AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online Quiz Closes: Week 7 Monday (1 Sep 2025) at 5:00pm AEST
Written Assessment for Rockhampton Res School - Due Week 7 Thursday (4 Sep 2025) 5:00pm AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Written Assessment for Mackay Res School - Due Week 8 Thursday (11 Sep 2025) 5:00pm AEST
Presentation for Cairns Res School - Due Week 18 Friday (12 Sep 2025) 5:00pm AEST
Module/Topic
Lecture 10. Gait and Posture
Chapter
Readings provided via Moodle
Events and Submissions/Topic
Presentation for Rockhampton Res School - Due Week 9 Thursday (18 Sep 2025) 5:00pm AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Presentation for Mackay Res School - Due Week 10 Thursday (25 Sep 2025) 5:00pm AEST
Module/Topic
Lecture 11. Case Studies and Assessment 4 Information
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online Practical Assessment - Schedule
Tuesday (7 Oct 2025) 08:30am - 5:00pm AEST,
Wednesday (8 Oct 2025) 08:30am - 5:00pm AEST, and
Thursday (9 Oct 2025) 08:30am - 5:00pm AEST.
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Compulsory On-campus Activity Information
This unit includes compulsory on-campus activities (residential school). You must attend the residential school specific to your mode of enrolment as outlined below. If you prefer to attend an alternate session to that specified for your enrolment mode, please contact the Unit Coordinator to discuss attendance at an alternative residential school. Please see the CQUniversity Handbook and the ESSC12010 Moodle site for up-to-date information.
Please ensure you complete your class registration via MyCQU.
Cairns (CNS) and mixed-mode (MIX) students:
The Cairns residential school is scheduled in Week 6 (Thursday and Friday, 28th and 29th August 2025) at the Exercise and Sport Science Labs located at Cairns Basketball Association Headquarters (289 Aumuller St.).
Rockhampton (ROK) and mixed-mode (MIX) students:
The Rockhampton residential school is scheduled in Week 7 (Wednesday and Thursday, 3rd and 4th September 2025) at the Exercise and Sport Science Labs located on the Rockhampton North Campus (Building 81).
Mackay (MKY or MKC) and mixed-mode (MIX) students:
The Mackay residential school is scheduled in Week 8 (Wednesday and Thursday, 10th and 11th August 2025) at the Exercise and Sport Science Labs located on the Mackay City Campus (Building 4).
Note for mixed-mode (MIX) students:
Students enrolled via MIX may attend any residential school option; however, it is preferred that you attend the residential school as specified above based on your geographic location. If the residential school in which you register reaches the cap number, and you do not live in the surrounding area, you may be reallocated to a different residential school. This is due to limited teaching and space resources across each campus. We aim to finalise residential school allocations by the end of Week 2, but this is dependent on students completing class registration via MyCQU.
1 Online Quiz(zes)
You will be required to complete one (1) online quiz during the term. The quiz will include multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, labelling, matching, and short-answer questions. The quiz will assess content (lectures, reading, labs, and online material) from weeks 1-5 (inclusive), and you will have 60 minutes to complete it.
It is your responsibility to log on to Moodle and complete each online quiz during the time the quiz is available. The online quiz should be completed on a computer as some questions do not work well on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. In addition, attempting the quiz on a smartphone can result in your session being ended in the event of a phone call or notification. You can only attempt the online quiz once and it must be completed in a single session. You cannot save your answers and return to the online quiz at a later time.
NOTE: In the absence of an approved extension, there will be no late submissions allowed for the online quiz.
The 72-hour grace period does not apply to this assessment.
Level of GenAI use allowed:
Level 1 - You must not use Al at any point during the assessment. You must demonstrate your core skills and knowledge.
1
Other
The online quiz will open Week 6 Monday (25 Aug 2025) 9:00am AEST, and close week 7 Monday (1 Sep 2025) at 5:00pm AEST.
Marks and individual feedback will be made available via the ESSC12010 Moodle site within 10 business days of submission.
The quiz contributes to 20% of your overall grade. The quiz consists of multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, labelling, matching, and short-answer questions. The number of marks will be highlighted if more than one mark is allocated for that particular part of the question.
For questions with text-based responses (e.g. fill-in-the-blank) you should take care with spelling (Australian English) and grammar, as answers are spelling and grammar sensitive.
- Define anatomical terms and identify structures using anatomical models, images, and surface anatomy.
- Using principles of kinesiology, identify and explain the relationships between anatomical structures, movement, and function.
2 Written Assessment
During the residential school laboratory activities, you will be required to complete a written assessment consisting of a number of activities focused on identifying anatomical landmarks from anatomical models, images/diagrams and surface anatomy, describing the structure and movement of body parts, and performing movement, and postural analysis. The laboratory activity sheets will enable you to demonstrate knowledge and skills related to each laboratory activity. The laboratory activity sheets will also include short answer responses relating to theoretical and practical content delivered in this unit. This is an individual assessment and even though you may be working in small groups, please ensure your answers are your own. A workbook will be provided for you to complete the lab activity tasks and each section will be allocated marks. At the end of your residential school (Mackay, Rockhampton or Cairns) you will be required to submit these lab activity sheets for marking.
The 72-hour grace period does not apply to this assessment.
Level of GenAI use allowed:
Level 1 - You must not use Al at any point during the assessment. You must demonstrate your core skills and knowledge.
These laboratory workbooks are to be submitted in hard copy to your Unit Coordinator at 5:00pm at the end of your respective residential school. Cairns: Week 6 Friday (29 Aug 2025); Rockhampton: Week 7 Thursday (4 Sep 2025); Mackay: Week 8 Thursday (11 Sep 2025).
Marks and individual feedback will be made available via the ESSC12010 Moodle site within 10 business days of submission.
The written assessment consists of laboratory activity sheets, which will evaluate your ability to identify anatomical structures, describe human movement, and apply knowledge to interpret findings. Marks will be allocated to tasks completed in each laboratory session. The laboratory activity sheets will consist of questions pertaining to the following areas of functional anatomy that will be covered during the residential schools (Mackay, Rockhampton or Cairns):
- Identifying anatomical structures and describing movement
- Structure and movement of the torso/axial skeleton
- Structure and movement of the upper limbs
- Structure and movement of the lower limbs
- Posture and postural assessment
- Movement analysis
- Using principles of kinesiology, identify and explain the relationships between anatomical structures, movement, and function.
- Analyse exercises to identify muscles that are involved in producing and controlling movement.
3 Presentation
To accurately identify suboptimal movements, a sound understanding of normal movement and the roles of various muscles and joints is required. Appropriate exercises are then often required to help an individual return to optimal movement and improve performance. This assessment requires you to create and record a 5–10-minute audio-visual presentation.
During the residential school you will assess the movement competency of one of your peers. You will review them performing a compound movement and complete an in-depth analysis of their competency. Depending on what you find you will need to:
- Identify any suboptimal movements (areas for improvement)
- A description of two (2) possible muscle deficiencies that might contribute to the sub-optimal movement(s) you identified, and explanation of the role of that muscle in the optimal movement(s).
- Inclusions and rationale for two (2) exercises that you could provide to correct the identified muscle deficiencies.
- A video demonstration of you instructing an individual how to perform one (1) of the prescribed exercises correctly (e.g., split squat, back extension, seated cable row). Include in your demonstration:
- a. The start position and mid-way point (e.g., bottom position in a squat, top position in a deadlift) of the movement.
- b. Instructions on how to complete the prescribed exercise, including 2-4 succinct verbal cues to ensure that your partner in the video can complete the exercise safely and effectively.
General presentation guidelines:
Duration: You will develop a 5-10-minute audio-visual presentation. Any information presented outside this timeframe will not be marked.
Presentation slides: You must present accompanying PowerPoint slides. These should complement the spoken aspect of your presentation.
Referencing: Follow American Psychological Association (APA) style. Reference list must be included in your PowerPoint presentation.
Video: You must include a video demonstration in your presentation as per point 4 above. You should embed this in your PowerPoint file.
Presentation recording: You must record your entire presentation, including slides, video, audio, and a self-view camera. This is best recorded in Zoom conferencing software. A link to download this software for free is provided on the ESSC12010 Moodle site.
Moodle submission (total file size must be <100MB): The recorded presentation (preference is .mp4 format). You must ensure that this video is playable and has audio. Late penalties will be applied until a playable recorded presentation is received. Should you not submit a playable recorded presentation, a mark of zero (0) will be awarded.
Level of GenAI use allowed:
Level 1 - You must not use Al at any point during the assessment. You must demonstrate your core skills and knowledge.
The presentations are due at 5:00pm AEST, 10 business days after your respective residential school (Cairns due Friday 12 Sep 2025, Rockhampton due Thursday 18 Sep 2025, Mackay due Thursday 25 Sep 2025.
Marks and individual feedback will be made available via the ESSC12010 Moodle site within 10 business days of submission.
You will be assessed on your ability to: analyse an exercise; identify any sub-optimal movement; justify what musculature may be causing this; and prescribe and coach appropriate corrective exercises.
Pay close attention to the clarity of your exercise demonstration and use of appropriate supporting evidence throughout your presentation. Marks will also be allocated to presentation style (including use of PowerPoint, use of video, adherence to the time limit, professional presentation, and use of voice and gestures).
Late penalties will be applied to submissions in accordance with CQUniversity policy, including if submissions received are unable to be viewed or there is no/poor quality audio.
A marking rubric will be available on the ESSC12010 Moodle site. Please refer to this rubric for a detailed breakdown of marking allocation.
- Analyse exercises to identify muscles that are involved in producing and controlling movement.
- Perform movement and postural assessments, and prescribe corrective exercises to address asymmetries or improve exercise performance.
4 Practical Assessment
In this practical online assessment you will be given a case study and will be required to describe anatomical structures, demonstrate joint movements, identify possible movement deficiencies, and prescribe corrective exercises. This assessment will cover material (lecture, labs and online learning material) from weeks 1-11 (inclusive).
This practical assessment will be conducted online via Zoom. You will be required to log in to an allocated time slot in Week 12 on Tuesday (7 Oct 2025), Wednesday (8 Oct 2025) OR Thursday (9 Oct 2025) between 8:30am and 5:00pm AEST to complete this assessment. Specific times will be allocated by Week 8 of term, and the practical assessment will take 20 minutes. This assessment will be completed individually with only you and the unit coordinator present in the Zoom meeting. Sessions will be recorded for moderation purposes.
The practical assessment is compulsory and you must pass this assessment in order to pass the unit. The minimum pass requirement for this assessment item is 50%. The practical online assessment will consist of a case study that will be allocated to you the day before via Moodle, to prepare.
The 72-hour grace period does not apply to this assessment.
Level of GenAI use allowed:
Level 1 - You must not use Al at any point during the assessment. You must demonstrate your core skills and knowledge.
The online practical assessment will take place on Tuesday 7 Oct, Wednesday 8 Oct, or Thursday 9 Oct 2025 between 08:30am - 5:00pm AEST.
Marks will be made available after certification of grades
In this practical based assessment, you will identify landmarks and describe anatomical structures of the musculoskeletal system for the trunk, upper limbs and lower limb.
You will be given a specific case study where you will be required to identify relevant landmarks and musculature, identify and perform an appropriate ROM assessment, and prescribe and demonstrate corrective exercises. Follow up questions may include typical ROM and what atypical ROM may represent, contraindications to exercise and movement, and requests for further detail and discussion of the diagnosed condition/injury.
- Define anatomical terms and identify structures using anatomical models, images, and surface anatomy.
- Perform movement and postural assessments, and prescribe corrective exercises to address asymmetries or improve exercise performance.
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
