Overview
This unit will provide you with an introduction to the assessment and treatment of musculoskeletal conditions in the lower limb, pelvis and lumbar spine for clients across the lifespan. This unit will focus on the development of an evidence based, problem solving approach to the assessment and treatment of common clinical presentations in musculoskeletal practice. The completion of this unit will enable you to apply effective clinical reasoning that underpins your selection and performance of evidence-based and client-centred physiotherapeutic assessment and treatment techniques.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
To enrol in PSIO12001 Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy 1 you must be enrolled into the CB85 course and have completed the following pre-requisites: PSIO11003 Foundations of Physiotherapy Practice 2 BMSC11007 Medical Anatomy and Physiology 1 BMSC11008 Medical Anatomy and Physiology 2 Co-requisite: PSIO12006 Functional Anatomy and Biomechanics
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 1 - 2026
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 SUTE Feedback
Students suggested that a practice exam be provided for the End-Term In-class test.
It is recommended that the teaching team consider providing a practice exam to students prior to the End-Term In-class test.
Feedback from SUTE Feedback
Students suggested that the content distribution of the End-Term In-class test be provided to the students prior to the assessment item.
It is recommended that a brief content distribution be provided to students prior to the End-Term In-class test.
- Identify and discuss the clinical presentation of musculoskeletal conditions of the lower limb, pelvis, and lumbar spine
- Identify and discuss safe, effective, and evidence-based assessment and treatment techniques for musculoskeletal conditions of the lower limb, pelvis, and lumbar spine
- Demonstrate safe, effective, and evidence-based assessment techniques for the lower limb, pelvis, and lumbar spine, and interpret and analyse the findings
- Demonstrate safe, effective, and evidence-based physiotherapy interventions for the lower limb, pelvis, and lumbar spine, and be able to progress and/or regress appropriately
- Demonstrate acceptable professional and ethical behaviours consistent with a physiotherapy practitioner.
The Learning Outcomes and Assessment tasks have been mapped against and aligned with the Australian Physiotherapy Council’s Physiotherapy Practice Thresholds.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - In-class Test(s) - 20% | |||||
| 2 - In-class Test(s) - 40% | |||||
| 3 - Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) - 40% | |||||
| 4 - On-campus Activity - 0% | |||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 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 | |||||
Information for Textbooks and Resources has not been released yet.
This information will be available on Monday 16 February 2026As 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?
