Phase one is all about the foundations of practice as a therapist.

Overview

• How to take a thorough case history
• How to identify potential red and yellow flags (serious ill health as opposed to common musculoskeletal problems)
• Professional practice - key points in starting your practice
• Regional contraindications
• What is pain?
• Causes of pain
• Communicating with patients

Pre-Course:

• You will complete a worksheet that will introduce you to the concepts of taking a case history and a basic introduction to pain

During the morning session you will:

• Learn the key questions to ask when conducting a case history
• Learn the important legal aspects of running a clinic - which main laws apply and what to look out for when setting up your practice
• Have a basic understanding of patterns of pain/symptoms that may be out of your scope of practice (This course will not teach you to diagnose conditions - This is to make you a safe practitioner and refer your clients to a healthcare professional/A+E as quickly as possible)

During the afternoon session you will:

• Explore the concepts and theories behind pain science. This section of the course is based on the work of Lorimer Moseley, David Butler, Louis Gifford and Peter O'Sullivan. We will discuss these concepts in great detail and the theme will run throughout the course
• Learn how language, the way you say things, explain things and what your client says can make a big difference to their recovery
• The evidence behind manual therapy
• Basic set up of a treatment area and basic soft tissue skills

Assessment

• 2 Parts - Part a) Pre-course worksheet (As above); Part b) Explain Pain Poster
• If you are completing the full diploma course you will be expected to reflect on the content of this first day throughout your 200 hours of clinical practice and how you have used the skills/communication from today with real life clients