Axial Spondyloarthritis – Part A

Axial Spondyloarthritis aims to raise awareness and develop confidence, knowledge and clinical skills on how to recognise signs symptoms and risk factors and when to refer to rheumatology for suspected axial spondyloarthritis (Axial SpA) and peripheral spondyloarthritis, including psoriatic arthritis (PsA), in musculoskeletal clinical practice.

This online course is ideal for primary contact and advanced practice musculoskeletal clinicians assessing and managing people presenting with back pain and peripheral joint and tendon problems, and musculoskeletal practice educators and course lecturers/tutors. Physiotherapists working in the musculoskeletal, sports physiotherapy and pain management areas of practice and other specialties managing people with persistent back pain and peripheral joint and tendon problems will also benefit from this course.

This course is also suitable for undergraduate physiotherapy students for their musculoskeletal placements.

Axial Spondyloarthritis is delivered through a blended learning model comprising two parts:

• Part A is the first component of the Axial Spondyloarthritis course and consists of six OnDemand, self-paced modules
• Part B live virtual classroom is very interactive and will include lively discussions between learners and expert presenters, with the opportunity to ask questions along the way

Presenter

Dr Carol McCrum, APAM, BAppSci(Physio), GradDip(Manip), DPT, Dip Inj Therapy, Non-Medical Prescriber (UK), Dip Msk Med, has been a Consultant Physiotherapist in Rheumatology and Orthopaedics since 2005 and currently works at Canberra Hospital, Rheumatology Department, ACT. Carol completed her doctorate in acute low back pain (2011) and is a Visiting Research Fellow at University of Brighton. Carol was a committee member of NICE Guidance and Quality Standards on Spondyloarthritis and was awarded a NICE Fellowship to raise awareness of this guidance.  She is involved in national and international projects, including the WHO RA Rehabilitation Guidance Development Group and All Party Parliamentary Group on Axial Spondyloarthritis. Carol is Co-Chair of the UK Rheumatology Specialist Physiotherapy Clinical Interest Group and co-author of the Rheumatology Physiotherapy Capabilities Framework (2021) that includes capabilities for the musculoskeletal clinician. Carol is keen to continue to raise awareness about recognising rheumatology conditions and support professional development of musculoskeletal clinicans who are key to earlier recognition and referral.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of Axial Spondyloarthritis, participants should be able to:

• Develop an awareness of the clinical presentations of axial spondyloarthritis and peripheral spondyloarthropathies
• Gain an understanding of the importance of screening for spondyloarthritis in musculoskeletal clinical assessments
• Demonstrate knowledge of the clinical signs, symptoms and risk factors which increase suspicion of axial and peripheral spondyloarthritis
• Gain knowledge and skills in screening for axial and peripheral spondyloarthritis in a clinical examination
• Develop an understanding of the recommendations of NICE Guidance on Spondyloarthritis and other support tools on when to refer to rheumatology
• Develop an understanding of the role of blood tests and imaging in suspected axial and peripheral spondyloarthritis
• Demonstrate practical skills in history taking and clinical examination for suspected spondyloarthritis and associated extra-articular manifestations, including skin and nail examination for psoriasis
• Demonstrate awareness of relevant features and advanced clinical reasoning skills in differentiation of mechanical and suspected inflammatory clinical presentations and when to refer to rheumatology
• Develop an awareness of other considerations and complications in people with spondyloarthritis and supporting long-term management

CPD Hours

6.0 hours

Pre-requisites

• This course is designed and suitable for qualified physiotherapists.
• This course is also suitable for undergraduate physiotherapy students who are up to undertaking musculoskeletal placements.
• Part A is the pre-requisite for Part B. 

Important note: Part A must be successfully completed before you can progress to Part B. If you register for Part B, joining details for the live virtual session will not be available until Part A is completed. There is an additional cost for Part B.

Image: Julien Tromeur, Unsplash.com