Introductory Women's Health Physiotherapy Level 1

CPD Hours

6 hours.

This course is approved for 6 CEU hours/points throught the Arizona Physical Therapy Association (accepted in 29 other states). For more information click here.

Course Overview

Presented by the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) in conjunction with Women’s Health Training Associates (WHTA), this series of five online lectures provides foundational knowledge required for clinical practise in women’s health.

This course is designed to be completed before progressing along either the Women’s Health through the Life Stages (WLS) stream or the Women’s Pelvic Health (WPH) stream in the APA Women’s Health physiotherapy career pathway.

Learning outcomes

On completion of this course, you should be able to:

• Describe the role, and scope of physiotherapy in the area of women’s health
• Summarise the concepts of women’s health in relation to biological sex, gender, and appropriate terminologies
• Outline basic female pelvic and abdominal anatomy, including pelvic and abdominal organs, abdominal wall, and muscular and fascial components of the pelvic floor
• Outline the anatomical structures and functions of the female reproductive tract
• Describe the basic concepts of menarche, the different phases of the female menstrual cycle, and menopause
• Summarise the basic anatomy, duration, stages and dating conventions of human pregnancy, including the common physiological adaptions that occur during pregnancy
• Identify common complications and interventions in pregnancy and labour
• Summarise possible pelvic floor trauma during birth and associated risk factors.

Delivery elements

The course includes five online lectures covering five introductory topics:

• WH1: Introduction to Women’s Health Physiotherapy
• WH2: The female pelvic organs, pelvic floor and abdominal wall
• WH3: The female reproductive tract, menstrual cycle and menopause
• WH4: Introduction to human pregnancy (2 hours)
• WH5: Introduction to labour and birth

Each lecture includes a multiple choice quiz for self-assessment.

Further information

Click here to open the downloadable PDF: Frequently Asked Questions

Presenter

Taryn Hallam, APAM, B.App.Sc (Physiotherapy), Director, Women’s Health Training Associates

Taryn is a registered physiotherapist who has held a special interest in women’s health and pelvic floor dysfunction since completing her undergraduate degree at the University of Sydney in 1999. Taryn’s many years of employment as both a senior physiotherapy clinician and clinical researcher at the Royal Hospital for Women has led her to gain extensive experience in the conservative management of both pregnancy related conditions and gynaecological disorders. Currently Taryn’s particular clinical interest area is complex pelvic floor dysfunction. Her clinical service aims to provide detailed assessment and management options for women suffering with any type of pelvic floor dysfunction, ranging from pelvic organ prolapse and incontinence, through to chronic sexual and pelvic pain. In addition, Taryn also provides clinical services for women suffering with common pregnancy discomforts including low back pain, circulatory issues (e.g. varicose veins) as well as hand and wrist complaints.

Image: Blubel, Unsplash.com