University of Montana - Rehab Essentials
Educating Health Professionals in a Cost-Effective Way
Course Description
Overview of Basic Sciences for Physical Therapists: Human Physiology, Pathology, Histology and Immune System
Purpose of the Course
Using dynamic lectures, students learn to differentiate major anatomical tissues and cellular structures. This includes connective tissue – connective tissue proper, bone, cartilage, fascia, tendons, ligaments, and specialized connective tissue blood and adipose tissue; muscle – smooth, cardiac, and skeletal muscle; nerves both myelinated and unmyelinated in CNS and PNS; and epithelium, and organs. Palpation of key musculoskeletal structures is introduced using online videos and in synchronous lab sessions. The major physiological systems (nervous, endocrine, genitourinary, renal, gastrointestinal, and supporting organs, musculoskeletal, cardiac, pulmonary, lymphatic, integumentary, and hematopoietic) are also presented. Pathologies related to each of the above tissues and systems are discussed. Students also analyze the impact of immobility, acute activity/exercise and chronic training on all body structures and physiological processes.
Objectives
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will:
- Explain the structure and function of the following bodily systems/tissues:
- Integumentary system
- Connective tissue
- Lymphoid tissues/lymphatic system
- Nervous system
- Muscle tissue including skeletal, smooth, and cardiac muscle.
- Cardiovascular and pulmonary system
- Gastrointestinal system
- Renal/urinary/genital
- Endocrine
- Immune
- Describe homeostasis and the role of intrinsic, endocrine, neural, and transport systems (osmosis, synapses, membrane potentials, action potentials) in maintaining homeostasis.
- Differentiate between aerobic and anaerobic metabolic pathways involved in cellular energy metabolism.
- Explain the histology and dynamics of excitable tissues, including nervous, muscle, and glands, as well and the events that occur at synapses.
- Describe the physiological changes associated with inactivity, activity, and chronic training.
- Explain the following physical and chemical laws that impact human function, including diffusion, osmosis, active transport, filtration, secretion, absorption, reabsorption, excretion, membrane potential, cardiac output, and gas transport impacting respiration and ventilation.
- Describe the following terms as they relate to pathology of human systems: Incidence, prevalence, pathogenesis, lesion, etiology, examination, clinical signs and symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, morbidity, and mortality.
- Categorize the physiological processes related to system pathology, including cell injury, cell death, inflammation, neoplasia, immunopathology, environmental factors, nutritional disorders, diabetes, immobility, inactivity, and sedentary lifestyle.
- Describe the body’s response to pain, immobility, and injury using terminology that a patient or family member can understand.