Managing Your Health: The Role of Physical Therapy and Exercise

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/physical-therapy-exercise

Introduction

### Course Review: Managing Your Health: The Role of Physical Therapy and Exercise **Overview** “Managing Your Health: The Role of Physical Therapy and Exercise” is an enlightening online course available on Coursera that delves into the integral role physical therapy and exercise play in managing health. The course is structured over six weeks, each module focusing on critical aspects of health management related to physical activity. With topics including cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, cancer, common sports injuries, and arthritis, this course is designed to equip learners with valuable knowledge to improve their overall health through exercise. Whether you are a healthcare professional or someone simply eager to gain insights into physical fitness, this course has something to offer everyone. **What to Expect** Each module provides a multifaceted learning experience, including lectures from experienced physiotherapists, engaging videos, interactive quizzes, and reflection activities that encourage self-assessment and awareness of one's health. The course is structured for both theoretical understanding and practical application, urging learners to consider their own lifestyles and how they can incorporate more physical activity into their daily routines. **Module Breakdown** 1. **Just Keep Moving: Why Physical Activity and Exercise Are Important** - Start your journey by exploring the fundamental benefits of physical activity. This introductory module features a lecture by physiotherapist Agnes Makowski, along with interactive questionnaires and a link to the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines. 2. **Exercise and Cardiovascular Disease** - Module 2 delves into the links between inactivity and cardiovascular disease, one of the leading health issues facing Canadians. Learners will complete a risk assessment and engage with expert content delivered by physiotherapist Debbie Childerhose. 3. **Exercise and Osteoporosis** - This module focuses on the importance of exercise for individuals diagnosed with osteoporosis. Key activities include an online survey to assess calcium intake and instructional videos featuring guidance from Dr. Judi Laprade. 4. **Exercise and Cancer** - As cancer affects many lives, this module addresses how physical activity can aid in wellness. It features a guest lecture by Kristen McDonnell and resources from the Canadian Cancer Society. 5. **Common Sports Injuries** - Understanding sports injuries is crucial for athletes and active individuals alike. This module provides insight into injury prevention and management, led by sport physiotherapist Meghan Buttle. 6. **Exercise and Arthritis** - The final module highlights the significance of exercise for those suffering from arthritis, emphasizing how physical activity can alleviate symptoms. Leslie Soever, a physiotherapist specialized in arthritis, shares her expertise. **Learning Format and Interaction** The course is designed to be highly interactive, encouraging learners to engage with each module actively. Quizzes at the end of each module not only reinforce learning but also qualify participants for a certificate upon completion. The built-in discussion boards foster a sense of community as learners can post questions and share experiences. **Recommendation** I highly recommend "Managing Your Health: The Role of Physical Therapy and Exercise" for anyone interested in better understanding the impact of physical activity on health. This course is particularly beneficial for individuals managing chronic conditions or those who wish to incorporate healthy habits into their lives. With its expert insights and practical approach, you will leave this course better equipped to take control of your health through informed exercise practices. **Conclusion** Overall, if you’re looking to enhance your knowledge about physical therapy and exercise's role in health management, this Coursera course is a fantastic resource. You'll not only gain theoretical insights but also actionable steps to improve your physical health and potentially share this knowledge with others. Make sure to enroll and take the first step towards a healthier you!

Syllabus

Intro to the Course & Module 1: Just Keep Moving - Why physical activity and exercise are important

This module will introduce you to concepts of physical activity and exercise. It will share some important information on the benefits of physical activity with you and also identify ways that you can assess your own physical activity levels. We'll also ask you to reflect on your own activity level and ask you to consider if you think you should modify your activity level. We've prepared a great module for you. We have an interesting lecture by Physiotherapist Agnes Makowski, an entertaining video, and some questionnaires for you to complete. We've also prepared a link to the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines which we hope you find informative. Lastly, we'll end with a quiz. We hope you enjoy it and as always, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to post them to the discussion board. If you have any questions about the course please contact brenda.mori@utoronto.ca

Welcome to Module 2! Cardiovascular Disease is one of the most frequent diseases among Canadians. There are many risk factors for CV disease and Inactivity is one of the important ones. In this module you will be guided to do a couple of things. We will ask you to take a risk assessment by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada self test. Then, you will meet Debbie Childerhose who is a physiotherapist and an expert in Cardiovascular disease. We will direct you to watch a video on the importance of exercise and ask you to reflect on your risk factors and any lifestyle or behaviour changes you might consider making. We will share some additional resources with you and then you will be directed to take the quiz for the module. We hope you enjoy this module!

Welcome to Module 3! In this module you will be guided to do a couple of things. First, we want you to reflect if you are doing enough exercise to meet the Osteoporosis Canada recommendations for the amount of exercise people with osteoporosis should do. Next, we’ll suggest that you do a Calculate your calcium intake online survey. This will give you an idea if you are getting enough calcium in your diet and they’ll make some suggestions for you. Next, you’ll get to meet Dr. Judi Laprade who has prepared a lecture for us on osteoporosis and exercise. The 4th component will direct you to watch videos on how to safely do everyday activities. We’ll share some additional resources with you and then you will be directed to take the quiz for the module. We hope you enjoy this module!

Welcome to Module 4. In this module you will be asked to reflect on your potential experience of knowing someone who might have had cancer and how they incorporated exercise into their journey. You’ll get to meet Kristen McDonnell who is our guest lecturer for this session. Next, we’ll ask you to watch a video by Dr. Mike Evans on cancer related Fatigue, then we will guide you into reading some additional information about cancer and physical activity from the Canadian cancer Society. Lastly, you’ll need to take the quiz if you’d like to qualify for the certificate for this MOOC.

Did you know that many injuries resulting from playing sports can be prevented? Do you know the best ways to treat common sport-related injuries? In this module, we will help you understand the importance of injury prevention in sport and how to deal with some of the more common ones. First, we will get you to take a quiz to see what you already know about common sports injuries. Then we will introduce you to Meghan Buttle, a sport physiotherapist with expertise in managing sport injuries. We will then get you to take a second quiz to test your knowledge again. Remember, you'll need to take these quizzes if you'd like to qualify for the certificate for this MOOC. So, listen carefully to Meghan's video as she talks about the role of physical therapists in preventing and managing sports injuries.

Welcome to module 6: Exercise and Arthritis. Do you or someone you know have aches and pains in your joints because of arthritis? Did know that exercise is good for you especially if you have arthritis? In this module we will guide you through some of the facts about arthritis and about why exercise is so important for keeping you healthy especially if you have arthritis. Leslie Soever, a physiotherapist with expertise in arthritis will tell you more about this in her video. But before you meet Leslie, we will ask you to do a quiz to see what you already know about arthritis. After you listen to Leslie’s talk, we will get you to complete a scavenger hunt to find exercise recommendations on specific arthritis websites. This will hopefully get you more familiar with these guidelines. Finally, at the end of this module we’ll quiz you again about your knowledge of exercise for people with arthritis, and especially about the role of a physiotherapist in helping people with arthritis to exercise.