Multidisciplinary approach to the nervous system (physiotherapy): Theory

Physiotherapy

This course addresses the general principles of neurological rehabilitation applied to major disorders of the nervous system. It includes the development, integration, and strengthening of competencies related to patient management in neurological contexts, particularly to:

• Develop effective professional communication and deliver relevant clinical information.
  
  
• Conduct a comprehensive patient history, collect essential clinical data, analyze clinical elements, and interpret functional signs.
  
  
• Establish a physiotherapy diagnosis, perform appropriate clinical triage, and implement targeted therapeutic interventions.
  
  
• Reassess patient management and integrate Evidence-Based Practice principles into clinical decision-making.
  
  
• Build an individualized therapeutic plan using the biopsychosocial model and the ICF framework.
  
  
• Collaborate within interprofessional teams, work effectively in team settings, and coordinate complementary professional roles.
  
  
• Educate the patient, adapt therapeutic communication, enhance patient motivation, and engage the patient as an active partner in care.
  
  
• Assume professional responsibility, develop reflective practice, strengthen professional identity, and pursue continuing education.
  
  
• Understand essential aspects of legislation, apply physiotherapy nomenclature, comply with regulations, and implement quality procedures in physiotherapy.

Electrotherapy

This course introduces electrotherapy applied to neurological conditions. It enables students to:

• Understand the principles of functional electrical stimulation and recognize its main indications in neurological practice.
  
  
• Identify the foundations of denervated muscle stimulation and its clinical specificities.
  
  
• Integrate transversal competencies essential for electrotherapy practice: clinical analysis, interpretation of clinical data, physiotherapy diagnosis, Evidence-Based Practice, professional communication, interprofessional collaboration, clinical reassessment.
  
  

Neuropaediatric rehabilitation

This course introduces the specificities of neuropediatric rehabilitation. It enables students to:

• Explore Cerebral Palsy (CP): definition, epidemiology, etiologies, and main clinical presentations.
  
  
• Assess motor disorders including spasticity, joint contractures, and functional motor skills (GMFCS, Le Métayer).
  
  
• Identify associated disorders such as sensory, cognitive, orthopedic, and oro-facial impairments.
  
  
• Understand Motor Evolution Levels (NEM): principles, therapeutic guidance, and motor progression.
  
  
• Implement manual activity rehabilitation.
  
  
• Implement oro-facial motor rehabilitation.
  
  
• Understand orthopedic disorder management.
  
  
• Integrate Evidence-Based Practice into neuropediatric rehabilitation.
  
  
• Address physiotherapy in Down syndrome.
  
  
• Recognize the specificities of neonatal physiotherapy.
  
  

• Adapt communication to the child and family.
  
  
• Conduct a pediatric anamnesis and gather relevant clinical data.
  
  
• Analyze and interpret clinical information to establish a physiotherapy diagnosis.
  
  
• Collaborate within a multidisciplinary team.
  
  
• Provide therapeutic education to parents.
  
  
• Use the bio-psycho-social model, the ICF and EBP to structure clinical reasoning.
  
  
• Develop reflexivity, professional responsibility, adaptability, shared vocabulary, and a coherent therapeutic plan.
  
  

Problem-based learning applied to physiotherapy

PBL (Problem-Based Learning) sessions enable students to integrate the core concepts of the Neuro-Physiotherapy module through:

• Analyzing neurological clinical cases.
  
  
• Collecting clinical data and conducting anamnesis, followed by analyzing and interpreting findings.
  
  
• Building a physiotherapy diagnosis.
  
  
• Developing a therapeutic plan.
  
  
• Using the bio-psycho-social model, the ICF and Evidence-Based Practice.
  
  
• Communicating professionally and ensuring effective information transfer.
  
  
• Collaborating within an interprofessional team and understanding complementary roles.
  
  
• Developing reflexivity, responsibility, and adaptation of interventions.
  
  

• Adapted communication.
  
  
• Patient motivation.
  
  
• Scientific reasoning.
  
  
• Clinical re-evaluation.
  
  
• Teamwork.
  
  
• Interprofessional collaboration.
  
  
• Reflexivity, responsibility, adaptation, shared vocabulary.
  
  
• Therapeutic plan development.
  
  

Physiotherapy

The student develops a comprehensive understanding of neurological rehabilitation techniques (e.g., Bobath, Kabat, Perfetti...) and the transversal competencies required for managing neurological patients. The student is able to:

• Apply scientific reasoning to analyze clinical data and guide therapeutic decision-making.
  
  
• Conceptualize clinical situations using shared professional terminology and common frameworks.
  
  
• Adapt therapeutic interventions according to the biopsychosocial model and the patient's specific needs.
  
  
• Collaborate within a multidisciplinary team by integrating the complementary roles of healthcare professionals.
  
  

Electrotherapy

The student develops a general understanding of the two main areas of electrotherapy in neurology:

• functional electrical stimulation;
  
  
• denervated muscle stimulation.
  
  

• apply scientific reasoning to analyze clinical situations;
  
  
• conceptualize neurological problems using shared professional terminology;
  
  
• adapt therapeutic interventions according to context and patient needs;
  
  
• work effectively within a team by integrating complementary professional roles.
  
  

Neuropaediatric rehabilitation

The student develops an understanding of the specificities of physiotherapy practice in neuropediatrics, including:

• Recognizing the particularities of the neurologically impaired child and their impact on assessment and treatment.
  
  
• Using a playful, motivating, and adapted therapeutic approach suited to the child's developmental needs.
  
  
• Working within a multidisciplinary team and understanding the complementary roles of professionals.
  
  
• Adapting rehabilitation tools to minors and their evolving abilities.
  
  
• Integrating scientific reasoning, EBP, and professional communication adapted to the child and their family.
  
  

Problem-based learning applied to physiotherapy

At the end of the PBL sessions, the student is able to:

• Analyze a neurological clinical case in a structured manner.
  
  
• Identify relevant clinical data including anamnesis, signs, limitations, and contextual factors.
  
  
• Formulate a physiotherapy diagnosis that is coherent and well-reasoned.
  
  
• Propose an appropriate therapeutic plan based on clinical reasoning.
  
  
• Apply EBP and clinical reasoning models.
  
  
• Communicate effectively within a multidisciplinary team.
  
  
• Adopt a reflective and professional attitude.
  
  

Physiotherapy

The student must be able to:

• Apply basic knowledge of anatomy.
  
  
• Understand fundamental principles of physiology.
  
  
• Integrate general rehabilitation principles into clinical reasoning.
  
  
• Have completed the basic neuro-anatomy course (Block 2) and apply essential knowledge of the nervous system.
  
  

Electrotherapy

The student must be able to:

• Apply knowledge from the electrotherapy course completed in the second year.
  
  
• Apply essential neuro-anatomy knowledge acquired in the second-year course.
  
  
• Understand core principles of neuro-pathophysiology relevant to the analysis of nervous system disorders.
  
  

Neuropaediatric rehabilitation

Prerequisites The student must be able to:

• Apply knowledge from the basic motor and psychomotor activities course completed in year 1 (M. Vanderthommen & B. Jidovtseff).
  
  
• Apply competencies from the mobilization course completed in year 2 (J.-L. Croisier).
  
  

• Be enrolled in the Neuro-anatomy module (Semester 1 - year 3).
  
  
• Be enrolled in the other courses of the Neuro-Physiotherapy module (Semester 1 - year 3).
  
  

Problem-based learning applied to physiotherapy

The student must be able to:

• Apply basic knowledge in neuro-anatomy, neuro-physiology, and neurological rehabilitation.
  
  
• Participate actively in the Neuro-Physiotherapy module courses.
  
  

Physiotherapy

The course combines:

• Attending face-to-face lectures to acquire core concepts and explore clinical applications.
  
  
• Completing e-learning modules on eCampus to strengthen theoretical knowledge and practice clinical analysis.
  
  
• Collaborating in PBL sessions (Problem-Based Learning) in person, to develop clinical reasoning, information searching, and collective synthesis.
  
  
• Engaging in reflective activities that foster reflexivity, enhance professional communication, strengthen interprofessional collaboration, and analyze complex clinical situations.
  
  

Electrotherapy

The course combines several complementary modalities:

• Attending in-person lectures to introduce key concepts and principles of neuro-electrotherapy.
  
  
• Observing practical demonstrations illustrating the clinical use of stimulation techniques.
  
  
• Analyzing clinical cases to connect theoretical principles with real-world practice.
  
  

Neuropaediatric rehabilitation

• In-person teaching: introduction to key concepts, demonstrations, and interactive discussions.
  
  

Problem-based learning applied to physiotherapy

PBL sessions combine:

• Tutor-guided work (physician and physiotherapist).
  
  
• Autonomous small-group work.
  
  
• Mandatory in-person attendance.
  
  

• 2 "initial" sessions (2 h each): case discovery, analysis, hypothesis formulation.
  
  
• 2 "return" sessions (2 h each): synthesis, discussion, conceptualisation.

• Individual and subgroup reflection.
  
  
• Search for relevant information.
  
  
• Hypothesis analysis.
  
  
• Preparation of a structured synthesis.
  
  
• Use of EBP.
  
  
• Conceptualisation and preparation of clinical reasoning.
  
  

• Reflexivity,
  
  
• Professional communication,
  
  
• Interprofessional collaboration,
  
  
• Progressive integration of module competencies.
  
  

Physiotherapy

Face-to-face course


Further information:

The course is delivered in person, complemented by e-learning modules and PBL sessions (Problem-Based Learning). Activities follow the semester 1 schedule.

• In-person teaching: lectures, case analyses, interactive activities.
  
  
• E-learning: online content on the institutional eCampus platform.
  
  
• PBL: collaborative in-person work based on clinical scenarios.
  
  

Electrotherapy

Face-to-face course


Further information:

The course is delivered in person during semester 1, according to the semester 1 schedule

Neuropaediatric rehabilitation

Face-to-face course


Further information:

The course is delivered in person during semester 1, according to the semester 1 schedule.

In-person teaching: lectures and interactive activities.

Problem-based learning applied to physiotherapy

Face-to-face course


Further information:

The course is delivered in person during semester 1, according to the semester 1 schedule.

Physiotherapy

Platform(s) used for course materials:
- eCampus


Further information:

Course materials are available on eCampus. Additional readings are recommended depending on the topics covered in the course.

Electrotherapy

Platform(s) used for course materials:
- eCampus


Further information:

Course materials are available on eCampus. Additional readings may be recommended depending on the topics covered.

Neuropaediatric rehabilitation

Platform(s) used for course materials:
- eCampus


Further information:

Course materials are available on eCampus. Additional readings may be recommended depending on the topics covered.

• Le Metayer Michel.  Rééducation cérébro-motrice du jeune enfant, Education thérapeutique.  Ed. Elsevier-Masson.
• Revue "Motricité cérébrale" (trimestrielle).

Physiotherapy

Exam(s) in session

Any session

- In-person

written exam


Further information:

Assessment is based on three components:

• Written modular exam at the end of semester 1 (January session).
  
  
• Recognition of participation in PBL sessions, considering attendance and active involvement.
  
  
• Recognition of completion of e-learning modules, reflecting engagement in online activities.
  
  

Electrotherapy

Exam(s) in session

Any session

- In-person

written exam


Further information:

Assessment is based on three components:

• Written modular exam at the end of semester 1 (January session).
  
  
• Recognition of participation in PBL sessions, considering attendance and active involvement.
  
  
• Recognition of completion of e-learning modules, reflecting engagement in online activities.
  
  

Neuropaediatric rehabilitation

Exam(s) in session

Any session

- In-person

written exam


Further information:

Assessment is based on three components:

• Written modular exam at the end of semester 1 (January session).
  
  
• Recognition of participation in PBL sessions, considering attendance and active involvement.
  
  
• Recognition of completion of e-learning modules, reflecting engagement in online activities.
  
  

Problem-based learning applied to physiotherapy

Exam(s) in session

Any session

- In-person

written exam


Further information:

Assessment is based on three components:

• Written modular exam at the end of semester 1 (January session).
  
  
• Recognition of participation in PBL sessions, considering attendance and active involvement.
  
  
• Recognition of completion of e-learning modules, reflecting engagement in online activities.
  
  

Physiotherapy

Prof Stephen BORNHEIM - ISEPK - B21 - 4000 LIEGE - Tél. : 0032 4 366 2132(ISEPK) - stephen.bornheim@uliege.be

Secrétariat : Annie DEPAIFVE ISEPK - B21 - 4000 LIEGE - Tél. : 0032 4 366 38 90. adepaifve@uliege.be

Electrotherapy

Prof Stephen Bornheim - ISEPK - B21 - 4000 LIEGE - Tél. : 0032 4 366 21 32
stephen.bornheim@uliege.be


Secretary : Annie DEPAIFVE - ISEPK - B21 - 4000 LIEGE - Tél. : 0032 4 366 38 90 - adepaifve@ulg.ac.be

Neuropaediatric rehabilitation

Prof Stephen BORNHEIM - ISEPK - B21 - 4000 LIEGE - Tél. : 0032 4 366 21 32 (ISEPK) - stephen.bornheim@uliege.be

Secrétariat : Annie DEPAIFVE ISEPK - B21 - 4000 LIEGE - Tél. : 0032 4 366 38 90. adepaifve@uliege.be

Problem-based learning applied to physiotherapy

Prof Stephen BORNHEIM - ISEPK - B21 - 4000 LIEGE - Tél. : 0032 4 366 2132 (ISEPK) - stephen.bornheim@uliege.be

Prof. Felix Scholtes - CHU LIEGE - Tél : 0032 4 3665191

Secrétariat : Annie DEPAIFVE ISEPK - B21 - 4000 LIEGE - Tél. : 0032 4 366 38 90. adepaifve@uliege.be