Osteoarthritis (OA) affects the individual and society. According to the Arthritis Foundation, in 2017 OA was the most common type of arthritis affecting more than 30.8 million people. Physical therapists improve mobility, educate patients, manage pain symptoms, and prepare for self-management of people living with OA. This Home Study Course will inform clinical diagnosis and physical management of osteoarthritic conditions affecting the extremities. We will discuss issues concerning pathoanatomy, biomechanics, clinical examination, and evidence informed interventions. The examination will follow the Patient Client Management Model using language housed in the International Classification of Function (ICF) framework. We will consider social determinants of health (SDoH) within the patient examination along with task analysis of movement. The Home Study Course will address differential diagnosis followed by a case example. The multiple-choice post-monograph questions will test reader’s knowledge.

Editor: Barbara Billek-Sawhney, PT, EdD, DPT

Learning Objectives:

Upon completion of this home study course, the course participant will be able to:

1. Describe the incidence and impact of osteoarthritis (OA).

2. Integrate the international classification of function (ICF) model and social determinants of health (SDOH) into the physical therapy examination as it relates to OA.

3. Diagnose pathological findings clinically and radiographically.

4. Discuss the movement system analysis as it relates to patients with OA.

5. Define primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention.

6. Integrate evidence informed practice into the clinical examination.

7. Utilize patient reported outcome measures, functional tests, and clinical examination tools to case scenarios.

8. Apply exercise principles from the american college of sports medicine and world health organization to people living with OA.

9. Synthesize examination findings relative to the management of OA.

Course Instructions

1. Click on the Contents tab to watch the course recording.
2. Click the Take Quiz button to complete the assessment. Learners will have 3 attempts to pass and must answer at least 70% of questions correctly.
3. Click the View/Print Your Certificate button under the Certificate listing. You can view/print your certificate at any time by visiting the APTA Learning Center and clicking the CEU Certificate/Transcript link on the left-hand side of the page. 

Need Assistance?

For assistance logging in, accessing activities, claiming credit, or for other questions or concerns, please e-mail learningcenter@apta.org.