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Physiotherapeutic Treatment of the Thorax

Code: 102973
Credits: 6
2026/2027
Degree programme Type Course
Physiotherapy OP 4

Contact lecturer

Name :
Ana Isabel Mayer Frutos
Email :
anaisabel.mayer@uab.cat

Teaching staff

Stefania Spiliopoulou
Jose Casimiro Moran

Group languages

You can consult this information at the end of the document.

Prerequisites

To acquire knowledge of cardiorespiratory anatomy and physiology, to be able to analyze the different cardiopulmonary pathologies, and so choose the appropriate treatment.

To know the basics of the main techniques of respiratory physiotherapy.

Possess basic English skills and be proficient in the main research tools to locate and critically analyze scientific literature relevant to respiratory physiotherapy 

Objectives

  • Understand the pathophysiological foundations of the main cardiorespiratory conditions in adults and pediatrics, both in the acute and chronic phases, with special attention to critically ill patients.
  • Integrate theoretical and practical knowledge in cardiorespiratory physiotherapy to perform an accurate clinical assessment and an adequate functional diagnosis of the individual's health status.
  • Design and implement individualized therapeutic and preventive interventions, based on scientific evidence and good clinical practice, aimed at improving ventilation, bronchial hygiene, functional capacity, and quality of life.
  • Appropriately select and employ physiotherapy techniques (manual and mechanical) based on the pathology, clinical situation, and established therapeutic objectives.
  • Develop skills in clinical decision-making in complex or critical contexts, based on functional assessment, clinical judgment, and outcome evaluation.
  • To delve into the respiratory physiotherapy approach in critical clinical situations and in exercise retraining programs, aimed at people with cardiorespiratory diseases, with the aim of optimizing their functionality and quality of life.

Learning outcomes

  1. Explain in detail the physiopathology of chest diseases.
  2. Enumerate the medico-surgical treatments, mainly in the area of physiotherapy and orthopaedics, that are used in chest diseases.
  3. Solve problems.
  4. Work in teams.
  5. Display critical reasoning skills.
  6. Show sensitivity to environmental issues.
  7. Apply the specific methods and techniques for chest diseases.
  8. Use physiotherapy to treat clinical cases involving chest pathologies.
  9. Define general and specific objectives for physiotherapy treatment of chest pathologies.
  10. Describe the circumstances that can influence priorities when using physiotherapy to treat chest pathologies.
  11. Enumerate the different types of material and apparatus used in physiotherapy treatment of chest pathologies.
  12. Identify situations in which a change or improvement is needed.
  13. Analyse a situation and identify its points for improvement.
  14. Propose new methods or well-founded alternative solutions.
  15. Weigh up the risks and opportunities of suggestions for improvement: one's own and those of others.
  16. Propose new ways to measure success or failure when implementing innovative proposals or ideas.
  17. Explain the explicit or implicit code of practice of one's own area of knowledge.
  18. Critically analyse the principles, values and procedures that govern the exercise of the profession.
  19. Consider how gender stereotypes and roles impinge on the exercise of the profession.
  20. Communicate using language that is not sexist.
  21. Identify the principal forms of sex- or gender-based inequality present in society.
  22. Weigh up the impact of any long- or short-term difficulty, harm or discrimination that could be caused to certain persons or groups by the actions or projects.

Contents

  1. Anatomic and physiological review of Ventilation. (A. Mayer)
  2. In-depth study of respiratory physiotherapy techniques. (A. Mayer)
  3. Manual therapy of the Thorax. (J. Casimiro)
  4. Respiratory physiotherapy in restrictive illness. (S. Spiliopoulou, A. Mayer)
  5. Respiratory physiotherapy in traumatic chest pathology (S. Thomais)
  6. Pre-surgery and post-surgery physiotherapy in pulmonary surgery. (A. Mayer)
  7. Respiratory physiotherapy in cardiac pathology and effort retraining programs (A. Mayer)
  8. Respiratory physiotherapy in special populations: Obesity, oncology, frailty (A. Mayer)
  9. Respiratory physiotherapy in abdominal surgery (S. Thomais)
  10. Paediatric respiratory physiotherapy. (S. Thomais)
  11. Theory and practice of non-invasive mechanical ventilation.(S. Thomais)
  12. Initiation to mechanical ventilation of the patient in ICU and physiotherapist treatment of the patient in critical condition. (S. Thomais)




Learning activities and methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
LABORATORY PRACTICES 15 0.6
SELF-STUDY 62 2.48
PREPARATION OF WRITTEN WORKS 30 1.2
THEORY 20 0.8
CLINICAL CASE SEMINARS 5.5 0.22
TUTORIALS 10 0.4 

The teaching combines master classes, clinical case seminars and laboratory practices

DIRECTED TEACHING TYPOLOGIES: 

Theory (master lectures; TE typology). Scheduled sessions (1h, 2h or 3h per session).

Laboratory practices (PLAB typology). Scheduled sessions. They are held in a classroom that is qualified for clinical practice within a scheduled timetable. They are aimed at the acquisition of clinical skills

Clinical case seminars (SCC, PCLI typology, also include problem-based learning activities (ABP)). Scheduled sessions. The students, in small groups, will discuss standard clinical cases, under the supervision of a tutor.

 SUPERVISED TEACHING TYPOLOGIES: 

TUTORIALS

The tutorials will not be counted as face-to-face hours, but they can be programmed and done individually or in groups, in the professors' office, in teaching locations or using ICTs, and the student shall be informed about the teachers schedule for students’ attention. 

AUTONOMOUS WORK: 

Comprehensive reading of texts and articles, study and realization of diagrams, summarizing and conceptual assimilation of the contents. Preparation of presentations and deliveries.

 

Annotation: within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Assessment

Continuous assessment activities

Title Weight Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Written evaluation: Objective tests with multiple choice questions and essay tests of extensive questions 40% 2 0.08 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22
Practical evaluations with simulations and oral evaluations 35% 3 0.12 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22
Oral assessment of written works 25% 2.5 0.1 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22
  • The written test will consist in two parts:


- 1ªpart: Question test exam, with four possible answers, only one of them correct. The correct answers will score 1,00 points and the wrong ones -0'25 points. The result will be quantified by 10 and will represent 25% of the final mark.

- 2ªpart: To develop a case study. It will be quantified over 10 and will represent 15% of the final mark.


Practical evaluation: The student must demonstrate its practical abilities when confronted with a specific pathology. It will represent 35% of the final mark.

The written works, individual or team works, will be proposed throughout the course, and will have to be accompanied by a presentation. It will represent 25% of the final mark.


  • 80% minimum practice attendance is mandatory. This requisite is compulsory to pass the course.
  • Exchange students will be evaluated in the same way as other UAB students.
  • If the student does not appear for the theoretical or practical exam or does not complete the corresponding assignments, he/she will be considered non-evaluable and will obtain a 0 in that part of the evaluation. It is an essential condition to pass the subject to have passed the written evaluation with a grade equal to or greater than 5.
  • For this subject, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is allowed exclusively in support tasks, such as bibliographic or information search, text correction or translations and other specific situations in which it is considered. The student will have to clearly identify which parts have been generated with this technology, specify the tools used and include a critical reflection on how these have influenced the process and the final result of the activity. The non-transparency of the use of AI in this evaluable activity will be considered lack of academic honesty and may lead to a partial or total penalty in the grade of the activity, or greater penalties in cases of severity.
  • This subject does not provide for the single evaluation system.


Bibliography

  1. Chatwin M, Wakeman RH. Mechanical Insufflation-Exsufflation: Considerations for Improving Clinical Practice. J Clin Med. 2023 Mar 31;12(7):2626.
  2. Chevaillier J. El drenatge autogen o concepte de la modulació del flux i del nivell ventilatori: 2a ed. Servei de Publicacions de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona; 2016.
  3. Federación Española contra la fibrosis quística. Los tres pilares del tratamiento en fibrosis quística. Valencia; 2007.
  4. Freitas dos Santos S, Almeida MP, Winck JC. Effects of mechanical insufflator-exsufflator in people with spinal cord injury: a systematic review. Phys Ther Rev. 2023;28(1):18-29. doi:10.1080/10833196.2022.2141527.
  5. Gómez Garrido A. Rehabilitación Respiratoria. 1a ed. Editorial Médica Panamericana; 2025.
  6. Gordo Vidal F. Fundamentos en ventilación mecánica del paciente crítico. Tesela Ediciones. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria;2020
  7. Manual de procedimientos de fisioterapia respiratoria en cirugía torácica. 2023. Available at: https://goo.su/5xujo
  8. Mauri F, Santaulària N, Meroño O, Beltrán P, Sanz A. Guia de recomanacions per a la rehabilitació cardíaca. Departament de Salut. 2023 (Available at: https://goo.su/ffbCTa)
  9. Postiaux G. Kinésithérapie et bruits respiratoires: Nouveau paradigme: nourrisson, enfant, adulte. Bruselas:Deboeck supérieur;2016
  10. Reychler G, Roeseler J, Delguste P. Kinésithérapie respiratoire. 3ª ed. Bruxelles: El Sevier. Masson; 2014.
  11. Rodríguez Pérez IM. Fisioterapia respiratoria en el abordaje de las bronquiectasias no asociadas a fibrosis quística [Internet]. 2020 [cited 2021 Jun 29]. Available at: http://search.ebscohost.com.are.uab.cat/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsdnp&AN=edsdnp.7709334ART&site=eds-live
  12. Sanz MP, Berenguel A, Izquierdo J, Villelabeitia Koldo.Rehabilitación Cardiaca. 2a ed. Editorial Médica Panamericana; 2025


During the course, more bibliography of interest will be provided.

Software

No specific software required

Course groups and languages

The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE

Type of teaching Group Language Semester Shift
(TE) Theory 301 Catalan second semester afternoon
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 301 Catalan second semester afternoon
(SCC) Clinical case seminars 301 Catalan second semester afternoon