Hands-On Healing: A Deep Dive into Physical Therapy

Use the curriculum provided with the Geriatric Simulator tool to guide students through an engrossing learning experience that highlights the physical, cognitive, and sensory challenges associated with aging. Have students take turns using the wearable simulator. Guide them to understand the effects of aging, such as limited mobility, visual impairments, and postural changes.

Additionally, consider incorporating discussions and activities that explore topics like gerontology, hearing loss, and cognitive changes due to aging. Use the presentation slides, student activities, and assessments provided with the Geriatric Simulator to reinforce learning and encourage meaningful reflections.

Alternate Activities

If you choose not to purchase the Geriatric Simulator, consider facilitating the following alternate activities using the attached handouts and Activity Slides. Display slides 3–4 and introduce the essential question and learning goals to students. Transition through slides 5–8 and present an overview of the physical therapist profession. Tell students that the purpose of these activities is to allow them to experience the challenges of aging, including vision impairment, limited range of motion, and stooped posture.

Display slide 9 and guide students through the following activities:

1. Limited vision simulation: Have students cover their eyes with the provided scarf or pair of goggles or glasses with petroleum jelly smeared on the lenses. Have them then complete simple tasks like reading small text on a piece of paper with their eyes covered.

2. Limited dexterity simulation: Have students wear large gloves, socks, or mittens on their hands. Have them pick up small objects like paper clips or perform simple tasks with their hands like tying their shoelaces while wearing the gloves, socks, or mittens.

3. Limited spine mobility simulation: Have students bend forward and complete the prepared mobility course.

After students complete each simulation, distribute one copy of the attached Geriatric Simulation Reflection handout to each student and move to slide 10. Briefly review the prompts on the handout, then have students work individually to respond to the prompts. Invite students to share out their responses and facilitate a whole class discussion that encourages students to reflect on their experiences.

Use the curriculum provided with the Wearable Auscultation Trainer tool to guide students to develop essential clinical skills in auscultation, palpation, and patient care. Have students practice rib palpation, stethoscope placement, and sound recognition using real-life patient simulations.

Provide opportunities for students to identify anatomical landmarks and distinguish between normal and abnormal heart, lung, and bowel sounds. Reinforce student learning by using the curriculum’s presentation slides, student materials, and assessment tools.

Alternate Activities

If you choose not to purchase the Wearable Auscultation Trainer, consider facilitating the following alternate activities using the attached handouts and Activity Slides. Tell students that the purpose of these activities is to allow them to practice listening to common heart, lung, and bowel sounds. Express that understanding where and how to place a stethoscope is essential in order to get the best results.

Play the following sound recordings for students:

1. Heart sounds

2. Lung sounds

3. Bowel sounds

Organize students into pairs. Distribute one copy of the attached Stethoscope Placement Guide handout to each pair and display slide 11. Have each student use their handout as a reference to properly place the stethoscope on their own chest. Have each student’s partner then listen for the heartbeat sound. Have them repeat this process to have each partner listen for lung sounds on the back and bowel sounds on the abdomen. Instruct partners to switch roles and repeat the process. After all students have had the opportunity to use the stethoscope, play the heart, lung, and bowel sounds again and have students identify them.

Move to slide 12 and facilitate a whole group discussion over the following questions:

• Why is it important for physical therapists to assess heart, lung, and bowel sounds when creating a treatment plan for a patient?

• How can abnormal sounds, such as wheezing or crackles, impact a patient’s ability to participate in physical therapy exercises?

• In what ways might a physical therapist adjust a rehabilitation plan for a patient with poor circulation or irregular heart sounds?

Express to students that physical therapists often assess breathing patterns, circulation, and gastrointestinal function in order to tailor treatment plans for patients. Explain that by practicing auscultation, students gain a better understanding of how heart, lung, and bowel sounds provide critical information about a patient’s health and how these factors impact mobility, endurance, and rehabilitation progress. Tell students that recognizing abnormal sounds allows physical therapists to make informed decisions about exercise tolerance, positioning, and breathing techniques to support patient recovery.

Use the provided curriculum included with the Concussion Education Kit to guide students through hands-on learning experiences that guide them to recognize concussion symptoms and understand best practices for treatment and prevention.

Provide opportunities for students to explore real-world traumatic brain injury (TBI) scenarios. Facilitate discussions on treatment and prevention strategies. Use the curriculum, student activities, and assessments provided with the kit to reinforce learning and enhance understanding. Ensure that students understand how to identify concussion symptoms so they can properly address them.

Alternate Activities

If you do not have access to the Concussion Education kit, display slide 13 and share with students that sensory loss, vision impairment, and sensory hypersensitivity are three symptoms that concussion patients may experience. Facilitate the following alternate activities:

1. Sensory loss simulation: Place items in a bucket filled with rice. Have each student wear a thick rubber glove on their dominant hand and reach into the bucket. Ask them to identify the items they feel in the bucket.

2. Vision impairment simulation: Smear petroleum jelly on the lenses of goggles or old glasses. Have students take turns wearing the goggles or glasses and ask them to attempt to complete a series of activities.

3. Sensory hypersensitivity simulation: Have students wear headphones playing loud music. Give each student a worksheet and have them attempt to complete the worksheet with the headphones on.

Distribute the attached What? So What? Now What? handout to each student and transition to slide 14. Have them reflect on the activities by responding to the prompts on the handout.

Use the curriculum included with the Taping and Wrapping Skills Sim Kit to set up stations where students can learn about different tapes, braces, and wraps and explore the pros and cons of each method. Provide opportunities for students to practice taping, wrapping, and bracing for different injuries, and time for students to familiarize themselves with different splints and braces.

The kit contains various prompts that have students demonstrate their understanding of the knowledge, practices, and skills associated with taping and wrapping. Use these prompts at the end of each lesson to check student understanding.

Alternate Activities

If you do not have access to the Taping and Wrapping Skills Sim Kit, guide students in understanding the fundamentals of taping, wrapping, and bracing. Facilitate the following activities that give students opportunities to practice real-world injury prevention and treatment techniques.

Display slide 15 and play the video What is the Best Ankle Support for a Game? | Ankle Brace vs Ankle Tape. Have students follow along with the video to identify pros and cons between wearing a brace and taping.

Show slide 16 and play the video DJO Roadshow Powerhouse Physio Taping vs Bracing. After watching both videos, encourage students to share out their experiences with taping or bracing.

Display slide 17 and distribute one copy of the attached CER Organizer handout to each student. Review the handout and introduce the instructions for the Claim, Evidence, Reasoning (CER) instructional strategy. Explain that students should first create a claim about taping used for injury prevention and rehabilitation and record that claim in the space provided on the handout.

After students record their claims, display slide 18 and have them watch the video Sports Taping for the Ankle - The Center for Sports Medicine. Then, transition to slide 19 and have them watch the video How to Tape a Thumb for Sports - Presented by Pivotal Motion Physiotherapy.

Have students use information from the videos as evidence to support their claims. Allow students time to record evidence in their handouts, then have them record their reasoning in the space provided. Encourage them to describe how their evidence supports their claim when they write their reasoning.

Display slide 20 and have students find a partner. Divide pairs evenly between the ankle and thumb taping stations. Have partner take turns properly taping each other’s thumbs and ankles. Once a pair has completed the activity at one station, have them switch stations.

Move to slide 21. Use the 5W Cube instructional strategy to engage students in a reflection on their learning. Ask for volunteers to roll the die and answer one of the following questions on the slide that correlates to the rolled number.

1. What are some common injuries that require taping or bracing in physical therapy?

2. When would a physical therapist choose taping over bracing, and what factors might influence this decision for different types of injuries? 

3. Why do some athletes or patients prefer bracing over taping, and how do their personal experiences or specific needs impact this preference?

4. How might a physical therapist adapt their injury prevention approach for an athlete who frequently plays back-to-back games?

5. Who should have final say in deciding whether an athlete uses taping or a brace—the physical therapist, the coach, the athlete, or a combination of all three? Why?

6. Where do physical therapists typically use taping and bracing techniques, and how might the setting (sports field, clinic, hospital) influence the choice between the two?

Use the EMT and Sports Medicine Career Scenario Cards to create a station and facilitate the following activities:

1. Present a scenario to the class, and prompt students to analyze the situation, explore possible responses, and justify their decisions.

2. Organize students into small groups and give each group a card or set of cards. Have group members collaborate to find a solution to the scenario and provide peer feedback to each other.

3. Encourage individual reflection through journaling and responding to key questions associated with each scenario. Reflection aids students in assessing their decision-making skills through written responses.

4. Have students engage in role-playing to bring the scenarios to life, provide real-time responses, and practice teamwork. Assign each student a role like a medical professional, patient, or bystander.

Alternate Activities

If you do not have access to the EMT and Sports Medicine Career Scenario Cards, guide students in investigating the careers of a sports medicine physician and an EMT.

Display slide 22 and have students watch the video introduction of a sports medicine physician, A Day in the Life|Primary Care Sports Medicine Physician Olabode Agaja, DO.

Move to slide 23 and have students watch the video A Day in the Life of a Paramedic ft. an EMT|Indeed.

Complete the station by moving to slide 24 and distributing one copy of the attached Venn Diagram handout to each student. Review the instructions for the Venn Diagram instructional strategy. Encourage students to work together to list skills and responsibilities for EMT careers in the left circle. Have students repeat the process for the sports medicine physician and physical therapist circles. Facilitate a whole-class discussion about what skills and responsibilities these careers have in common. Have students record shared skills and responsibilities in the overlapping parts of the diagram.