Abstract:

The learning of the techniques of treatment of the different pathologies that the spine can present during the period of growth is always a challenge for the students. The way of making the assessments to know the level of affectation and symptomatology, in order to establish a suitable physiotherapeutic treatment, is always difficult for the student of the degree of physiotherapy. Specifically, after many years of experience as teachers in this field, the greatest difficulty lies in understanding the Schroth technique for treating pathologies such as idiopathic Scoliosis or Scheuermann's disease.

This knowledge must be acquired within the column seminar of the subject specific methods of intervention in physical therapy, part of the degree of Physiotherapy. This seminar consists of a theoretical part, in which the student is expected to acquire a basic knowledge about alterations in the sagittal plane and three-dimensional column alterations that allow him to establish a good basis for learning to value and know the rachis from a both global and analytical point of view. It should be taken into account that the spinal column develops a protective function of the spinal cord and determines important roles in the static and dynamic body, which explains that its pathological processes have significant repercussions on our body. Therefore, it is important for the physiotherapist to have knowledge about the practical methods of treating deformities of the spine, especially in the processes of development of the human being.

The learning outcomes that are presented in the subject are: that the student is able to explore the spine both functionally and radiologically, to be able to evaluate and guide the type of treatment with specific exercises for re-education of the spine, that is, to interrelate the different exercises with their corresponding alteration. Thus, in the usual practical seminars in the degree of physiotherapy, in which the students do peer work, they are not able to visualize what the alteration in the spine would be like, since they are not patients, and therefore do not understand the reason of the treatment, neither put themselves in the physiotherapist’s shoes. This means that they do not know how to propose the appropriate exercise guidelines according to the pathology. That is why a new practice has been introduced within the seminar, which is based on the work of perception of the body itself in which the alterations that the spine can present according to the different pathologies are simulated. This allows students to understand and be aware of the differences between a spine with physiological patterns and a spine with some kind of alteration or pathology.

In particular, a session is held, where people work on body conscience for 15 minutes in which students are taught to recognize their own body by what is called Body Scam. Later they imitate the position of patients who present with Idiopathic Scoliosis or Scheuermann's disease and the same work of corporal consciousness is carried out, but this time inducing them to these positions.

After completing this work, a questionnaire will be delivered to the students. It consists of seven Yes / No questions and it seeks to determine how this work of body awareness has influenced the student’s perception and whether they achieve the goals of the subject.

Keywords:

Physiotherapy treatment, Body awareness, Scoliosis, Scheuermann, assessment, students.