XNB368 Sports Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation
To view more information for this unit, select Unit Outline from the list below. Please note the teaching period for which the Unit Outline is relevant.
| Unit code: | XNB368 |
|---|---|
| Prerequisite(s): | XNB272 and XNB274 |
| Equivalent(s): | XNB378 |
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Timetable | Details in HiQ, if available |
| Availabilities |
|
| CSP student contribution | $1,192 |
| Domestic tuition unit fee | $4,704 |
| International unit fee | $4,848 |
Unit Outline: Semester 1 2026, Kelvin Grove, Internal
| Unit code: | XNB368 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Pre-requisite: | XNB272 and XNB274 |
| Equivalent: | XNB378 |
| Coordinator: | Anthony Shield | aj.shield@qut.edu.au |
Overview
The role of exercise in preventing and treating athletic injuries is well accepted. Well-designed exercise/training programs must address the known risk factors for injury and recurrent injury. This requires an applied understanding of assessment, prescription and education based on evidence-based practice and sports science reasoning. This advanced unit synthesises your previous knowledge of anatomy, biomechanics, exercise physiology, and exercise prescription and builds on this by systematically considering a range of athlete-specific concepts and case studies as seen in professional practice and applying them to the sports science setting.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Recognise and communicate the aetiology (with a focus on modifiable evidence-based risk factors), epidemiology, and clinical course of common traumatic and insidious sports injuries in developing injury prevention strategies
- Use clinical reasoning to justify the rehabilitation of common sports injuries to the point of return to play
- Critically assess scientific literature and conventional practices in the field of sports injury rehabilitation to make informed decisions around evidence-based injury rehabilitation programs for the athlete
- Effectively work in teams to present an evidence-based injury prevention or rehabilitation program to address a common sports injury.
Content
Topics will include evidence-based assessment, exercise prescription and programming for selected athletic injuries from the time of injury to return to play that may include but are not limited to the following areas:
Lower extremity injuries
Upper extremity injuries
Head Injuries
Trunk Injuries
There will also be a focus on multi-disciplinary practice in the a) injury prevention, b) assessment c) rehabilitation/management, c) return to play parameters of these injuries in athletic populations, and d) consideration of athlete's health and wellbeing (ethical approach to return to play; sustainability of athlete's physical and emotional wellbeing).
Learning Approaches
This unit provides opportunities for case study learning activities relevant to injury prevention and rehabilitation in the sports science environment that strengthen the connection between theory and application, and prepare you for professional practice. The content will be supported by learning modalities that may include, but are not limited to, a combination of lectures, readings, case studies, and clinical lab activities.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
Feedback to students
Feedback in this unit is provided to you in the following ways:
- a range of formative exercises will be discussed in class;
- comments on summative assessment work in addition to criteria sheets;
- generic comments back to the cohort via QUT Canvas;
- criteria sheet grading; and
- feedback from peers.
Assessment
Overview
Summative assessment consists of two items as outlined below. Assessment focused formative learning opportunities will be provided during the semester. You will have an opportunity to design and deliver evidenced based injury prevention and rehabilitation strategies for athletic populations through various case studies presented in tutorials.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Presentation
You will present, in pairs, an in-service-style PowerPoint presentation for exercise and allied health professionals that describes the epidemiology of a common injury and present an evidence-based injury prevention or rehabilitation program. You must emphasise the nature of the evidence, the level of that evidence, and its limitations. You will be evaluated both individually (e.g. communication, question and answer) and as a group; further details provided on Canvas.
The use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools is NOT authorised during this assessment. Unauthorised use may be treated as a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and appropriate penalties imposed.
Assessment: Understanding and Addressing Common Injuries Through Evidence-Based Practice
You will demonstrate your application of evidenced-based knowledge and sport science reasoning through the compilation of real-world case studies completed during the semester, demonstrating your ability to plan evidence-based injury prevention and rehabilitation strategies for various athletic populations.
You will demonstrate your application of evidenced-based knowledge and sport science reasoning by conducting a concise literature review of three sports injuries. For each injury, you will briefly describe the epidemiology, mechanisms(s) and risk factors and then summarise an evidence-based prevention or rehabilitation program. You must emphasise the nature of the evidence, the level of that evidence and its limitations.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
The ethical and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is authorised in this assessment. See the relevant assessment details page for specific guidelines.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.
The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Resources
Learning material, resources and information will made available via Canvas, including journal articles, government publications and national foundation resources.
In addition to the online materials, the following texts are recommended:
Brukner and Kahn. (2012). Clincial sports medicine. McGraw-Hill, Australia.
Various Journal Articles.
Resource Materials
Recommended text(s)
Brukner and Kahn. (2012). Clincial sports medicine. McGraw-Hill, Australia.
Risk Assessment Statement
There is no out of the ordinary risks associated with this unit.
Course Learning Outcomes
This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.XN50 Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science
- Design and deliver exercise assessments and programs to meet the specific needs of contemporary sport, exercise and health contexts.
Relates to: Presentation, Understanding and Addressing Common Injuries Through Evidence-Based Practice - Apply problem-solving, critical thinking, and analytical reasoning to implement, analyse and evaluate evidence-based interventions for diverse clients and stakeholders.
Relates to: Presentation, Understanding and Addressing Common Injuries Through Evidence-Based Practice - Communicate and collaborate to transfer complex knowledge to clients and health professionals in a culturally safe manner.
Relates to: Presentation - Apply knowledge and skills within the professional, legislative, and ethical standards of practice.
Relates to: Presentation, Understanding and Addressing Common Injuries Through Evidence-Based Practice
XN51 Bachelor of Clinical Exercise Physiology
- Design and deliver exercise assessments and programs to meet the specific needs of individuals and populations across the full health spectrum.
Relates to: Presentation, Understanding and Addressing Common Injuries Through Evidence-Based Practice - Communicate and collaborate to transfer complex knowledge to clients and health professionals in a culturally safe manner.
Relates to: Presentation, Understanding and Addressing Common Injuries Through Evidence-Based Practice
XN55 Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science (Honours)
- Design and deliver advanced exercise assessments and programs to meet the specific needs of contemporary sport, exercise and health contexts.
Relates to: Presentation, Understanding and Addressing Common Injuries Through Evidence-Based Practice - Critically apply problem-solving, innovative thinking, and analytical reasoning to develop, implement and evaluate evidence-based interventions for diverse clients and stakeholders.
Relates to: Presentation, Understanding and Addressing Common Injuries Through Evidence-Based Practice - Communicate and collaborate effectively using a range of written, oral and digital formats to transfer complex knowledge to clients and sport and exercise professionals in an inclusive and culturally responsive manner.
Relates to: Presentation