Soft Tissue and Joint Injection Therapy

This module aims to enable you, as an experienced practitioner in the field of musculoskeletal practice (general practitioner, physiotherapist and nurse), to extend your scope of practice to include the use of injection therapy.

This module is designed to enable you to use injection therapy as part of your expanded musculoskeletal practice.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this module you are expected to be able to:

• demonstrate advanced knowledge of general musculoskeletal anatomy
• demonstrate advance soft tissue assessment and diagnostic skills
• be able to clinically reason and evaluate the need for intervention with injection therapy
• understand and discuss the contraindications for injections
• understand and discuss safety techniques involve in injection administration
• be able to carry out safely injection and aspiration procedures in joints and soft tissues

Our expert staff

• Our tutors include a consultant rheumatologist and other injecting practitioners

• a relevant first degree, OR relevant professional experience or qualifications that demonstrates ability to study at M level
• a minimum of three years post-registration experience
• current registration with the relevant UK or equivalent professional body: HCPC or equivalent registration, e.g. in case of doctors (GMC) and nurses (NMC)
• current professional practice within an environment where musculoskeletal injection could be used
• have an approved supervisor which should include a doctor and/or a qualified injection therapist/practitioner.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language we require an IELTS score of 6.5 or a TOEFL score of 450/200.

If you do not meet our IELTS requirements then you may be able to complete a pre-sessional English pathway that enables you to start your course without retaking IELTS.

Module Outline

This module is supported by a dedicated, regularly updated, student-centred website (using Moodle) offering online assessment (mock and real) news, online case studies, resources, web links, tutor access, online help (24/7), course information and other relevant material.

You are expected to have an identified mentor in your workplace that is able to support you with the development of the skills required for the soft tissue and joint injection therapy module.

We understand that deciding where and what to study is a very important decision for you. We’ll make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the courses, services and facilities as described on our website. However, if we need to make material changes, for example due to significant disruption, or in response to COVID-19, we’ll let our applicants and students know as soon as possible.

Assessment strategy

Summative assessment consists of three components:

• record of ten musculoskeletal cases injected under supervision. There is no weighting for this component, but it must be passed.
• evidence of reflective practice and clinical reasoning in logbook format (this is intended to reflect your experience and should document key issues that have been considered whilst developing injection therapy skills) – weighting: 60 per cent.
• one case study (the role of injection therapy for one patient) – weighting: 40 per cent.

• Fees for 2023-24 (.PDF).

• Fees for 2024-25 (.PDF).

If you have any questions about the module fees please email msk@essex.ac.uk.

In the first instance approach your Education Liaison Manager to see if funding can be secured via the organisation you are working for.

To apply for an individual module please complete the module application form (.docx) and email to msk@essex.ac.uk for the attention of Sophie Young.