Spirometry for Physiotherapists Course

Lesson 1 • Mechanics of Breathing

Explains pressure-volume relationships and elastic recoil driving airflow. Builds the mechanical foundation needed to interpret flow-volume curves.

Lesson 2 • Respiratory Anatomy Review

Covers airway structures from trachea to alveoli and their functional roles. Provides anatomical context for understanding airflow obstruction and restriction.

Lesson 3 • Pathophysiology of Airflow Limitation

Introduces obstructive and restrictive patterns at the physiological level. Prepares students to recognize disease-driven changes in spirometric data.

Lesson 4 • Gas Exchange and Ventilation

Describes alveolar ventilation, dead space, and diffusion principles. Contextualizes spirometry within broader respiratory function assessment.

Lesson 1 • International Quality Standards

Reviews internationally accepted acceptability and repeatability criteria for spirometry. Establishes the quality benchmarks students apply throughout the course.

Lesson 2 • Infection Control and Maintenance

Covers filter use, mouthpiece hygiene, and device cleaning protocols. Protects patients and staff while preserving measurement accuracy.

Lesson 3 • Environmental and Software Factors

Addresses temperature, humidity, and BTPS correction effects on results. Introduces software settings that influence data capture and reporting.

Lesson 4 • Calibration and Verification

Teaches daily calibration using a 3-liter syringe and biological control checks. Ensures students can confirm equipment accuracy before every testing session.

Lesson 1 • Informed Consent and Communication

Explains the procedure, effort requirements, and potential discomfort to patients. Builds trust and improves patient cooperation during testing.

Lesson 2 • Monitoring and Adverse Event Response

Teaches recognition of dizziness, syncope, and bronchospasm during testing. Prepares students to halt testing and respond appropriately.

Lesson 3 • Positioning and Equipment Setup

Establishes correct seated posture, noseclip use, and mouthpiece placement. Proper positioning directly reduces measurement error.

Lesson 4 • Pre-Test Patient Instructions

Details bronchodilator withholding, smoking, and exercise restrictions before testing. Standardizes patient preparation to reduce result variability.

Lesson 1 • Slow Vital Capacity Maneuver

Distinguishes the slow VC technique from FVC and its clinical indications. Adds a complementary maneuver for patients unable to perform forced efforts.

Lesson 2 • Achieving Acceptability Criteria

Applies international start-of-test and end-of-test acceptability criteria in real time. Students learn to judge each effort immediately after completion.

Lesson 3 • Coaching Strategies for Maximal Effort

Provides verbal cues, visual feedback, and motivational techniques to elicit maximal effort. Effective coaching directly determines test quality.

Lesson 4 • Achieving Repeatability Criteria

Guides students to collect the minimum acceptable number of repeatable efforts. Repeatability assessment determines when testing is complete.

Lesson 1 • Flow-Volume Curve Parameters

Extracts PEF, FEF25-75, and instantaneous flows from the flow-volume loop. Teaches how curve shape provides diagnostic information beyond numeric values.

Lesson 2 • Percent Predicted and Z-Scores

Compares percent-predicted and z-score methods for expressing deviation from normal. Z-scores provide statistically consistent classification across age groups.

Lesson 3 • Core Forced Expiratory Indices

Defines FEV1, FVC, and FEV1/FVC ratio and their measurement from the volume-time curve. These indices form the basis of all pattern interpretation.

Lesson 4 • Reference Equations and Predicted Values

Explains how age, sex, height, and ethnicity generate predicted normal values. Correct reference equation selection is critical for accurate interpretation.

Lesson 1 • Systematic Interpretation Framework

Introduces a stepwise algorithm: quality check, pattern classification, severity grading. A consistent framework prevents interpretation errors.

Lesson 2 • Upper Airway and Variable Patterns

Recognizes fixed and variable upper airway obstruction from flow-volume loop shape. Expands interpretation beyond parenchymal and small-airway disease.

Lesson 3 • Obstructive Pattern Recognition

Identifies reduced FEV1/FVC ratio and concave flow-volume curve as hallmarks of obstruction. Covers severity grading from mild to very severe.

Lesson 4 • Mixed and Nonspecific Patterns

Addresses patterns where both FEV1/FVC and FVC are reduced simultaneously. Teaches differentiation of true mixed disease from measurement artifact.

Lesson 1 • Pediatric Spirometry Adaptations

Modifies coaching, acceptability criteria, and reference equations for children aged 5 and older. Pediatric-specific adjustments prevent misclassification in young patients.

Lesson 2 • Occupational and Environmental Exposure

Applies spirometry in workplace health surveillance for dust, fume, and chemical exposures. Covers serial testing to detect occupational lung disease progression.

Lesson 3 • Perioperative and ICU Applications

Uses spirometry for pre-operative risk stratification and post-operative monitoring. Applies modified protocols for patients with limited cooperation or endotracheal tubes.

Lesson 4 • Elderly Patient Considerations

Addresses age-related lung function decline, cognitive factors, and modified effort expectations. Prevents over-diagnosis of obstruction in older adults.

Lesson 1 • Communicating Results to Patients

Translates technical spirometry findings into plain language for patient understanding. Effective communication supports adherence to treatment and self-management.

Lesson 2 • Integrating Clinical History with Results

Combines symptom history, smoking status, and occupational exposure with spirometric patterns. Clinical context prevents misinterpretation of borderline results.

Lesson 3 • Correlating Spirometry with Other Tests

Links spirometry to DLCO, body plethysmography, imaging, and exercise testing. Multi-test correlation improves diagnostic accuracy and clinical confidence.

Lesson 4 • Serial Spirometry and Monitoring

Applies spirometry to track disease progression and treatment response over time. Teaches calculation of clinically meaningful change thresholds.