RheumAcademy

Rheumatology-specific continuing professional development for exercise medicine practitioners. Online, self-paced, and built by clinicians who work in this space.

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The CPD gap in rheumatology exercise medicine

Exercise physiologists and physiotherapists graduate with broad skills. They receive almost no specific training in inflammatory rheumatic disease — despite these patients being among the most exercise-responsive and most clinically complex populations they'll encounter.

RheumAcademy closes that gap. It is not generic musculoskeletal content repurposed for rheumatology. It is built from scratch around the conditions, medications, ePRO instruments, and clinical patterns that matter for exercise therapy in this population.

The foundation modules are required for all FlareForward delivery clinicians. The full catalogue is open to any allied health professional — whether or not you are in the FlareForward network.

Self-paced online modules

Case-based learning

Condition-specific deep dives

ePRO instrument training

CPD credits (pending accreditation)

Open to non-network clinicians

Curriculum

Modules 01–03 required for FlareForward network clinicians

Rheumatology foundations

RequiredFoundation

Pathophysiology of RA, axSpA, PsA, OA, and osteoporosis. Pharmacological landscape — biologics, JAK inhibitors, DMARDs — and their implications for exercise prescription. Disease activity measures and ePRO instruments.

3–4 hours

Exercise prescription in inflammatory disease

RequiredCore

Safe resistance, aerobic, and flexibility programming in active vs. remission states. Flare recognition and protocol modification. Fatigue management, pacing, and graded activity principles.

4–5 hours

Virtual assessment & delivery

RequiredCore

Conducting a functional rheumatology assessment over video. Environmental adaptation and home exercise setup. Technology considerations for older and digitally-limited patients.

2–3 hours

ePRO instruments in practice

Core

PROMIS Physical Function 8a, PHQ-9, and Pain VAS: administration, scoring, and clinical interpretation. Alert thresholds and coordinator escalation pathways.

1–2 hours

Condition-specific deep dives

Specialisation

One 60-minute deep-dive per FlareForward protocol: GRIP (RA), VALOR (axSpA), FORGE (PsA), ViP (complex), GROUND (inflammatory OA), BEDROCK (osteoporosis). Clinical nuance, common presentation patterns, and protocol-specific exercise considerations.

6–8 hours (6 modules)

Mental health integration

Specialisation

Psychological impact of inflammatory disease. Recognising anxiety and depression in exercise therapy sessions. Safe communication, appropriate escalation, and PHQ-9 item-9 flags.

2 hours

RheumAcademy is launching with FlareForward

The platform is in development. Founding clinicians who join the FlareForward network receive priority access and input into the curriculum.

Join the network Contact us about CPD accreditation