Private Master's Degree in Physiotherapy for Musculoskeletal Pain

• Module 1
  Clinical reasoning in the approach to musculoskeletal pain.
• Module 2
  Neurophysiology of pain: theoretical basis and guidelines for its management.
• Module 3
  Pharmacology of pain.
• Module 4
  Psychosocial factors of pain: theoretical basis and treatment guidelines.
• Module 5
  Therapeutic education in pain neuroscience.
• Module 6
  Therapeutic exercise in the modulation of musculoskeletal pain.
• Module 7
  Neurophysiological mand Effects of Orthopaedic manual therapy.
• Module 8
  Orthopaedic manual therapy for the spine.
• Module 9
  Orthopaedic manual therapy in the upper extremity.
• Module 10
  Orthopaedic manual therapy in the lower extremity.
• Module 11
  Introduction to invasive physiotherapy.
• Module 12
  Clinical practices.

Graduates of this private Master’s program are highly qualified physiotherapists, ready to lead in the treatment of musculoskeletal pain. With a strong foundation in the latest scientific evidence, they apply advanced manual therapy and therapeutic exercise to deliver personalized, effective care that enhances patient well-being.

• This program sharpens clinical expertise in pain assessment and intervention design, empowering professionals to make a real impact on patients’ quality of life.
• Students also develop key skills for working in multidisciplinary teams and leading innovative treatments in top-tier clinical settings—from hospitals to sports and rehab centres.
• By graduation, you’ll not only master the latest techniques but also be equipped to drive research and innovation in physiotherapy.

Studying at Universidad Europea positions you as a leader in pain management, with a global outlook and skills that are in high demand across the healthcare sector.

Internships are a key component of your training. Acquiring experience after what you have learnt in your degree programme is the best way to enter the employment market. There are two types of internships: curricular—which are included in your study plan—and extracurricular—which you can do on a voluntary basis.

In order to complete curricular internships in companies, you will need to have 50% of the credits approved and to register the subject before starting your internship. These internships are monitored by the company and the internship coordinator.

If you want to take your work experience to the next level before finishing your university education, you can pursue an extracurricular internship. You can do them in any academic year, but keep in mind that internships are a formative complement to your studies; therefore, the more knowledge you have acquired throughout your studies, the more you will benefit from the internship experience.

• Dr. Jose Luis Alonso Perez
  He holds a PhD in Pain Management and Treatment from URJC. A graduate in Physiotherapy, he is a professor of Orthopedic Manual Therapy courses in the Physiotherapy Bachelor’s Degree and in the University Master’s Degree in Orthopedic Manual Therapy in Pain Treatment, which he directed for the last 15 years. He is currently the Vice Dean of Physiotherapy, Speech Therapy, and Occupational Therapy at the Faculty of Medicine, Health, and Sports. He is the director of the Pain Study and Management research group at UEM and UEC, where his main lines of work focus on interdisciplinary pain treatment. He is the lead author of the book “Orthopedic Manual Therapy in Pain Treatment.” He is also the co-founder of the National Institute of Pain.
• Mrs. Alexandra Alonso Sal
  Director of the Master’s Degree in Orthopedic Manual Therapy in Pain Treatment at Universidad Europea de Madrid, Canarias, and Málaga. Physiotherapist and graduate in Physical Activity and Sports Sciences. Specialist in Orthopedic Manual Therapy and Therapeutic Exercise for pain management. Researcher in the Pain Study and Management Research Group at Universidad Europea de Madrid, with several scientific publications. Clinically, she is part of the interdisciplinary treatment team at the National Institute of Pain, of which she is a co-founder. She has participated as a speaker at various national and international conferences and is the author of the book “Orthopedic Manual Therapy in Pain Treatment.”
• Mr. Guillermo Molinero Carlier
  Co-Director of the University Expert Postgraduate Program in Therapeutic Exercise for Patients with Musculoskeletal Pain at Universidad Europea de Madrid and Valencia. Lecturer in various Physiotherapy Master’s programs. Physiotherapist and graduate in Physical Activity and Sports Sciences. Specialist in Orthopedic Manual Therapy and Therapeutic Exercise for pain management. Researcher in the Pain Study and Management Research Group at Universidad Europea de Madrid. Clinically, he is part of the interdisciplinary treatment team at the National Institute of Pain. Author of the book “Orthopedic Manual Therapy in Pain Treatment.”
• Dr. Luana Colloca
  Professor at the University of Maryland and an Honorary Professor in the School of Psychology at the University of Sydney. She holds an MSc in Bioethics and a PhD in Neuroscience. Postdoctoral training at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden, and a Senior Research Fellowship at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, USA. Dr. Luana Colloca and her team investigate the psychoneurobiological basis of endogenous systems for pain modulation primarily in healthy controls and participants suffering from acute and clinical pain conditions.
• Dr. Lucy Thomas
  Lucy Thomas is a Senior Lecturer and Research Fellow in the discipline of Physiotherapy at the University of Queensland. She is also a qualified and registered musculoskeletal physiotherapist with postgraduate qualifications (Grad Dip App Sc (Manipulative Physiotherapy) from the University of Sydney) and holds an Honorary Physiotherapy post at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital. Particular research interests include: The safety of manual treatment of the neck and the recognition of alerting conditions in patients presenting with headache and neck pain, the assessment of the role of the neck in disorders such as headache and dizziness, the validation of simple cervical region screening tools for use in clinical practice, and the optimisation of treatment of cervical spine disorders.
  Pain in Motion Group Pain in Motion is an international research consortium between the Pain in Motion international research group of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and researchers from Ghent University, Antwerp University, University College of Applied Sciences Rotterdam, University of Valencia, Odisee University of Applied Sciences and Transcare Pijn Nederland. Pain in Motion is a multidisciplinary group of researchers and clinicians affiliated to different international institutions who combine forces to improve the understanding of biopsychosocial mechanisms of pain; and strive towards having a significant impact on health care for patients suffering from (persistent) pain.
• Dr. Josue Fernandez Carnero
  Physiotherapist from the Universidad Pontificia Comillas in Madrid and holds a Master's Degree and European Doctorate in the Study and Treatment of Pain from the Rey Juan Carlos University. He is currently a Professor and Associate Professor of the Department of Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine at the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos and has been teaching since 1998.
  He is currently Coordinator of the research group together with Prof. Francisco Mercado Romero of the consolidated research group in cognitive neuroscience, pain and rehabilitation in health sciences at the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (NECODOR) and Coordinator of the research group in Emerging teaching innovation in education based on the use of new technologies in health sciences (eHealth). He has published more than 40 scientific articles in international journals specialised in the area of manual therapy, pain and neuroscience. He is a member of the active member of the International Association for the Study of Pain."
• Dr. Carlos Goicoechea García
  Professor of the Department of Pharmacology at the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos and Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at the URJC. As a teacher, he has taught Pharmacology in all the degrees at the Alcorcón Campus (Nursing, Biomedical Engineering, Pharmacy, Physiotherapy, Medicine, Dentistry, Psychology and Occupational Therapy). He has also launched a Doctorate Programme, an Official Postgraduate Programme and an Official Master's Degree, and has directed several postgraduate courses.
  As a researcher, his line of work has focused on the study of pain and nociception, through the development of animal models, the search for pharmacological targets and the study and development of new analgesic agents. He currently holds the position of Vice-President of the Spanish Pain Society."
• Dr. Almudena Lopez Alcorcon
  Professor of Psychology at the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos. Doctor in Psychology from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, and Master in Study and Treatment of Pain from the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos. His research has focused, for 15 years, on the analysis of the role of cognitive-affective and stress self-regulation processes in endogenous pain modulation processes, as well as on the analysis of variables related to psychological flexibility in chronic pain and its treatment.
• Dr. Aldara Rodriguez Garzón
  Graduate in Medicine and Surgery from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Specialist in Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology. Preferential dedication to foot and ankle surgery. Treatment of tendinopathies and ligamentous injuries.
• Mr. Luis Torija López
  Professor at the Universidad Europea de Madrid. Specialist in Orthopaedic Manual Therapy. Physiotherapist and Psychologist. Master in Public Health.
• Mr. Iván Ruíz Rodríguez
  Director of the Postgraduate Course in cervicocraniomandibular disorder and orofacial pain. Specialist in Orthopaedic Manual Therapy and therapeutic exercise. Teacher, researcher and clinician in the approach to pain in multidisciplinary groups. Member of the Musculoskeletal Pain and Motor Control Research Group.
• Dr. Giacomo Rossettini
  Graduated in Physiotherapy in 2008 (PT); title of Orthopaedic Manipulative Physiotherapist (OMPT) in 2010; Master in Rehabilitation Sciences for Health Professions (MSc) in 2013 and PhD in Neuroscience in 2018. Lecturer in the Master in Rehabilitation of Musculoskeletal Disorders at the University of Genoa on the 'Cervical Spine' module; of the Degree in Physiotherapy at the University of Verona on the 'Integrated Manual Therapy' course; of the Master in Rehabilitation Sciences for Health Professions for the teaching 'Management and Development of Work Resources in Rehabilitation'. He has published in many areas, including contextual factors in physiotherapy and placebo and nocebo effects, topics of his PhD. Others are 'Clinical relevance of contextual factors as triggers of placebo and nocebo effects in musculoskeletal pain' in 2018, 'Boosting placebo, avoiding nocebo: How contextual factors affect physiotherapy outcomes' in 2016, 'Manual therapy: Harnessing the role of human touch' in 2019.
• Ms. Isabel Mínguez Esteban
  Professor at the Universidad Europea de Madrid. Specialist in Orthopaedic Manual Therapy, pelvic floor and invasive physiotherapy. Teacher, researcher and clinician in the approach to pain in multidisciplinary groups and member of the Musculoskeletal Pain and Motor Control Research Group.
• Mr. David Remohí Balance
  He is a physiotherapist and coordinator of the University Master’s Degree in Invasive Physiotherapy at Universidad Europea de Madrid. He combines teaching with clinical practice at the National Institute of Pain (INDOL). His areas of expertise are orthopedic manual therapy and invasive physiotherapy.
• Mr. Pablo García Ginés
  Lecturer in the Master's Program in Orthopedic Manual Therapy for Pain Management at the European University of Madrid. Physiotherapist specializing in Manual Therapy, orofacial pain, and pediatric pain. Researcher in the Research Group on the Study and Management of Pain at the European University of Madrid. Clinically, he practices at the National Pain Institute. Speaker at various conferences in his field.
• Ms. Irene Guaza Gómez
  Lecturer in the Master's Program in Orthopedic Manual Therapy for Pain Management at the European University of Andalusia and in the Expert Course in Therapeutic Exercise at the European University of Madrid. Physiotherapist from the University of Salamanca. Researcher in the Research Group on the Study and Comprehensive Management of Pain. Clinically, she is part of the interdisciplinary treatment team at the National Pain Institute.
  

• Degree in Physiotherapy.
• Diploma in Physiotherapy.

The program lasts for 1 academic year and comprises 60 ECTS credits. You will undergo intensive and practical training focused on the comprehensive management of musculoskeletal pain.

To follow the program successfully, you need an upper-intermediate level of English (B2 or equivalent). All classes, materials, and assessments are conducted in this language, which supports your academic development in an international environment.

During the program, you will develop advanced clinical skills in the treatment of musculoskeletal pain. You will learn to apply up-to-date techniques for patient assessment, intervention, and follow-up in different healthcare settings.

The program is aimed at graduates in Physiotherapy who wish to specialize in musculoskeletal disorders. It is ideal if you are looking to strengthen your clinical competencies and apply advanced treatment techniques.

Yes, the master’s includes clinical placements in hospitals and specialized centers. You will work directly with patients and apply the techniques learned in real healthcare environments.

The program combines theoretical classes, practical workshops, and learning based on real clinical cases. This approach allows you to develop advanced clinical skills and directly apply your knowledge in professional settings.