Anatomy vs Musculoskeletal Anatomy: What’s the Difference?

7 January 2026

If you’re interested in becoming a physiotherapist and have begun looking at your study options, you’ve probably discovered that many universities require 1 or 2 anatomy prerequisites.

But some physiotherapy programs require studies in musculoskeletal anatomy, and now you might be wondering if your anatomy courses are sufficient.

muscle anatomy of back, shoulders, and arm
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Let’s break it down!

What is Anatomy?

Anatomy is the broad study of the structure of the human body. It’s everything from your organs and blood vessels to your skin, nerves, and bones. It’s like getting a full map of what’s inside us and how it’s all put together.

In most anatomy courses, you’ll look at

  • systems like circulatory, nervous, respiratory, digestive, and musculoskeletal;
  • organs like the heart, lungs, brain, kidneys, etc.; and
  • tissues and structures—everything from skin to connective tissues to blood vessels.

Basically, if it’s in the body, anatomy covers it.

 

What is Musculoskeletal Anatomy?

Musculoskeletal anatomy is a focused area within anatomy. It zooms in on everything that helps you move: your bones, joints, muscles, and how they all work together.

  • The skeleton – all the bones in your body
  • Joints – how bones connect and move
  • Muscles – where they attach, what actions they create, and how they stabilize and move the body
  • Movements – how muscles and joints coordinate to let you walk, sit, reach, squat, jump, etc.

 

Why Does This Distinction Matter?

Unfortunately, universities aren’t usually flexible on their prerequisites. So, if you haven’t taken a musculoskeletal anatomy course, you won’t be eligible for some physiotherapy programs; however, you can enroll in a course now then submit your application while you complete the course.

If you’re not sure if this will work for you, just reach out to our Rehabilitation Sciences Admissions Team at rehabsci@oztrekk.com and we’ll help you come up with a plan that’s right for you.

 

Australian Physiotherapy Degrees

Think you might be interested in studying physiotherapy? Check out the Australian physiotherapy programs below to see if any of them might be a good fit for you. We’ve made a note to show which universities require studies in musculoskeletal anatomy.

 

Do you have questions about studying physiotherapy? Let us know! Please email rehabsci@oztrekk.com, book a chat, or call 1-688-698-7355. Together, we’ll find a program that fits!

 

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