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Conference workshops

This year’s workshops bring together an exceptional group of osteopaths from Australia and New Zealand, each recognised for their leadership, clinical depth, and commitment to advancing the profession. Across the weekend, attendees will have the opportunity to learn directly from practitioners who are helping test the boundaries of contemporary osteopathic practice whether through innovative clinical applications, emerging technologies, evidence‑informed approaches and patient‑focused care.

This is your chance to learn from the practitioners who are pushing the profession forward. Expect big ideas, practical takeaways, and the kind of inspiration that you can take straight into your clinic. 

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Understanding multifidus dysfunction & its role in mechanical back pain

  • Friday 16 October 2026
  • 1:35pm and repeated at 3:35pm
  • 1.5 CPD hours each session

Paul Hermann

B.Sc.(Cli.Sc.), M.H.Sc.(Osteo), M.Ex.Sc(S&C)

Paul's bio

This hands-on workshop will unpack the evidence related to the ICD ten diagnosis of lumbar multifarious dysfunction.

"We'll explore the tests that enable us to identify this dysfunction and go through a lot of the exercise rehab that can help patients suffering it. It is one piece of the very complex jigsaw that is lower back pain, but hopefully it's a useful piece for you and your management of patients."

Learning objectives:

  1. The evidence behind the diagnosis of Lumbar Multifidus Dysfunction (LMD).
  2. Where LMD fits as a possible piece in the very complex jigsaw that is helping people suffering mechanical low back pain.
  3. Learn the tests to identify LMD.
  4. Learn the exercises and stages of exercise rehabilitation that can help.

 

Concussion science in practice: Live clinical assessment and decision-making

  • Friday 16 October 2026
  • 1:35pm and repeated at 3:35pm
  • 1.5 CPD hours each session

Zac Lewis

B.Clin.Sci.,M.Ost.Med

Zac's bio

Zac's practical sessions will address the gap most practitioners have, which is a structured framework for subtype classification, evidence-based rehabilitation dosing, and return-to-participation staging for concussion. Zac will take delegates through this with a live demonstration and guided clinical reasoning, not didactic instruction.

Learning objectives:

  1. Apply a structured cervico-vestibular and vestibulo-ocular assessment battery to differentiate concussion subtypes in clinical
    practice.
  2. Identify the primary dysfunction domain (cervicogenic, vestibular, oculomotor, cognitive-affective, or mixed) driving a patient's presentation
  3. Determine appropriate disposition: ongoing osteopathic management, co-management, or urgent referral to
    neurology/GP/emergency.
  4. Integrate assessment findings directly into graded rehabilitation progressions and return-to-sport/work staging.
  5. Construct a patient-specific clinical decision pathway applicable to sport, workplace, and general practice settings.
     

 

Essentials of patient led planning: Short, medium, and long-term osteopathic management

  • Saturday 17 October 2026
  • 8:30am
  • 1 CPD hour

Holly Royal

Holly's bio

Holly's workshop delivers a clear, practical framework clinicians can apply immediately to structure care, engage patients, and build a reputation as a practitioner with a plan. With patients no longer being satisfied with symptom-based care alone, their expectation for clarity, rationale, and a plan that fits their life is catered for with this interactive workshop. 

Learning objectives:

  1. Develop a framework that can be applied immediately for patient planning.
  2. Create a protocol for developing patient mutually agreed goals.
  3. Work through a structured care plan to help with engaging patients.
   

Treating complex musculoskeletal pain with shockwave therapy

  • Saturday 17 October 2026
  • 8:30am
  • 1 CPD hour

Tina Maio

B.App Sc (P.E) B.Sc (Clin. Sc) M.H.Sc (Osteopathy)

Tina's bio

This workshop  aims to provide osteopaths with a practical, evidence-informed framework for the assessment and management of complex musculoskeletal pain using both radial and focused ESWT. Emphasis will be placed on clinical reasoning, optimisation of treatment parameters, and appropriate modality selection to enhance patient outcomes. 

The practical component will consist of demonstration of common indications found in clinic, namely Lateral epicondylitis, Supraspinatus tendinopathy, Lumbar spine Osteoarthritis (upper limb), Achilles tendinopathy, Plantar fasciitis and Knee Osteoarthritis (lower limb).

Learning objectives:

  1. Identify dominant pain drivers, including tissue overload and neurogenic sensitisation to guide targeted ESWT application.
  2. Understand the physical characteristics, depth profiles, and mechanotransductive effects of radial and focused shockwaves, and their respective clinical indications.
  3. Recognise predictors of favourable response, managing suboptimal outcomes, and integrating ESWT within a broader osteopathic treatment plan.

 

 
 

 

Ageing well: A framework for osteopathic practice

  • Saturday 17 October 2026
  • 9:40am
  • 1 CPD hour

Amy Lawson 

B.Sc. UniMelb, B.Sc. VicMelb, MHthSci VicMelb, GradCert TertEd VicMelb

Amy's bio

This interactive workshop provides a practical framework for osteopathic management of older adults. We will briefly review ageing physiology and its implications for pain and musculoskeletal conditions, then map osteopathy’s role within the Australian healthcare system alongside other key healthcare providers.

Using case vignettes, we will explore common presentations, including osteosarcopenia, frailty, and falls risk, with opportunities to trial validated screening tools, practise targeted physical practise targeted physical assessments, and work through active management strategies that can be applied immediately in practice. We will also cover referral pathways, shared communication, and how My Aged Care funding can support coordinated team care in the community.

Learning objectives:

  1. Explore common presentations, including osteosarcopenia, frailty, and falls risk.
  2. Trial validated screening tools, practise targeted physical assessments.
  3. Work through active management strategies that can be applied immediately in practice.

Clinical introduction to myotonometry: An objective method to evaluate muscle stiffness

  • Saturday 17 October 2026
  • 9:40am
  • 1 CPD hour

Luke McCarney

PhD, D.O.

Luke's bio

 
Myotonometry is a relatively new field in musculoskeletal assessment. It involves devices known as myotonometers that can objectively measure superficial muscle stiffness. Myotonometers exhibit high validity and reliability in the literature, particularly the MyotonPRO, the most widely studied and used myotonometer in research.
 
This workshop provides practitioners with background on and experience with using myotonometers. Practitioners will be encouraged to assess the stiffness of different muscle groups, with pre- and post-intervention (articulation, MET, massage, etc.) activities to understand how these devices could be used clinically and in future osteopathic research.
 

Learning objectives:

  1. Practical use of and application of myotonometers.
  2. Understand how devices, such as a myotonometers could be used clinically.
  3. Assess the stiffness of different muscle groups.

Osteopathic management of paedriatric hip conditions from infancy to adolescence

  • Saturday 17 October 2026
  • 11:15am
  • 1 CPD hour

Julie Fendall

DO MOstSc(Paeds)

Julie's bio

This workshop aims to support osteopaths in the identification, assessment, and management of hip conditions encountered in paediatric practice from infants to adolescence.

Drawing on clinical experience and current understanding of paediatric hip pathology, a structured framework for history taking, examination, differential diagnosis, referral decision-making, and osteopathic management is presented. Conditions discussed include developmental dysplasia of the hip, transient synovitis, Legg–Calve–Perthes disease, slipped capital femoral epiphysis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, traumatic injury, malignancy, and referred pain.

Practical examination techniques and treatment approaches will be demonstrated, with a hands-on practical component that osteopaths can immediately take into practice. Key learnings draw on enhancing clinical confidence, supporting timely diagnosis, referral and promoting effective osteopathic treatment & care in paediatric hip presentations.

Learning objectives:

  1. Promote effective treatment in paediatric hip presentations
  2. Practical examination techniques
  3. Identify, assess and manage hip conditions encountered in paediatric practice

 

Evidence-based digital solutions for practice growth

  • Saturday 17 October 2026
  • 11:15am
  • 1 CPD hour

Nick Penney PhD

BSc (Hons) Ost Med PhD (Musculoskeletal Medicine) FRSM

Nick's bio

Systematic reviews demonstrate that digital health interventions delivering personalised self-management support significantly improve pain acceptance, self-efficacy, and patient confidence. Patients value accessible, evidence-based tools promoting personal growth through self-awareness while fostering active involvement in their care between appointments.

This interactive session demonstrates how the Mendable App translates this evidence into practice advantage. Learn how the app automates the validated Örebro questionnaire, incorporates ICD-11 pain scales, and delivers the biopsychosocial interventions research shows patients value most. By efficiently addressing psychosocial obstacles between appointments, delegates will be shown how Mendable enables osteopaths to deliver guideline-concordant care that builds patient independence—a key factor in treatment success.

Learning objectives:

  1.  Understand how to deliver guideline-concordant digital care that builds patient independence.
  2.  Identify and apply clear digital measurable MSK related outcomes.
  3.  Learn how to manage and implement digital evidence into practice advantage 

 

 

We are the peak body representing the interests of osteopaths, osteopathy as a profession, and consumer rights to access osteopathic services.

Contact us

Postal Address
PO Box 5044
Chatswood West, NSW 1515

1800 467 836

02 9410 1699

[email protected]

Osteopathy Australia acknowledges the Cammeraygal people of the Eora Nation, upon whose lands our office stands. We also acknowledge and pay our respects to the traditional custodians across the lands, waters and seas and thank Elders past, present and future for their continued custodianship.

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