Nerve pain and sensitivity can present in many ways in practice and the symptoms vary widely; from tingling, itching, burning, stinging, feeling tight, swollen, bigger or odd, sharp shooting, deep nagging ache, ants crawling and everything in between.
Nerve pain triggers are often complex and multifactorial, and neural tissue involvement can be subtle in the early days, often mimicking or co-existing with simple mechanical pain. As primary healthcare practitioners, it is important to recognize and manage any neural component to your patients’ pain early to support their recovery and help prevent ongoing pain and disability.
In Nerve Pain in Practice Liz Howard has translated a vast body of research into an evidence-informed osteopathic approach to assessing and treating the neuro-endocrine-immune system. She utilises the current evidence from pain science, fascial research, neurodynamics and clinical trials to support traditional osteopathic treatment models.
Apply your palpation skills and manual therapy techniques for fascia (connective tissue) to the peripheral nervous system. Liz will guide you in this rewarding area of practice via efficient, ergonomic, and safe techniques in young, older and the most sensitive and fragile patients.
The course will feature pre-learning videos and face-to-face learning to cover;
By the end of this course, you will be able to
The Nerve Pain in Practice course is suitable for therapists with no experience with indirect techniques required. It includes practical examination and treatment protocols for treating nerve pain that you will be able to use with confidence in your clinical practice.
The course will run from 8:30AM to 4PM. Places are limited to 20 attendees. It includes morning and afternoon tea, printed course notes and an e-certificate of attendance for your CPD records. The course can be counted as 7 hours CPD and will include around 1.5 hours of pre-learning videos.
Liz Howard (Advanced Pain Management Osteopath) has many years of treating nerve pain in the pelvis and in general practice (peripheral nerve pain), providing her with unique clinical experience through the lens of the latest pain science.
Liz practices at the Women's Health & Research Institute of Australia, a specialist pelvic pain clinic in Sydney. She holds a Master of Science in Medicine (Pain Management) from USYD in 2013 and has over 25 years’ of experience as an osteopath, including pain education and as a clinical specialist in sacral neuromodulation.
Liz has more than 16 years’ of experience teaching at Australian universities and as a CPD provider. Her teaching experience ranges from course writing, presenting lectures and practicum in Undergraduate and Master’s Osteopathic programs (University of Western Sydney, Southern Cross University), clinical supervision of Osteopathic students (UWS, SCU, SportsMed Mumbai), to presentations at many professional associations including RANZCOG (Royal Australian & New Zealand College of Obstetrics & Gynaecology), AGES (Australasian Gynaecological Endoscopy & Surgery), NSANZ (Neuromodulation Society of Australia and New Zealand), Osteopathy Australia National Conference presentation, Pregnancy Massage Australia, Pelvic Floor Seminars, GP education evenings and international allied health events, most recently in Ireland, Sweden and New Zealand.
Find out more about Liz Howard's experience treating nerve pain here.
Colic, constipation, and reflux are common gastrointestinal issues for tiny tummies, causing distress for both babies and parents. They can lead to problems feeding and sleeping, increased crying and fussiness, and affect bonding and overall emotional health. With a comprehensive understanding of these conditions, osteopathy is perfectly placed to help alleviate discomfort and promote better function in infants.
Learn to use your palpation to assess muscle tone, the vertebral column, cranial structures and restriction in the diaphragm, thoracic spine, and abdomen. Then apply safe, gentle infant-specific osteopathic techniques to address cranial restrictions, optimize cerebrospinal fluid dynamics, and enhance vagal tone and digestive function, as well as release tension in the diaphragm, abdominal organs, and pelvic floor, and improve respiratory function.
Along with strategies to improve baby’s posture, feeding patterns, pelvic floor muscle tone and co-ordination, nerve function, cranial/cervical mobility, parasympathetic tone, and mobility and function of the intestines there is so much you can do!
This in-depth course from highly respected Italian Paediatric Osteopath Luisa Miraglia combines assessment, treatment planning, case-studies and gentle-but-effective osteopathic assessment and treatment techniques. Tiny Tummies will deliver you the knowledge and skills to support your patients and improve the health and well-being in both the short and longer term.
Techniques will be demonstrated and practiced via a combination of detailed pre-recorded videos, on fellow attendees and a planned infant clinic to end the day. The clinic is dependent on suitable parents volunteering. We will do our best facilitate this aspect of the course but for obvious reasons it cannot be guaranteed.
Understand infant colic, constipation and reflux, their causes, and how they affect little ones (and their parents).Tiny Tummies is open to osteopaths of all levels of experience. The course has a strong practical focus and includes appropriate manual therapy techniques that you can immediately use with confidence in your practice. Best efforts will be made to have infants present but this cannot be guaranteed.
Includes access to around 2 hours of pre-learning videos covering anatomy and other background topics. On the day the course will run from 8:30AM to 4PM. Places are limited to 20 attendees. It also includes morning and afternoon tea, printed course notes and an e-certificate of attendance for your CPD records. The course can be counted as 8 hours CPD.
Luisa Miraglia has more than 15 years’ experience practicing as a neonatal and paediatric osteopath. She graduated from Italian College of Osteopathy in Bologna (2009) and completed a Masters in Paediatric Osteopathy at the Osteopathic Centre for Children, Italy (OCC) (2019). Luisa has pursued further training in Europe and the United States, engaging in courses and clinical rotations collaborating with recognised leaders in the paediatric osteopathy field, including Viola Frymann, Jane Carreiro, Hollis King, Stuart Korth, Susan Turner, Nicette Sergueff, among others.
Her teaching experience in extensive, having worked as a teacher and clinical tutor at the OCC, as a paediatric osteopathy instructor at the OSCE school, as educational director and teacher for the Master's degree program in Paediatric Osteopathy at the Fulcro School of Osteopathy (Treviso), and serving as vice president of the Italian Osteopathy Association.
Luisa is very excited to be bringing her Tiny Tummies course to Australia for the first time.
Babies come in all shapes and sizes, but their little skulls are soft and somewhat moldable making them prone to skull deformations called plagiocephaly (or flat head syndrome).
Plagiocephaly does not affect the development of a baby’s brain, but if not treated it may change their physical appearance by causing uneven growth of their face and head. Fortunately, plagiocephaly responds well to non-surgical treatments but early diagnosis and treatment are very important.
The key to helping these infants is understanding the causes of plagiocephaly, the diagnostic criteria and techniques, and applying a whole-body approach to treatment. By utilising a combination of cranial techniques, gentle manoeuvres for cranial function, addressing musculoskeletal imbalances and considering the impact of soft tissue tension, you will be able to manage challenges and setbacks, helping promote little-ones continued cranial health and development.
This in-depth course from highly respected Italian Paediatric Osteopath Luisa Miraglia combines assessment, treatment planning, case-studies and gentle-but-effective osteopathic assessment and treatment techniques. Treating Plagiocephaly will deliver you the knowledge and skills to support your patients and improve the health and well-being in both the short and longer term.
Techniques will be demonstrated and practiced via a combination of detailed pre-recorded videos, on fellow attendees and a planned infant clinic to end the day. The clinic is dependent on suitable parents volunteering. We will do our best facilitate this aspect of the course but for obvious reasons it cannot be guaranteed.
Treating Plagiocephaly is open to osteopaths of all levels of experience. The course has a strong practical focus and includes appropriate manual therapy techniques that you can immediately use with confidence in your practice. Best efforts will be made to have infants present but this cannot be guaranteed.
Includes access to around 2 hours of pre-learning videos covering anatomy and other background topics. On the day the course will run from 8:30AM to 4PM. Places are limited to 20 attendees. It also includes morning and afternoon tea, printed course notes and an e-certificate of attendance for your CPD records. The course can be counted as 8 hours CPD.
Luisa Miraglia has more than 15 years’ experience practicing as a neonatal and paediatric osteopath. She graduated from Italian College of Osteopathy in Bologna (2009) and completed a Masters in Paediatric Osteopathy at the Osteopathic Centre for Children, Italy (OCC) (2019). Luisa has pursued further training in Europe and the United States, engaging in courses and clinical rotations collaborating with recognised leaders in the paediatric osteopathy field, including Viola Frymann, Jane Carreiro, Hollis King, Stuart Korth, Susan Turner, Nicette Sergueff, among others.
Her teaching experience in extensive, having worked as a teacher and clinical tutor at the OCC, as a paediatric osteopathy instructor at the OSCE school, as educational director and teacher for the Master's degree program in Paediatric Osteopathy at the Fulcro School of Osteopathy (Treviso), and serving as vice president of the Italian Osteopathy Association.
Luisa is very excited to be bringing her Treating Plagiocephaly course to Australia for the first time.
Breastfeeding is a beautiful and natural process, but it is not always without challenges. From latch and suckling difficulties, to milk supply and nipple pain, many parents encounter obstacles along their breastfeeding journey that can lead to frustration and even premature weaning.
Understanding these issues and how they relate to biomechanics, the MSK system, hormones, posture, and other factors is key to supporting your patients.
With the appropriate assessment and treatment techniques for baby’s skull, cervical spine, shoulder dystocia, breathing dynamics, pelvic mechanics and more you’ll be able to help them to embrace the joy of successful breastfeeding.
This in-depth course from highly respected Italian Paediatric Osteopath Luisa Miraglia combines the anatomy and physiology of lactation with case-studies and gentle-but-effective osteopathic assessment and treatment techniques. Breastfeeding Support will deliver you the knowledge and skills to support your patients and improve the health and well-being of both parent and baby.
Techniques will be demonstrated and practiced via a combination of detailed pre-recorded videos, on fellow attendees and a planned infant clinic to end the day. The clinic is dependent on suitable parents volunteering. We will do our best facilitate this aspect of the course but for obvious reasons it cannot be guaranteed.
Breastfeeding Support is open to osteopaths of all levels of experience. The course has a strong practical focus and includes appropriate manual therapy techniques that you can immediately use with confidence in your practice. Best efforts will be made to have infants present but this cannot be guaranteed.
Includes access to around 2 hours of pre-learning videos covering anatomy and other background topics. On the day the course will run from 8:30AM to 4PM. Places are limited to 20 attendees. It also includes morning and afternoon tea, printed course notes and an e-certificate of attendance for your CPD records. The course can be counted as 8 hours CPD.
Luisa Miraglia has more than 15 years’ experience practicing as a neonatal and paediatric osteopath. She graduated from Italian College of Osteopathy in Bologna (2009) and completed a Masters in Paediatric Osteopathy at the Osteopathic Centre for Children, Italy (OCC) (2019). Luisa has pursued further training in Europe and the United States, engaging in courses and clinical rotations collaborating with recognised leaders in the paediatric osteopathy field, including Viola Frymann, Jane Carreiro, Hollis King, Stuart Korth, Susan Turner, Nicette Sergueff, among others.
Her teaching experience in extensive, having worked as a teacher and clinical tutor at the OCC, as a paediatric osteopathy instructor at the OSCE school, as educational director and teacher for the Master's degree program in Paediatric Osteopathy at the Fulcro School of Osteopathy (Treviso), and serving as vice president of the Italian Osteopathy Association.
Luisa is very excited to be bringing her Breastfeeding Support course to Australia for the first time.
Endometriosis is a whole body issue, affecting the nervous, immune, endocrine, lymphatic and musculoskeletal systems. A growing body of research is exploring the interconnectedness of all these systems. But how do you apply that knowledge to your patients?
The Endo Enigma takes a cutting edge understanding of endometriosis, inflammation and pain science and combines them with traditional osteopathic principles and philosophy to develop a clinical reasoning framework you can easily apply to people with endometriosis and persistent pelvic pain in your clinical practice.
In this one-day course participants will gain an understanding of what endometriosis REALLY is - debunking many current myths. You will learn an individualised assessment and treatment plan for patients with suspected or diagnosed endo and how it fits within the context of an interdisciplinary team.
Treating endometriosis requires a number of skills; including hands-on manual therapy, pain education and lifestyle management. You will learn a variety of external manual techniques for pelvic pain that can be used together as a model or individually. The course includes a nutrition component, and a variety of tips to assist with whole person management of this complex issue.
The Endo Enigma is full of practical information you can immediately implement to improve how you work treating endometriosis.
The Endo Enigma course is applicable to all allied health manual therapy practitioners. You’ll leave with a framework for developing an assessment and treatment plan for patients with suspected or diagnosed endometriosis. Internal techniques will not be demonstrated.
Includes access to around 3 hours of pre-learning videos will cover anatomy and other background topics. On the day the course will run from 8:30AM to 4PM. Places are limited to 20 attendees. It also includes morning and afternoon tea and an e-certificate of attendance for your CPD records. The course can be counted as 9 hours CPD.
Rebecca Malon is based on the Sunshine Coast and in clinic at Freya Health she primarily treats women's health issues focusing on pelvic pain, hormonal health, preconception, pregnancy and postpartum. She graduated RMIT with a Master’s Degree in Osteopathy in 2010 and completed her Bachelor of Health Science (Nutritional and Dietetic Medicine) in 2019.
In addition to her clinical role Rebecca is a lecturer and Curriculum Facilitator in the Myotherapy Department at Endeavour College of Natural Health and is the Queensland practitioner member for the Osteopathy Board of Australia. She has been a contributor to multiple women’s health and endometriosis panels including presenting for University of Melbourne, Hypnobirthing Australia and QENDO
See Rebecca’s full bio here.
The presenters’ knowledge was impeccable and all the information was so valuable. The slides were great and contained just the right amount of info. It was well paced and I definitely came out feeling well-armed. Loved it
Well-presented pre-course anatomy review and content as well as great manual skills and nutrition taught on the day. As a physio the group of Osteo's were so welcoming and patient with our holes in clinical osteo knowledge!
Shoulder pain can be one of the most complex presentations a therapist will see. It can be difficult to understand, frustratingly slow to improve and limit the patient’s quality of life considerably. If you find shoulder impingement treatment tricky then this is the course for you.
Shoulder complaints are the third most common musculoskeletal cause of visitation to a general practitioner[1] with at least half of these persisting beyond 12 months[2]. Shoulder Impingement Syndrome (SIS) is the most common cause of shoulder pain[3] and a recent systematic review of interventional treatment for Shoulder Impingement Syndrome concluded the effectiveness of surgical or conservative therapies targeting the shoulder joint are limited.[4]
Don Hunter completed his PhD (University of Newcastle) in 2022, providing evidence that a relationship between thoracic posture and shoulder impingement syndrome (SIS) exists. Using a randomised control trial he established an evidence-based clinical approach to treating SIS using simple osteopathic techniques. In addition, as part of his PhD, Don provided an anatomical model describing why SIS occurs, which lends itself to the treatment of other upper limb conditions such as tennis elbow and wrist pain.
Shoulder Impingement: A Postural Model will review the normal anatomy and function of the shoulder complex as well as the pathophysiology of SIS, then explore the most common differential diagnoses and their key clinical signs and symptoms. Don will demonstrate the latest clinical testing for SIS and describe why thoracic posture is so important in addressing SIS and other upper limb conditions. He will also explain the anatomical model from his PhD that provides an explanation for the occurrence of SIS and how this model can be utilised to treat tennis elbow and other upper limb conditions.
Shoulder Impingement: A Postural Model is suitable for Osteopathy, Physiotherapy and Chiropractic practitioners. There will be a strong emphasis on practical sessions that you will be able to use with confidence in your practice immediately.
The course will run from 8:30AM to 4:00PM. Places are limited to 20 attendees. It also includes morning and afternoon tea, printed notes and an e-certificate of attendance for your CPD records. The course can be counted as 6.5 hours CPD.
I have always found shoulders a little bewildering. Treatments have been hit and miss over the years. This course gives me a good evidence based foundation in relation to shoulder pathology, specifically impingement. And we learned how to treat! Most excellent day.
Felicity Marguin
Loved it! One of the best courses I’ve been to. Really useable information and relatable to practice. Good spacing with breaks and amount of theory and prac. Don was great at presenting - engaging and observant of the audience.
Great case studies, good class size, everything was well organised. Wouldn’t change anything.
Heather
Don did a great job in presenting all the information with character, he had some jokes in there and you could tell he had a-lot of passion for shoulders. It made it very easy to follow along with all the information and data/statistics that would otherwise be dry.
I really, really liked all the graphs. They helped give us a visual to accompany all the information that was given to us, the images of the cadavers were also really great and helped us visually see the relationship of fascia with other anatomical structures in the shoulder especially the triceps.
The practical component was really great. It helped that it was a smaller class and we had a good amount of one on one
Don had a lot of great case study examples which helped put the theory into practice. He helped us understand that ideally not everything is textbook and gave us some examples of tricky shoulder presentations.
ANON
[1] Greving K, Dorrestijn O, Winters JC, et al. Incidence, prevalence, and consultation rates of shoulder complaints in general practice. Scandinavian Journal of Rheumatology. 2012;41(2):150-155.
[2] Van der Heijden GJMG. Shoulder disorders: a state-of-the-art review. Bailliere's Clinical Rheumatology. 1999;13(2):287-309.
[3] Mayerhoefer ME, Breitenseher MJ, Wurnig C, Roposch A. Shoulder impingement: relationship of clinical symptoms and imaging criteria. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine. 2009;19(2):83-89.
[4] Saltychev M, Aarima V, Virolainen P, Laimi K. Conservative treatment or surgery for shoulder impingement: systematic review and meta-analysis. Disability & Rehabilitation. 2015;37(1):1-8.
