Topic 1. Welcome to the world of pain sciences. Five key pain science findings and what they might mean for you and your patients

• The field of pain science is broad and rapidly changing
• There’s potential for change in people with chronic pain
• The instant clinical application of modern pain sciences

Professor Lorimer Moseley AO PhD

Professor of Clinical Neurosciences & Foundation Chair in Physiotherapy

25 May

Topic 2. Opioids and other medications

• Lessons from the history of the opioid overuse epidemic
• Opioid induced hyperalgesia 
• Pharmacological and nonpharmacological alternatives to opioids

Dr Graham Wright

Consultant Occupational Physician and Specialist Pain Medicine Physician

1 June

Topic 3. Harnessing the movement sweet-zone in recovery

• Facilitating a patient’s reengagement in meaningful activities
• Predictive processing in the context of pain and disability
• How to leverage cognitive neuroscience and behavioural science in patient care
• The ‘sweet-zone’ - the zone that maximises positive biopsychosocial adaptation for improved quality of life

Brendan Mouatt

PhD candidate at the University of South Australia; Accredited Exercise Physiologist

8 June

Topic 4. Psychological therapies for the non-psychologist

• the role of psychology in the inter-disciplinary treatment of persistent pain
• Demystifying common psych treatments for pain
• Recognising when a psychologist is needed, and how to approach this
• Identifying and responding to suicidality
• Self-care for the health practitioner

Annie Hopkins

Senior Clinical Psychologist at the Pain Management Unit at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital

15 June

Topic 5. The Protectometer in the clinic

• The Protectometer - an evidence-based assessment and treatment tool for health professional and patient
• Guiding the patient through a protectometer session
• Planning an active treatment, based on findings 

Hayley Leake

PhD candidate at the University of South Australia; physiotherapist

22 June

Topic 6. Rethinking Osteoarthritis

• New evidence from a range of fields suggests that many of presumed ‘facts’ about osteoarthritis may actually be ‘myths’
• The modern story of osteoarthritis, the capacity for change, even in severe disease
• Best practice, evidence-based management in context of the new knowledge about osteoarthritis

Assoc Professor Tash Stanton PhD

Clinical pain neuroscientist, with original training as a physiotherapist

29 June

Topic 7. A pants on approach to assessing and managing pelvic pain

• Common signs and symptoms of different pelvic pain diagnoses
• Biopsychosocially-informed assessment of patients with pelvic pain
• How to tailor pain management options for pelvic pain

Jane Chalmers PhD

Senior Lecturer & Post Doctoral Research Fellow at the University of South Australia; physiotherapist

6 July

Topic 8. The power of storytelling – from “buggered back” to “stable platform”

• The use and misuse of language in pain treatment
• Identify destructive and transformative metaphors and words
• Strategies for delivering powerful health messages in a short time frames
• GLITTER (green light imaging intervention resources)

Daniel Harvie PhD 

Research Fellow at the University of South Australia; physiotherapist

13 July