Research Day

Explore the Research Day program featuring expert lectures, scientific presentations and panel discussions on musculoskeletal health and patient-centred research.

From Voice to Evidence: Bridging Patient Experience and Musculoskeletal Science 

Research Day 2026 aims to showcase high-quality research in musculoskeletal health and chiropractic-related fields, and to foster exchange between researchers from different career stages (students, early-, mid-, and advanced-career researchers), as well as clinicians and other knowledge users from Europe and around the world.

We will have two sessions in the morning, in which invited speakers will present their work. The sessions are centered around the topics of the importance of the patient’s voice in MSK health research and the mechanisms of MSK pain and manual treatments. The first session consists of patients’ experience reports, the researchers’ perspective, and a panel discussion to round it off. After a coffee break, mechanisms of MSK pain as well as manual treatments will be explored through six presentations by national and international researchers.

The afternoon will center on the newest research from around the world in two exciting and fast-paced formats to which researchers from all career stages are invited to contribute.

Join us in what will surely be an exciting day of high-level science and thought-provoking discussions!

Deadline: 28 February 2026
Submit your Abstract
Abstract submission
Research Day – ECU/ChiroSuisse Convention 2026 Thursday, 14.05.2026

Theme: From Voice to Evidence: Bridging Patient Experience and Musculoskeletal Science

Research Day Organising Committee: Lindsay Gorrell, Cesar Hincapié, Javier Muñoz Laguna, Clara Gieseke Lopes, Luana Nyirö, Petra Schweinhardt, Nathalie Schweyckart

Detailed Programme

7:30 - 8:25
Registration and Welcome Coffee
55'
8:25 - 8:30
Welcome
5'
8:30 - 10:00
Importance of patient’s voice in MSK health research (Chair: Cesar Hincapié)
8:30 - 8:35
Welcome
Cesar Hincapié, Musculoskeletal Epidemiology Research Group (EBPI), University of Zurich, Switzerland
5'
8:35 - 8:55
The patient voice
Judith Safford and Thalia Nikoglou, Patient Representatives, Switzerland
20'
8:55 - 9:07
Patient and public involvement project of the SALuBRITY randomised clinical trial
Corina Ryf, Musculoskeletal Epidemiology Research Group (EBPI), University of Zurich, Switzerland
Involving patients and clinicians in the design of a randomised clinical trial to assess spinal manual therapy and corticosteroid nerve root injection for patients with lumbosacral radicular pain
12'
9:07 - 9:19
Process evaluation of the SALuBRITY randomised clinical trial: learning and improving with patients and clinicians
Javier Muñoz Laguna, Musculoskeletal Epidemiology Research Group (EBPI), University of Zurich, Switzerland
How can participant experiences enhance high-quality trial conduct? Learnings from a qualitative process evaluation study embedded within the SALuBRITY randomised clinical trial
12'
9:19 - 9:31
Decision-making in total knee replacement surgery
Nathalie Schweyckart, Musculoskeletal Epidemiology Research Group (EBPI), University of Zurich, Switzerland
Patient and clinician perspectives on health communication and clinical prediction modeling needs for meaningful shared decision-making on total knee replacement surgery
12'
9:31 - 9:43
Citizen science musculoskeletal health research in Switzerland
Clara Gieseke Lopes, Musculoskeletal Epidemiology Research Group (EBPI), University of Zurich, Switzerland
PhD focus on MSK health citizen scientists and patient-centred participatory research
12'
9:43 - 10:00
Panel discussion and Q&A
With patients and presenters
Moderator: Cesar Hincapié
17'
90'
10:00 – 10:30
Coffee break
30'
10:30 – 12:00
Mechanisms of MSK pain and manual treatments
Chair: Petra Schweinhardt
10:30 – 10:45
Proteomic evidence of downregulated innate immune responses in chronic low back pain
Carlos Gevers-Montoro, McGill University
15'
10:45 – 11:00
Spinal stiffness and back pain: a common clinical assumption, but what does the evidence say?
Caspar Nim, University of Southern Denmark
15'
11:00 – 11:15
The link between manual treatment, neurophysiology and clinical effects
Lindsay Gorrell, University of Zurich
15'
11:15 – 11:30
The role of proprioception in chronic low back pain and the relationship to manual treatment
Michael Meier, University of Zurich
15'
11:30 – 11:45
Effects of two spinal manipulative therapy techniques on six degree of freedom mechanical properties of porcine spinal segment models
Martha Funabashi, University of Southern Denmark
15'
11:45 – 12:00
Intended vs. actual modulation of force time profiles of spinal manipulation across chiropractors
Luana Nyirö, University of Zurich
15'
90'
12:00 – 13:00
Lunch Break and Networking
60'
13:00 – 14:30
Lightning Presentations — All-Stages Researchers
90'
14:30 – 15:00
Coffee break
30'
15:00 – 16:30
My research in 3 slides
90'