Lecture

Placebo analgesia – from opioids to successful doctor–patient interaction

Inside the Football Mind: How Thinking Shapes the Beautiful Game

Abstract I

Placebo analgesia – from opioids to successful doctor–patient interaction

The link between the body’s own opioid system and the placebo effect has fascinated scientists ever since World War II, when Henry Beecher observed that saline could relieve severe pain if wounded soldiers believed they were receiving real painkillers such as morphine. Since then, researchers have learned a great deal about how our internal opioid system helps shape placebo-induced pain relief.

In this lecture, I will explore how the placebo effect works, focusing especially on the role of the brain’s endogneous opioidsystem. I will explain how scientists have tested ideas about the interaction between our expectations, our higher-level thinking, and the opioid system in human studies—and why those studies, despite being informative, could not definitively show cause and effect. I will then describe how new optogenetic techniques in rodents have allowed researchers to fill in this crucial missing piece by directly controlling specific brain circuits.

I will also place placebo analgesia within modern theories of how the brain processes information, such as predictive coding—the idea that the brain constantly generates predictions about the world and updates them based on experience.

Finally, I will discuss how the relationship between a patient and a healthcare provider can enhance the placebo effect, highlighting the powerful roles of empathy, compassion, and human connection in shaping pain and healing.

Abstract II

Inside the Football Mind: How Thinking Shapes the Beautiful Game

Football is not only on everyone’s lips; it is also very much in everyone’s mind—quite literally. Modern research in cognitive science is showing that the ability to succeed in elite football is shaped by far more than physical talent or tactical training. In this lecture, I will explore a series of new studies revealing how complex mental skills help drive successful performance on the field. These skills, often referred to as top-down regulatory functions, include executive functions such as working memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control. They allow players to make quick decisions, adapt to rapidly changing situations, and maintain focus under intense pressure. Far from being abstract psychological concepts, these functions turn out to play a central role in how effectively an athlete can read the game and react in real time.

I will also introduce personality into this scientific equation. While cognitive abilities help us understand how players process information, personality traits can shape how they respond emotionally and behaviorally to the challenges of high-level competition. Traits like resilience, openness to experience, and emotional stability may influence not only performance but also how players handle setbacks, communicate with teammates, and cope with the mental demands of a long season. When cognition and personality are studied together, a more complete picture emerges of what enables an athlete to thrive.

But football’s relationship with the brain is not purely positive. Ball sports, especially those involving high-speed impacts, also raise important questions about potential negative effects on cognitive functioning. In particular, concerns about concussions—and even repetitive, seemingly minor impacts such as headings—have fueled a long and often contentious scientific debate. In this lecture, I will walk through the historical “roller coaster” of how risks have been evaluated over the past decades. At various times, the dangers have been dismissed, downplayed, rediscovered, and sometimes overstated. Understanding how scientific knowledge has shifted helps us appreciate the complexity of the issue and the challenges in drawing firm conclusions.

Finally, I will discuss where the field stands today. What do we actually know about the connection between football, concussions, and long-term brain health? Which questions remain unanswered? And perhaps most importantly, how should researchers, coaches, medical professionals, and players think about the future? As evidence continues to grow, we need nuanced approaches that balance the many benefits of sport with thoughtful strategies for minimizing risks. My goal is to highlight both the promise and the challenges of understanding football through the lens of modern cognitive science—and to explore how this knowledge can shape safer, smarter play for generations to come.

CV

Dave Newell is Professor of Musculoskeletal Health in the AECC School of Chiropractic at Health Sciences University, Bournemouth, UK. His work focuses increasingly on the intersection of pain science, clinical outcomes, and psychosocial factors in healthcare. His most recent research explores how the contextual elements of the therapeutic encounter influence recovery, particularly in people living with pain. His contemporary interests in predictive coding and active inference as frameworks for understanding pain perception, and is currently developing projects that apply these models to both clinical and experimental contexts.

In addition to his research, Professor Newell plays an active role in postgraduate education and doctoral supervision where he presently supervises 6 PhD students.

He is also Head of The Centre for Pain and Active Inference (PAIn) Research at the HSU studying new interdisciplinary approaches to pain management bringing together clinicians, scientists, and educators to foster innovation in both understanding and treating pain.

Lecture

Context as treatment. Rebalancing the emphasis on minds and bodies in the manipulative professions

Parallel Session 1.2 – Sensory illusions as windows on the mechanisms of perception

Abstract

Context as treatment. Rebalancing the emphasis on minds and bodies in the manipulative professions

Pain is a uniquely complex experience which has challenged several generations of scientists, health professionals and philosophers in the pursuit of an integrated understanding of its mechanisms as well as effective management. Over the last decade or two, theoretical frameworks such as predictive coding have proposed that sensory experience is more a top down rather than a bottom-up phenomenon. A large body of empirical research now supports such a proposition. An emerging variant of this, Active Inference Framework (AIF), posits that the brain continuously generates predictions concerning the cause of sensory inputs and then acts to minimize errors between predicted and actual sensory input. In this context, pain is viewed not merely as a nociceptive input from the body but rather as an inferential process based on sensory signals, high level brain-based predictions/beliefs (priors) and the likelihood of one or the other being true. Priors are defined as the brain’s pre-existing beliefs/generative model about the causes of sensory input, including assumptions about threat, tissue damage, or bodily integrity. Priors are constructed and shaped by past experiences both at the conscious and subconscious levels. In pain processing, such priors influence how sensory input is experienced. The initiation and persistence of such priors which may include high expectation of pain is heavily influenced by multiple cognitive cues (contextual factors) within the settings of health seeking and therapeutic encounters. This talk aims to explain why what patients think and expect can directly modulate pain within the framework of Active Inference and how the deliberate and expert curation of these appropriate cues can potentially shift erroneous priors that underpin the persistence of experienced pain

CV

Dave Newell is Professor of Musculoskeletal Health in the AECC School of Chiropractic at Health Sciences University, Bournemouth, UK. His work focuses increasingly on the intersection of pain science, clinical outcomes, and psychosocial factors in healthcare. His most recent research explores how the contextual elements of the therapeutic encounter influence recovery, particularly in people living with pain. His contemporary interests in predictive coding and active inference as frameworks for understanding pain perception, and is currently developing projects that apply these models to both clinical and experimental contexts.

In addition to his research, Professor Newell plays an active role in postgraduate education and doctoral supervision where he presently supervises 6 PhD students.

He is also Head of The Centre for Pain and Active Inference (PAIn) Research at the HSU studying new interdisciplinary approaches to pain management bringing together clinicians, scientists, and educators to foster innovation in both understanding and treating pain.

Lecture

Neuroimaging patient / clinician therapeutic alliance – a hyperscanning approach

Abstract

The patient-clinician interaction can powerfully shape treatment outcomes such as pain but is often considered an intangible “art of medicine” and has largely eluded scientific inquiry. Although brain correlates of social processes such as empathy and theory of mind have been studied using single-subject designs, specific behavioral and neural mechanisms underpinning the patient-clinician interaction are unknown. Using a two-person interactive design, we have constructed both a fMRI and EEG setup to simultaneously record hyperscan neuroimaging data from patient-clinician dyads, who interacted via live video (for fMRI) or face to face (for EEG), while clinicians treated evoked pain in patients with chronic pain. Our recently published fMRI results (Ellingsen et al., 2020, 2022, 2023) showed that patient analgesia was mediated by patient-clinician nonverbal behavioral mirroring and brain-to-brain concordance in circuitry implicated in theory of mind and social mirroring. Dyad-based analyses showed extensive dynamic coupling of these brain nodes with the partners’ brain activity, yet only in dyads with pre-established clinical rapport. These findings introduce a putatively key brain-behavioral mechanism for therapeutic alliance and psychosocial analgesia. Improving patient/clinician communication might help reduce the risk of burnout for clinicians.

Talk GOALS (for CEU is needed):

1. Introduce hyperscan neuroimaging
2. Explain how hyperscan neuroimaging can help understand brain-to-brain concordance in clinical dyads
3. Better understand brain mechanisms for therapeutic alliance, as an important component of patient care»

CV

Vitaly Napadow is a Professor at Harvard Medical School and the Director of the Schoen and Adams Discovery Center for Chronic Pain Recovery at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and the Center for Integrative Pain Neuroimaging (CiPNI) at the Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging at Massachusetts General Hospital. Somatosensory, cognitive, and affective factors all influence the malleable experience of chronic pain, and Dr. Napadow’s Lab has applied human functional and structural neuroimaging to localize and suggest mechanisms by which different brain circuitries modulate pain perception. Dr. Napadow’s neuroimaging research also aims to better understand how non-pharmacological therapies, from acupuncture and transcutaneous neuromodulation to cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness meditation training, ameliorate aversive perceptual states such as pain. Dr. Napadow has more than 250 publications in leading peer-reviewed scientific journals, is past-President of the Society for Acupuncture Research, and was a founding member of the US Association for the Study of Pain (USASP), as well as serving on numerous conference, journal, and NIH review panels. He is a graduate of the New England School of Acupuncture.

Lecture

Debugging Pain: The Unfolding Story of Gut Bacteria in Chronic Pain

Abstract

The gut microbiome is reshaping how we understand, and potentially treat, chronic nociplastic pain. This presentation synthesizes translational evidence across human cohorts, gnotobiotic mouse models, and early clinical interventions to clarify the microbiome’s etiological role in fibromyalgia and complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). First, case–control studies demonstrate condition-specific alterations in gut microbial composition and function, with distinct taxa shifted in abundance and corresponding changes in circulating bacterial-derived metabolites in affected individuals. Second, causality is shown in vivo: transplantation of microbiota from women with fibromyalgia, but not from healthy controls, induces pain hypersensitivity in germ-free mice. Third, mechanistic work in humans and animals links these phenomena to microbial metabolic outputs and immune pathways, including microglial activation within central pain-processing circuits. Finally, targeted manipulation of gut communities produces clinically meaningful symptom improvements in patients and complementary benefits in animal models, supporting the microbiome as a modifiable driver rather than a passive correlate. Together, these findings move the field from association to causation and intervention, opening a pathway to biomarker-guided diagnosis and personalized therapeutics, ranging from donor–recipient matching to defined microbial consortia or metabolite-based strategies. For clinicians who manage persistent pain, the emerging gut–brain–immune framework offers actionable concepts for patient phenotyping, trial design, and future precision care in fibromyalgia, CRPS, and related disorders.

CV

Dr. Amir Minerbi is the director of the Rambam Institute for Pain Medicine and an assistant professor at the Faculty of Medicine at the Technion–Israel Institute of Technology.

A graduate of the MD-PhD program (2009) at the Ruth & Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine at the Technion–Israel Institute of Technology, Dr. Minerbi subsequently completed residency programs in family medicine and pain medicine at the Rambam Institute for Pain Medicine. He also completed a clinical research fellowship at the Alan Edwards Pain Management Unit, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Canada (2017–2019).

Dr. Minerbi’s research focuses on the role of the gut microbiome in chronic pain. His lab studies the composition of the gut microbiome in various pain conditions, the mechanisms of action that allow gut bacteria to play a causal role in chronic pain, and the clinical applications of gut bacteria in the diagnosis and treatment of chronic pain.

Lecture

Dr Bot in Healthcare: Challenging Conventional Wisdom

Abstract

In this keynote, I will challenge widespread assumptions about artificial intelligence in healthcare: I will ask what is the point of a revolution in healthcare, and question whether AI will merely assist rather than replace clinicians, and that the therapeutic relationship remains beyond its reach. Drawing on emerging evidence from clinical settings, I will show that AI is already automating core medical tasks traditionally seen as human domains; that clinicians are informally integrating AI into daily practice in ways that bypass institutional oversight; and that patients are beginning to seek reassurance from machines as much as from professional. Rather than treating Dr Bot as a speculative future, I will argue that it has already entered the clinic — and that we must urgently reconsider what it means to deliver care in an era when intelligence itself is no longer exclusively human.

CV

Dr Charlotte Blease is a health informaticist, Associate Professor at the Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Uppsala University, Sweden and Research Affiliate at Digital Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston. With a background in philosophy, she has worked in health research for nearly 20 years, and held academic posts in the US including Harvard Medical School for five years, Europe and the UK.
Blease has a diverse publication portfolio of 170 journal articles across AI, ethics, health psychology, placebo studies. Her book “Dr Bot: Why doctors can fail us and how AI could save lives” was published to critical acclaim with Yale University Press in September 2025. She is also co-author of The Nocebo Effect: When Words Make You Sick (Mayo Clinic Press 2024).

Lecture

Good reason for optimism: New evidence is making chiropractors more relevant than ever before

Abstract

Thanks to a wealth of new evidence about the impact and burden, musculoskeletal pain and disability is becoming a public health priority in Europe. At the same time, new evidence is transforming the way we think about musculoskeletal pain and disability, and it is transforming how healthcare will be delivered in the future. In this keynote talk, Professor Jan Hartvigsen will highlight key developments in research and health policy and how they will impact chiropractors in the years to come. There is reason for optimism if chiropractors chose to adapt to new clinical approaches and new ways of delivering care for their patients.

CV

Professor Jan Hartvigsen is a chiropractor (1989) and PhD in epidemiology (2001). He is Full Professor and Head of Research at the Center for Muscle and Joint Health, Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark (2016). He is also Senior Researcher at the Chiropractic Knowledge Hub.

Jan Hartvigsen is an internationally leading researcher and research leader in musculoskeletal health. He has authored over 350 international peer-reviewed publications. He has published papers in a range of leading international journals including The Lancet and British Medical Journal. He has authored or co-authored 15 book chapters and reports. His h-index is 58/72 (Scopus/Google Scholar, November 2025) and his papers have been cited more than 35,000 times. Jan Hartvigsen has given more than 250 keynote or invited presentations at multidisciplinary conferences in the fields of chiropractic, physiotherapy, back pain, rehabilitation, and orthopaedics. He has appeared in over 200 interviews including multiple appearances on national and international TV news, national radio news and radio programs, newspapers, podcasts and internet media.

Jan Hartvigsen has supervised 22 PhD students to completion as main- or co-supervisor.

Jan Hartvigsen was rated as the world’s number one expert in “Musculoskeletal Pain” (2016) and in “chiropractic” (2019) by Expertscape.com. In 2021 he was pronounced “World Expert” in Back pain because he had been ranked in the top 0.1% 10 years in a row. In 2017 he was awarded the “Researcher of the Year” award by the American Chiropractic Association and the “David Chapmann-Smith Honorary Award” by the World Federation of Chiropractic. In 2018 he was awarded the European Chiropractors’ Union Honorary Award. In 2020 he was appointed Knight of the Order of Dannebrog appointed by Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II of Denmark in recognition of his service through science.

Lecture

Identifying the Primary Proprioceptive Error: The P1 Test and the Adjusting to Neutral Approach

Abstract

Accurate identification of the primary proprioceptive error is at the heart of effective musculoskeletal care. When a joint loses calibration—through trauma, overuse, or loss of tonic stabilisation—it generates incongruent afferent input that creates dissonance within the sensorimotor system.

This sensory incongruence is a neurologic disturbance rather than a purely mechanical one: it disrupts cervical stability, biases autonomic tone, alters vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) control, and drives compensatory muscle activation patterns throughout the spine. Yet most examination procedures are unable to isolate which joint is generating the error or why compensatory restrictions develop around it.

This practical workshop introduces the P1 Test, a functional neuromechanical assessment that uses controlled vestibular input to reveal the vector of failure of the involved joint. By placing the patient first into a congruent position using VOR×0, and then moving away from that position toward neutral under VOR×1 load, the clinician can elicit a predictable cervicocolic reflex when passing through the plane of the primary proprioceptive error. This provides a reproducible, neurologically grounded method to determine which joint is responsible for the system-wide dissonance and the precise directional vector in which it has failed.

Building on this foundation, the workshop then demonstrates how Adjusting to Neutral (A2N) integrates with the P1 Test to provide a targeted, non-end-range high-velocity correction that resets intrinsic stabilisers without loading the paraphysiologic space. Participants will learn how to palpate from the identified vector of failure back toward neutral, differentiate compensatory tension from the true primary lesion, and apply the A2N cervical adjustment to recalibrate proprioceptive gain and restore tonic stability.

By combining contemporary neurophysiological principles with precise hands-on assessment, this session offers clinicians a practical, evidence-aligned method for improving diagnostic accuracy, reducing unnecessary force, and delivering care that reflects both expertise and empathy. Attendees will leave with a repeatable clinical procedure they can immediately apply in practice to enhance outcomes in cervical spine management.

CV

30 years of clinical and teaching experience in Chiropractic Neurology. Highly skilled primary care practitioner specialising in the diagnosis and treatment of joint biomechanics and neurophysiological disorders. Creator of the ‘Adjusting to Neutral’ Chiropractic Technique.

Lecture

A Lifetime of Movement: Supporting Physical Literacy Across the Lifespan.

Abstract

As chiropractors, Physical Literacy is such an essential concept to understand, embrace and convey to patients throughout the life course. This workshop will support you understanding of the concept of physical literacy and its components: motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge and understanding. It will enable you to recognise the importance of physical literacy at different stages of life. Support your application of evidence-based strategies to assess and promote physical literacy in clinical practice and finally aid you in developing practical interventions tailored to age and ability. Practical patient education tools to support your clinical practice you will be able to leave with an implement straight away!

CV

Daniel is a chiropractor and passionate advocate for education as a broad pillar to professional practice. Alongside being an academic and doctoral student, he pursues leadership opportunity that helps to forge partnership between institutions, organisations and communities in chiropractic. He is a National Teaching Fellow in the UK and serves as Co-Chair of the WFC Education Committee, Member of the Education Task Force for The Global Alliance for Musculoskeletal Health (GMUSC) and is a registrant member of the UK regulator the General Chiropractic Council.

Lecture

Active Release Techniques: Lets get hands on!

Abstract

A brief overview of theory, before getting our hands on learning a differential palpation and even a ART treatment pass!

CV

Luke graduated with a distinction from Welsh Institute of Chiropractic in 2013, moving to Northern Ireland and establishing his own clinic – North Down Chiropractic and Physiotherapy. Over the 12-13 years Luke has travelled extensively studying the more practical elements of chiropractic: ART, DNS, SFMA, TPI, FRC, FICS- ICSC amongst many others.
Luke now sits on the board of directors at Bangor Football Club a Premier league Irish football club, where he manages the multidisciplinary medical team. Luke is also involved in professional ice hockey, consulting for the Belfast Giants. Luke is a lead instructor for Active Release Techniques Europe, of which he presents today.

Lecture

Chronic overlapping pain syndromes in women’s health: integrating gynaecology and chiropractic care.

Abstract

This interactive workshop explores the care pathway of women with chronic overlapping pain syndromes — with a focus on musculoskeletal pain and vulvodynia. These patients typically begin their journey in gynaecological care and are referred for interprofessional collaborative management. Drawing on insights from an extensive retrospective case series, we will share clinical patterns, treatment outcomes, and common pitfalls. The second part of the session features a hands-on practical covering chiropractic assessment and treatment techniques tailored to this under-recognized but prevalent condition. Join us to enhance your understanding of integrative care models and refine your skills in managing complex pain in female patients.

CV

Profile
Social and creative leader, quick-witted problem solver, competitive and motivating.

Experience
2023–present – President, Belgian Chiropractors’ Union (BVC-UBC); President, Dutch-Belgian Research Institute for Chiropractic (DBRIC.eu).
2014–present – Chiropractor & owner of 4 practices (8 chiropractors, neurologist, pediatrician, hypnotherapist). Practices in Oudenaarde, Kruisem, Wondelgem, Evergem.
2013–present – Founder of EPICSoftware.eu: chiropractic eHealth record system with AI diagnosis support.
2013–present – Organizer/coördinator of 10+ seminars & congresses; tutor Graduate Education Program BCU.
2011–2014 – Associate chiropractor (Turnhout, Kampenhout).
Education
2011–2012: Postgraduate Professional Development (distinction), Bournemouth University.
2006–2011: Master of Chiropractic (distinction), AECC – Bournemouth University.
2004–2005: Rehabilitation sciences & physiotherapy, University of Ghent.
2004: AFS exchange year, South Africa.
1997–2003: Latin-Mathematics, SJKS College.
Awards & Achievements
2025: Title protection chiropractic profession in Belgium; reimbursement increase.
2024: Inclusion chiropractors in Flemish primary care database.
2022: Winner WFC Academic Scholarship.
2020: Youngest chiropractic delegate EU Parliament.
2011–2010: Multiple international publications & awards for research.
2006–2011: Academic scholarships & excellence awards AECC/Bournemouth University.

Committees & Memberships
Academic Advisory Committee DBRIC (2020–2023).
Steering Committee Primary Care Oudenaarde (2018–2020).
EU Affairs & Public Health Committees, ECU (2013–2020).

Languages
Dutch: excellent | English: very good | French: very good | German: basic

Additional
Invited speaker at ECU, WFC, Flemish dentists, Artevelde/VUB. Organizer Jubileum Congress (100 years of chiropractic in Belgium). Guest speaker in schools & healthcare networks.»

Lecture

Chronic overlapping pain syndromes in Women’s health: integrating gynécologue and chiropractic care.

Abstract

This interactive workshop explores the care pathway of women with chronic overlapping pain syndromes — with a focus on musculoskeletal pain and vulvodynia. These patients typically begin their journey in gynaecological care and are referred for interprofessional collaborative management. Drawing on insights from an extensive retrospective case series, we will share clinical patterns, treatment outcomes, and common pitfalls. The second part of the session features a hands-on practical covering chiropractic assessment and treatment techniques tailored to this under-recognized but prevalent condition. Join us to enhance your understanding of integrative care models and refine your skills in managing complex pain in female patients.

CV

2003 – 2010
Course Medicine, faculty of Ghent University, Belgium

2010 – 2015
Master in Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ghent University, Belgium

01.10.2015 – 31.12.2019
Staff member department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Vulvovaginal Disease Clinic, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium

23.10.2015 – present
Gynecologist AZ Glorieux, Ronse, Belgium

Certificate

16.09.2019 – 20.09.2019

Certificate from International Society for the Study of Vulvovaginal Disease, XXV World Congress and International Postgraduate Course

Publications

Genitofemoral neuralgia: adding to the burden of chronic vulvar pain, J Pain Res. 2015; 845-849.

Lecture

Neurorehab – An Essential Component of Chronic Musculoskeletal Care

Abstract

Chronic pain, frequent or repeat athletic injury, as well as some cases of tendinopathy and peripheral entrapment neuropathy are associated with and perpetuated by unfavourable plasticity in the nervous system. For specialists in chronic musculoskeletal care, it is not sufficient to simply look for tissue damage or inflammation. Of course, tissue damage in terms of acute or repetitive injury contributes to a patient’s pain perception, and so do inflammatory conditions. But what about the patients who have chronic pain without obvious tissue damage, or in whom the tissue damage should have healed a long time ago? And what causes tissue overload, injury, and pain in some people, whereas others who do the same activity or job remain unaffected? In this session we will discuss how abnormal pain modulation and central pain sensitisation can contribute to chronic pain. And how movement abnormalities and insufficient postural stabilisation can contribute to frequent or repeat injury, as well as negatively influence the systems involved in pain modulation. We will explore why addressing tissue damage alone will not usually fix movement abnormalities and pain sensitisation, and why a neuro-rehabilitative approach is likely to produce better clinical outcomes. We will consider the effects of exercise on the central nervous system, and why a sedentary lifestyle is not conducive to reducing inflammation and improving pain modulation. You will also be presented with practical strategies on how to activate the neurological pathways involved in contextual effects, in order to maximise pain modulation, and minimise pain facilitation, fear and anxiety. This session will include a practicum on basic examination and rehabilitation of parts of the nervous system involved in pain modulation, postural stabilisation and motor control.

CV

Nicole Oliver, DC, MChiro, BSc(Hons), PgDip(MSK Neuroscience)
Nicole graduated from AECC in 2005 and gained the Diplomate of the American Chiropractic Neurology Board qualification five years later. Alongside clinical chiropractic practice she has lectured for Neuroseminars since 2012, teaching postgraduate courses in clinical neuroscience. Nicole has also presented at several conferences and conventions, including World Federation of Chiropractic (WFC), European Chiropractors’ Union (ECU), and various European national association conventions.

Lecture

Unlocking Performance: Hands-On Sports Chiropractic for Aspiring Practitioners.

Abstract

This engaging session offers students a practical introduction to sports chiropractic, combining hands-on skills with insights into working with athletic populations. Participants will explore foundational techniques, the role of chiropractors in sport, and opportunities for further involvement through FICS. Ideal for those considering a career in sports chiropractic or looking to expand their clinical scope.

CV

• Sports Chiropractor. Grad. 1991 Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) Life U – USA
• Member European Academy of Chiropractors (MEAC)
• Secretary-General Belgium Chiropractors Union (BCU)
• President Belgium Chiropractic Sports Council (BCSC)
• Member Executive Council (ExCo) Fédération Internationale de Chiropratique du Sport (FICS)
• European Region Representative for FICS
• Observer to the International Sporting Federation (ISF) Commission
• M.Sc. Nutrition and Exercise Physiology
• B.SC. in Fitness, Conditioning & Performance
• Founder (ESP) Elite Sport Performance Health Centre

Lecture

Implementing Self-Management Support Strategies in Chiropractic Practice and Educational Settings for People with Spine Conditions and Associated Comorbidities

Abstract

People living with spine-related disorders often experience comorbid conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, anxiety, and depression. These interconnected physical and psychosocial factors may heighten disability and reduce treatment effectiveness when care focuses solely on biomechanical aspects. Self-management support (SMS) grounded in patient education, behavior change, and shared decision-making—offers evidence-informed strategies to strengthen patients’ capacity to manage their health and sustain well-being. This session explores the implementation of SMS within chiropractic practice and education, emphasizing person-centered care, interprofessional collaboration, and behavioral health competencies. Drawing on current research and implementation science frameworks, presenters will examine determinants of SMS adoption, including practitioner beliefs, educational readiness, organizational context, and patient engagement. Practical SMS strategies—such as collaborative goal-setting, motivational interviewing, and structured health coaching—will be illustrated through examples in spinal pain management and chronic disease prevention. This interactive session will engage participants in reflecting on their experiences with SMS and their perceived capacity to apply it across age groups. Attendees will identify key barriers and enablers to implementation and share approaches to embed SMS sustainably in clinical and educational contexts. By aligning chiropractic care with contemporary chronic disease management models, this session positions chiropractors as integral contributors to multidisciplinary primary care teams. Participants will gain actionable insights to enhance self-management capacity among patients, address health disparities, and strengthen chiropractic’s role in integrated, value-based care. Learning Objectives: 1. Develop a person-centered SMS plan for spine-related disorders with comorbidities. 2. Identify determinants influencing SMS adoption. 3. Discuss the feasibility of integrating SMS in practice. Selected references: • Pigeon S, Lardon A, Bussières A. Exploring knowledge, confidence and barriers to evidence-based practice implementation of self-management strategy for low back pain during chiropractic training in France: a mixed method study. BMC Complement Med Ther. 2025;25(1):400. https://doi.org/.10.1186/s12906-025-05115-2. • Rousseau P, Giroux D, Branconnier C, et al. Perceptions and use of self-management support strategies to improve the management of spine pain patients in a French-Canadian chiropractic teaching program: a mixed method study. Chiropract Manual Ther. 2025;33(1):50. https://doi.org/.10.1186/s12998-025-00611-1. • Eilayyan O, Thomas A, Halle MC, et al. Promoting the use of a self-management strategy among novice chiropractors treating individuals with spine pain: A mixed methods pilot clustered-clinical trial. PLoS One. 2022;17(1):e0262825. https://doi.org/.10.1371/journal.pone.0262825. • Eilayyan O, Thomas A, Hallé M-C, et al. Promoting the use of self-management in patients with spine pain managed by chiropractors and chiropractic interns: barriers and design of a theory-based knowledge translation intervention. Chiropract Manual Ther. 2019;27(1):44. https://doi.org/.10.1186/s12998-019-0267-6 • Dhopte P, French SD, Quon JA, et al. Guideline implementation in the Canadian chiropractic setting: a pilot cluster randomized controlled trial and parallel study. Chiropract Manual Ther. 2019;27:31-. https://doi.org/.10.1186/s12998-019-0253-z.

CV

Dr. André Bussières is a full Professor in the Chiropractic Department at l’Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada with cross appointments at the School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, McGill University, l’Institut Franco-Européen de Chiropraxie, the Université du Manitoba, and the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College. He held a Professorship in Rehabilitation Epidemiology (McGill University, 2012-2018).
He is the lead investigator of the of World Spine Care Canad (WSCC) implementation projects, and a member of World Rehabilitation Alliance (WHO) and Spine20 Scientific Taskforce. His research focuses on implementation of best practices, health service research, medical education, and clinical practice guidelines development, uptake and application. He has published over 160 scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals.