Paincast

Sign up for Paincast 3-2-1 newsletter to get episode summaries and reflections delivered to your inbox for free, no more than once a month. Here's the link to read this episode's newsletter issue: https://paincast.beehiiv.com/p/neurodynamics-and-pain-ep51

In this episode, we discussed:

Michael Shacklock, DipPhysio, MAppSc, FACP, is an internationally recognized physiotherapist, researcher, educator, and pioneer in the field of clinical neurodynamics. He is the founder of the neurodynamics approach in physical and manual therapy and the Founding Director of Neurodynamic Solutions, an organization dedicated to advancing the understanding and clinical application of neurodynamics worldwide.

Michael trained as a physiotherapist in New Zealand before completing postgraduate studies in advanced manipulative therapy and a Master of Applied Science at the University of South Australia. His master’s research focused on his discovery of neurodynamic sequencing, a concept that has since become an important part of contemporary neurodynamic assessment and treatment. In 2007, he was made a Fellow of the Australian College of Physiotherapists by original contribution.

He is the author of Clinical Neurodynamics: A New System of Musculoskeletal Treatment, which has been translated into multiple languages, and has contributed extensively to the scientific literature on neural biomechanics, neurodynamic testing, spinal cord and peripheral nerve movement, sciatica, lumbar radiculopathy, and carpal tunnel syndrome.

Michael has taught and presented internationally at universities, professional conferences, clinics, and elite sporting organizations. His educational and consulting work has included organizations such as Liverpool FC, Manchester City FC, FC Barcelona, the Chicago Bulls, the Australian Institute of Sport, and Stanford University Sports Rehabilitation.

Through his ongoing clinical, research, and educational work, Michael continues to develop and refine how clinicians understand, assess, and treat disorders involving the nervous and musculoskeletal systems.

Resources

Connect

Paincast is dedicated to bringing together researchers, clinicians, and students to discuss topics related to pain and physiotherapy. The primary purpose is to facilitate knowledge translation and critical thinking. Some episodes posit themselves as more educational than others, and some more opinionated than others. The listener is encouraged to listen critically. While there is an effort to incorporate research evidence, and the topics are always researched by the host, we recognize there is room for improvement and there is expertise in the community. As such, we invite constructive critique and that you inform us of any inadvertent errors, so that we may correct them. You may submit your feedback through this form: https://forms.gle/UFfbUHBh8uKwSKgS8

Follow Paincast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paincast.psd/

Paincast is now on YouTube. Watch full video interviews: https://www.youtube.com/@PainScienceDivision

For Paincast's 50th episode, we're turning the microphone around. Alex Chisholm interviews host Tiffany Tiu for a behind-the-scenes conversation about where Paincast came from, how it is made, what it has become, and where it is going next.

We discuss the history and philosophy of Paincast, how topics and guests are selected, the research and preparation behind each interview, the challenges of producing and sustaining the podcast, and the mentorship of physiotherapy students through the Pain Science Division Student Committee.

Tiffany also reflects on one of the biggest lessons she has learned through 50 episodes: understanding pain science matters, but knowledge alone is not enough. We aren't simply treating pain—we are caring for people whose lives are affected by pain.

Paincast links:

Find Tiffany:

In this episode, we talked about

This is a student-led episode under the mentorship of Tiffany Tiu. Soheyl and Tess are Master of Physiotherapy students from the University of Alberta and the University of Manitoba respectively. 

Bahram Jam graduated from the University of Toronto then he completed a Clinical Masters and a Doctorate in Physical Therapy at the University of Queensland, Australia and at Andrews University, USA respectively. 

He is an FCAMPT, the founder and director of Advanced Physical Therapy Education Institute (APTEI) and has been a chief instructor for over one-thousand postgraduate Orthopaedic courses across Canada and internationally. He has presented at several national and international conferences. He currently practices at Athlete's Care in Toronto and is the creator of a paediatric chronic pain program at Boomerang Health, SickKids.

On the side, he is the creator of PAIN! The Musical which aims to give those living pain & disability a voice and hope. 

Resources: 

Social Media: @bahramjamaptei @painthemusical

Paincast is dedicated to bringing together researchers, clinicians, and students to discuss topics related to pain and physiotherapy. The primary purpose is to facilitate knowledge translation and critical thinking. Some episodes posit themselves as more educational than others, and some more opinionated than others. The listener is encouraged to listen critically. While there is an effort to incorporate research evidence, and the topics are always researched by the host, we recognize there is room for improvement and there is expertise in the community. As such, we invite constructive critique and that you inform us of any inadvertent errors, so that we may correct them. You may submit your feedback through this form: https://forms.gle/UFfbUHBh8uKwSKgS8

Follow Paincast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paincast.psd/

In this episode, I bring you to Quebec City at the Canadian Pain Society Annual Scientific Meeting to meet 4 incredible individuals:

Speaker Bio and Links

Dr. Andrea Furlan is a physiatrist who sees people living with chronic pain at the Toronto Academic Pain Medicine Institute. She is also a Senior Scientist at the KITE Research Institute, the research arm of the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, and is a professor at the University of Toronto. She also has a YouTube channel on chronic pain management.

Lynn Cooper was formerly president of the Canadian Pain Coalition. She has spent more than 20 years volunteering with organizations that seek to better understand issues surrounding chronic pain, and furthering research into and management of chronic pain. She was awarded the Person with Lived Experience Leadership Award at the Canadian Pain Society Annual Scientific Meeting 2026.

Tahir Janmohamed is the founder and CEO of ManagingLife, a digital health company that improves the lives of people with chronic pain. Prior to ManagingLife, Tahir spent 8 years as a strategy & analytics consultant at IBM. Tahir is a Professional Engineer in Computer Engineering from the University of Toronto, and has an MBA from the Rotman School of Management. 

Dr. Kelly Shinkaruk is an anesthesiologist working with people living with chronic pain in the Calgary Chronic Pain Centre. She also has a Master's degree in Medical Education with a focus on Interprofessional experiences and collaborative competency development in medical students. 

Other conference-special episodes:

Paincast is dedicated to bringing together researchers, clinicians, and students to discuss topics related to pain and physiotherapy. The primary purpose is to facilitate knowledge translation and critical thinking. Some episodes posit themselves as more educational than others, and some more opinionated than others. The listener is encouraged to listen critically. While there is an effort to incorporate research evidence, and the topics are always researched by the host, we recognize there is room for improvement and there is expertise in the community. As such, we invite constructive critique and that you inform us of any inadvertent errors, so that we may correct them. You may submit your feedback through this form: https://forms.gle/UFfbUHBh8uKwSKgS8

Follow Paincast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paincast.psd/

Connect with Tiffany Tiu at [email protected]!

In this episode, we talked about

This is a student-led episode under the mentorship of Tiffany Tiu. Jules and Brooklyn are Master of Physiotherapy students from the University of Alberta and McMaster University respectively. 

Dr. Bronwyn Lennox Thompson leads the Postgraduate Programmes in Pain and Pain Management at the University of Otago, based in Christchurch, New Zealand. Dr. Lennox Thompson’s clinical background is occupational therapy and psychology, and her clinical and research focus is on supported pain self-management in daily life. Her research interests include lived experiences of chronic pain, consumer/lived experience involvement in research, policy and service development, and supported self-management in painful medical procedures. Her primary academic work is teaching an interprofessional approach to pain and pain management to clinicians from a diverse range of clinical backgrounds. She was awarded the University of Otago Teaching Excellence Award in 2022, and the University of Otago Gold Medal for teaching excellence in 2025.

Resources

Connect with Dr. Bronnie Thompson

Paincast is dedicated to bringing together researchers, clinicians, and students to discuss topics related to pain and physiotherapy. The primary purpose is to facilitate knowledge translation and critical thinking. Some episodes posit themselves as more educational than others, and some more opinionated than others. The listener is encouraged to listen critically. While there is an effort to incorporate research evidence, and the topics are always researched by the host, we recognize there is room for improvement and there is expertise in the community. As such, we invite constructive critique and that you inform us of any inadvertent errors, so that we may correct them. You may submit your feedback through this form: https://forms.gle/UFfbUHBh8uKwSKgS8

Follow Paincast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paincast.psd/

In this episode, we discussed:

Resources

Rob Werstine BA, BSc, MSc, DPT, FCAMPT, Dip Sport, MBA

Rob Werstine is a Physiotherapist who holds an Advanced Practice Provider position in the Rapid Access Clinic for Low Back Pain at LHSC in London and holds an adjunct teaching appointment in the School of Graduate Studies at Western University. Rob has spent his career opening access to health care for Canadians through the development of non-physician specialists. He helped create the first and only degree granting Clinical Master’s program for Physiotherapists in Orthopaedics at Western University in 2007 and helped create a National Clinical Specialists Program in 2012. He chaired the IFOMPT Conference in 2012 and has been an expert consultant for health care associations and regulatory bodies across North America. Rob has continued to help improve the ability of hundreds of non-physician health care professionals to take on Advanced Practice roles through the creation of Key Clinical Skills Inc., a continuing education provider for health care professionals across Canada and around the world, which has been providing education opportunities since 2016.

Dr. Jack Miller BSc(PT), Dip MT(NZ), MClSc, DPT, FCAMP

Dr. Miller completed his BSc in Physical Therapy at the University of Toronto in 1980. He then spent six years in New Zealand where he completed the New Zealand Manipulative Therapy Association’s Graduate Diploma of Manipulative Therapy in 1984. During this program he had the opportunity to be directly mentored by both Robin McKenzie and Brian Mulligan. On returning to Canada, he went on to complete a Masters of Clinical Science at Western University in London and a Post-Professional Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree from the University of St. Augustine in the USA.

Jack has been the senior editor of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association’s Orthopaedic Journal, an executive member of the Orthopaedic Division of CPA, the President of the Canadian Academy of Manipulative Physical Therapy, a member of the CPA Specialization accreditation committee, the conference chair for IFOMPT 2012, and was a founding member of the Mulligan Concept Teacher’s Association.

He has presented at conferences internationally, published research articles in peer-reviewed journals, multiple textbook chapters and taught high level, evidence-based manual therapy courses internationally since 1990. He works clinically as an advanced practice consultant triaging patients for imaging, laboratory investigations, medical interventions and surgery

www.mulligancanada.com | www.keyclinskills.ca 

Paincast is dedicated to bringing together researchers, clinicians, and students to discuss topics related to pain and physiotherapy. The primary purpose is to facilitate knowledge translation and critical thinking. Some episodes posit themselves as more educational than others, and some more opinionated than others. The listener is encouraged to listen critically. While there is an effort to incorporate research evidence, and the topics are always researched by the host, we recognize there is room for improvement and there is expertise in the community. As such, we invite constructive critique and that you inform us of any inadvertent errors, so that we may correct them. You may submit your feedback through this form: https://forms.gle/UFfbUHBh8uKwSKgS8

Follow Paincast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paincast.psd/

In this episode, we talked about:

A huge thank you to Tess and Jane for their generous sharing of their pain story.

Paincast is dedicated to bringing together researchers, clinicians, and students to discuss topics related to pain and physiotherapy. The primary purpose is to facilitate knowledge translation and critical thinking. Some episodes posit themselves as more educational than others, and some more opinionated than others. The listener is encouraged to listen critically. While there is an effort to incorporate research evidence, and the topics are always researched by the host, we recognize there is room for improvement and there is expertise in the community. As such, we invite constructive critique and that you inform us of any inadvertent errors, so that we may correct them. You may submit your feedback through this form: https://forms.gle/UFfbUHBh8uKwSKgS8

Follow Paincast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paincast.psd/

In this episode, you'll hear about

Jules and Georgia are physiotherapy students at the University of Alberta. They are also members of this year's Canadian Physiotherapy Association Pain Science Division Student Committee. A huge thank you to their generous sharing of their pain stories. Special acknowledgement to Jeff Vela, PT who kindly spoke and shared his insights in the episode.

Paincast is dedicated to bringing together researchers, clinicians, and students to discuss topics related to pain and physiotherapy. The primary purpose is to facilitate knowledge translation and critical thinking. Some episodes posit themselves as more educational than others, and some more opinionated than others. The listener is encouraged to listen critically. While there is an effort to incorporate research evidence, and the topics are always researched by the host, we recognize there is room for improvement and there is expertise in the community. As such, we invite constructive critique and that you inform us of any inadvertent errors, so that we may correct them. You may submit your feedback through this form: https://forms.gle/UFfbUHBh8uKwSKgS8

Follow Paincast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paincast.psd/

In this episode, we talked about 

Dr. Jaris Swidrovich, BSP, PharmD, PhD, AAHIVP, RPh (he/they) is an Assistant Professor, Tenure Stream, and Indigenous Engagement Lead in the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Toronto. He is a queer, Two Spirit, Saulteaux and Ukrainian pharmacist from Yellow Quill First Nation (Treaty 4 territory, Saskatchewan). His mother was a 60s Scoop survivor and his grandmother and great-grandmother both survived Indian Residential Schools.

He received a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from the University of Saskatchewan (2010), a post-baccalaureate Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of Toronto (2013), and a PhD in education from the University of Saskatchewan (2024), which earned him the Governor General’s Gold Medal.

His primary areas of research and practice include Indigenous health, pain, HIV/AIDS, substance use disorders, and 2SLGBTQ+ health. As a Two Spirit, First Nations, and disabled person himself, Dr. Swidrovich brings a strong lens of equity, diversity, inclusion, intersectionality, and social justice to his research program.

Dr. Swidrovich is the Co-Scientific Director of the CIHR-funded Saskatchewan Network Environment for Indigenous Health Research (SK-NEIHR) called nātawihowin (“art of self-healing” in Cree), which is a First Nations Research Network that supports researchers, students, and First Nations health leaders and communities in Saskatchewan and beyond.

Dr. Swidrovich is the founder and chair of the Indigenous Pharmacy Professionals of Canada, and also sits on several other local, provincial, and national boards, including The 519, Pain Ontario, Pain Canada, the National Collaborating Centre for Indigenous Health, and the Institute Advisory Board for the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Institute of Indigenous Peoples’ Health.

Dr. Swidrovich is an active and engaged citizen of the several communities he belongs to and has been recognized with several awards and honours, including the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal for service to the community and the National Patient Care Achievement Award from the Canadian Pharmacists Association.

Resources: https://linktr.ee/jaris.s 

Social media

Paincast is dedicated to bringing together researchers, clinicians, and students to discuss topics related to pain and physiotherapy. The primary purpose is to facilitate knowledge translation and critical thinking. Some episodes posit themselves as more educational than others, and some more opinionated than others. The listener is encouraged to listen critically. While there is an effort to incorporate research evidence, and the topics are always researched by the host, we recognize there is room for improvement and there is expertise in the community. As such, we invite constructive critique and that you inform us of any inadvertent errors, so that we may correct them. You may submit your feedback through this form: https://forms.gle/UFfbUHBh8uKwSKgS8

Follow Paincast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paincast.psd/

In this episode, we talked about

Dr. Lisa Carlesso is a an associate professor in the School of Rehabilitation Science at McMaster University in Canada with training as a clinical epidemiologist and a physical therapist.  Her research program is broadly focussed on understanding the mechanisms and consequences of musculoskeletal pain with a particular focus on OA joint pain. Her research strives to optimize outcomes for people with chronic musculoskeletal disorders by 1. Understanding the complex mechanisms of acute and persistent pain through pain phenotyping to improve prognosis and treatment, 2. Using the understanding of endogenous modulation of pain to enhance conservative treatment options and 3. Improving the clinical measurement of pain.

Resources

Social media: 

Bluesky profile @lisacarlesso.bsky.social

Dr. Carlesso's lab's website: https://painmovementresearch.healthsci.mcmaster.ca/

Paincast is dedicated to bringing together researchers, clinicians, and students to discuss topics related to pain and physiotherapy. The primary purpose is to facilitate knowledge translation and critical thinking. Some episodes posit themselves as more educational than others, and some more opinionated than others. The listener is encouraged to listen critically. While there is an effort to incorporate research evidence, and the topics are always researched by the host, we recognize there is room for improvement and there is expertise in the community. As such, we invite constructive critique and that you inform us of any inadvertent errors, so that we may correct them. You may submit your feedback through this form: https://forms.gle/UFfbUHBh8uKwSKgS8

Follow Paincast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paincast.psd/