Course Designed and Presented by Clinical Experts in Complex Shoulder Conditions.

Internationally recognised experts and registered clinical specialists with PhD's in MSK (Shoulder) and Pain Management. Course includes:

Patients not progressing with traditional rehabilitation? 

Want to level up your rehab skills for complex shoulders?

Join our NZ clinical experts Dr Angela Cadogan and Dr Jacqui Clark (Specialist Physiotherapists) in this 2-Day Practical Course and master assessment and rehabilitation for complex shoulder conditions. All principles from this course can be applied to any musculoskeletal condition.  

About the course

Dr Angela Cadogan (MSK Shoulder Specialist) and Dr Jacqui Clark (Pain Specialist) team up to share their years of experience to help you master the skills to effectively assess and rehabilitate factors that can limit progress with traditional rehabilitation including persistent pain, poor motor control, sensory deficits and neurodevelopmental factors. Become the ‘go to’ therapist for complex shoulder presentations! 

Who is the course for? 

 Any registered physiotherapist who sees people with complex shoulder presentations wanting to extend their assessment and rehabilitation skills. (May not be suitable for students or new graduates). 

Course content:

The course consists of:

  • Online learning: The Complex Shoulder (approx. 2 hours)
  • 2-Day Practical Course: Rehabilitation of the Complex Shoulder.


Online Learning │ The Complex Shoulder

In the 2-hour, self-paced online course you will learn about normal function of the shoulder and factors that contribute to complex presentations such as recurrent shoulder instability, scapula dyskinesis and persistent shoulder girdle pain. Topics include:

  • The complex shoulder (20 mins)
  • Nociplastic pain (15 mins)
  • Normal glenohumeral and scapula function (25 mins)
  • Atraumatic shoulder instability (20 mins)
  • Motor control (25 mins)

(Access for 1 year after the course)

Practical Course │ Rehabilitation of the Complex Shoulder 

A 2-day practical course covering the assessment and rehabilitation of the complex shoulder. Printed manual provided (not guaranteed for registrations <1 week before course date). 

Day 1: Master Assessment of the Complex Shoulder

  • Assess motor control of the glenohumeral joint (rotator cuff) and scapulothoracic region.
  • Identify and address sensorimotor deficits, including tactility, proprioception, and sensory discrimination
  • Understand nociplastic pain: diagnostic criteria and management principles.
  • Dive into neurodevelopmental factors such as learning difficulties and retained primitive reflexes.


Day 2:  Master Rehabilitation of the Complex Shoulder

Apply your assessment skills from Day 1 to learn a systematic approach to rehabilitation for complex shoulder conditions using video examples of real patient cases:

  • Learn how posture and alignment influence motor control. 
  • Motor control retraining techniques and progressions.
  • Discover cortical enhancement techniques for symptom modification.
  • Learn new sensory retraining techniques and tactile interventions to improve proprioception. 
  • New skills to rehabilitate normal muscle function that is affected by neurodevelopmental factors such as primitive reflex remnants.
  • Work through clinical case studies to help you bring it all together to get you confident in rehabilitating complex shoulder conditions.


Presented by: Dr Angela Cadogan and Dr Jacqui Clark

*Includes 1 year access to online course and 2-day practical course taught by two international experts. 


Terms and Conditions

  • Course is run subject to minimum numbers (full refund given if course is cancelled).
  • A printed manual cannot be guaranteed for registrations less than 1 week before course date. 
  • Please read our full cancellation policy carefully. We recommend you take out insurance for travel and accommodation and in case of covid or other disruption. 

We are currently reviewing whether we run this course in 2025. If we do, it will be in Hamilton, New Zealand. Register your interest and be kept informed.

Register Interest

You will learn skills to manage people with:

  • Shoulder instability

    People with atraumatic shoulder instability, including posterior instability, where there is no structural injury.

  • Scapula dyskinesis

    Persistent and recalcitrant scapula dyskinesis, often associated with periscapula pain, clicking and abnormal muscle guarding.

  • Shoulder girdle pain

    Persistent shoulder girdle and periscapula pain with nociplastic pain presentations.

After this course you will be able to confidently and effectively:

  • Identify and address factors that contribute to complex shoulder presentations including nociplastic pain, psychosocial factors, sensorimotor deficits and neurodevelopmental factors.

  • Assess and rehabilitate motor control deficits of the glenohumeral joint (rotator cuff) and scapulothoracic region.

  • Apply rehabilitation techniques to enhance cortical activation of the rotator cuff and scapula muscles to improve symptoms of pain and instability. Patients will love you for this!

  • Identify and rehabilitate specific sensory deficits that affect motor control including tactility, discrimination and proprioceptive deficits.

  • Identify and address neurodevelopmental factors that affect sensory processing and motor control including learning difficulties and retained primitive reflexes.

  • Use case studies to upskill in prioritising management for complex shoulder presentations including working with the multi-disciplinary team.

  • Learn from the Experts!

    Few other courses give you direct access to one-on-one expertise from 2 Registered Specialists and internationally recognised experts in one course!

  • Clinical Assessment Checklist

    Download the clinical assessment checklist to guide you with your next complex shoulder!

  • 1 Year Access

    Access to all course materials for 1 year after the course.

  • Course Manual provided

    Keep a copy of the course manual - you'll definitely be using this in the clinic!

  • CPD certificate

    16 hours of quality CPD from two International Experts!

  • Morning & Afternoon Tea Provided

What people are saying about this course

I would love for all my staff to complete this course.

Sally

It has so many far reaching applications and extended multiple areas of my practice - very grateful, thanks!

A great course with two inspiring teachers.

Andy

I'd recommend to any physio who wants to boost their understanding and patient outcomes - this has already transformed how I approach my assessments and treatments.

When the kitchen sink isn't working for your complex shoulders, this course will!

Jodi

This course highlights an area of physiotherapy not well addressed in most practices, boosting your confidence in the management of complex clients.

So many lightbulb moments!

Catriona

Really interesting and enjoyable course - so many lightbulb moments! I feel I have added so many tools to my toolbox to help treat those tricky shoulders!

This course bridges the gap between clients hardware and software issues in rehabilitation!

Hal

Olivia

A great course for deepening your understanding of shoulder pain and all the drivers that can contribute to ones pain experience. Got me thinking outside of the box

This course can really help with the long term/chronic shoulder patients who can be tricky.

Henry

So having a good understanding of the neuromuscular side of the shoulder can help get past that road block.

Since completing the course, I have trialed some of the assessment and treatment techniques with existing clients with positive benefits.

Becky

I work in a community neuro setting and this course provided useful information for clients with shoulder pathologies following a brain injury. Although the course had a lot of motor control content, the information around sensory detection/interpretation and sensory integration was really beneficial. It has not only broadened my assessment techniques but since completing the course, I have trialed some of the assessment and treatment techniques with existing clients with positive benefits.

Such a great teaching environment

Tiffany

I felt going into the course that I may have been out of my depth, but during the course I felt well educated and supported and learnt a significant amount. It was also taught in a manner that helped solidify the learning material.

Celia

This excellent course provides a brilliant framework for when normal rehabilitation isn't progressing/working and you need to take a side track to sort out any motor control issues. Very clear and concise teaching and the instructors are, of course, world-class, knowledgeable, approachable, and very, very good!

We are currently reviewing whether we run this course in 2025. If we do, it will be in Hamilton, New Zealand. Register your interest and be kept informed.

Register Interest

Cancelation Terms & Conditions

Physio Academy may cancel a course due to insufficient registrations.  In this instance a full refund will be given.

Registrant Cancelations

  • For cancellations more than 8 weeks before the course: full refund less a $50 admin fee.
  • For cancellations up to 4 weeks before the course: 50% refund less a $50 admin fee.
  • For cancellations less than 4 weeks’ notice: no refund will be given.*
    .

 Exceptions:

  • If Covid -19 lockdown level 3 or 4 restrictions are put in place, or under the  COVID-19 Protection Framework the Red Traffic light system  is initiated  in your home location, the instructor's home location, or the course location, a full refund will be provided. 

 
Covid-19 

Levels and Light System:

  • Courses are able to be run at Level 2 and below. or at the Orange traffic light setting.

Masks

  • The Mask policy for each course is determined by the venue and will be communicated to you.


*We understand that sometimes the unavoidable happens and people can't attend a course due to illness, a family situation, or other last-minute reasons. In this case, we give you the option to find a suitable health professional to take your place on the course. Let us know their contact details (name, email, mobile number) so we can transfer your enrolment to them. And you sort out payment with them. The cancellation policy applies to your replacement as well. 

We recommend you consider travel insurance for flights and accommodation in case of course disruptions or cancellations.

Instructors

Dr Angela Cadogan

Dip Phys, M.Sports Physio, Dip MT, PhD
Physiotherapy Specialist (Musculoskeletal).

Angela is a NZ registered Physiotherapy Specialist (Musculoskeletal) with a Ph.D in Musculoskeletal Diagnostics from AUT University, Auckland, New Zealand (2012) (shoulder sub-specialty). Based in Christchurch, she works as a clinical consultant in her own private practice specialising in the diagnosis and management of shoulder pain.

Angela also works in an Orthopaedic Triage and Assessment role (Shoulder Service) with the Canterbury District Health Board. Angela has an ongoing research interest in shoulder conditions, has many publications on the topic, has been an invited keynote speaker at many national and international shoulder conferences and is Associate Editor at JOSPT (Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy).

Angela has been teaching courses on the diagnosis, management and rehabilitation of shoulder conditions for over 10 years and is passionate about upskilling other physiotherapists and improving capability of the physiotherapy workforce to meet the needs of the changing healthcare system. Angela is the director of Physio Academy. Learn more: www.drangelacadogan.co.nz

Instructor Dr Jacqui Clark

PhD, MSc, Grad DP, MCSP, MNZSP

Registered Specialist Pain Physiotherapist at ‘Pains and Brains’.

Jacqui holds a joint PhD from two European Universities and has lectured extensively around the world in motor control and sensorimotor retraining for recurrent and persistent musculoskeletal injuries. She is a registered Specialist Physiotherapist and works clinically in Tauranga at Pains and Brains.

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