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This seminar is 10 CPD hours

Online course.

3 hours self directed learning prior to the live online course,

10 hours learning with others over two half days.

Course description

Entrapment neuropathies are the most common peripheral nerve disorders. Common conditions include cervical or lumbar radiculopathies, carpal tunnel syndrome or cubital tunnel syndrome. Diagnosis and treatment of entrapment neuropathies are often challenging. This can in part be attributed to a limited understanding of the pathophysiology as well as the conflicting evidence regarding treatment of these patients. This course aims to provide a detailed insight into recent scientific advances in regards to the pathophysiology, assessment and conservative management of patients with entrapment neuropathies. Focus will thereby be placed on patients with spinally referred pain.

Upon completion of the course, participants will have a deep understanding of potential pathomechanisms at play in patients with entrapment neuropathies. They will be familiar with a clinical framework that will help them to differentiate the dominant mechanisms in individual patients. Contemporary assessments will be discussed including methods beyond the commonly used neural integrity tests. Participants will also be competent in designing a targeted intervention for different subgroups of patients and can confidently interpret changes associated with the delivered intervention.

Learning Outcomes

• To enable the participants to understand the basic principles of pain physiology associated with entrapment neuropathies and to incorporate this knowledge into their reasoning framework
• To be familiar with the practical performance and interpretation of bedside neurological testing and quantitative sensory testing methods in the context of entrapment neuropathies
• To understand the clinical framework for subgrouping different types of nerve problems
• To understand the mechanisms and evidence underpinning management strategies for entrapment neuropathies
• To be competent in designing a targeted intervention for patients with entrapment neuropathies and to interpret changes associated with the delivered intervention

Timetable

Pre-recorded session on pathomechanisms of entrapment neuropathies

(available approximately two weeks prior to the course). It is essential that you watch this video and test yourself with the revision questions prior to attending the live online course.

Saturday 23 January 2026 - Dr Annina Schmid

8:30 – 09:30 Introduction, review of pathomechanisms and questions

09:30 – 11:00  Introduction to the mechanistic clinical framework. Screening, assessment and diagnosis: questionnaires, bedside neurological examination, quantitative sensory testing in a clinical setting

11:00 – 11:15  Coffee break

11:15 – 13:30  Screening, assessment and diagnosis continued: neurodynamic assessment and its role in the assessment of patients with entrapment neuropathies

Sunday 24 January 2026 - Dr Colette Ridehalgh

08:30 – 09:00  Recap of Day 1 – Questions and thoughts

09:00 – 10:15  Management: overview of techniques and mechanism of action of commonly used interventions for entrapment neuropathies

10:15 – 11:15  Efficacy of manual therapy treatments for patients with entrapment neuropathies.

11:15 –11:30 coffee break

11:30 – 13:00  Case studies – Break-out groups

13:00 – 13:30  Feedback and summing up of the course

Pre-course reading

Schmid AB, et al. Entrapment Neuropathies: a contemporarory approach to pathophysiology, clinical assessment and management. Pain reports online. 2020

Schmid AB, Hailey L, Tampin B. Entrapment neuropathies: Challenging common beliefs with novel evidence. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2018.

Speakers

Annina Schmid

Annina Schmid is Professor of Pain Neurosciences and a Specialist Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist at the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences at Oxford University in the UK. She leads the Neuromusculoskeletal Health and Science Lab which uses a translational and interdisciplinary approach to study the pathophysiology of neuromusculoskeletal conditions with the ultimate goal to improve management for patients. 

https://www.ndcn.ox.ac.uk/research/neuromusculoskeletal-health-and-science-lab

Annina and her team specialise in deep clinical phenotyping combining clinical methodologies (e.g. psychophysical testing, neurophysiological recordings, sensory profiling) with advanced neuroimaging and cellular and molecular analyses of human bio-samples to gain a detailed understanding of changes associated with nerve injuries and neuropathic pain. Annina also has a special interest in the physiotherapeutic management of neuropathic pain, entrapment neuropathies and other neuromusculoskeletal conditions with the ambition to develop precision therapy for these patients. 

Annina has published her work in leading clinical and basic science journals. Her research contribution is recognised by the award of several prizes, including the Emerging Leaders Prize in Pain Research from the Medical Research Foundation. She has won seven highly competitive fellowships and has been the first allied health professional to be awarded the Clinical Research Career Development Fellowship from the Wellcome Trust. 

In addition to her research activities, Annina co-directs the MSc in Pain Neurosciences course at Oxford University and is an Academic Training Programme Director for the Oxford University Clinical Academic Graduate School. She also maintains a weekly caseload as a specialist musculoskeletal Physiotherapist. Further information can be found at https://www.ndcn.ox.ac.uk/team/annina-schmid

Colette Ridehalch

Colette Ridehalgh is a Senior Lecturer in Physiotherapy Education at King’s College London and a musculoskeletal physiotherapist. Her research explores mechanisms, prognostic factors, assessment and management of nerve related musculoskeletal pain utilising both quantitative and qualitative methodologies.  She has published widely in the area, working in collaboration with many experts in the field of neuropathic pain. She has presented her work at many national and international conferences. She is Vice-Chair and Research Officer for the Musculoskeletal Association of Chartered Physiotherapists (MACP). She strongly supports contemporary teaching and learning strategies, developing independent and critical thinking in the students she mentors.

Her list of publications can be found at https://kclpure.kcl.ac.uk/portal/en/persons/colette.ridehalgh/publications