Sports and Exercise Podiatry Australasia

Be sure to tune in to Episode 7 of ! Such an inspiring listen! ✨

Our host, Patrick Doan, catches up with Dr Daniel Bonanno— Associate Professor, Graduate Research Coordinator at La Trobe University, clinician and footwear researcher. 🔬🏀

From his childhood days sketching sneakers to leading cutting-edge biomechanics studies, Dan has a candid chat about how values like intellectual curiosity, discipline and mentorship shape a career in sports podiatry.

In this episode, we also cover:

💫The Athlete's Mindset: Why treating elite professional athletes forces a shift from a standard medical model to prioritising patient psychology, beliefs and performance goals over pure tissue pathology.

👟 High-Cut vs. Low-Cut Reality: Insights from Dan’s latest research replicating an NBA-style draft combine to test footwear height against explosive athletic performance.

📊 Research Made Achievable: Practical blueprints and strategic advice for busy, sole practitioners looking to dip their toes into original research without burning out.

⚙️ The Tech Trap: Why expensive force plates and 3D scanners are meaningless without clinical reasoning and what a compressed shoe insole can tell you about high load for free.

🛡️ Securing the Profession: A hard look at the student recruitment crisis, combating negative stereotypes and why graduating prescribers is changing the game for podiatry.

🧠 The Uncomfortable Truth: Why personal growth and career longevity stem from honest self-appraisal, mentoring and being prepared to get uncomfortable.

Be sure to tune in to hear a true masterclass in balancing clinical intuition, modern technology and research. 🎧 https://rss.com/podcasts/sole-science/

A huge thank you to Dan for sharing his insights into the future and scope of our profession. 🙌

DON'T FORGET - WE’RE KEEPING UP THE PACE! 🚀 Be sure to follow us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favourite streaming platform so you don’t miss a second!

A massive thank-you to everyone who joined us in at over the weekend! 👏 We absolutely loved hosting you. Thanks for making this Conference one to remember! 💜

Special thanks to our keynote speakers and workshop presenters: Laura Anderson, Christian Barton, Rich W***y, Claire Hiller, John Charles and Darcy Dore. Plus our Discussion Panel: Chris Bishop PhD - Adelaide Podiatrist and Researcher, Narelle Wyndow, Rhys Pierce and Chair, Carly O'Donogue. Thanks for being so generous with your time and expertise! 🙏

Last, but certainly not least, a massive shout-out to our sponsors: ASICS, Bared Footwear, Footwork Podiatric Laboratory, Australian Podiatry Association, BTLMedicalAustralia&NewZealand, Orthotech Laboratory, YesPodiatry, Refr Health, The Rehab Mechanics, Sodii Hydration. Thank you for championing our community of sports podiatrists! 🌟 We are so grateful for your partnership!

Until next time!

THAT’S A WRAP ON DAY 2! 🎬🔥

Jam-packed from start to finish! The brains were buzzing, the connections were real, and the passion for our community is unmatched! 💜

Here is how today went down:

🏃‍♂️ We started bright and early with the famous ASICS Run | Walk Club, with our friends Sodii Hydration on hand to keep our delegates hydrated.

🧠 After brekky, everyone dove straight into a massive lineup of workshops—fueled by a tasty lunch and refreshing Sodii Hydration on tap! 🥤🙌

⚡ We rounded out the afternoon with more incredible sessions, topped off by a fascinating, powerhouse panel discussion on technology in sports podiatry.

⚓ To celebrate such an epic conference so far, our delegates are currently cruising on the Catalina Noosa thanks to the amazing Bared Footwear! Photos to come later... 😉 🌊

Swipe through to check out today's best moments! ➡️📸

Huge appreciation to all of our incredible speakers, delegates, and sponsors who made today so impactful. We couldn't do this without you! 🙌✨

One more day to go—let’s finish strong! Who’s ready for Day 3? 👇

Highlights from Day 1 of ✨

From the Early Career Practitioner session this morning to our incredible plenary keynotes in the afternoon, the energy was amazing—and the company was even better! 💜

A huge thank-you to our keynotes Laura Anderson, Prof Dr Christian Barton, A/Prof Claire Hiller and A/Prof Rich W***y, PT, PhD for generously sharing their expertise with our delegates.

Special thanks also to Footwork Podiatric Laboratory for supporting our ECPs! 🌱 And to our Orange Sponsors, Refr Health and The Rehab Mechanics for sponsoring our keynotes.

Last but not least, we thank our Trade Exhibitors for enhancing our delegates' Conference experience: ASICS, Australian Podiatry Association, BTLMedicalAustralia&NewZealand, Orthotech Laboratory and YesPodiatry.

Photos courtesy of our very own, Michael Curtin, Regional and Mentoring Director on the SEPA Board 📸

Technology is redefining , but knowing how to use it effectively is what separates a gimmick from a game-changer. 🤔

This Saturday, at , Dr Narelle Wyndow (Foot Systems Podiatry), Dr Chris Bishop PhD - Adelaide Podiatrist and Researcher (The Biomechanics Lab), Rhys Pierce (Footwork Podiatric Laboratory), and Chair Carly O'Donoghue (Stepping Out Podiatry) will take part in an essential panel discussion exploring the real-world impact of tech on patient management and orthotic scripting.

Are we getting better results—or just more data? 💭 Delegate participation encouraged! Bring your thoughts to the discussion. We'll unpack this on Saturday! See you in Noosa soon!👏

Visit us online to view our full Conference Program.
https://sportspodiatryconference.com.au/

We're counting down the days to !

The ASICS Run | Walk Club is always a delegate highlight! 💫

Here's why you don’t want to miss it 👇

👟Test the latest gear: Lace up in the brand-new ASICS Superblast 3, Magic Speed 5, or Gel Nimbus 28.

🎁 Score freebies: There’s a special ASICS gift for everyone who attends.

💧 Rehydrate: Sodii Hydration will be on-site to refresh you post-workout and have you ready and firing on all cylinders for our Conference sessions!

🗣️ Network: Connect with fellow delegates before the sessions start and get your morning movement in!

--EVENT DETAILS--

📅 Saturday 30 May, 7 AM
📍 Meet at the Macquarie Centre

Spots are filling up—RSVP now! https://forms.monday.com/forms/3da37a41c04445a4bbda9aabfa5ba008?r=apse2

Big thanks to our friends ASICS for making this happen and Sodii Hydration for keeping us refreshed. 🙌💜

🚀 Fast-track your sports podiatry career! Are you an Early Career Podiatrist, or an established clinician looking to make a fresh start in sports and exercise podiatry? 👣

Join us for the Early Career Practitioners (ECP) Seminar at the SEPA Conference, sponsored by our friends at Footwork Podiatric Laboratory.

This 2-hour interactive, non-clinical session is focused entirely on your growth. 🌱
By the end of the session, you will walk away with:

✅ Your 12-Month Career Blueprint: Map out your goals, target experiences, and immediate 90-day actions.
✅ A Professional Network Map: Identify key clinical and allied health contacts to build a concrete 90-day networking plan.
✅ Your 30-Second Professional Pitch: Define your unique value proposition and practice your pitch.

A massive thank you to Rhys and the team at Footwork for investing in early-career pathways and making this seminar possible!

---Event details---

📅 When: Friday, 29 May 2026 | 10:30am – 12:30pm (Right before the official Conference kicks off!)
📍 Where: Macquarie Centre, Peppers Noosa
💰 Cost: FREE to delegates. Simply email your RSVP to [email protected].

View our full Conference program now:
https://sportspodiatryconference.com.au/

In Episode 6 of , recorded live from the 2025 ASICS Sports Medicine Australia Conference, we speak with two of the most respected clinician-athlete voices in Australian running: elite marathoner, Thomas Do Canto (Pinnacle Sports Podiatry) and middle-distance specialist, Michael Nitschke. 🔬🏃‍♂️

In this episode, we discuss:

✨ The Empathy Factor: How having experienced almost every running injury first-hand creates a unique "buy-in" with patients.

👟 Super Shoe Reality: Why Michael calls these shoes the "e-bikes" of running and how they’ve sparked a participation boom by making running more enjoyable.

📊 Data vs. Nuance: Why Michael uses metrics to describe habits rather than prescribe them, plus Tom's take on visual gait analysis.

🧠 The Psychology of Injury: Navigating the "competitive parent" and coaching kids through the long-term resilience needed for sport.

🤖 The AI Clinician: Thomas shares how he utilises AI to slash admin time and deliver highly personalised, comprehensive plans to his patients.

🛡️ Experience as a Metric: Why a runner's history and years in the sport remain the most critical factors in injury prevention.

Streaming now on all major streaming platforms: https://rss.com/podcasts/sole-science 🎧

A huge thank you to Michael and Tom for sharing their insights into the evolution of sports podiatry and performance.

DON'T FORGET - WE’RE PICKING UP THE PACE! 🚀 We’re breaking our usual monthly release schedule to bring you more episodes over the coming weeks. Be sure to follow us so you don’t miss a second!