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Paincast: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Canadian Physiotherapy Association Pain Science Division
Paincast is the official podcast of the Pain Science Division at the Canadian Physiotherapy Association. Paincast aims to bring together researchers, clinicians, and students to facilitate discussions about pain and physiotherapy.
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- 3 weeks ago1h 12m
Ep48: Pain Medicine, Pain Advocacy, Pain Innovation, Pain Research: Canadian Pain Society Conference Special
In this episode, I bring you to Quebec City at the Canadian Pain Society Annual Scientific Meeting to meet 4 incredible individuals: Dr. Andrea Furlan: The role of a physiatrist in interdisciplinary pain rehab and some of the challenges and hopes she has Lynn Cooper: The significance of people with lived experiences at the tables of pain research, pain advocacy, and improving pain management in Canada Tahir Janmohamad: How innovation can fill in the gaps of pain care, particularly how an app with pain tracking and pain psychology can help people living with pain Dr. Kelly Shinkaruk: Research on why people fail interdisciplinary pain programs 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. ECHO UHN on Chronic Pain and Opioid Stewardship: https://uhn.echoontario.ca/Our-Programs/Chronic-Pain Website: https://www.doctorandreafurlan.com/ Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/DrAndreaFurlan 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 Janohamad is the founder and CEO of ManagingLife, under which Managing My Pain has been the leading pain app globally. Solace is a first-of-its-kind AI companion bringing pain psychology to people's fingertips. ManagingLife: https://managinglife.com/ 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. Calgary Chronic Pain Centre: https://cumming.ucalgary.ca/centres/anesthesiology/chronic-pain-centre/chronic-pain-centre <p lang="en-us" s
- Apr 7, 20261h 12m
Ep47: A Paradigm Shift in Thinking About and Treating Chronic Pain with Dr. Bronwyn Lennox Thompson
In this episode, we talked about The differences between acute and chronic pain at the physical, neurological and psychosocial level A paradigm shift in thinking about and treating chronic pain patients Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: What it is, how it works and why it can be particularly beneficial for individuals in managing chronic pain Setting realistic expectations with patients while avoiding any sense of invalidation or skepticism 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 Acceptance and Commitment Therapy resources by Russ Harris: https://www.actmindfully.com.au/ ACT Made Simple: An Easy-To-Read Primer on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy by Russ Harris [book] Belton, J., & Darlow, B. (2026). Do We Trust Patients in Pain? What Would Happen If We Did?. JOSPT, 56(1), 1-3. Radical Relief: A Guide to Overcome Chronic Pain by Joe Tatta [book] Connect with Dr. Bronnie Thompson Blog: https://healthskills.wordpress.com Instagram and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/healthskillsNZ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bronniet/ 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/
- Mar 18, 20261h 8m
Ep46: When Physios Can Order Imaging: Smarter Imaging, Better Care with Jack Miller and Rob Werstine
In this episode, we discussed: The principal use of diagnostic imaging and laboratory testing: When it should be used and when it shouldn't be used The limitations of diagnostics and ramifications of overuse on psychological, behavioural, and systemic levels Improving providers' literacy and patient education around diagnostics The impact of physiotherapists having the scope expansion and the current state of advocacy on this topic Resources The Canadian C-spine Rule The Ottawa Ankle Rule The Ottawa Knee Rule Canadian Association of Radiologists Utilization Guideline American College of Radiologist Appropriateness Criteria Brinjikji, W., et al. (2015). MRI findings of disc degeneration are more prevalent in adults with low back pain than in asymptomatic controls: a systematic review and meta-analysis. American Journal of Neuroradiology, 36(12), 2394-2399. Flynn, T. W., et al. (2011). Appropriate use of diagnostic imaging in low back pain: a reminder that unnecessary imaging may do as much harm as good. journal of orthopaedic & sports physical therapy, 41(11), 838-846. Sajid, I. M., Parkunan, A., & Frost, K. (2021). Unintended consequences: quantifying the benefits, iatrogenic harms and downstream cascade costs of musculoskeletal MRI in UK primary care. BMJ open quality, 10(3). Scott, I. A., Slavotinek, J., & Glasziou, P. P. (2024). First do no harm in responding to incidental imaging findings. Medical Journal of Australia, 220(1), 7-9. Sharma, S., et al. (2021). “I would not go to him”: Focus groups exploring community responses to a public health campaign aimed at reducing unnecessary diagnostic imaging of low back pain. Health Expectations, 24(2), 648-658. VOMIT (Victim Of Medical Imaging Technology) Poster: https://www.aptei.ca/product/vomit-radiology-facts-wall-poster/ 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 info
- Feb 3, 20261h 28m
Ep45: Young Women and Pelvic Pain: Chronic Pain Stories with Tess and Jane
In this episode, we talked about: Tess and Jane's experiences of developing pelvic pain, the progression of pain during their youth and early adulthood, and their healthcare journey How healthcare encounters can be helpful or harmful to one's pain experience The intricate interactions between biomechanical and psychological factors in chronic pain The unique aspects of pelvic pain contrasted with typical musculoskeletal pain, especially in young women 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/
- Dec 31, 20251h 33m
Ep44: Taking Life Back from Pain: Chronic Pain Stories with Jules and Georgia
In this episode, you'll hear about Two fascinating lived experiences of pain and chronic pain management principles unpacked by a physiotherapist and 2 physiotherapy students, Jules and Georgia How pain affected these young ladies physically, psychologically, socially, and how that impact evolved as they progressed in their journey When "pain education" helped and when it hurt, and how they reconciled it The journey from being controlled by pain to taking control over pain 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/
- Nov 1, 20251h 13m
Ep43: Chronic Pain in Canadian Indigenous Communities: Lived Experiences, Health Inequities, and Indigenous Perspectives with Dr. Jaris Swidrovich
In this episode, we talked about Current healthcare gaps in managing pain in Indigenous populations + underlying causes of disparity in pain experience Clinical pearls for treating chronic pain in Indigenous communities 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 Instagram: @jarisoftheprairies and @prisscryption X: @jarisswidrovich 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/
- Aug 30, 20251h 0m
Ep42: Pain is More Than What the Knee Looks Like: Osteoarthritis Pain Mechanisms and Phenotypes with Dr. Lisa Carlesso
In this episode, we talked about The relationship between knee osteoarthritis (OA) pain and the stages of knee OA The different experiences of knee OA pain Pain phenotyping using Quantitative Sensory Testing and self-reported measures 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 Aoyagi, K., et al. (2022). Does weight-bearing versus non-weight-bearing pain reflect different pain mechanisms in knee osteoarthritis?: the Multicenter Osteoarthritis Study (MOST). Osteoarthritis and cartilage, 30(4), 545-550. Rankin, J., et al. (2022). Quantitative sensory testing protocols to evaluate central and peripheral sensitization in knee OA: a scoping review. Pain Medicine, 23(3), 526-557. Carlesso, L. C., et al. (2022). Association of pain sensitization and conditioned pain modulation to pain patterns in knee osteoarthritis. Arthritis care & research, 74(1), 107-112. Carlesso, L. C. (2023). The impact of altered neural processing of nociceptive signals on physical function in people with knee OA—we know little and have much to learn. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, 31(7), 844-846. Neelapala, Y. R., et al. (2024). Exploring different models of pain phenotypes and their association with pain worsening in people with early knee osteoarthritis: the MOST cohort study. Osteoarthritis and cartilage, 32(2), 210-219. Neelapala, Y. R., et al. (2025). Latent transition analysis of pain phenotypes in people at risk of knee osteoarthritis: The MOST cohort study. Osteoarthritis and cartilage. Carlesso, L. C., et al. (2022). Use of IMMPACT recommendations to explore pain phenotypes in people with knee osteoarthritis. Pain Medicine, 23(10), 1708-1716. Carlesso, L. C., et al. (2021). Association of intermittent and constant knee pain patterns with knee pain severity and with radiographic knee osteoarthritis duration and severity. Arthritis care & research, 73(6), 788-793. 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/
- Jul 28, 202532 min
Ep41: Assessing and Treating Neuropathic Pain (Part 2): Important Theoretical and Practical Considerations with Dr. Tara Packham
In this episode, we talked about: Do we really understand what desensitization is? Clarifying concepts, including desensitization, hypersensitivity, sensory re-education, graded exposure, and counterstimulation Important practical considerations for using “desensitization” with patients Incorporating contextual effects of treatment and orienting patients to positive recovery expectations Dr. Tara Packham is an occupational therapist with over 25 years of clinical experience in hand and upper limb rehabilitation, and an assistant professor in the School of Rehabilitation Sciences (SRS) at McMaster University. Tara’s program of research focuses on assessing and addressing persistent pain, and continuing to advance the field of hand rehabilitation. Tara has published and presented extensively for both hand rehabilitation and pain management audiences on persistent pain conditions impacting the upper extremity. Her research spans development and evaluation of outcome measures, refining and testing interventions, and exploring the experiences of persons with health challenges accessing rehabilitation. She is the Editor in Chief at Hand Therapy and currently serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Hand Therapy and Pain Medicine, and on the executive of the Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Special Interest Group at the International Association for the Study of Pain. Social Media X: @TaraLPackham LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tara-packham-21918924/ IMPRinT lab: 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/
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About Paincast
Paincast is the official podcast of the Pain Science Division at the Canadian Physiotherapy Association. Paincast aims to bring together researchers, clinicians, and students to facilitate discussions about pain and physiotherapy.
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