MSK Community Webinar Series

Do you have a musculoskeletal condition like arthritis, back pain or fibromyalgia and want to learn more about it?

Our FREE community webinars are a great way for you to hear from experts about these conditions and how to manage them. You’ll get practical, up-to-date information, knowledge and skills to help you manage your condition effectively.

We’ve just released our 2023 consumer series, check out the series we’ve put together for you!

Book for MSK’s entire 2023 community webinar series here!

OR register for individual sessions below.

Webinar topics

2023

Anxiety and Depression Linked to Chronic Pain

Tuesday 14th February 2023, 7-8pm (AEDT)
Anxiety and depression significantly impact people’s lives. When anxiety and depression occur alongside chronic pain the impact can be even greater. This presentation will provide you with a greater understanding of the interaction between our mood and our pain, as well as provide a range of practical strategies to manage our anxiety and depression more effectively. Strategies will include managing worry and uncertainty, feeling flat and unmotivated, and how to engage more effectively in life.
Presenter: Dr Jacqui Stanford, Health Psychologist, Empower Rehab

Watch the recording of this webinar

Getting A Good Night’s Sleep​

Wednesday 29th March 2023, 7-8pm (AEDT)
People with chronic pain and/or musculoskeletal conditions may find that their pain or condition disturbs their sleep. Getting inadequate sleep and being tired during the day can magnify symptoms such as pain. It is therefore important to understand what we can do to try to get a good night’s sleep. In this webinar Assoc. Prof. Worsnop will look at what you can put in place, and what to avoid, to help ensure the optimal environment for sleep.
Presenter: Associate Professor Christopher Worsnop, Sleep Physician, Austin Hospital in Melbourne
Watch the recording of this webinar

Diagnosis and Management of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Tuesday 30th May 2023, 7-8pm (AEDT)
Being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis may be both a blessing and a curse. A blessing to know what is causing the fatigue and pain and a curse because at present is still requires lifelong treatment. The good news is that there are good treatments that can control the disease and prevent progression to permanent damage. Dr Racunica will use patient cases, to discuss the diagnosis and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.
Presenter: Dr Tina Racunica, Consultant Rheumatologist and the Director of Southern Rheumatology.
Register for the webinar here.

Understanding Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

Wednesday 19th July 2023, 7-8pm (AEDT)
This webinar will provide a discussion of what is known about CRPS and how this relates to a person’s experience of the condition and the treatments that they may be offered. There will be an emphasis on how individuals can take control of their own management, with plenty of time for discussion and questions.
Presenter: Dr Anne Daly, Specialist Pain Physiotherapist.
Register for the webinar here.

Diagnosis and Lifestyle Management of Hip/Knee Osteoarthritis

Tuesday 22nd August 2023, 7-8pm (AEDT)
This webinar will discuss the key features that suggest a clinical diagnosis of hip/knee osteoarthritis in a person with persistent joint pain. It will also focus on the important role that lifestyle strategies play in managing the condition, with a particular emphasis on exercise, weight control and other self-management strategies.
Presenter: Rana Hinman, Research Physiotherapist and Deputy Director, Centre for Health, Exercise & Sports Medicine, University of Melbourne.
Register for the webinar here.

What Can You Do About Neck Pain​?

Tuesday 17th October 2023, 7-8pm (AEDT)
People may experience neck pain for a variety of reasons. While most first episodes of neck pain will resolve, some people may experience recurrent episodes of neck pain over many years. The first step in managing neck pain is to gain an understanding of why it is occurring. This requires an accurate diagnosis from a suitably qualified health practitioner which includes a comprehensive understanding of how the condition is affecting the individual’s life so that an appropriate care pathway can be planned. Most patients benefit from sound advice and education regarding activity modification, reassurance regarding symptoms, and physical therapies such as exercise to help them move better and cope with daily demands on their neck. However not all individuals are the same, and some may require further investigations or a multidisciplinary approach to the management of their neck pain. This webinar will discuss these factors and more to help people take charge of their neck pain.
Presenter: Shaun O’Leary, BPHTY (Hon), MPHTY (Msk), PhD, Associate Professor in Physiotherapy between the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Queensland, and the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital Physiotherapy Department.
Register for the webinar here.

Medicinal Cannabis for Musculoskeletal Conditions and Chronic Pain: An Update 

Tuesday 21st November 2023, 7-8pm (AEDT)
Chronic pain is the most common condition being treated with medicinal cannabis in Australia. Somewhat paradoxically, however, the evidence supporting the use of cannabis in pain and musculoskeletal conditions is not robust. Australian pain specialists have been particularly sceptical in their evaluation of prescription cannabis as an analgesic while Australian GPs are more positive and have led a massive recent increase in prescribing. There are a multiplicity of cannabis products (more than 240) currently being prescribed in Australia involving many different formulations, routes of administration and varying cannabinoid content. Numerous different musculoskeletal and chronic pain conditions are now being treated with cannabis. There is also growing appreciation that the ability of cannabis to alleviate anxiety and reduce dysphoria may be just as important as any analgesic action in treating chronic pain. In this talk, Professor McGregor will provide an update on the latest evidence and thinking around medicinal cannabis with a focus on the safety and efficacy of cannabis in the treatment of chronic pain and musculoskeletal conditions.
Presenter: Iain McGregor, Professor of Psychopharmacology and Academic Director of the Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics in the Brain and Mind Centre at the University of Sydney, Australia.
Register for the webinar here.

2022

All About Fibromyalgia 

Wednesday 23 February 2022, 7-8pm (AEDT)
Dr Emma Guymer will discuss what fibromyalgia is, why it occurs and how it is managed, including looking into new research available.
Presenter: Dr Emma Guymer, Rheumatologist, Monash Medical Centre.
Watch the recording of this webinar

Osteoporosis and osteopenia 

Tuesday 29 March 2022, 7-8pm (AEDT)
Peak bone mass is reached in young adulthood, and the body is programmed to lose bone density as we age.  As humans are living longer, the prevalence of osteopenia and osteoporosis are increasing, affecting predominantly women but also increasing in men. Osteoporosis is associated with an increase in fracture risk with minimal trauma and can be associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The ideal aim is to prevent osteoporosis (and its earlier stage of osteopenia) and fracture. This webinar presentation will discuss what osteoporosis and osteopenia are, provide an outline of preventive strategies and give an overview of common management/treatment approaches.
Presenter: Dr Sonia Davison, Endocrinologist, Melbourne Thyroid and Endocrine Centre.
Watch the recording of this webinar

Non-opioid Pain Management

Wednesday 18th May 2022, 7-8pm (AEST)
Finding relief from the pain is a daily challenge for people living with persistent musculoskeletal pain. In this webinar, Dr Caroline West talks about different strategies to help manage pain and to be able to do what is most important to you. This can include both medicine and non-medicine options, such as changing the way you think about pain, mindfulness techniques and physical therapies.
Presenter: Dr Caroline West is a GP and medical advisor for NPS MedicineWise.
Watch the recording of this webinar
Click here to view presentation slides

Surgery for joint arthritis

Tuesday 12 July 2022, 7-8pm (AEST)
In this webinar, Professor Choong will cover the types of common painful conditions of large and small joints that people may complain of to their general practitioners. Conditions affecting the hip, knee and spine are common for the larger joints, while toe, foot and hand represent the smaller joint affected by painful conditions. In all of these, there is a strong place for non-surgical care which includes rest, activity modification, exercise and pain and anti-inflammatory medication. When symptoms have reached a stage where the quality of life is significantly impacted despite these non-surgical options, surgery may be required. Professor Choong will also cover the types of surgeries that may be offered for arthritis, when they should be considered, what the risks of surgery are, and what happens afterwards.
Presenter: Professor Peter Choong, Sir Hugh Devine Professor of Surgery at St. Vincent’s Hospital 
Watch the recording of this webinar

Common shoulder problems and their management

Tuesday 9 August 2022, 7-8pm (AEST)
The shoulder complex has the greatest range of movement in the body and is comprised of a number of joints. Shoulder pain is a common and potentially disabling musculoskeletal condition and may result from trauma, degenerative or inflammatory processes. The most common causes of shoulder pain are reported to be rotator cuff disorders and glenohumeral disease, including adhesive capsulitis and acromioclavicular joint disorders. Management of shoulder pain is complex and can involve a number of strategies including physiotherapy, pharmacology and surgery. This webinar will outline common shoulder conditions and discuss current management approaches.
Presenter: Dr Sarah Walmsley, Lecturer at The University of Newcastle. 
Watch the recording of this webinar

Weighing up risks and benefits of complementary medicines for musculoskeletal conditions

Thursday 10 November 2022, 7-8pm (AEST)
Did you know that approximately 2 out of every 3 Australians takes complementary medicines (CMs) regularly? Most people make their decision to try CMs based on the potential benefits, but often don’t think of their potential risks. Like any drug, however, CMs do have risks – they range from side-effects and interactions with other drugs, to false hope and the delay of evidence-based treatments. But it can be difficult to find all the information you need to make an informed choice about the risks and benefits of many CMs. In this webinar, Geraldine will discuss where and how to find this information from readily available sources, so you can weigh up the potential benefits and the potential risks for CMs and decide if a CM is right for you.
Presenter: Adj Assoc Prof Geraldine Moses, clinical pharmacist specialised in Medicines Information. 
Watch the recording of this webinar

The impact of musculoskeletal conditions on intimate relationships: What to know and where to access help

Wednesday 7 December 2022, 7-8pm (AEST)
Chronic musculoskeletal conditions such as low back pain, fibromyalgia and inflammatory arthritis can have wide-ranging impacts on a person’s health and daily functioning. These can include impacts on sexual function and intimate relationships. Yet while sexual function is an important part of life, it’s an understandably sensitive topic that consumers and clinicians alike may be hesitant to discuss. This webinar seeks to raise awareness of how painful musculoskeletal conditions can impact on sexual function and will highlight the available support and management options.
Presenters: Prof Ilana Ackerman, musculoskeletal epidemiologist in the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at Monash University; Ms Laura Restoux, Senior Physiotherapist with the Central Coast Local Health District and Ms Brooke Dobo, an experienced women’s and pelvic health physiotherapist based in Brisbane.
Watch a recording of this webinar

2021

Musculoskeletal conditions and your employment rights 

Wednesday 10 March 2021, 7pm
As the symptoms of your condition develop, it can impact how you do a wide range of things including work. It is important to understand your rights in the workplace.
Presenter: Jessica Dawson-Field, Employment Associate, Maurice Blackburn Lawyers
Watch the recording of this webinar

Pregnancy and Arthritis 

Thursday 29 April 2021, 7pm
This webinar will afford you the opportunity to learn about some of the issues to consider when planning a family and how pregnancy can impact people living with arthritis. 
Presenter: Dr Claire Barrett, Consultant Rheumatologist and Senior Lecturer University of Queensland 
Watch the recording of this webinar 

Diet and nutrition in older adults

Wednesday 26 May 2021, 7pm
Join us as speaker Professor Judi Porter, Discipline lead for Dietetics at Deakin University, discusses the importance of diet and nutrition for good bone health, especially for older adults.
Presenter: Prof Judi Porter PhD, Accredited Practicing Dietician, FDAA Dietetics Discipline Lead IPAN 
Watch the recording of this webinar 

The doctor told me to exercise more to help my osteoarthritis. What does that mean and how can it help?

Wednesday 23 June 2021, 7pm
We discuss the importance of prescribed exercise and getting active to help manage knee osteoarthritis. A number of myths will be discussed and busted.
Presenter: Dr Christian Barton Senior Research Fellow, LASEM Research Centre 
Watch the recording of this webinar 

Pain management and musculoskeletal conditions 

Tuesday 10 August 2021, 7pm
This webinar will include education about some of the complexities of how our pain system works. You will be provided with a range of strategies to help you reduce your pain, increase your activities and enjoy life more. 
Presenter: Dr Jacqui Stanford, Psychologist, Empower Rehab 
Watch the recording of this webinar 

Inflammatory arthritis 

Wednesday 13 October 2021, 7pm
Do you have a type of inflammatory arthritis? The joint inflammation caused by these conditions can often be debilitating, affecting many joints throughout the body at the same time. Join us to learn about managing this group of conditions.
Presenter: Dr Marie Feletar, Rheumatologist 
Watch the recording of this webinar

Hands and arthritis

Thursday 11 November 2021, 7pm
Arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions that affect the hands can have a great impact on your daily activities and livelihood. We cover how to ease the pain and useful aids to help your everyday tasks.
Presenter: Ms Josephine Gibbs-Dwyer, Occupational Therapist, Working Hands Therapy 
Watch the recording of this webinar 

2020

Gout

Diagnosing and managing gout
Presenter: Dr Tina Racunica, Rheumatologist, Melbourne
Watch the recording of this webinar

Mindfulness

The role of mindfulness in managing your health
Presenter: Jo Dunin, Melbourne Centre for Mindfulness
Watch the recording of this webinar

Mental health

Musculoskeletal conditions and your mental health 
Presenter: Jacqui Stanford, Director and Principal Psychologist, Empower Rehab. Musculoskeletal Australia is very grateful to Abbvie Pty Ltd for sponsoring this webinar. 
Watch the recording of this webinar

Polymyalgia rheumatica

Diagnosing and managing polymyalgia rheumatica
Presenter: Dr Daniel Boulos, Rheumatologist, Melbourne
Watch the recording of this webinar
We would like to thank Dr Daniel Boulos for kindly re-recording the webinar after a technical problem caused the original recording to be lost.

Scleroderma and Raynaud’s phenomenon

Understanding scleroderma and Raynaud’s phenomenon
Presenter: Dr Nava Ferdowsi, Rheumatologist, St Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne
Watch the recording of this webinar

Staying on your feet

Staying strong and on your feet into older age
Presenter: Dr Frances Batchelor, Director, Clinical Gerontology Division at the National Ageing Research Institute and Director of Research in the Melbourne Ageing Research Collaboration (MARC)
Watch the recording of this webinar

Lupus

Diagnosing and managing lupus
Presenter: A/Prof Alberta Hoi, Head of the Lupus Clinic, Monash Medical Centre; Chair, Australian Lupus Registry and Biobank
Watch the recording of this webinar 

What’s a webinar?

A webinar is an educational session that is presented over the internet. All you need to join a webinar is a computer with speakers and an internet connection. If you don’t have speakers on your computer, you can dial in via the phone to listen to the webinar while watching it on your computer.

We have also put together a short instructional video to assist you. Watch it now.

Time

All webinars start at 7pm (AEST) and go for approximately 1 hour.

If you’re unsure if you’ll be able to view a webinar at the time of its screening, you can still register and you’ll receive a recording of the webinar within a week of its screening.

Registrations

See each webinar for registration.

Registration deadline: Registrations for each webinar close at 3pm (AEST) that day.

Please note: If you’re unsure if you’ll be able to view a webinar at the time of its screening, you can still register and you’ll receive a recording of the webinar within a week of its screening.

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