Shoulder Masterclass

An evidence-based approach to assessment, clinical reasoning and management of shoulder disorders

a 2-day course with

Eoin Ó Conaire

PhD candidate, MSc, BSc (Hons), MISCP

Focus of the course

• Accurate and effective assessment of the shoulder in an evidence-based framework
• Structured clinical reasoning with an emphasis on collaborative decision-making with the patient
• Safe and judicious clinical decision-making– physiotherapy versus non-physiotherapy management versus investigations versus onward referral
• Effective management of shoulder disorders – physiotherapy and non-physiotherapy management
• Focus on effective rehabilitation strategies

Helping you to do something different in clinic on Monday morning!

This highly practical course aims to equip you with the clinical skills to appropriately diagnose the most likely source of shoulder pain and to evaluate the contributory factors. This in turn allows you to identify the most likely strategies that will help get the patient better or to know when to investigate or refer onwards. The flow-chart above is the assessment framework that Eoin has developed to help clinicians break down the assessment and clinical reasoning of the shoulder in a an practical and clinically accessible way.

What have people said are the main strengths of the Shoulder Masterclass?

“Very engaging tutor, relaxed, knowledgeable and could articulate extremely well the spectrum of shoulder problems”

“Tutor knowledgeable and engaged whole group with different experience and backgrounds”

“Excellent info, clear delivery and clear rounded differential diagnosis, helped by flow charts and a clinical reasoning structure”

“Emphasis on encouraging good communication with clients”

“The tutor was willing to answer questions throughout and facilitate excellent discussions amongst the group”

“I loved the relaxed and interactive learning environment”

“I really enjoyed the practical components of the course”

“This course really helped to give me an overview of the different types of shoulder conditions and how to help these different kinds of patients”

“The real strength of the Shoulder Masterclass was how the tutor enabled participant interaction”

“The video presentations were very helpful”

“Honest, approachable, knowledgeable tutor who was able to get across very in-depth content in a practical and accessible way”

“Very enjoyable”

Next courses

Date: 2026 Date to be confirmed

Venue: 2026 Location to be confirmed

Price: €395

To enquire about future courses: Call Evidence-Based Therapy Centre on 091 727777 or email secretary@ebtc.ie 

If you would like to host a course in your department / practice in 2026, then please contact eoin.oconaire@ebtc.ie

About the tutor

Eoin O Conaire is an award-winning chartered physiotherapist and shoulder specialist. Since qualifying from the University of Brighton with first class honours in 1999, he has gathered a huge breadth and depth of experience. This has included working at large London teaching hospitals, professional and elite sport and in private practice.

As Musculoskeletal Clinical Lead and lead Extended Scope Practitioner at Central London Community Healthcare, he developed a specialist orthopaedic triage and treatment service and worked clinically in the Upper Limb service. He also set up and ran an ultrasound-guided injection service and in collaboration with Dr. Jeremy Lewis developed and validated the first physiotherapy-led arthrographic hydrodistension service for Frozen Shoulder. In 2011 this was awarded funding from the Health Foundation Shine programme for innovations in healthcare.

Academically he has gained an MSc (Advancing Practice) with distinction from the University of Birmingham, been published in peer-reviewed journals and presented his work at international conferences. He was awarded the MACP MSc research prize in 2009 and Central London Community Healthcare therapist of the year in 2011.

In 2012 – together with Clinical Psychologist Dr. Róisín Joyce – he set up Evidence-Based Therapy Centre in Galway. They have a shared vision to develop a service which puts into practice the highest quality research evidence. This combined with their clinical expertise and an emphasis on working collaboratively with their patients can provide the best possible outcomes.

In 2013, Eoin developed the Shoulder Masterclass This distills his considerable clinical and academic knowledge into a two-day highly practical course to help physiotherapists to improve the management of shoulder pain. in 2023, Eoin co-developed the Psychologically-informed Physiotherapist with Clinical Psychologist, Dr Róisín Joyce – a course designed to equip physiotherapists with the theoretical understanding, skills and strategies to optimise the therapeutic alliance.

In 2021 Eoin started his PhD studies under the supervision of internationally renowned shoulder researcher Professor Filip Struyf at the University of Antwerp.

Who is this course suitable for?

The Shoulder Masterclass is aimed at qualified healthcare professionals who see patients with musculoskeletal shoulder pain.