Clinical Neurodynamic Solutions - Lower Quarter
Clinical Neurodynamic Solutions - Lower Quarter
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Venue
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VICTORIA, BC
Feb. 1, 2026 + Feb. 8, 2026
8:00 - 6:00 (subject to change)
VENUE: TBA
**PLEASE NOTE: This course will run on two Sundays**
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HALIFAX, NS
April 25-26, 2026
8:00 - 6:00 (subject to change)
VENUE: TBA
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CALGARY, AB
October 3-4, 2026
8:00 - 6:00 (subject to change)
VENUE: TBA
Background
NDS courses are based on Michael Shacklock's best-selling text, Clinical Neurodynamics, have been taught to more than 10k clinicians worldwide and are considered foundational for many in the musculoskeletal field.
Michael Shacklock proposed the concept of neurodynamics in 1995 with his paper in the British journal Physiotherapy in which various scientific cornerstones formed a key aspect of clinical practice in physiotherapy and physical therapy neurodynamics practice.
This has been developed on in his book Clinical Neurodynamics, 2005, Elsevier, Oxford in which the whole body is dealt with in diagnosis and treatment of many musculoskeletal syndromes with a neural component.
The courses by Neurodynamic Solutions are based on the philosophy of helping therapists develop their clinical skills and applying them to their patients. This course therefore contains approximately 65% practical and 35% theory.
The Clinical Neurodynamics - Lower Quarter Courses
Define a system of assessing peripheral nerve injuries of the lower quarter, including diagnostic categories, and clinical reasoning. After completing this course, practitioners will have improved their skills at detecting and managing the neurodynamic aspect to the following clinical conditions:
- Lumbar Radiculopathy (including Sciatica)
- Deep Gluteal / Piriformis Syndrome
- Hamstring Injury and the Sciatic Nerve
- Femoral nerve, thigh and knee pain
- Mid-Upper Lumbar Radiculopathy
- Sural at the Achilles Tendon, Ankle & Leg
- Heel Pain - Tibial and Medial Calcaneal Nerve - Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome and Digital Nerves
Course Highlights
- 65:35 practical-theory.
- Strong hands-on and discussional elements.
- Many new manual techniques for the most significant neural problems seen in musculoskeletal practice.
- Systematic treatment progressions for Lumbar Radiculopathy (including Sciatica), Deep Gluteal / Piriformis Syndrome, Hamstring Injury and the Sciatic Nerve, Femoral nerve, thigh and knee pain, Mid-Upper Lumbar Radiculopathy, Sural at the Achilles Tendon, Ankle & Leg, and Heel Pain - Tibial and Medial Calcaneal Nerve - Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome and Digital Nerves
What You Learn
- Understand how nerves move.
- Painless nerve root mobilisations
- how to exclude neurodynamic disorders.
- Differentiate between musculoskeletal and neurodynamic components.
- Make a neurodynamic diagnosis
- Technique progressions from low to high functional levels.
- How to create, select and perform the best techniques for your patients.
- Manual precision of neurodynamic technique.
- How to detect contraindications for neurodynamic treatment.
- Manual skills, specifically the ability to feel abnormalities in movement related to the nervous system in the upper quarter.
- Abilities in diagnosis and interpretation of neurodynamic testing and musculoskeletal relationships.
- Clinician’s repertoire of diagnosis and treatment of techniques.
- Safety in relation to neurodynamics.
HYBRID DELIVERY
FOURTEEN (14) hours are self-paced online content to be completed before attending the in-person session. SIXTEEN (16) hours of live and in-person learning over 2-days with an NDS instructor.
- You will be given access to the self-paced, online component approximately one month prior to the in-person course.
- Once you have begun the online component, there are absolutely no refunds. Transfers will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
The Outline
Neurodynamics applied to the lumbar spine, hip, hamstrings and piriformis syndrome, anterior thigh, knee, achilles tendon, ankle/leg, foot and heel pain.
Collapsible content
Lower Quarter Course
Highlights:
- General neurodynamic principles applied to the entire body and specifically the lower quarter, including the lumbar spine, hip and piriformis syndrome, hamstring injury and heel pain due to tibial and medial calcaneal nerve disorders.
- Classifications of structures and mechanisms for diagnosis and treatment.
- Neurodynamic sequencing - a mechanism that can be used to make neurodynamic technique more specific than in the past.
- How to differentiate nerve from other tissues with mechanical testing.
- How to make diagnosis and treatment more specific than before.
Concept of neurodynamics
- General neurodynamic principles applied to the entire body and specifically the lower quarter, including the lumbopelvic region, hip pain and piriformis syndrome, hamstring strain and neurodynamic aspect to heel pain.
- Neurodynamic sequencing - a mechanism that can be used to make neurodynamic technique more specifically than in the past.
- How to differentiate nerve from other tissues with mechanical testing.
Neurodynamic sequencing
- A method used to select and create progressions for patients.
- Appropriate for patients with severe neural pain progressed to the athlete, performing artist and sports person.
Bilateral and contralateral neurodynamic testing
- Lower limb neurodynamic tests for lumbar nerve root and acute dural pain
- Progressional system to reduce force on lumbar nerve roots and progressively load them for more advanced patients
- Acute care model for the lumbar nerve root
- How to take tension off the lumbar nerve root.
Neuropathodynamics
- Expands the boundaries and classifications of neurodynamic dysfunctions.
- Lumbar interface, opening and closing dysfunctions.
- Lumbar neural tension and sliding dysfunctions.
Neurodynamic testing
- Straight leg raise, slump test, prone knee bend.
- Peroneal/fibular, tibial and sural neurodynamic tests.
- Sensitisation techniques for the neural tissues (level/type 3a).
Planning the physical examination
- How not to provoke pain but still treat the neurodynamic component.
- How to sensitize the examination and treatment for hidden neurodynamic problems, level 1, 2 and type 3a, 3b, 3c and 3d examinations.
Diagnosis with neurodynamic tests
- Differentiating neural tissue from neuromusculoskeletal tissues.
- Establishing what is normal and abnormal.
- What to do next.
Method of treatment
- System of technique progression.
- Hypersensitivity problems
- Subtle and hidden neural component and sensitised treatments.
- Directing treatment at pathophysiology.
- Progression from pathophysiology to pathomechanics.
- Neurodynamics applied to lumbar disc and intervertebral foramen biomechanics.
Treatment progressions
- Lumbar nerve root foraminal opening and closing dysfunctions
- Lumbar neural tension dysfunction.
- Combined neural tension and reduced closing dysfunctions (level/type 3c).
- Sciatic aspect to piriformis syndrome treatment combinations.
- Femoral Neuropathy and Upper Lumbar Radiculopathy
- Tarsal tunnel syndrome and foot pain.
This is Lower Quarter, find Upper Quarter here
Instructors
Michael Shacklock
DipPhysio, MAppSc, FACP
NDS Instructor, founding director, principal
Australia.
Michael received his graduate qualification at the Auckland School of Physiotherapy, New Zealand, in 1980. He worked in public hospitals in the medical, surgical, paediatrics, orthopaedics, geriatrics, intensive care and burns areas around New Zealand before being employed in private practices, treating spinal and sports injuries in Nelson with Michael Monaghan and Auckland with Margaret Franklin. In 1985 he moved to Adelaide, Australia, working at the Royal Adelaide Hospital and private practices around Adelaide. He completed a Graduate Diploma in Advanced Manipulative Therapy in 1989 and converted this to a Masters degree at the University of South Australia in 1993. He was awarded a Fellow of the Australian College of Physiotherapists (Australian Physiotherapy Association) for his monograph and international best-seller text book, Clinical Neurodynamics, Elsevier, Oxford, 2005. In addition to his neurodynamics book, he has published two other books, Moving in on Pain (Elsevier) and Biomechanics of the Nervous System: Breig Revisited. He also authored, co-authored and mentored numerous research studies, editorials, commentaries and clinical papers in international peer reviewed journals articles which have garnered many international awards, including Visiting Professor of the Faculty of Medicine, Barcelo University, Buenos Aires (see academic activities on ResearchGate). He was a member of the International Advisory Board of the journal Musculoskeletal Theory and Practice (formerly Manual Therapy), United Kingdom and is an Associate Editor of the Journal of Manual and Manipulative Therapy, USA. Michael presents keynote addresses and invited conference lectures, trains staff at elite sports medicine facilities and sports clubs, universities, hospitals and private seminars around the world. His special interests are neurodynamics, measurement of mechanical function of the nervous system, pain and the nervous system and musculoskeletal function. His most valued interest is how to synthesise science and clinical practice using evidence and reasoning. Michael is an active clinician, has 35 years of experience in treating patients and is recognised as an international leader in the diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal disorders with a neural aspect.
Dr. Michael Maxwell
Dr. Michael Maxwell has been a fitness, health, exercise rehabilitation and manual therapy nerd since 1998. As a personal trainer, strength and conditioning coach, kinesiologist, and Chiropractor, he has sought out key mentors, courses, and conferences to accelerate the acquisition of knowledge and skills necessary to help his clients and patients.
Frustrated by the lack of practical knowledge and skills provided in his Exercise Science undergraduate degree, and inspired by the extra-curricular conferences and courses he had previously attended, Dr. Maxwell began facilitating workshops and seminars that featured practical, hands-on content, taught by industry leaders. This is what led to the formation of Somatic Senses Education. Since 2003, Dr. Maxwell has organized well over 250 continuing education courses throughout Canada featuring industry leaders such as Lorimer Moseley, Donald Murphy, Stuart McGill, Pavel Kolar and the outstanding Prague School Physios, Clayton Skaggs, Brett Winchester, Michael Shacklock, Dale Buchberger, Jack Miller, Clare Frank, Robert Lardner, Mark Finch, Charlie Weingroff, and many more! His mission is simple: provide evidence-informed, practical and world-class continuing education featuring industry leading clinicians, educators, and researchers, with the ultimate goal of improving the standards of patient care!
Dr. Joseph Gravino
Neurodynamic Solutions proudly welcomes Joseph Gravino to the team as a very accomplished instructor in physical therapy. He teaches Neurodynamic Solutions throughout the United States and has his own clinic and team in Buffalo, New York.
Dr Gravino received his Bachelor’s Degree in Biology in 2013 and his Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Daemen College in 2015. Since then, he has completed many post doctorate courses in manual therapy, exercise and pain. In 2016, Joe started his company, Elite Spine & Extremity Physical Therapy and became credentialed in Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT). In 2017, Joe presented a case study pertaining to treating individuals with neuromuscular disorders and mechanical low back pain. From 2017-2019, he worked closely with the World of Hurt team and Annie O’Connor. In 2019, Joe started working with Michael Shacklock on an individual mentor basis. Since doing so, his clinical team has completed the first level of training as NDS practitioners. Joe has been a long time member of the American Physical Therapy Association and the International Association for the Study of Pain Neuropathic Pain special interest group. Currently, Joseph is working on submitting his first publication(s). Additionally, Joseph has worked as an adjunct professor at University at Buffalo and Daemen University in their orthopaedics curriculum and has helped with the content production for a local orthopaedic residency.
