The immediate physical changes in spinal discs from a rotation technique used to address discogenic pain are not well understood. Researchers used MRI to scan the lumbar spines of five asymptomatic participants before and after a two-minute sustained passive spinal rotation mobilization was applied.

Putos, J., Atkinson, H. F., & Walton, D. M. (2026). Statistical shape modeling of MRI-based morphological response of lumbar intervertebral discs to a unilateral side lying spinal rotation mobilization. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage Open, 8(2), 100783. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocarto.2026.100783   David Walton

Accurately assessing compositional changes to skeletal muscles is needed to inform treatment for conditions like sarcopenia and frailty. This article examines clinical investigations and reports on the use of imaging tools to assess these changes.

Masnoon, N., Cornwall, J., Elliott, J. M., Glare, P., Hilmer, S. N., McKay, M., Walton, D. M., Weber, K., & Wesselink, E. (2026). Muscle Composition as a Novel Prognostic Tool for Pain, Frailty, and Sarcopenia. Clinics in Geriatric Medicine, 42(1), 61-73. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cger.2025.08.012   David Walton

Gaps in pain management education persist across health training programs for physiotherapy students. Researchers developed and gathered initial evidence for an assessment that used case-based multiple choice questions and simulations with physiotherapy students in their final semester.

Augeard, N., Miller, J., Bostick, G., St-Onge, C., Tousignant-Laflamme, Y., Hudon, A., Walton, D., Singer, L., Cooper, L., Bussières, A., Thomas, A., Perreault, K., Tupper, S., Carlesso, L. C., Stilwell, P., Amari, F., Varette, K., Ashton-James, C., & Wideman, T. H. (2025). Development of a pain management competency assessment for physiotherapy students: Integrating simulation and written assessments. Canadian Journal of Pain, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/24740527.2025.2512728   David Walton

The integration of pain management skills into Canadian physiotherapy education programs is inconsistent. To explore factors influencing this, a study was conducted using five focus groups with pain educators and program directors from 13 physiotherapy programs in Canada.

Augeard, N., Longtin, C., Bussières, A., Bostick, G., Thomas, A., Miller, J., Tousignant-Laflamme, Y., Walton, D., Hudon, A., Cooper, L., Singer, L., Amari, F., & Wideman, T. H. (2025). Implementing pain competencies in Canadian physiotherapy education: Challenges, barriers, and opportunities. Canadian Journal of Pain, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/24740527.2025.2574969   David Walton

Adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis lack evidence-based guidance on how to return to sports, exercise, and physical activity after spinal fusion surgery. Researchers conducted a three-round electronic study with international surgeons and physiotherapists, asking them to generate and rate statements about post-operative rehabilitation.

Tucker, S., Heneghan, N. R., Rushton, A., Gardner, A., Russell, E., & Soundy, A. (2026). International consensus on sports, exercise, and physical activity participation during post-operative interventions for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: An e-Delphi study. PLOS One, 21(2), e0322346. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0322346   Alison Rushton