Sports and Exercise Podiatry Australasia

We're proud to bring you a special episode of devoted entirely to ! 👣💫

Our hosts Patrick Doan and John Charles bring together a powerhouse panel to unpack the custom space: Kent Sweeting (Queensland Orthotic Lab), Rhys Pierce (Footwork Podiatric Laboratory), Konrad Job (LaserCAM Orthotics) and Darcy Dore (Foot Faults Podiatry).

Together, they unpack the complete orthotic ecosystem—from tissue loading and foot capture to the reality of chair-side 3D printing.

Here’s what’s inside the episode:

💡 Why true success is about shifting tissue load, not just chasing symptom relief
💡 Scope & Ownership: Why podiatrists must master orthotic therapy
💡 Foot Capture Foundations: Casts vs. scans vs. avoiding flat devices
💡 The 3D Printing Myth: SLS nylon, FDM, polyprop & grinding in-clinic
💡 Future Tech: Active insoles, CAD empowerment & TGA updates

Press play today! 🎧

👉 Listen now! Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms https://rss.com/podcasts/sole-science

We are proud to recognise and pay tribute to former SEPA Board President Adam Glascock (Newcastle Family & Sports Podiatry), who has formally resigned his membership ahead of his upcoming retirement from clinical practice this October. 💫

Over the years—first with AAPSM and later with SEPA—Adam has generously shared his time and expertise to champion sports podiatry. He was a major driving force in shaping SEPA into the organisation it is today.✨

Thank you, Adam, for your dedicated service to our community. We wish you the absolute best in your well-earned next chapter!💜

Court sports demand elite stability, rapid direction changes and unique footwear needs—and we’re bringing together top clinical expertise to help you master lower-limb care in these athletes. 🏀🎾🏐👟

Join us at the Bared Footwear store next month for an exclusive evening packed with practical takeaways, sideline stories and expert insights!

Here’s who’s hitting the stage:

✨ Emma Poynton will present "Foot Fault… Confessions from the Australian Open Podiatrist"

✨ Patrick Rowe will unpack "The 'Netballer's Ankle': Prevention and Management Strategies for Ankle Sprains in Netball"

🍷 Drinks and nibbles are provided. Be sure to arrive early to shop the latest Bared footwear range! 😍

Every attendee also scores a goodie bag thanks to Elastoplast! 🎁

⚠️ Spots are strictly capped at 40 attendees due to venue size, so get in fast!

Registrations are now live for SEPA members! 💜 Non-member rego opens Monday 10 August.

Special thanks to Bared Footwear for hosting us and Elastoplast for supporting our event!

More info: https://www.sepa.org.au/event/melbourne-clinical-presentations-in-court-sports-athletes/

"As podiatrists, we have a certain set of skills..."✨👏

Such a pleasure chatting with Sports Podiatry Info Ltd on podcast! Extremely knowledgeable and such an engaging guest.

Make sure you catch the full conversation - listen now on your favourite streaming platform.

👉 https://rss.com/podcasts/sole-science/

In this SEPA Member Highlight, we're proud to celebrate Andrew van Essen AM on being awarded a Member of the Order of Australia for his significant service to podiatry! 👏🎖️

Andrew is a SEPA Fellow and while his impact spans across the entire profession, today we’re shining a special light on his incredible contributions directly within .

Since beginning his career in 1981, Andrew has been a true pioneer in the field. He helped shape South Australia's first podiatry degree, became a respected university lecturer, delivered the very first podiatry lecture at the ASMF National Conference in 1983, co-founded South Australia's first commercial orthotic lab, and even contributed to the development of the original ASICS Gel Lethal football boot! 👟💡

Beyond clinical practice, Andrew’s legacy in sports podiatry includes volunteering at the Sydney 2000 Olympics, supporting elite team sports, and holding key leadership roles—earning him a Fellowship of the ASMF. For over 30 years, he also shared his sports podiatry expertise internationally, delivering keynotes and workshops across Japan before handing over his teaching mantle after his 2025 keynote to the Japanese Athletic Trainers Association. 🌏✈️

Always one to practice what he preaches, Andrew has successfully tackled the New York and Paris Marathons. Yet perhaps his greatest legacy in sports podiatry is the generations of practitioners he has mentored and inspired to become leaders in sports medicine research, education, and clinical practice. 🏃‍♂️

On behalf of everyone at SEPA, congratulations on this well-deserved honour, Andrew! We are all so proud of you🙌✨

Weigh in and have your say! 🧠👟🗣️

Unpopular opinions? Underrated / overrated treatment techniques? Burning questions?

We want to put YOUR takes to our expert podcast guests at the end of upcoming episodes! 🎙️

Submit your question here: https://forms.gle/D9CYvrw9azT3csnY8

You can choose to submit anonymously or have your name read out during the episode.

Tune into Sole Science now. Streaming on all major platforms: https://rss.com/podcasts/sole-science/

What does it actually take to bridge cutting-edge clinical research with elite AFL sports medicine? 👟⚡️

In our latest episode of Sole Science, Pat and Darcy sit down with A/Prof. Kade Paterson—Kate Campbell Fellow at The University of Melbourne, President of SEPA, and consulting sports podiatrist at Collingwood Football Club!

From skateboarding and running in his early days to leading world-first RCTs on joint osteoarthritis and PRP, Kade gives us an unfiltered look into the future of lower-limb sports podiatry. 🧠👣

Here’s a sneak peek of what we cover:

🔹 Moving from passive shoe tweaks to active load management

🔹 The truth about PRP & ankle osteoarthritis (behind the scenes of the RESTORE trial)

🔹 The "Foot Spring" mechanism vs. rocker-bottom shoes

🔹 High-stakes podiatry in the AFL with Collingwood FC

🔹 Why exercise is your most powerful systemic pain reliever

🎧 Press play on your commute today!

👉 Listen now! Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.: https://rss.com/podcasts/sole-science/

Kia ora NZ!🌿 We’re heading across the ditch for the Footwork Go Best of SEPA NZ Roadshow — and we’re bringing our Trail Running Symposium with us! 🏃‍♂️💨

We want to make it as easy as possible for you to join us, so we'll be presenting in both Christchurch and Auckland. 🎉

Here’s what’s in store:

✨ Deep dive into the biomechanical demands and common pathologies of trail-running

✨ Hands-on learning with our accomplished keynotes Matthew Clarke (Podiatrist & 2x Olympian) and Madeleine Murray (Podiatrist & Aus 1500m silver medallist)

✨ Relaxed, interactive environment

⚠️ Spots are strictly capped at 30 attendees per location to keep things interactive, so you’ll want to get in fast!

Registrations are now live to SEPA members! 💜 Non-member rego will go live on Monday 27 July from 9am.

Learn more👉 https://www.sepa.org.au/event/footwork-go-best-of-sepa-nz-roadshow-trail-running-symposium

🏆 BIG NEWS! Please join us in congratulating the recipients of the 2026 SEPA Research Grant! 👏✨

🏅 Aaron Robertson
🏅 Aaron Wholohan
🏅 Chris Phillips

Advancing our profession starts with bold ideas and dedication to research. We can't wait to see the impact your projects will make on patient outcomes and the podiatry community as a whole!🚀 👣 Congratulations!

Thank-you to everyone who submitted an application in this year's funding round. We received a record number of submissions and we were extremely impressed by the high calibre of applications received. We encourage you to apply again next year! 💫

Last but not least, a huge thank you to the members of our Research Grant Review Committee for their time, expertise and dedication throughout the review process. We value your support. 💜