Pedorthic Association of Australia

01/09/2026

Make the most of your visit to Sydney.

Attendees of the Student Information Session on Thursday 10 September are eligible for 30% off full registration for the PAA Conference 2026, taking place on 11–12 September at the same venue.

It is a great opportunity to extend your introduction to pedorthics beyond the information session — hear from practitioners and industry experts, explore current developments in the profession and connect with the wider pedorthic community.

Please note that the discount applies to full conference registration only and does not include the Conference Dinner.

After registering for the Student Information Session, you will receive the discount code by email.

📅 Thursday 10 September 2026
🕓 Registration from 4:30 pm
🕔 Information Session: 5:00–6:00 pm
📍 Novotel Sydney on Darling Harbour

Register here:
https://pedorthics.org.au/events/uwo-student-information-session/

31/08/2026

When the diagnosis changes, should our approach to assessing and managing the condition also change?

Progressive Collapsing Foot Deformity (PCFD) marks a significant shift from traditional concepts of adult-acquired flatfoot and posterior tibial tendon dysfunction — recognising a more complex, multi-segment and progressive pattern of deformity.

At the Pedorthic Conference 2026, Dr John Negrine, Orthopaedic Surgeon at Prince of Wales Private Hospital, will examine what this updated classification means in practice.

Using clinical cases, the session will explore PCFD alongside patterns of midfoot collapse unrelated to Charcot neuroarthropathy, highlighting how these presentations differ and how the updated framework can support assessment, staging and pedorthic management.

For pedorthists working with complex foot deformity, this is an opportunity to deepen clinical understanding and consider how evolving diagnostic frameworks translate into day-to-day practice.

📅 11–12 September 2026
📍 Novotel Sydney on Darling Harbour

Join us in Sydney and take home insights you can apply beyond the conference room.

https://pedorthics.org.au/conference-registration/

28/08/2026

A new way to study pedorthics from Australia.

Western University’s Post-Degree Diploma in Pedorthics is designed so that most coursework can be completed online, with practical components including workshops and practicums taking place in Australia.

This allows prospective students to complete the academic component through Western University while developing practical skills and experience in Australia.

Want to learn more about studying pedorthics from Australia?

Join us for the Student Information Session on Thursday 10 September to hear directly from Western University, learn more about the course and ask questions about the pathway.

📅 Thursday 10 September 2026
🕓 Registration from 4:30 pm
🕔 Information Session: 5:00–6:00 pm
📍 Novotel Sydney on Darling Harbour

Register here:
https://pedorthics.org.au/events/uwo-student-information-session/

Applications for the first Australian intake are planned to open on 1 November 2026, with the first cohort commencing in September 2027.

28/08/2026

Speaker Spotlight — Fred Holtkamp

What can happen when biomechanics, engineering, research and clinical practice come together to tackle real-world challenges in orthopaedic footwear?

At the Pedorthic Conference 2026, Fred Holtkamp, Associate Professor at Fontys University of Allied Health Professions in the Netherlands, will bring an international perspective on research and education to the UNIVERS project and the development of uniform guidelines for orthopaedic work and safety footwear.

With more than 20 years’ experience across prosthetics, orthotics, orthopaedic engineering and shoe technology, Fred’s work spans biomechanics, gait analysis, CAD/CAM systems, rehabilitation engineering and health innovation.

Through the UNIVERS sessions, delegates will explore why more consistent guidance is needed, how the project has approached its development, and why the perspectives of stakeholders and users are essential to creating guidance that is both evidence-informed and workable in practice.

For anyone interested in the intersection of research, technology, footwear and clinical application, these sessions offer a valuable international perspective on how the profession can continue to evolve.

📅 11–12 September 2026
📍 Novotel Sydney on Darling Harbour

There’s still time to register — join us in Sydney for two days of ideas, practical insights and international perspectives.

https://pedorthics.org.au/conference-registration/

26/08/2026

Speaker Spotlight — Dr Ron Schiedon

How do we create greater consistency in the way orthopaedic work and safety footwear is designed, prescribed and delivered?

At the Pedorthic Conference 2026, Dr Ron Schiedon will share insights from the Netherlands through the UNIVERS project — an initiative focused on developing more uniform guidelines for orthopaedic work and safety footwear.

An experienced Orthopaedic Shoe Technician, consultant and educator, Ron has spent much of his career contributing to professional development, quality standards and innovation within the orthopaedic footwear sector. As Project Leader of UNIVERS, he has played a central role in bringing together the knowledge, stakeholders and practical considerations needed to advance this work.

Across the UNIVERS sessions, delegates will explore both the need for and the approach to developing uniform guidelines, as well as the role of stakeholders and users in creating guidance that works in practice.

For pedorthists and others involved in orthopaedic footwear, this is an opportunity to look beyond individual practice and consider how shared standards can support quality, safety and consistency across the profession.

📅 11–12 September 2026
📍 Novotel Sydney on Darling Harbour

Join us in Sydney and be part of the conversations shaping the future of pedorthic practice.

https://pedorthics.org.au/conference-registration/

24/08/2026

Speaker Spotlight — Dr Elizabeth Thompson

What does good rehabilitation look like when you move beyond gait alone?

At the Pedorthic Conference 2026, Dr Elizabeth Thompson, Rehabilitation Medicine Specialist, will explore why compatibility, collaboration and context matter when supporting people with complex needs.

Drawing on her experience in paediatric rehabilitation medicine, private practice and inclusive healthcare, Liz brings a practical perspective to the realities of working across disciplines — and to the difference between what works in theory and what works in real life.

Her session:

Beyond the Gait: A Day in Rehabilitation Medicine — Why compatibility, collaboration and context matter

will offer valuable insight into the broader clinical picture surrounding rehabilitation, including the importance of understanding the person, their environment and the professionals involved in their care.

If you work in pedorthics, allied health or multidisciplinary rehabilitation, this is a session designed to challenge thinking and strengthen collaborative practice.

📅 11–12 September 2026
📍 Novotel Sydney on Darling Harbour

There’s still time to register — join us in Sydney for two days of learning, discussion and connection.

https://pedorthics.org.au/conference-registration/

21/08/2026

Interested in a future career in pedorthics?

PAA is working with Western University to establish a new Australian pathway through Western University’s Post-Degree Diploma in Pedorthics.

Join us for a Student Information Session on Thursday 10 September to hear directly from Western University, learn more about the course and Australian pathway, meet practising pedorthists and ask questions about where pedorthics could take you.

After the session, attendees are also invited to stay for the PAA Conference Welcome Reception to meet pedorthists, speak with exhibitors and continue the conversation.

Applications for the first Australian intake are planned to open on 1 November 2026, with the first cohort commencing in September 2027.

📅 Thursday 10 September 2026
🕓 Registration from 4:30 pm
🕔 Session: 5:00–6:00 pm
📍 Novotel Sydney on Darling Harbour

If pedorthics could be your next step, we’d love to see you there.

https://pedorthics.org.au/events/uwo-student-information-session/

17/08/2026

Meet our 2026 Keynote Speaker — Dr Kelly Robb

We’re delighted to welcome Dr Kelly Robb to the Pedorthic Conference 2026: Footprints in Progress: Pedorthics in Motion.
Bringing together research, clinical education and industry innovation, Kelly’s presentations will explore the neurophysiological mechanisms behind foot orthotic interventions.

Kelly is Director of Product and Innovation at The Kintec Group and Adjunct Faculty in the Department of Kinesiology & Physical Education at Wilfrid Laurier University. An internationally recognised researcher in foot orthotics and human movement, her work explores how sensory input, textured foot orthoses and neurophysiology can influence balance, locomotion and motor control.

Across three sessions at this year’s conference, Kelly will take us beneath the surface of foot orthotic interventions to explore:

• Designing for the Nervous System — texture, foot orthoses and motor control
• Under the Surface — skin deformation, neural feedback and the science of textured foot orthoses
• Supporting Stability — the role of foot orthoses in balance and locomotor control

For clinicians interested in the why behind orthotic interventions — and how emerging research can translate into better clinical decision-making and patient care — these sessions are not to be missed.

📅 11–12 September 2026
📍 Novotel Sydney on Darling Harbour

Register now and join us in Sydney for two days of learning, discussion and connection.
https://pedorthics.org.au/conference-registration/

11/05/2026

Pedorthic Insights LIVE returns tomorrow evening with a webinar focused on the new Pedorthic Footwear Standards.

Join Angus Brewin, PAA Vice President, for a discussion on the Standards and their implications for prescribing, supply, funding pathways, and clinical decision-making.

We look forward to an engaging session and the opportunity to further explore the role of the Standards across pedorthic footwear practice in Australia.

📅 Tuesday 12 May 2026
🕖 7:00pm (AEST)

Register here:
https://pedorthics.org.au/paa-events/

Pedorthic Insights LIVE returns this May with a webinar focused on the new Pedorthic Footwear Standards.

Presented by Angus Brewin, PAA Vice President, the session will unpack:
• the key components of the Standards
• clarification of footwear categories
• implications for prescribing, supply, and funding pathways
• considerations for consistent clinical decision-making

Whether you are prescribing, supplying, reviewing, or working alongside pedorthic footwear services, this webinar will help build a clearer understanding of the new framework and its role across practice and funding environments.

The Pedorthic Footwear Standards have been endorsed by the Australian Physiotherapy Association, the Australian Podiatry Association, Diabetes Feet Australia and the National Association of Diabetes Centres, reflecting growing sector support for a more consistent framework for pedorthic footwear practice in Australia.

📅 Tuesday 12 May 2026
🕖 7:00pm (AEST)

Register here:
https://pedorthics.org.au/paa-events/

07/05/2026

Pedorthic Insights LIVE returns this May with a webinar focused on the new Pedorthic Footwear Standards.

Presented by Angus Brewin, PAA Vice President, the session will unpack:
• the key components of the Standards
• clarification of footwear categories
• implications for prescribing, supply, and funding pathways
• considerations for consistent clinical decision-making

Whether you are prescribing, supplying, reviewing, or working alongside pedorthic footwear services, this webinar will help build a clearer understanding of the new framework and its role across practice and funding environments.

The Pedorthic Footwear Standards have been endorsed by the Australian Physiotherapy Association, the Australian Podiatry Association, Diabetes Feet Australia and the National Association of Diabetes Centres, reflecting growing sector support for a more consistent framework for pedorthic footwear practice in Australia.

📅 Tuesday 12 May 2026
🕖 7:00pm (AEST)

Register here:
https://pedorthics.org.au/paa-events/