Modern musculoskeletal practice demands efficiency, diagnostic accuracy, and defensible clinical reasoning. Yet many clinicians continue to perform exhaustive orthopedic examinations that may add little diagnostic value while increasing false positives, unnecessary imaging, and downstream costs. This presentation examines the evidence behind common orthopedic special tests and challenges the assumption that “more testing equals better diagnosis.”

Using data from systematic reviews and meta-analyses, participants will review the diagnostic accuracy of frequently used orthopedic examination procedures. Emphasis will be placed on sensitivity, specificity, and likelihood ratios, as well as the value of test clustering and hypothesis-driven examination strategies. The session will also address imaging overuse, the prevalence of asymptomatic structural findings, and the clinical consequences of over-testing.

Attendees will learn a practical five-step focused examination model designed for daily practice, along with guidance on identifying red flags that warrant expanded evaluation. Case-based examples will demonstrate how a streamlined, evidence-informed exam can improve efficiency while maintaining diagnostic confidence and medicolegal defensibility.

This lecture provides a clear, research-supported framework for determining how much orthopedic examination is truly necessary—and how to apply it effectively in real-world clinical settings.

Learning Objectives:

• Define what constitutes a “focused” orthopedic exam.
• Understand evidence regarding diagnostic accuracy of common orthopedic tests.
• Identify when limited exams are appropriate.

This presentation focused on the recognition, assessment, and management of hypermobility syndromes, including Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS) and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders (HSD). Brendan McCann, DC, PSP, discussed common signs and symptoms such as chronic pain, fatigue, proprioceptive deficits, autonomic dysfunction, and recurrent injuries, while emphasizing the importance of accurate diagnosis and a multidisciplinary approach to care.

The session highlighted assessment strategies, including Beighton scoring and patient history evaluation, as well as individualized treatment approaches centered on stability, motor control, strengthening, load management, and patient education. Dr. McCann also addressed common clinical challenges and stressed the importance of evidence-informed, patient-centered care to improve long-term outcomes for hypermobile patients.

Learning Objectives

1. Identify the clinical characteristics and common presentations associated with hypermobility syndromes, including Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS) and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders (HSD).
2. Apply appropriate assessment strategies, including Beighton scoring and patient history evaluation, to improve recognition and diagnosis of hypermobility-related conditions.
3. Describe evidence-informed management approaches focused on stability, motor control, strengthening, load management, and patient education for individuals with hypermobility syndromes.
4. Recognize common clinical challenges and implement patient-centered, multidisciplinary strategies to support improved functional outcomes and long-term care.

This course provides chiropractic practitioners with a comprehensive framework for ethical decision-making and risk management when treating special patient populations. Practitioners increasingly encounter patients whose unique physiological, psychological, social, or legal circumstances require heightened awareness, modified clinical approaches, and rigorous documentation practices.

Special populations addressed in this course include but are not limited to: pediatric patients and minors, geriatric patients, pregnant patients, patients with cognitive or developmental disabilities, and patients with complex comorbidities. For each population, the course examines the intersection of clinical responsibility, informed consent, professional boundaries, mandatory reporting obligations, and scope-of-practice considerations.

Learning Objectives:

• Articulate the core ethical principles: autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice, as they apply to chiropractic practice with vulnerable and special patient populations
• Describe the legal and ethical standards for obtaining valid informed consent, including modifications required for minors and cognitively impaired patients.
• Reflect on personal biases, assumptions, and cultural competency gaps that may affect the quality and equity of care delivered to special populations.
• Identify the warning signs of practitioner impairment, boundary erosion, and ethical drift, and describe pathways to peer consultation or professional support.

Cartilage degeneration is common, debilitating, and dramatically affects quality of life. What if you could change that trajectory without injections or surgery?

In this lecture, chiropractor and renowned educator Tom Bayne shares compelling and exciting new research on a patented, newly available dietary supplement. Explore the data on walk score improvement, joint comfort, and quality of life reports.

Learning Objectives:

1. Critically analyze the bidirectional relationship between cartilage degeneration and systemic inflammatory pathways
2. Develop targeted strategies that enhance cartilage regeneration with safe, targeted supplementation options
3. Improve measurable patient-centered metrics, including pain reduction, functional capacity, and quality of life.

Through a series of focused case vignettes, chiropractic clinicians will refine their ability to apply guideline‑informed management of cervicogenic and tension‑type headaches in real‑world practice. Each scenario challenges clinicians to distinguish headache types using nuanced historical details, red/orange/yellow flag screening, and targeted examination findings that mirror the complexity of daily patient encounters as they are led through the latest chiropractic clinical practice guidelines. As cases unfold, clinicians will consider evidence‑based nonpharmacological interventions—such as spinal manipulation, soft‑tissue approaches, exercise, and multimodal care—while determining when referral or co‑management is warranted. By engaging with diverse patient presentations, clinicians will strengthen diagnostic reasoning, sharpen clinical decision‑making, and enhance their ability to deliver safe, effective, and guideline‑consistent chiropractic treatment for headache patients.

Learning Objectives:

1. Differentiate key clinical features between cervicogenic and tension-type headache as consistent with the International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3^rd edition.
2. Understand the role of physical evaluation and diagnostic imaging in the diagnosis of cervicogenic and tension-type headaches
3. Identify precautions and contraindications for nonpharmacological interventions  
4. Evaluate the evidence supporting spinal manipulation for cervicogenic and tension-type headache

This presentation will cover the various types of radiology errors that can occur in clinical practice, along with proven strategies to minimize them. Through real-life case study examples, we will explore common mistakes, implications, and practical approaches to improving accuracy in radiologic interpretation. Attendees will leave with actionable insights to enhance their diagnostic skills and reduce the likelihood of errors in their own practice.