Dr John Osborne

Presentation Topic: Evidence in Action: Practical, Research‑Based Solutions for Plantar Heel Pain

Dr John Osborne is a podiatrist and Lecturer whose work focuses on lower limb biomechanics, tissue loading, and clinical decision-making. His research explores how mechanical stress and movement relate to pain and injury, and how these concepts can be applied clearly in clinical practice.

Alongside his academic role, John works in a sports medicine clinic and is one of only seven credentialed sports and musculoskeletal podiatrists in Australia. His clinical experience includes working with international and national athletes in tennis, Australian rules football, netball, basketball, and gymnastics, as well as providing care to members of the general public with musculoskeletal concerns. This combination of high-performance sport and everyday clinical practice informs his perspective on load, adaptation, and injury management.

Building on his PhD and ongoing research, John examines how clinicians think about load, capacity, and function in common lower limb conditions. His work connects laboratory research with practical clinical reasoning, aiming to support clearer assessment and more coherent management decisions.