2025 Wrap Up
Looking back at 2025 at DrAlisonGrimaldi.com & what's in store for 2026!
It's been another great year at DrAlisonGrimaldi.com . I've been priveleged to travel to many countries teaching and learning about hip pain. It is such a vibrant space, with new pieces of the hip health puzzle evolving all the time. I am excited to be involved in a number of research projects that will hopefully offer more insights in the coming years.
My mission to share the evidence with clinicians, in clinicially relevant workshops and resources continued over 2025. I managed to present 25 face-to-face workshops over 8 countries, as well as two online workshops for health professionals from all over the globe. I attended and presented at 2 international hip conferences - British Hip and ISHA, and keynoted at the NZMPA conference in Queenstown, New Zealand and the Icelandic Physiotherapy Association Conference in Reykjavík. I have also been able to reach a wider group of health professionals through 6 guest podcasts with wide and varied audiences. And my favourite impact, is the interactions I have within Hip Academy, which continues to grow and flourish thanks to the keen hip lovers and hip learners who engage with the resources and attend our regular online masterclasses, Q & A sessions and member case sharing. I just love our community! A huge thank you to our members for your enthusiasm and contributions.
There is much more to come in the new year. If you'd like to hear more about my activities this year and what's planned for 2026, here are the key highlights:
Let others know why you like dralisongrimaldi.com
I have had some lovely feedback on my teaching travels this year - health professionals letting me know how much they value my teaching, website and social media content, and how it has changed their clinical practice in a very positive way.
I'd love to know if you have found value from all the work that I put into bringing this high-quality information to you.
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12 HIP Days of Christmas 2025!
It’s that time of year again! 🎄 The 12 Hip Days of Christmas 2025 will begin very soon — a festive countdown featuring 12 standout research papers published over the past year on hip-related topics. Each study adds valuable insight into the complex world of hip pain, from the groin to the buttock, helping refine how we assess and manage these conditions.
If you’ve been following along with my previous series from 2021, 2022, 2023, or 2024, you’ll know how much the field continues to evolve. You can still explore those editions (and even download the free ebooks!) by clicking the pink links for each year above.
This year, each short blog will come with 1-2 custom infographics and key clinical takeaways to make the science easy to digest and apply. Don’t miss out — mark your calendar and join me as we unwrap the 12 Hip Days of Christmas 2025!
Research & Writing in 2025
It was great to successfully publish a couple more papers this year - imaging findings from the LEAP trial cohort and a paper I really enjoyed writing with my co-authors, Anthony Nasser and Charlotte Ganderton - a clinical paper where we did some mythbusting around gluteal tendinopathy.
An examination of imaging findings in patients with clinically diagnosed gluteal tendinopathy: a secondary analysis of a randomised clinical trial
This paper has some important messages about gluteal tendon tears. An education and exercise approach is still an appropriate first line treatment for most people with tendon tears. Read our OPEN ACCESS paper below.
Gluteal tendinopathy masterclass: Refuting the myths and engaging with the evidence
This invited clinical masterclass in Musculoskeletal Science and Practice challenges 9 key myths that surround gluteal tendinopathy, as well as providing clinical guidelines for assessment and management. This paper has been received very well and has been on the MSP 10 most downloaded papers list, so if you haven't already got your copy, follow the link below - OPEN ACCESS.
There are also a couple of our other papers currently in the review process, that I hope to see come out in early 2026. One of these is a secondary analysis of Patient Specific Functional Scale items for LEAP trial participants with gluteal tendinopathy - this paper does a bit of myth busting as well - can't wait to get this short paper out. I have also teamed up again with Anthony Nasser and Charlotte Ganderton to write another clinical paper - this time on Ischiofemoral Impingement. This is also under review and I'm excited to get this one out to you as well. There is so little useful clinical information in the literature regarding rehabilitation strategies for IFI, and it is often missed in clinical assessment. Keep an eye on my socials and email updates to grab these when they come out online first.
My other research involvements continue around outcomes measures for gluteal tendinopathy, and developing a credible explanation for tendinopathy (CREATE project). The LEAP Ireland project that assessed the feasibility of delivering a 'lite' version of the LEAP program with only 6 sessions, completed data collection this year (well done Helen French and Sania Almousa) with papers underway and planning for a full scale RCT in progress. I have also recently become involved in another Danish RCT for gluteal tendinopathy using quite a different exercise program. It's really important that we test different approaches, so I am very keen to see what new information this project will add to assist clinicians and patients with gluteal tendinopathy. I also continue to be involved with a PhD project at University of Technology Sydney on Proximal Hamstring Tendinopathy which is progressing nicely and hopefully we'll have a systematic review out from that project in 2026, with other physical data collection going well. There are other clinical papers in planning as well. So much to look forward to in 2026!
2025 Conferences
It’s been another fantastic year of travel and in-person events! There’s truly nothing like the energy of catching up face-to-face with colleagues and immersing in great conversations about hips, research, and clinical practice.
Throughout 2025, that sense of connection and enthusiasm for live learning has only continued to grow. It’s been inspiring to see so many passionate clinicians and researchers coming together again — sharing insights, debating ideas, and pushing the field forward. The buzz and camaraderie in those rooms are hard to beat!
British Hip Society 2025 Annual Scientific Meeting, Harrogate, UK, March 2025
- Thank you so much to Lucie Gosling and Katie Monnington of the UK Hip Physiotherapy Network for inviting me to present a lecture and lead a practical session on Differential diagnosis of joint and soft tissue related anterior hip pain at the physiotherapy morning at the Annual British Hip Society meeting. It was a great morning. The UK Hip Physiotherapy Network are doing fantastic work with developing resources for clinicians, protocols for rehabilitation, a support network for physiotherapist and important links with their surgical colleagues in the UK. Hats off to you!!
Icelandic Physio Conference Keynote, Iceland, May 2025
- A visit to Iceland for the first time was one of the highlights of 2025. It was a privilege to speak to this super enthusiastic group of physiotherapists, at their conference and a post conference 2-day workshop. The special bonus - my husband and I got to spend time then travelling around the famous ring road - what a spectacular country!! and Puffins are now one of my favourite birds!
New Zealand Manipulative Physiotherapy Association (NZMPA) Conference Keynote, Queenstown, NZ, September 2025
- In September, it was a pleasure to return to Queenstown, in the South Island of New Zealand - another spectacular part of the world! And another excellent conference with a mix of highly relevant and clinical topics for musculoskeletal physiotherapists. I presented 2 keynotes and a post conference workshop on gluteal tendinopathy.
ISHA (Hip Preservation Society) Annual Scientific Meeting, Fukuoka, Japan, October 2025
- After being home for only a week after the New Zealand conference, it was time to head north to Asia. I like to attend the ISHA conference whenever I can - this is the annual scientific meeting for Hip Preservation Surgeons, who perform not only hip replacement surgery but earlier surgeries that aim to preserve the native hip - hip arthroscopies and periacetabular osteotomies for acetabular dysplasia, as well as a number of other bone and soft tissue surgeries. There is also a physiotherapy segment at the end of the conference and some scattered rehabilitation focused presentations throughout the main conference. I was invited to co-chair a session and present a paper on patient expectations of rehabilitation for Femoracetabular Impingement Syndrome. Always great to soak up the thinking and directions of our surgical colleagues, and I picked up my certificate for being an ISHA member for over 5 years.
2025 Podcasts
Here are the newest pocasts for 2025. A full list of past podcasts are on our Dr Alison Grimaldi Podcasts Page.
Understanding Lateral Hip Pain: Causes, Treatment, and Long-Term Solutions with Dr. Alison Grimaldi
Hosted by Dr. Sarah, Legacy Running
February 23, 2025
Topics discussed:
- Difference between hip joint, tendon, and back-related pain
- Why common stretches might be making things worse
- The real role of glute strength in both prevention and recovery
- Practical tips on modifying training, improving movement patterns, and small daily changes that can make a big impact on long-term hip health
Hip Health & Pelvic Health: Episode 71 with Dr Alison Grimaldi
Recorded by Michelle Lyons, Celebrate Muliebrity with Michelle Lyons
April 6, 2025
Topics discussed:
- The interconnectedness of the pelvic floor, hip muscles, and nerves in the pelvic region
- How the pelvic floor works in conjunction with other muscles, particularly the obturator internus, to support pelvic function.
- The importance of considering both pelvic floor and hip issues when treating patients, as weakness in hip muscles can affect pelvic floor function and vice versa.
- Potential for sciatic nerve irritation in the deep gluteal space, particularly in athletes like cyclists and trail runners
- Importance of screening for pelvic floor issues in patients with hip or buttock pain.
- The clamshell exercise (WHY do people recommend it?)
- An exploration of Alison’s 2025 open access paper - a masterclass on gluteal tendinopathies
And much more!
Refuting Gluteal Tendinopathy Myths with Alison Grimaldi
Recorded by Brodie Sharpe, The Run Smarter Podcast
April 20, 2025
Topics discussed:
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✅ What gluteal tendinopathy is and how it presents
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❌ Why you shouldn’t rely on imaging for diagnosis or treatment decisions
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🚫 The truth about ITB stretches, clamshells, and corticosteroid injections
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🏋️♀️ The exercises that actually work — including progressive loading and isometrics
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🔁 Key biomechanical contributors like crossover step width and pelvic drop
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🛏️ Lifestyle strategies to reduce aggravation (sleeping positions, sitting habits, running terrain)
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🧬 Why partial tendon tears don’t mean you’re doomed (and rarely require surgery)
And much more!
Myths, Realities & Clinical Pearls in Gluteal Tendinopathy with Dr. Alison Grimaldi. EP# 471
Recorded by Diogo Gomes, British Journal of Sports Medicine
May 2, 2025
Topics discussed:
- Common myths and misconceptions surrounding Gluteal Tendinopathy
- Clarification of the current evidence base
- Valuable clinical insights for effective assessment and management
And much more!
What We Get Wrong About Lateral Hip Pain | Alison Grimaldi, PhD
Recorded by Darsh and Altamash, Medicine Redefined
November 11, 2025
Topics discussed:
- Why Focus on the Hip?
- Understanding Hip Anatomy
- Lateral Hip Pain and Its Complexities
- Diagnosing Gluteal Tendinopathy
- Identifying Hip Pain: Key Questions and Symptoms
- Differentiating Gluteal Tendinopathy from Other Conditions
- Common Presentations and Misdiagnoses
- Effective Sleep Positions for Hip Pain Relief
- Diagnostic Tests for Gluteal Tendinopathy
- Insights from the LEAP Study
- Balancing Short-term Relief and Long-term Solutions
- The Role of PRP in Treatment
And much more!
From Myths to Evidence: Managing Gluteal Tendinopathy with Dr. Alison Grimaldi
Recorded by Mariana Hanna Parks, PT Pro Talk
November 13, 2025
Topics discussed:
- How to confidently differentiate gluteal tendinopathy from other sources of lateral hip pain using a practical cluster of clinical tests.
- Why traditional approaches like the clam exercise, ITB stretching, and corticosteroid injections may worsen or delay recovery - and what to do instead.
- How to design a progressive, evidence-based exercise program without aggravating symptoms.
- The key education and load management strategies from the LEAP trial that improve long-term outcomes.
And much more!
2025 Workshop & Lecture Events
In 2025, I once again held a mix of both online and practical workshops in Australia, UK, Europe, and Asia.
2025 Online Hip Workshops
This year, I once again delivered my two highly popular online workshops, covering:
Around 200 healthcare professionals from around the world joined in, embracing the flexible format and practical, evidence-informed content. Despite being online, the sessions were lively and 'hands-on', full of interaction, clinical reasoning, and case-based discussions. I will be running these workshops again in the coming year, and registrations are open already, so click on the pink links above to book for 2026 and enjoy the benefit of earlybird pricing.
2025 Australian Practical Hip Workshops
In 2025, I returned to Sydney with two of my practical workshops, after quite a long break! Both sessions sold out quickly, and the interesting and engagement was fantastic.
I also ran my Mastering Movement of the Hip & Pelvis workshop in Brisbane, welcoming both local and remote participants, and a range of health and exercise professionals involved in muscle and movement assessment and therapeutic exercise prescription around the hip. Scroll down to see dates and locations for 2026 workshops - earlybird discounts are in place for Feb workshops only until 7th December!
2025 Hong Kong Teaching
On the way to the ISHA conference in September, I stopped off in Hong Kong to present a 2 day hip workshop for the Hong Kong Physiotherapy Association - thanks for the invitation. It was typhoon season which created a bit of drama in the lead up to the event, but we manage to slip in just after one and leave before the next one!
2025 UK - Europe Teaching
As I was attending 2 conferences in March and May in Europe, I ended up doing 2 teaching tours, broken by a month at home in between. In March, I presented 2 days of workshops in London, 2 days in Manchester and 2 days in Italy. In May, I presented 2 days of workshops in Glasgow, 1.5 days in Latvia, 3 days in Lithuania and then the 2 days of post-conference workshops in Iceland. It certainly was a busy first half of the year! I look forward to heading back to Europe and the UK in 2026!
2026 Events
In 2026, I’ll be heading to the UK in March for the British Hip Society Annual Scientific meeting again, this time in London, where I'll be contributing to the UK Hip Physio Network program again. While I'm in the UK, I’ll also be presenting workshops in York, Portsmouth, and London, and I'll also be teaching in Limerick and Dublin.
In May, I am looking forward to visiting South America for the first time, presenting a 4 day translated workshop in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. In September, I'll be back in Europe to present workshops in Norway, Germany, Switzerland, the Baltic States, the Netherlands, and Italy, as well as attending the ISHA conference in beautiful Bruges, Belgium - come along!!
Aussie workshops will be held this year in Melbourne in February and July in Brisbane. I will also be hosting my Australian workshops in 2026! There will be courses in Brisbane, and this year I will be returning to Melbourne!
Find the current list of workshops below, with more to be added soon, as registrations open on host websites.
Make sure you are on my mailing list to get updates on dates, locations and where to book. You can also visit my events page, to follow updates and venues and dates are confirmed.
Practical Workshops:
The practical workshops provide live in-person practical application of the online learning courses. These workshops are now open for booking:
7th February 2026: Mastering Movement of the Hip and Pelvis | Melbourne - Early Bird CLICK HERE
8th February 2026: Mastering Movement of the Foot and Ankle | Melbourne - Early Bird CLICK HERE
7th March 2026: Anterior Hip and Groin Pain | York, UK CLICK HERE
8th March 2026: Lateral Hip and Buttock Pain | York, UK CLICK HERE
12th - 13th March 2026: Clinical Reasoning ½ day + Anterior Hip and Groin Pain – 1.5day workshop | Dublin, Ireland OPENING SOON
14th March 2026: Mastering Movement of the Hip and Pelvis | Portsmouth, UK SOLD OUT
15th March 2026: Anterior Hip and Groin Pain | Portsmouth, UK SOLD OUT
20th March 2026: Mastering Movement of the Hip and Pelvis | London,UK CLICK HERE
21st March 2026: Anterior Hip and Groin Pain | London,UK CLICK HERE
22nd March 2026: Lateral Hip and Buttock Pain | London,UK CLICK HERE
7th - 10th May 2026: Anterior Hip and Groin Pain + Lateral Hip and Buttock Pain - 4 days TRANSLATED | Rio de Janiero, Brazil CLICK HERE
18th July 2026: Anterior Hip and Groin Pain | Brisbane, AU CLICK HERE
19th July 2026: Lateral Hip and Buttock Pain | Brisbane, AU CLICK HERE
For those who are unable to attend a practical workshop, I will also be running my popular live online workshops again for Assessment & Management of Anterior Hip & Groin Pain, and Assessment & Management of Lateral Hip & Buttock Pain.
You can find the confirmed dates so far for scheduled workshops below:
Online Workshops:
These online workshops provide live online practical application of the online learning courses.
Includes
- 3 months access to the online learning content - an email series will walk you through this
- 2 x 4-4.5 hour live zoom interactive workshops - 2 choices of times to accommodate different time zones
- 12 weeks access to recordings of the live sessions
- Full colour downloadable pdf manual of the workshop slides
- 18th - 19th April 2026 - Anterior Hip and Groin Pain Workshop - ONLINE
- 20th - 21st June 2026 - Lateral Hip and Buttock Pain Workshop - ONLINE
EARLY BIRD PRICING!
Please note that all Australian Practical Workshops and Online Workshops have Early Bird Pricing! Ensure that you secure your place EARLY and learn for less!
Hip Academy's Turns 5!
A Growing Global Community of Hip Lovers & Learners!
Another rewarding year interacting with engaged and enthusiastic hip lovers and learners from all over the globe. Thank you all for your interest and participation. It is one of my favourite places to 'talk hips'. I'll look forward to seeing you again in 2026, with plenty on the agenda for the new year.
NEW Feature: Hip Academy Shorts
This year we also launched a brand-new way to support your learning: Hip Academy Shorts! These bite-sized videos give you practical tips, clinical insights, and real-world examples, all designed to help you improve your assessment and treatment of hip and pelvic conditions.
Each 'short' is focused on one topic, easy to watch, and packed with actionable knowledge you can use straight away in the clinic.
Hip Academy Answers
In Hip Academy Answers, Dr. Alison Grimaldi answers questions asked by our Hip Academy members. You are likely to find you've had a similar question when working in clinic or pondering over a tricky case. Scroll through and find the answers!
We discuss questions around exercise selection for various conditions and muscle groups, links between hip, knee and spinal conditions, differential diagnosis challenges, identifying tendon ruptures, hip microinstability, hip impingement, postural assessment and training, timing of total hip replacement, understanding types of hip replacement and many more.
Hip Academy Cases
In Hip Academy Cases, Hip Academy members present real cases and Dr. Alison Grimaldi and the Hip Academy brains trust provide helpful feedback and discussion. Benefit from the experience of others with cases similar to your own, or learn more about things you should be on the lookout for in clinic.
We cover dysplasia, impingement, hip OA, stress fracture, tendinopathies, gluteal tendon tears and rupture, proximal hamstring tendon rupture, ischiofemoral impingement, adductor and inguinal related pain, iliopsoas impingement, apophysitis, hypermobility, persistent pain and instability post hip arthroscopy, hip resurfacing and hip replacement, non MSK masqueraders and many other complex case presentations.
Dr. Alison Grimaldi Blogs of 2025!
Did you catch these popular blogs from this year? Click the links below and explore my 3 part blog series, where I explored Adhesions after Hip Arthroscopy. In these blogs I firstly covered whether they are a problem, then I looked at the risk factors and diagnosis, and finally the treatment and prevention options available!
This first blog in the series explored whether post-op adhesions and whether they are a problem or not. The blog covered where post-operative hip adhesions occur and what impact they may have, and how common excessive adhesions are after hip arthroscopy.
This second blog in the series explored the risk factors and diagnosis of adhesions after hip arthroscopy. It looked at the risk factors for developing post operative hip adhesions, and the Diagnosis of post-operative hip adhesions (visualisation, patient interview features, physical features).
This final blog in the series explored the treatment and prevention methods for adhesions after hip arthroscopy. Topics included: Treatment of post-operative hip adhesions (Surgical and Non-surgical treatment options for post-surgical hip adhesions), and Prevention of problematic post-operative adhesions (Rehabilitation strategies and Pharmacological strategies).
GUEST BLOGS
This year we also had 2 guest blogs from 2 experienced musculoskeletal physiotherapists who are also Hip Academy members. These blogs explored some great topics! Check them out below!
In July, our guest blog was written by highly experienced Aussie Musculoskeletal and Sports Physiotherapist, Sonam Jethwa. Sonam is also a registrar in our Australian College of Physiotherapists specialist training program and a long-time Hip Academy member. The blog explored why musculoskeletal pain continues to be misunderstood and undertreated in women, and what needs to change.
In August, our second guest blog was written by Julia Gross, a British Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist with over 10 years of clinical experience, and a Hip Academy member. The blog explored how menopause affects musculoskeletal health, and why this deserves far more attention in both clinical care and public conversation.
Mastering Movement of the Foot and Ankle
- Blog + Practical Workshop!
Foot and Ankle Blog
This year, Dr Melinda Smith published another excellent foot and ankle blog, this time diving into the Calf Raise Test. This test is a common and valuable way to assess calf muscle–tendon function, vital for everyday movements like walking, running, and jumping. While it may appear straightforward, a range of factors can influence performance and provide deeper insights than simply counting repetitions.
Foot and Ankle Practical Workshop
In 2025, once again we ran our hugely popular Foot and Ankle Practical Workshop in Brisbane. What a fantastic day of exploring the intricate muscles and movements that keep our feet and ankles performing at their best!
Participants gained new insights into the important role of the foot and ankle in strength, balance, and efficient movement.
A big thank you to Dr Melinda Smith for leading such an engaging, hands-on session, and to everyone who joined us.
For those who missed out this time, we’re sorry, this workshop filled up fast with a long waitlist! Make sure to book early next year so you don’t miss your spot.
CLICK HERE to book the upcoming Mastering Movement of the Foot and Ankle Workshop! Coming to Melbourne In February - don't miss out! Early bird pricing until 7th December.
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