Changing the room, not the person: neurodiversity and MSK clinical practice

MSK practice is full of hidden norms — sensory, cognitive, communicative, relational — that unintentionally privilege neurotypical ways of thinking and interacting. For many neurodivergent clients, these norms create barriers long before any hands‑on assessment begins.

Drawing on contemporary neurodiversity scholarship, including the Social Model of Disability, Neurodiversity Paradigm, and Double Empathy Problem, this session will explore how MSK clinicians can redesign clinical environments and interactions to reduce mismatch and improve outcomes for all clients.

Blending lived experience with evidence‑informed practice, Matt Phillips will demonstrate how small, practical design changes — in communication, sensory load, predictability, pacing, and consent — can transform safety, engagement, and therapeutic alliance. This is not a checklist for “treating neurodivergent clients”, but a shift towards universally accessible, person‑centred MSK care.

Delegates will leave with a deeper understanding of neurodiversity, a fresh perspective on clinical norms, and a set of simple, actionable adjustments they can implement the very next day.