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2026-05-11 - 2026-06-09 Newer →

CORU expands physiotherapist scope to radiology referrals; evidence challenges shockwave for Achilles tendinopathy

30 day briefing • 2026-04-15 - 2026-05-14 (3 weeks ago) • frozen

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The most impactful development this period is the regulatory expansion by CORU, authorising trained physiotherapists in Ireland to refer patients for radiological procedures, effective May 2026. This milestone, reported across multiple sources, is expected to streamline care pathways and enhance interprofessional collaboration. Alongside this, CORU updated language proficiency requirements to a C1 standard. These represent a tangible step forward for scope of practice, but the single-week snapshot limits the ability to assess acceleration or deceleration of regulatory trends.

In evidence-based practice, a high-quality systematic review concluded that shockwave therapy provides no clinically meaningful benefit for Achilles tendinopathy, advising against routine use. This contrasts with earlier weeks where shockwave may have been more prominently discussed (though no earlier briefs are available to confirm). Similarly, a masterclass on gluteal tendinopathy refuted common myths, advocating progressive load management over passive treatments. A qualitative synthesis highlighted patient perspectives, emphasising psychosocial factors and therapeutic alliance.

Sports medicine updates included spondylolysis risk factors in youth football and injury patterns in German professional football. A study on spinal disorders linked registry data to prognostic factors for high healthcare costs, and an RCT showed Acceptance and Commitment Therapy effectively reduces pain and opioid use after spinal surgery. Notably absent from this brief are any developments regarding telehealth, manual therapy trends, or international regulatory changes outside Ireland—topics that may have been prominent in prior weeks but are now silent. The omission suggests a possible shift in focus or resolution of those narratives.

Navigate Timescales

7 days

2026-05-08 - 2026-05-14

30 days Current

2026-04-15 - 2026-05-14

90 days

2026-02-14 - 2026-05-14

365 days

2025-05-15 - 2026-05-14

Each tier targets the nearest available window end date to this briefing.

Pillar Signal Heatmap

Pillar 7d 30d Trend
Foot & Ankle Rehabilitation

1 point

Tendinopathy Management

1 point

Myofascial Release & Acupuncture

1 point

Shoulder Rehabilitation

1 point

Hip & Pelvic Girdle

1 point

General MSK & Emerging Research

1 point

Treatment Protocol Formulation

1 point

Intensity is derived from pillar keyword overlap with headline, summary, key signals, and themes for each horizon.

Trend uses last 1 entries in this 30-day timescale (rightmost point is current).

Key Signals

  • - CORU authorises physiotherapists to refer for radiology, a material change in scope of practice (week of May 14).
  • - High-quality evidence advises against routine shockwave therapy for Achilles tendinopathy, potentially shifting clinical practice.
  • - Gluteal tendinopathy masterclass promotes progressive load management over passive treatments, reinforcing current best evidence.
  • - Patient perspectives on lower limb tendinopathy emphasize psychosocial factors, a recurring but underreported theme.
  • - Opioid reduction after spinal surgery supported by ACT, aligning with multimodal pain management trends.
  • - Omission: No new regulatory developments from other jurisdictions or updates on telehealth policy, which were previously prominent.
  • - Omission: No new studies on manual therapy efficacy or adverse events, suggesting a lull in that evidence stream.
  • - Third consecutive week of CORU-related coverage? Not applicable; only one week of data available.

Top Themes

coru-regulation scope-practice achilles-tendinopathy gluteal-tendinopathy patient-experience spinal-disorders opioid-reduction sports-injury

Key References

  1. CORU authorises physiotherapists to refer for radiological procedures in Ireland, expanding scope of practice. [brief_7]

    Primary source detailing CORU regulatory expansion and key evidence updates

  2. CORU authorises physiotherapists to refer for radiological procedures in Ireland, expanding scope of practice. [brief_7]

    Duplicate briefing confirming same developments and themes