Specialist Physiotherapy Service delivered by Clinical Academic Expert

Paul Kirwan, MISCP, PhD, MSc, BSc

Chartered and CORU State Registered Physiotherapist

About Paul Kirwan (Qualifications)

Paul brings over 3 decades of musculoskeletal clinical expertise in physiotherapy alongside numerous academic achievements, establishing him as a leading authority in tendon pain, musculoskeletal and sports injury management.

He graduated with honors from Trinity College Dublin in 1994, marking the beginning of a highly accomplished career in physiotherapy, combining clinical work, education and research. Driven by a strong desire and passion to advance his clinical standards, Paul furthered his expertise with a Master's degree in Sports and Exercise Medicine from University of Galway (2009) graduating top of his class and was awarded the Mary Sullivan medal for best student in discipline. He continued to advance his academic and clinical path and completed his doctorate and was awarded a PhD from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI. 2020) specialising in tendon pain (tendinopathy). He was awarded a prestigious Health Research Board (HRB) fellowship to complete this PhD. This work has positioned him as both an internationally recognised expert and one of the world's most influential clinicians and researchers in tendon disorders with his research shaping best practice globally in tendinopathy assessment and rehabilitation.

Paul's legacy is defined by clinical leadership, academic distinction and a steadfast commitment to achieving the best outcomes for patients.


Paul Kirwan, Clinical Experience

Chartered and CORU State Registered Physiotherapist


Paul is a leader in the field of physiotherapy. With 32 years of clinical experience and an unmatched CV that spans clinical practice, academic excellence and diverse musculoskeletal experience. 

Paul Kirwan is an internationally recognised expert physiotherapist and clinical specialist renowned for his expertise in tendinopathy and musculoskeletal (MSK) physiotherapy. With an academic appointment at Trinity College Dublin as a professor (Assist.) from 2022 to 2025 and advanced clinical roles within the HSE, Paul's work bridges high-level research and frontline patient care in Ireland. His clinical practice notably centres on complex tendon pain, sports injuries, and musculoskeletal conditions, with a special focus on developing and delivering evidence-based interventions for tendinopathy.

Paul's career reflects deep academic and clinical integration. Having served as an Assistant Professor at Trinity College, where he contributed to teaching and curriculum development in physiotherapy, mentoring undergraduate and postgraduate students, and guiding research projects on MSK rehabilitation. Clinically, he operates specialist tendon and MSK clinics, including key roles at Connolly Hospital Dublin (from 2003 to 2025) and his private practice (The Physio Clinic) alongside his role with Ballymun Kickhams GAA club, having previously served as lead physiotherapist to Bohemian Football Club from 2013 to 2024. Paul's unique and extensive experience allows him to tailor rehabilitation pathways for elite athletes and general patients alike. His commitment to advancing the field is evident in his leadership of innovative clinics focused on improving outcomes for patients with tendinopathies, drawing on the latest research and individualized care strategies.

Ranked in the top 2% of tendinopathy experts globally, Paul Kirwan has authored and contributed to impactful research on tendinopathy outlining multifactorial mechanisms, contemporary management, and controversies in MSK care. He frequently presents at international conferences and leads in-person and online courses on tendinopathy management, helping physiotherapists worldwide master assessment and intervention skills for tendon conditions. Recognized for his contributions to the physiotherapy profession, Paul has received numerous research awards and is a sought-after speaker at educational events and webinars on MSK and sports injury topics.

Paul's blend of academic rigor, clinical innovation, and dedication to education has established him as a thought leader in musculoskeletal physiotherapy and tendon research, influencing clinical practice and research across the discipline.

CV Highlights

Qualifications:

BSc (Physiotherapy) 4 year honors degree.

1990 to 1994. Trinity College, Dublin.

MSc (Sports and Exercise Medicine/Physiotherapy)

2007 to 2009, National University of Ireland, Galway. Graduated with first class honors. Awarded the Mary Sullivan Gold Medal for best student in discipline.

CSCS, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist.

1999, National Strength and Conditioning Association, (NSCA), USA.

PhD, HRB Clinical Research Fellow

2014 – 2020, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland



Miscellaneous academic/professional awards:

  • Awarded the Minchen Bursary (1994) from Trinity College, for academic and athletic prowess
  • Awarded the Mary Sullivan Gold Medal from NUIG (2009). This medal was awarded for being the best student upon completion of the Masters degree, obtaining the highest exam results.
  • Awarded the Roche prize for best poster presentation at the IRHPS/ISR Scientific meeting (2013)
  • Awarded EULAR best abstract prize, (2014) Paris, France
  • Awarded best abstract/poster, International Scientific Tendinopathy Symposium, Capetown, SA (2016)
  • Awarded best abstract, Gold Abbvie award IRHPS/ISR (2017)
  • Awarded Silver Abbvie prize IRHPS/ISR (2014)
  • Awarded best Oral Presentation Connolly Hospital Research Symposium (2014)
  • Awarded Best Paper Award (2nd place) at the oral competition Sportskongres (2020)


Invited speaker

  • Invited speaker to the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists Annual Scientific Meeting (Dublin, November, 2015) – "An update in the management of Achilles Tendinopathy"

  • Invited speaker at the Irish Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Surgeons Annual Scientific Meeting – title 'Achilles Tendinopathy' – (May, 2015)

  • Invited speaker, EULAR Conference, London, 2016. Early recognition and Treatment of Arthritis – the Health Professionals Perspective. June 2016. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases 75(Suppl 2):41.4-41

  • Invited speaker, EULAR Conference, Madrid 2017. The Contribution of physiotherapists to early detection of inflammatory arthritis. June 2017. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases 76(Suppl 2):9.1-9

  • Invited speaker to the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Orthopaedic Medicine and Injection Therapy, Annual Conference, (2017) "Injections and Tendons – Why? When? And Where?" Milton Keynes, UK, June, 2017.

  • Invited speaker at the Irish Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Surgeons Annual Scientific Meeting – Exercise in the management of Achilles Tendinopathy, Belfast, NI (May 2018)

  • Invited speaker at the Luxembourg Sports Physiotherapy Society Annual Conference – Achilles Tendinopathy, The Current Landscape, Luxemburg (May 2019)

  • Invited speaker at the Northeast Musculoskeletal Society Annual Conference – Tendinopathy, Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK (October 2019)

  • Invited speaker at the PhysioMatters Lower Limb Masterclass online conference – Topic, Tendinopathy, what's a clinician to do? (February 2023)

  • Invited speaker to the Faculty of Sports and Exercise Medicine Spring Symposium – Tendinopathy – What Is Our Understanding? Trinity College Dublin (March 2023)

  • Invited speaker to the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapist annual conference – an update on the treatment of tendinopathy (October 2023)

  • Invited to deliver the Paul Wagstaff Commemorative lecture on the topic of physiotherapists role in inflammatory arthritis (October 2023, topic linked to World Physiotherapy Day topic of arthritis and inflammatory arthritis)

  • Invited speaker to the British Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (BOFAS) Annual Scientific Meeting (Belfast, March 2024) - Identifying inflammatory disease masquerading as common foot and ankle conditions

  • Invited speaker to the Irish Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society Annual Scientific Conference (September 2024) AHPs and Higher surgical trainees' workshop on lower limb tendinopathy management, Musgrave Park Hospital, Belfast

  • Invited speaker to the Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine Annual Scientific Meeting (RCSI, Dublin, September 2024) – Complex Cases in Tendinopathy

  • Keynote Speaker to the British Patellofemoral Pain Society – Patellar Tendinopathy: What's going on and what can you do about it? (Royal Society of Medicine, London, January 2025)

  • Invited speaker to the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists Annual Scientific Conference 2025. Proximal Hamstring Tendinopathy, what's going on and what can we do about it? (2025)

  • Invited Speaker to the Football Association of Ireland National Team and League of Ireland medical staff – Achilles Tendon update on diagnosis and management in elite sport (Online, September 2025)

  • Invited Speaker to the Sports Knee Conference 2025, FA Headquarters, St George's Park. Patellar Tendinopathy, what is it and what to do… and not to do (St Georges Park, UK, November 2025)