The Sports MAP Network

We chat with: Fearghal Kerin - Consultant Physiotherapist @ Kerin Performance Kathleen Sakadjian - Sports Physiotherapist AFL Rohan Hattotuwa - Sports Physiotherapist AFL We talk to: The decision to leave working in HP Sports. Determining your value in your role and organization Was the role fulfilling one's original expectations? How to prepare for the transition. What are some hidden costs of working in HP sport? What advice would you pass on to your younger self? What skills, connections, or experiences can clinicians in HP Sport leverage? What are the fears about leaving a role in HP Sport? What clinicians miss from working in HP Sport https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkANFOzG4Vs

We chat with: Stefanio Rizzo: NBA Physical Therapist Lauren Hanna: Sports Physiotherapist (AFL & Matildas) Sallie Cowan: Associate Professor, University of Melbourne We talk to: How did our guests land their first role within professional sport? How gender or sexual orientation can impact opportunities in high-performance sport Does having fewer women in the HP system currently limit future women entering it? What can early-career women do if they want to improve thier networks for future opportunities? Why the research shows female clinicians are more likely to work with women, rather than male athletes. How can mixed-gender staffing be improved? Gender harassment in sport. What does this look like? How can organisations better support female clinicians around pregnancy & caring responsibilities (and their partners)? One thing you would do to improve conditions for female clinicians, what would it be? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwbLR5yGnkY References You have to work twice as hard as a woman to show that you are competent. Experiences, opportunities and workplace gender harassment for Sport and Exercise Medicine practitioners working in elite sport in Australia. Sallie M Cowan, Michael Girdwood, Melissa Haberfield, Andrea Britt Mosler, Andrea M Bruder, Kate Mahony, Kirsty Forsdike, Nicola McNeil, Kate A Beerworth, Miranda Menaspa, Phillipa Inge, Sue White, Rachel Harris, Adam Castricum, Kay M Crossley VIEW Article Women navigating the sports therapy playing field Lauren Hanna VIEW Article

How to last a long time in Professional Sport?    What does it take? What are the sacrifices? What are the rewards?    Are you looking for career longevity working in Sport? Hear from our esteemed guests who are very open and share their learnings, vulnerabilities and experiences to help clinicians navigate their own career journey.    A big thanks to our guests for joining us:    Maggie Bryant: President for Performance Health & Wellness at the LA Clippers (NBA) Darren Burgess: Director of Performance at Juventus FC Byron Field: Head Physiotherapist at the Australian Wallabies Rugby https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wANSLun0N8s

In this first episode of our 4-part series, we get some great insights into how to get a job in High Performance Sport from our experts. Paula Peralta - Head of Medical Australian Opals Chris Bell - Head of Medical Western Bulldogs (AFL) David Clancy - Recruitment - Nxt Level Group https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvSn43hFBsY

Aidan is an APA Sports and Exercise Physiotherapist with over 18 years’ experience working with sports medicine conditions. Aidan is a current PhD candidate (Physiotherapy for proximal hamstring tendinopathy). Aidan has a strong interest in endurance sports as a  He lectures at Australian Physiotherapy Association courses and convenes the education program for Lifecare in Victoria. We chat extensively with Aidan about: Insights into Rich’s PhD on proximal hamstring tendinopathy (PHT) Case presentation Differential Diagnosis Contributing factors Education & psychological screening The use of Shockwave for PHT Early loading for PHT Where and why do isometrics fit? Balancing strength loading for both in-season and off-season management. Isotonic loading parameters How much influence do we put on the patient's pain rating (VAS) Counter augments to the ‘compression theory for tendons Addressing the kinetic chain Return to stretch-shorten cycle exercises. Graded return to sports participation Ongoing ‘prevention’ of PHT after a Return to sport. https://youtu.be/bx6oxwhVPb0 Additional References Treatment of Proximal Hamstring Tendinopathy with Individualized Physiotherapy: A Clinical Commentary Education, rapport and convenience are key to participants’ perceptions of receiving physiotherapy or shockwave for proximal hamstring tendinopathy: a qualitative study Physiotherapy Compared With Shockwave Therapy for the Treatment of Proximal Hamstring Tendinopathy: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Mel Haberfield and Brooke Patterson are leading sports physiotherapists with expertise at the intersection of elite performance and cutting-edge research. Mel has worked extensively in elite sport across basketball, gymnastics, and the AFL, and is currently completing a PhD focused on knee injuries in athletes. Her work bridges high-performance sport and evidence-based injury prevention and rehabilitation. Brooke is an Australian Research Council Early Career Industry Research Fellow whose research is shaping the future of knee injury and concussion prevention in women’s Australian Football. Her PhD examined the long-term impact of ACL reconstruction on young adults, including early osteoarthritis, symptoms, and quality of life. A former elite Australian footballer and semi-professional basketball player, Brooke also brings firsthand experience as an elite-level coach, giving her a unique athlete-to-clinician perspective. In this episode of the How I Rehab podcast, Mel and Brooke share their initial motivation in dedicating their careers to improving female athlete health. As well as discussing: Gender bias in elite sport and actionable changes that are required to improve this moving forward. How clinicians can implement the Prep-to-Play program at a community and sub-elite level. What do women want when it comes to their knee health? What did the FAIR consensus tell us about modifiable risk factors for injury? Key considerations for female athlete rehabilitation post ACL Injury - the 7 key clusters. The TRAIL-W - Knee health, and associations with female-specific health, physical, psychological, and social-gendered factors in women runners.  https://youtu.be/uFnVsz_ezAg Additional References Injury prevention for women and girls playing Australian Football: programme cocreation, dissemination and early adopter coach feedback. What Do Women (With Serious Knee Injury) Want to Know About Knee Health? Identifying Research Priorities with a Consumer Advisory Group Considerations for a women’s rehabilitation programme following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a concept mapping approach to enhance women’s outcomes. Modifiable risk factors for lower-extremity injury: a systematic review and meta-analysis for the Female, woman and/or girl Athlete Injury prevention (FAIR) consensus Patterson et al (2024). Injury prevention for women and girls playing Australian Football: programme cocreation, dissemination and early adopter coach feedback. Patterson et al (2022). Evaluation of an injury prevention programme (Prep-to-Play) in women and girls playing Australian Football: design of a pragmatic, type III, hybrid implementation-effectiveness, stepped-wedge, cluster RCT. BMJ Open, 12(9), e062483 Prep to Play program resources

Ian Gatt is a highly experienced sports physiotherapist with over 25 years in elite performance environments. He spent a significant portion of his career leading the multidisciplinary services for the Great Britain Boxing Programme, supporting athletes through major international events, including multiple Olympic and Commonwealth Games. Ian is recognised as an Upper Limb Injury Specialist with the UK Sports Institute (UKSI), where he provides expert advisory support to Olympic and Paralympic sports.  Ian is the current head of physiotherapy at Inspire Institute of Sport We explore three of the most common combat sport wrist injuries and expand on some of the key management principles, including: TFCC Injuries The Palmer Classification for TFCC injuries  Why the location of the injury matters How diagnosis and function provide you with prognostic indicators  When surgery may be indicated Scaphoid fractures and the importance of not missing them in your assessment.  The importance of the site of fracture (Proximal, waist or distal) Preferred imaging modality  When to refer for orthopaedic input Scapholunate ligament injuries & instability How to assess for and manage optimally  Key tools to be objective during a rehab process.  Strength training around the wrist https://youtu.be/6sqhoawyrbo

Dr. Keith Baar is a professor and the head of the Functional Molecular Biology Laboratory at the University of California, Davis. He has a PhD in Physiology and Biophysics.  Keith has dedicated his career to the study of muscle development and adaptation. His research focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms behind muscle growth, repair, and the maintenance of muscle mass and function. In this episode, we chat with Keith about: Keith's background The theory of tendon stiffness relative to muscle strength and risk factors Benefits of measuring RFD as a measure of fatigue. Stress shielding and the influence of creep. How Isometric training can be used to load the tendon lesion. Can we apply this method of training for Injury prevention with respect to Achilles tendon ruptures? Why and when to choose yielding and overcoming isometrics in rehabilitation. Optimal loading for Patella tendinopathy. Ramping isometrics for Biceps Femoris IMT strain injuries. Dietary intake recommendations to complement your loading. And more! READ: Minimizing Injury and Maximizing Return to Play: Lessons from Engineered Ligaments  READ: Using load to improve tendon/ligament tissue engineering and develop novel treatments for tendinopathy WATCH this episode on our YouTube channel

Michael is a Senior Sports and MSK physiotherapist working at UPMC Sports Medicine. He has extensive experience in elite sport and has a keen clinical interest in lower limb muscle injury rehabilitation. Michael is also undertaking research investigating outcomes after hamstring tendon injury by undertaking a professional doctorate through the University of Limerick in Innovation and Human Performance at City Football.   We chat extensively with Michael about: - Michael’s career to date, his interest in hamstring injuries and how we can use the findings of his systematic review. - Michael provides a case scenario of a 3c Biceps Femoris Hamstring injury. - The thought process behind the diagnosis and prognosis - Surgical / non-surgical decision making. - Potential contributing factors to the hamstring injury - Early loading to optimise healing and avoid high strain early in the rehab process. - Addressing hamstring stiffness and hypertrophy of the Biceps Femoris - Combining mid stage field and gym-based rehabilitation - Return to play process ____   Some of the links Michael mentioned in this episode can be found here: Time to return to play and reinjury rate of hamstring injuries with and without intramuscular tendon involvement: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Other resources mentioned, such as the Maeo article, can be found in our Hamstring resources guide WATCH this episode on our YouTube channel here

In this episode of the How I Rehab podcast we chat with David Power, physiotherapist at the renowned Aspetar rehab centre in Qatar. David previously worked as Athletic Performance & Return to Play Coach at Munster Rugby & physiotherapist and rehabilitation coordinator at Leicester Tigers Rugby Club in the UK. He is also a PhD researcher at University of Limerick, exploring loading strategies, pain-threshold rehabilitation and adaptations in the area of acute muscle injury rehabilitation. In this episode, we chat with David about: Learn about David’s background and his PhD What is pain threshold rehabilitation? How important is optimising loading to the injured tissue with respect to muscle re-injury? What has developed in David’s approach to rehabilitation since his case study was published 5 years ago? What are low-jerk isometrics and why might they be beneficial? What are long yielding isometrics and how and why does David use them? What is the difference between yielding and overcoming isometrics? What is a quasi-isometric? When does David recommend using these in the rehabilitation progression? When might we look to use isometrics with caution in a rehab or performance program? David's Case Study Paper: https://tinyurl.com/5e9vdcas WATCH this episode on our YouTube channel

In this episode of the How I Rehab podcast we chat with Rebecca McConville MS, RD, LDN, CSSD, CEDRD-S, a board certified sports specialist and eating disorder dietitian.  Becca has an extensive history working with team and individual  athletes across a large variety of sports including the Kansas City Chiefs. Becca is also the author of several books on RED-S and the role nutrition plays in this, not only for athletes but also active people across the lifespan.  We talk extensively about the role of nutrition in recovery and injury prevention including: Rebecca’s experience working with athletes and RED-S patients What to expect from the upcoming Fast Track the Injured Runner event in Boston  Defining RED-S and how the definition has changed over time. Signs of RED-s we should be looking for  in our athletes and patients The importance of considering nutrition and underfuelling in junior athletes for future bone health Supplementation - when and how this should be used Why ‘normal’ ranges on blood tests when looking at things such as calcium and iron may not be appropriate for  athletes How we should be supporting bone health in athletes with bone stress injuries Nutritional strategies for promoting muscle recovery including timing, type and amount of macronutrients The importance of education of the athlete around nutrition both as a recovery and preventative strategy for injury WATCH this episode on the Sports MAP YouTube channel

In this episode of the How I Rehab podcast we chat with Dr. Rich Willy, an Associate Professor at the School of Physical Therapy, University of Montana. Rich has a PhD studying patellofemoral pain and has been a clinician for over 20 years, specialising in the treatment of the injured runner. He is extensively published in running related overuse injuries and has presented to multiple elite organisations including Olympic sports medicine staff and the National Basketball Association on lower extremity injuries. We talk extensively about the management of Navicular bone stress injuries, including:  Rich’s recent career move to Ohio State University  What to expect from the upcoming Fast Track the injured runner event in Boston  Why are overuse Navicular injuries so problematic?  What are the main biomechanical loads that increase the risk of navicular BSI?  What are the key signs of navicular BSI? How and what imaging best informs our practice and decision making?  The navicular bone stress reaction (no cortical breach) management including  Offloading  Muscle loading  Return to impact loading.  Markers for a return to run- balance objective finding and are imaging findings here relevant?  Does the location of the navicular bone stress injury change our management?  Navicular bone stress classification  Surgical decision making  Surgical approaches to the Navicular stress fracture  Bone loading during rehabilitation  This episode is supported by HRIG , The Occlusion Cuff & Iron Edge WATCH this episode on the Sports MAP YouTube channel

In this episode of the How I Rehab podcast by Sports MAP we chat with Bryan Heiderscheit, a physical therapist with a doctorate in biomechanics. Bryan's research is aimed at understanding and enhancing the clinical management of orthopaedic conditions, with a particular focus on running related injuries. Byran is also Director of both UW Badger Athletic Performance, founder of UW Health Runners' Clinic and Co-director of UW Neuromuscular Biomechanics Laboratory. In this episode we talk to: Bryan’s background as a PT and now his role at Wisconsin University Find our what current research projects are underway at Wisconsin. What to expect from Bryan at the Sports MAP's upcoming event in Boston, Fast track the injury runner What is running biomechanics? How can we analyze running biomechanics without expensive technology? What does the evidence say when it comes to key running biomechanics risk factors? Once we identify mechanics that may be contributing to injury, how do we go about changing this? If making changes to running mechanics, what is the difference in doing this with the reactional runners and the elite runner? This episode is supported by HRIG , The Occlusion Cuff & Iron Edge WATCH this episode on the Sports MAP YouTube channel

In this episode of the How I Rehab podcast by Sports MAP we chat with Dr. Kevin Cronin, Assistant Professor & Lecturer in Diagnostic Imaging and MSc Ultrasound Programme Director at the University College Dublin. In 2023, Kevin completed his PhD at University College Dublin. His research assessed hamstring injuries with ultrasound in professional rugby players (Leinster Rugby). He has a keen interest in sports injuries and utilises medical ultrasound to establish a diagnosis, and also monitor tissue healing during the rehabilitation period to give the athlete the best possible chance of returning to play fit and healthy, minimising the risk of a recurrent injury. We talk to: Kevin tells us a little about his background and career journey. Kevin’s research into ‘wide view’ analysis of hamstring muscle architecture. What is muscle architecture and fascicle length? Why measures of fascicle length still need to be interpreted with some degree of caution. The benefits of using ultrasound for diagnosis of hamstring injuries. Sub classification of T junction hamstring injuries. Monitoring ‘healing’ using Ultrasound as information in the RTP process. This episode is supported by HRIG , The Occlusion Cuff & Iron Edge WATCH this episode on the Sports MAP YouTube channel

In this episode of the How I Rehab podcast by Sports MAP we chat with Liz Bayley, specialist physiotherapist currently working in the performing arts at Trinity Laban and Matilda The Musical. Liz has a particular interest in the foot and ankle and is also a psychology graduate, former professional dancer and international speaker. She currently works with professional performers in the West End of London, and has been the physio on shows such as ‘Wicked’, ‘Wizard of Oz’, ‘Shrek’, ‘Matilda’, and ‘The Lion King’. We talk to: Liz's background of her professional career and special interest in the foot and ankle. Hypermobility, screening, and tests to increase your index of suspicion. Tips around working with athletes with hypermobility. Common issues associated with lateral ankle sprains. Posterior ankle impingement- likely causes and how to manage. The foot and ankle in field sport athletes… are they fully rehabilitated? This episode is supported by HRIG , The Occlusion Cuff & Iron Edge Listen to this Podcast via your favourite platform including Apple, Spotify, Player FM & Stitcher.  WATCH this episode on our YouTube channel

In this episode of the How I Rehab podcast by Sports MAP we chat with Paolo Perna a PDP Physiotherapist in a Professional Football Academy. Paolo uses his knowledge from his research on return to play out comes and his clinical experience to provide key clinical takeaways when managing the injured athlete's return to play process. Paolo provides us a background on this career and research to date. Where did Paolo’s interest in RTP come from? How Paolo thinks about the RTP process from the initial injury. What aspects may guide your prognosis? How to optimize criteria based testing to be specific to the injured area of the muscle. How Paolo breaks down the rehab process into 3 key phases. What does Paolo use as the key criteria to return to sprinting? What are common difficulties in the back end of the rehab program? What does RTP actually mean? Are we talking about the same thing? The importance of being clear with our language? Key considerations for a RTP. What does RTP actually mean? Are we talking about the same thing? The importance of being clear with our language.  This episode is supported by HRIG , The Occlusion Cuff & Iron Edge Listen to this Podcast via your favourite platform including Apple, Spotify, Player FM & Stitcher.  WATCH this epsiode on our YouTube channel References mentioned: 1 . Optimising the Late-Stage Rehabilitation and Return-to-Sport Training and Testing Process After ACL Reconstruction.-          https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31004279/   2. Optimising the 'Mid-Stage' Training and Testing Process After ACL Reconstruction -       https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31782065/ 3. Paolo Perna- One test does not fit all: Tailoring hamstring Return-to-Play assessment in football -       https://blogs.bmj.com/bjsm/2024/11/22/one-test-does-not-fit-all-tailoring-hamstring-return-to-play-assessment-in-football/ 4. Return-to-play criteria following a hamstring injury in professional football: a scoping review -       https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39666593/ 5. Evolving the Control-Chaos Continuum: Part 1 – Translating Knowledge to Enhance On-Pitch Rehabilitation- Taberner 2025-          https://www.jospt.org/doi/10.2519/jospt.2025.13158 6. Progressing rehabilitation after injury: consider the ‘control-chaos continuum’ Editorial Matt Taberner -       https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/53/18/1132 7 .Structuring the daily progression from return-to-run to full team integration -       https://martin-buchheit.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/SPSR251_Buchheit.pdf 8. Do non-contact injuries occur during high-speed running in elite football? Preliminary results from a novel GPS and video-based method. Aiello et al 2023-          https://www.jsams.org/article/S1440-2440(23)00180-9/fulltext

In this new installment for the How I Rehab Podcast, 'Clinical Cases' we chat with the lead physio for the Australian Wallabies (Rugby League) Byron Field.  Prior to Byron's role with the Wallabies, he had led the performance department at Brumbies and spent time with the Australian military and Bath Rugby. Byron holds a PhD in neck strength which will be covered in a future Masterclass with the Sports MAP.  In this episode we cover: An Achilles rupture re injury case in a professional rugby athlete. How Byron and the team reviewed the initial process of the injury. Surgical considerations. Early loading for the injury. Consideration for the athlete's mental well being and motivation in the rehab process. Byron's key learnings from this case. Balancing performance and objective markers in rehabilitation. How to handle other setbacks in the rehab process such as a muscle strain injury. Complex systems theory.   This episode is supported by HRIG , The Occlusion Cuff & Iron Edge Listen to this Podcast via your favourite platform including Apple, Spotify, Player FM & Stitcher.  WATCH this epsiode on our YouTube channel

In this episode of the How I Rehab podcast by Sports MAP we chat with Einar Einarsson, Director of Physical Rehabilitation at Saudi Pro League. Einar has been working as a Physical Therapist in Sports for over 30 years. He has also worked as a SC & fitness coach in Soccer, specialist in Physical Therapy & CEO of a movement analysis company. In Einar’s work for Aspetar he has worked with many high profile elite athletes from different Sports disciplines & done consultancy for numerous elite Sports Organizations (Premier league & NBA) In this podcast we cover a number of topics including; Einar’s professional career with Irish Rugby, Aspetar & now as the Director of Physical Rehab at the Saudi Pro League What is EMG?  How is EMG used in a rehabilitation setting?  How using EMG can guide optimal hamstring loading for recurrent issues.  Getting the balance between medial soleus and gastroc using EMG.  How to utilise EMG post surgery for ACL rehabilitation.  Medial (VMO) and lateral (VL) quad balance.  The difference between electrical stimulation and EMG and how they can work together.  The difference between BFR and EMG and how they can work together.  WATCH on YouTube

In this episode of the How I Rehab podcast by Sports MAP we chat with Ernest Schilders, Professor of Orthopaedic Sports Medicine @ Leeds Beckett University and Hip, Groin, and Hamstring Surgeon @Fortius Clinic. Professor Ernest Schilders is a specialist in minimally-invasive hip surgery and has a unique professional portfolio combining expertise in hamstring problems, complex groin pain and hip arthroscopy. Professor Schilders has treated footballers from all the Premier League and Championship clubs, and clubs from all the other major European Leagues. In this podcast we cover a number of topics including; PLAC anatomy Subtypes of the PLAC injuries Management of PLAC injuries Imaging procedures for an accurate diagnosis of PLAC injuries Navigating neural involvement in athletes with groin pain Differentiating the hip as a pain source from other groin entities. Hamstring T junction injuries. Imaging procedures for accurate T junction Diagnosis What injuries appear to be a greater risk of recurrence? What role does surgery play? Rehabilitation timelines post surgery for T junction injuries. WATCH this episode on our YouTube channel

In this new installment for the How I Rehab Podcast, 'Clinical Cases' we chat with senior men's Rehabilitation Physiotherapist for the Sydny Swans Football Club, Justin Dougherty. Prior to Justin’s role with the Sydney Swans he was the Lead Physio for the in Men’s A League (Australia’s top tier soccer competition) for 10 years including periods with Macarthur FC, Melbourne Victory and Newcastle Jets. In this episode we chat with Justin about a clinical case scenario of a soleus injury that had a second incident after returning to full training. Justin breaks down this case covering the following: The learnings from the first rehabilitation Team (medical and high performance) discussions are potential improvements in the subsequent rehab External inputs to assist in the process. Timelines to return to running. Addressing other factors that may be playing a role in the calf issues Preferential medical vs lateral recruitment of the calf. Conversations with the medical and coaching staff. Strength metrics and benchmarks for the calf Position specific requirements to consider for the rehab Return to play This episode is supported by HRIG and The Occlusion Cuff You can also VIEW this Podcast on the Sports MAP YouTube channel. Listen to this Podcast via your favourite platform including Apple, Spotify, Player FM & Stitcher.