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Welcome back to headfirst: A Concussion Podcast, today we have the honour and privilege to welcome Professor Bill Ribbans. 

Professor Ribbans is a Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgeon and Professor of Sports Medicine, internationally recognised for his decades of work in elite sport and lower-limb orthopaedics. He trained in London, completed Fellowships in Sheffield and at Harvard, and began his Consultant career at the Royal Free before returning to Northampton, where he now works in full-time private practice.

A prominent figure in sports medicine, Professor Ribbans has supported organisations such as Northampton Saints, Northampton Town FC, the English National Ballet, Northamptonshire County Cricket Club, and UK Athletics—caring for Olympians, world champions, and international teams. Alongside his clinical practice, he remains actively involved in concussion research and athlete welfare, contributing to national conversations on head-injury management while supporting the safety-driven work of Progressive Rugby and Luca Health.

He has published more than 150 scientific papers and authored several books, including Knife in the Fast Lane, which blends autobiography with reflections on his 40 years working at the crossroads of medicine and sport.

01:50 - Professor Ribbans Journey into Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Surgery?

03:40 - Biggest Challenges Working as Team physician

07:33 – Is There an Over Emphasis on Return to Play Causing Increased Injuries? 

12:35 – Return to Play Pressures 

14:00 – Culture Around Injuries

16:51 – What is a Concussion?

19:47 – Process of a Head Injury Assessment (HIA)

27:15 – Advocacy’s for Youth Sports

35:10 – Implementation of Education Around Concussion in Youth Sports

43:10 – Advice for Parent and Coaches

49:30 – Most Rewarding Aspects of Professor Ribbans Job

52:10 – Where We Can Find Professor Ribbans

Progressive Rugby: https://www.progressiverugby.com

Luca Health: https://luca.health

Books:

-       Knife In The Fast Lane : A Surgeon’s Perspective from the Sharpe End of Sport

-       A Plague on All Your Sports: When Sport and the Pandemic Collided 

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