Life Stories: Recent Episodes
Andy Thomas
I have come across many impressive and inspirational people in my time in medical technology education and sales. I have always had the goal to run an interview series with these people, to find out more about them personally and what led them to the career they ended up in. I am genuinely looking forward to each of these! I hope you find it interesting too.
Dr Chris McCarthy is a Clinical Fellow (Associate Professor) at Manchester School of Physiotherapy. He researches musculoskeletal interventions including exercise in long-term conditions and manual therapy. Prior to this he was a Consultant Physiotherapist at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, St Mary’s Hospital Paddington, London. After qualifying as a Physiotherapist in 1989 he undertook post-graduate training in Biomechanics and Manipulative therapy at Strathclyde and Coventry Universities before undertaking a PhD degree in rehabilitation within the faculty of Medicine at Manchester University. He was awarded a “Young Investigator of the Year” award in 2001, for his PhD studies, by the British Society of Rheumatologists.
Following Post-doctoral studies, investigating the sub-classification of non-specific low back pain, he became an Assistant Professor of Rehabilitation within the Clinical Trials Unit of the Medical School of Warwick University attracting over a million pound of funding in two years. He has published over 60 peer reviewed papers on musculoskeletal rehabilitation and diagnosis and spoken at over 50 conferences.
He has taught internationally on Manual Therapy, specifically on Combined Movement Theory, and lectures on five of the Masters courses in Manual Therapy in the UK. He is a member of the international advisory board for Manual Therapy journal and regularly reviews and publishes papers in the academic field of Manual Therapy. He is the past-chair of the Manipulation Association of Chartered Physiotherapists and was recently awarded a Fellowship of the MACP and Chartered Society of Physiotherapy for advances in Manual Therapy in 2010 and 2011. Chris’s book “Combined Movement Theory: Rational Mobilisation and manipulation of the Vertebral Column has sold worldwide. He is the clinical lead of The Manchester School of Physiotherapy’s clinical unit and supervises students, teaches and researches musculoskeletal dysfunction, and particualry spinal pain.
Claire is a Consultant Physiotherapist and the Chief Clinical Officer and co-founder of Pure Sports Medicine. As co-founder she has been with Pure Sports Medicine since its beginning in 2003, delivering outstanding clinical care for over 20 years.
Claire’s clinical specialities include issues of the spine, hip, groin and pelvis including persistent problems, pregnancy-related complaints and movement dysfunction. She has a specific interest in helping women manage the symptoms associated with menopause and metabolic syndrome.
As an accomplished and well established clinician, speaker and researcher, Claire is also an Honorary Lecturer and Examiner at Queen Mary University of London and the University of Hertfordshire, an invited Lecturer at UCL, Kings College, London & University of Bath and a Journal Reviewer for Manual Therapy and Physical Therapy in Sport & the British Journal of Sport Medicine. She was made a Fellow of the Musculoskeletal Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in 2016.
In 2015 she was named Australian Businesswoman of the Year in the UK for her work in healthcare.
Gareth Wright is the Director of Physiotherapy at Tarmeem Orthopaedic and Sports Injury Hospital in Abu Dhabi, UAE. He has an extensive and varied background in physiotherapy, encompassing experiences in multiple countries and healthcare settings.
Gareth's journey began in North Wales, where he was a dedicated tennis and badminton player, representing Wales in both sports. His personal experiences with sports injuries led him to pursue a career in physiotherapy. He earned his degree from Nottingham University, following a gap year in New Zealand where he worked in a boys' boarding school.
After graduation, Gareth worked in the NHS in the UK, gaining valuable experience in both junior and senior roles. His early career included a diverse range of rotations, including medical physiotherapy at Aintree Hospital in Liverpool. This foundational experience prepared him for international opportunities.
Gareth's passion for travel and exploring different cultures took him to West Africa, where he volunteered in a community clinic, and later to Australia, where he worked as a physiotherapist in Sydney. Upon returning to the UK, he joined Dave Roberts Physiotherapy in Manchester, where he developed his skills in private practice and occupational health.
In 2011, Gareth and his wife moved to the Middle East, starting in the Sultanate of Oman and later moving to Qatar, where he worked in a government hospital's male orthopaedic physiotherapy department. His ability to adapt and thrive in multicultural environments was evident as he worked alongside colleagues from diverse backgrounds.
Since 2016, Gareth has been based in the UAE, where he initially led the physiotherapy department at a Women's and Children's Hospital in Al Ain. There, he successfully developed a specialised Women's Health physiotherapy service. Recently, he transitioned to his current role at Tarmeem Orthopaedic and Sports Injury Hospital in Abu Dhabi, where he oversees a growing physiotherapy department and is involved in expanding the hospital's rehabilitation services.
Gareth combines his clinical expertise with a keen interest in healthcare leadership, business development, and cultural competency. His commitment to continuous learning and innovation has marked his career, making him a dynamic leader in the field of physiotherapy.
Scott Dickenson is a seasoned professional with a diverse background in physical therapy, athletic training, and entrepreneurship. Initially, he embarked on his career path with a solid educational foundation, earning an undergraduate degree in athletic training from the University of Pittsburgh. During his time there, he gained hands-on experience working with various sports teams, which deepened his interest in physical health and rehabilitation.
Following his undergraduate studies, Scott pursued a doctorate in physical therapy at the University of Southern California, a program that further honed his skills and expertise in patient care and rehabilitation. His commitment to advancing his knowledge led him to complete an orthopaedic residency at the University of Delaware, where he also engaged in teaching and mentoring emerging students in the field.
Scott’s professional journey took a significant turn when he channelled his expertise into entrepreneurship. He founded his company, NecksLevel, where he serves as CEO. The company focuses on innovating rehabilitation equipment, with a particular emphasis on neck rehabilitation. Scott’s invention, a product born out of his observation of the inadequacies in existing neck rehabilitation equipment, has significantly impacted the field. His device allows for more effective neck strengthening and range of motion exercises, which he developed after noting the limitations of traditional methods during his time in clinical settings.
Today, Scott continues to expand his company, focusing on improving and innovating rehabilitation technologies. His work demonstrates a successful blend of clinical expertise and entrepreneurial acumen, making significant contributions to both the healthcare and business sectors.
Steve started working in professional football in 1999. He spent 7 years at Millwall FC before moving to Dorset in 2006 to become the head physio at AFC Bournemouth. This took Steve on an eventful journey from League 2 through to the Premier League. After leaving AFC Bournemouth in 2021, Steve has had consultancy roles at football clubs and was a contractor at the Premier League on their Games Programme liaising with club medical personnel at national and international tournaments. During this period Steve has also worked in private physio practices in London and the local area.
In 2023, Steve Joined Portsmouth Football Club as Head of Sports Medicine.
He has always maintained his continued professional development and has been on many courses. He has an MSC in Exercise and Sports Medicine as well as a qualification in diagnostic MSK ultrasonography to name just a few.
Natalie commenced her career in a fast-stream rehabilitation hospital before being offered a position at Sandringham Sports Medicine Practice where she gained extensive experience in sports medicine.
Natalie has provided her treatment methods to Olympic athletes, and toured the globe for over a decade as the Head of Physiotherapy for Nitro Circus. SHe has provide physio support for a number of Red Bull ultimate events and in conjunction with Hemisphere Medical Group, provided & co-ordinated services to a vast array of A-List entertainers.
She also provide lectures and key note speeches at venues around the globe, providing clinical training for physio students and treating peers with included the hot topic of concussion management at the NSW Institute of Sport and Northern Beaches Hospital.
In her spare time Natalie plays mum to 2 gorgeous kids and tries to practice what she preaches in terms of undertaking regular exercise in the form of CrossFit, gym and running.
Radoslav (Brad) Georgiev is a sports therapist and online education developer originally from Bulgaria. He moved to the UK for university, attending Salford University where he switched from studying Business Management to Sports and Leisure Management, driven by his interest in sports and personal fitness.
Brad's professional journey began at a sports injury clinic in Manchester, starting out as a 'body' before quickly moving into more hands-on roles due to his proactive approach to learning and growth. He furthered his expertise by becoming a tutor and course developer, which allowed him to have a significant impact on both his students and the field.
Recognising the potential of online platforms to extend his reach, Brad created a digital platform dedicated to sports therapy education and client rehabilitation programs. His work aims to support both healthcare professionals seeking further education and individuals looking for guidance on injury prevention and recovery.
Brad is a proponent of maintaining physical health for professional efficacy and integrates this philosophy into his educational offerings. His straightforward and accessible approach to sports therapy has made him a respected voice in the health and wellness community.
Nicola Graham is a strategic advisor in human performance, who has transitioned from being the managing director of Tops Health, a physiotherapy business based in Oxfordshire. With an extensive background in medical healthcare and private healthcare markets spanning over 16 years, her expertise includes traditional physiotherapy, strength and conditioning, and wellness services like Pilates, yoga, sports massage, psychology, nutrition, and physiology.
Having completed an MBA, Nicola has re-evaluated her career path to focus on leveraging her comprehensive skillset across various sectors, emphasising human performance. She is passionate about enhancing personal branding and has worked with personal branding strategy advisors to redefine her professional image and expand her career opportunities.
Nicola is also an entrepreneur, having undergone a management buyout to become the owner of her business, which has been established since 1984. She continues to explore new ventures and invests in companies that align with her interests in fitness and health technology. Her dynamic career path showcases her commitment to continuous learning and adaptability in various business and health disciplines.
Adam Meakins a Specialist Physiotherapist, Sports Scientist, and Strength & Conditioning Coach working in the NHS and private practice in the UK.
Adam has worked in many roles throughout his career, including professional sport, and has been fortunate enough to work with, and learn from some of the worlds leading experts.
Adam has helped a wide and diverse range of people return to full function after an injury or episode of pain, and understands the importance of good honest robust rehab for all.
As a keen sportsman himself Adam fully understands the passion, dedication and desire all athletes of all abilities have for a speedy return back to performance.
Matt is a Chartered Physiotherapist with experience in both the private and NHS settings.
Matt launched Azzurro Physiotherapy in 2017 which has fast become a busy clinic with one of the best reputations in the area. He specialises in helping people improve their quality of life by reducing pain whilst building confidence and fitness.
Alongside his brother, Matt has created AFlex which is a product designed to help with rehabilitation and performance enhancement of the ankle.
Emily is a leadership coach, speaker, author, business mentor and founder of Active Step Healthcare Ltd.
Since starting her private podiatry practice in 2011 Emily has been a finalist in the Great British Entrepreneur Awards and has used her extensive experience and successful approach to support other practice owners around the world with business coaching, mentoring and leadership development.
Her coaching tends to focus on building practice resilience, developing multifaceted leadership capability and organisational culture.
She is known for her innate ability to help her clients gain clarity and certainty, thus building confidence in their own ability to achieve their personal and practice goals.
Alan qualified in Physiotherapy from Glasgow Caledonian University in 1995 and worked one year in the NHS before taking up a full-time post at Rangers Football Club where his primary remit was the Reserve and Youth team.
Being ambitious, Alan yearned for a Head of Department job which came in 1998 at Port Vale FC who at that time were playing in the English Championship. The year 2000 saw a new millennium and a new challenge for Alan when he was honoured to become part of the medical set-up at Premiership football team Charlton Athletic FC. His role at the Club was working with the First team squad and overseeing a larger Medical Department. It was at this period that Alan completed a Masters degree in Sport and Exercise Medicine and took up a part-time role as Head Physiotherapist for the Wales national football squad from 2003 – 2005.
The pull of his Scottish roots proved too much and in 2004, Alan returned to Scotland leaving full-time football behind when he took up a musculo-skeletal role at BMI Ross Hall Hospital. A role which provided him the opportunity to develop good working relationships with many of the leading surgeons in the West of Scotland. These relationships are still very strong and Alan uses them to assist his patients at PAR Physiotherapy which he now co-runs since 2010.
Alan maintains a strong interest working in sport. He has worked with various Scottish professional football clubs and the Glasgow Rocks professional basketball team. He was part of the medical staff for the British Olympic Association at the 2019 European Games in Minsk. He now divides his time at the clinic with also being part of the medical teams for Scottish Rugby, Scottish FA, British Gymnastics, British Athletics, British Skeleton and British Hockey.
Alan has also worked at various multi-sport games including the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games, the 2015 Baku European Games, the 2017 London World Athletic Championships and the 2017 Turkmenistan Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games.
Rick Fenoglio has over twenty years experience working in professional football as an adjunct to his primary position as a sport and exercise researcher at Manchester Metropolitan University. He has produced major reports for Manchester United FC, The Football Association of Wales and The Professional Footballer’s Association / Football in the Community. He is an active researcher in the field and recognised leader in the areas of youth football development, skill acquisition and small-sided games both in the professional and grassroots areas, via his work with Give Us Back Our Game.
Andrew Lemon's journey into health and fitness technology began with studying osteopathy and a simple passion for living well. Founding Strength by Numbers, he aimed to democratise fitness through accessible technology. Andrew prioritised practical solutions over grandiose ideas, facing challenges with resilience and humility. Collaboration was key, as he sought partnerships to drive innovation. His focus on empowering professionals and bridging the gap between technology and practice left an enduring impact on the industry. With a vision for practical innovation, Andrew continues to make incremental improvements, inspiring others with his journey of purpose-driven entrepreneurship.
Benn Digweed is a seasoned sports medicine professionalrenowned for his dedication and experience from academic and sporting environments. With a background in sports science and physiotherapy, Benn's journey began with a fascination for sports and the human body. He honed his skills during his time at Chelsea Football Club and Solent University, gaining invaluable experience in high-performance environments. Transitioning to academia, Benn joined Keele University as a clinical lead and teaching fellow, where he mentored aspiring practitioners and delved into the theoretical aspects of sports medicine. Currently, Benn works as a multi-sport physiotherapist at the UK Sport Institute, supporting athletes across various Olympic and paralympic sports with his grounded approach and focus on tangible solutions. He has also recently returned from the Winter Youth Olympic Games in South Korea working as a HQ physiotherapist for Team GB. Throughout his career, Benn has amassed a variety of insights, emphasising the importance of continuous learning and staying attuned to athletes' needs.
Dr Biswas qualified at Nottingham University in 1993, working in Accident and Emergency and paediatrics before completing a master’s degree in Sports Medicine. She qualified as a GP, worked at Headley Court (Military Rehabilitation Centre) and then completed a Clinical Fellowship in Sports Medicine at Queen Medical Centre in Nottingham.
For 20 years, she has worked with national and international sports teams (including football, cycling, athletics, sailing, canoeing, hockey, tennis) working at the Olympic Medical Institute, The British Olympic Association Intensive Rehabilitation Unit and the English Institute of Sport. She currently works at the English Institute of Sport at Bisham Abbey with part of her role responsible for optimising athlete health.
She has worked at three Summer and one Winter Paralympic Games (two as Chief Medical Officer), The Commonwealth Games in Manchester, and Olympic Games in London and Rio. She is a tournament doctor for Queen’s and Wimbledon tennis tournaments.
She is passionate about keeping athletes playing their sports, keeping active people active, regardless of their age, and helping inactive people become active. She has a holistic approach, treating not only the injury but also addressing the underlying causes, working closely with allied professionals e.g. physiotherapists and osteopaths to optimise care.
Rob has worked with a variety of professional athletes from Boxing, Golf, Formula 1, Rugby & Football.
As well as working with athletes, he has supported many general clients with their health, fitness and wellbeing with 1:1 coaching.
He has had the honour of supporting Anthony Joshua with his Physiotherapy / performance support (as part of a professional team) since 2013 shortly after he went professional.
In addition, he has experience working with Olympic athletes from; Snowboarding, Skiing, Canoeing & Bob Skeleton. He was involved with athlete support up to both Vancouver 2010 (British Snowboarding) and Sochi 2014 (Canada Snowboard) Winter Olympic Games as well as the London 2012 Olympics (British Canoeing).
He has an active interest in Strength & Conditioning and its role in performance & rehabilitation. He has been fortunate to work with a number of talented S&C coaches all around the world. His work values are solidly around teamwork & preparation in supporting individual athletes achieve excellence whilst remaining healthy. He has completed his NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist certification (CSCS).
Having finished 7 years working at Hintsa in formula 1, Rob is now working privately in London as a physiotherapist and strength coach.
Over the last 16 years, Mike Paton has helped thousands of leaders around the globe run better businesses and live better lives. An EOS Implementer and sought-after speaker, Paton succeeded Gino Wickman and spent five years as EOS Worldwide’s Visionary, is the host of the top-rated podcast The EOS Leader, and co-authored two books in the Traction Library – Get A Grip and Process!
Ritchie graduated from Salford University with a first class honours degree in Physiotherapy. His experiences have led his developing an insight into managing performance in swimmers and disabled athletes. Ritchie competed at the highest levels in the pool at World Championships and Paralympic games culminating at Sydney 2000 where he was narrowly beaten into the silver medal position.
He is also a lecturer on the Physiotherapy course at The University of Salford.
Prof. John Dickinson is an Exercise Respiratory Physiologist with a specialism in assessing exercise respiratory symptoms in athletes. He has tested over 1,000 elite athletes from a range of sports including all Olympic and many professional sports, such as rugby and Premier League football. John was awarded a First Class BSc in Sports Science from the University of Wales, Bangor in 2002. In 2006, John was awarded his PhD from Brunel University and, has been a BASES accredited Sport and Exercise Physiologist since 2006.
In January 2003, he began working as a research assistant at the Olympic Medical Institute, Northwick Park Hospital, where he started his PhD research into the prevalence, diagnosis and treatment of exercise induced asthma in elite athletes.
In May 2004, John was appointed as a Research Physiologist for the English Institute of Sport, where he continued to investigate respiratory problems in elite athletes. During this time John was the first researcher to screen the entire Team GB squad for exercise induced asthma, prior to the 2004 Athens Summer Olympic Games, 2006 Vancouver and Winter Olympic Games and the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games.
His clinical passion lies within breathing training for both professional and amateur athletes.
With over 30 years of experience, Dr Ian Beasley is one of the UK’s foremost specialists in sports and exercise medicine. Dr Beasley’s outstanding career includes eight years as Head of Medical Services for The Football Association (FA) and the Team Doctor to the England Men’s Elite Player Team, ten years as the Governing Body Medical officer for Hockey, and roles at Manchester City, Arsenal, and Bournemouth. Since 2007 Dr Beasley has held the position of medical advisor to the Royal Ballet Company, where he treats performers from many disciplines, as well as ballet dancers of all ages and abilities.
Dr Beasley was awarded a Smith & Nephew scholarship to study sports medicine at the Royal London Hospital, and took his diploma with merit in 1987. He was a foundation Fellow of the Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine and has served on the UEFA Medical Committee. Dr Beasley is now is Senior Lecturer in sports and exercise medicine at the Centre for Sports and Exercise Medicine, Queen Mary College, and Clinical Lead in sports and exercise medicine at Bart’s Health NHS Trust.
Geoff is a Cardiff-born Consultant Sports Physician with over 20-years experience in professional rugby union.
He was formerly Sports Physician to Cardiff Blues & Wales U18 prior to his appointment to the WRU National Squad in 2012.
He is a Fellow of the Faculty of Sports & Exercise Medicine both in the UK and Ireland, and is a Member of the Royal College of General Practitioners. He has a master’s degree in Sports Medicine from the University of Bath and a Postgraduate certificate in diagnostic Musculoskeletal Ultrasound.
He had previously spent 16 years as a GP partner in Barry before pursuing a full time career in Sports Medicine.
Away from his WRU duties he is also a consultant Sports Physician in private practice at various locations, including Cardiff, Newport & Bristol.
He is an Honorary Senior Lecturer at Cardiff Metropolitan University and is a college examiner for the Faculty of Sports & Exercise Medicine UK. He is also a tutor & examiner for the Bath University MSc course in Sports Medicine.
He regularly presents on various aspects of his Sports Physician role at both local and national medical meetings to a wide variety of audiences.
Dr. Thomas Robinson has had a successful career in sports medicine, showcasing adaptability and a commitment to holistic athlete care. Starting with a solid foundation in general practice, he took a reflective year before pursuing a graduate degree. Driven by genuine interest and early experiences in rugby, he faced diverse challenges in trauma, orthopaedics, and A&E. His journey extended to football, and after 3 years at Stoke City, he eventually took on a significant role at Fulham Football Club. Dr. Robinson emphasizes the importance of a supportive team culture and recognises the interconnectedness of mental and physical well-being. His career serves as a practical example for aspiring sports medicine professionals, highlighting resilience and dedication to comprehensive athlete care.
After studying physiotherapy at the University of Nottingham, Chris's first major role was at Norwich City FC Academy. He spent nearly 10 years at the club, rising to Head of Academy Medicine. He then moved to IPRS for a year before joining Pure Physio. He is now Southern Lead Clinician for Pure Physio Sports with big plans to grow this area. Chris still lectures at Bucks New University as well as mentoring at his local church.
Dr. Claire Minshull, a highly respected figure in the UK's rehabilitation and conditioning sphere, brings over 20 years of expertise in sports medicine. Her roles as a Senior Lecturer, Researcher, Consultant, and Practitioner showcase her multifaceted contributions.
With a focus on dynamic joint stability and neuromuscular performance, Claire has led significant clinical trials, supervised PhD students, and authored 30+ papers in esteemed sports medicine journals. As a sought-after speaker and expert reviewer, she maintains high standards in academia.
Claire's unique strength lies in bridging physiological conditioning and physiotherapeutic rehabilitation. Founder of Get Back To Sport, she translates research into practical applications, impacting global clinical practices through her internationally recognised teaching portfolio.
Colin qualified as a Chartered Physiotherapist from the University of Brighton in 1995, before joining Arsenal Football Club later that year as assistant physiotherapist. In 2008, he became Head of Medical Services at Arsenal Football Club and remained in that role until May 2018.
In that ten year period, Colin oversaw the evolution and development of the medical team supervising a staff that grew from seven to twelve. He was also a member of the planning group that designed a purpose-built medical building in 2012 and a new £17 million player performance centre in 2017.
Colin implemented the Research & Development arm to the medical team in 2015. This resulted in the co-publishing of articles, editorials and podcasts in various journals including BJSM, Tendon, and Aspetar journal. Along with Dr. Gary O’Driscoll, Colin was the founder of the annual Arsenal FC SEMS conference.
Colin has visited many sporting environments including a number of NBA, NHL, NFL, Major League Baseball teams and major universities to broaden his knowledge of other facilities and methods utilised in managing sports injuries. Colin speaks regularly at sports medicine conferences at home and abroad and also guest lectures at universities in the UK.
David is the Clinical Director and CEO of Roche Injury Clinic, a staff of Chartered Physiotherapists, Athletics Therapists and Coaches based is award winningclinics known for working with high performance athletes. David works with professional footballers, NFL players and Olympic athletes at his clinics for advanced Injury Rehabilitation and High-Performance training sessions.
David is multi-disciplined therapist holding numerous academic degrees, most notably a Masters in Sports Medicine, while currently undertaking his PhD in University of Limerick.
David is a guest lecture in the UK at the University of Hull and in Ireland. David has worked in professional sports for the majority of his career and regularly has international athletes from many sports travel to Kilkenny for Treatment & Advanced Injury Rehabilitation, traveling from as far asAmerica to avail of the clinics state of the art facility & Treatments.
David has a keen interest in Athletic Development and Injury Prevention where he has published research at his High Performance Gym in Kilkenny& Waterford. David has worked on International Athletics camps around the world in the past, most recently David has worked with the FAI at the levels of Under 21s & Under 17s and is the current lead the International U16 men's team.
Dr Kerss is Sports Medicine Lead at the UK Sports Institute, based in Manchester. He has provided medical care and support to British athletes through multiple Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth Games – including working at the Rio Paralympics in 2016, and Commonwealth Games in 2014 and 2022. He is a Team Sports Physician for EF Education First-EasyPost professional cycling team; providing medical care overseas at UCI World tour races, including the Tour de France (2021, 2023), Giro d’Italia (2020, 2021 and 2022) and Vuelta a Espana (2023).
Jim's previous positions include the Chief Medical Officer role at England Netball from 2016-2022, British Para-Swimming and England Squash. He has also worked as a team doctor in Premiership football and professional rugby league.
Mentorship is a significant aspect of Dr. Kerss's career. He has played a crucial role in guiding and mentoring the upcoming generation of sports medicine professionals. Dr. Kerss firmly believes in the importance of effective communication, ensuring that athletes and their support teams share a common understanding, which has been a cornerstone of his approach to patient care.
Dr. Jamie Kearns is originally from Dublin. He qualified from UCD in 2006 with an honours degree as well as a BMedSci. He went on to complete basic specialist training in medicine in Galway and completed an MRCPI in 2009. As part of his BST he undertook a six month visiting rotation in the Mayo Clinic, Rochester. He subsequently completed a Masters in Sports and Exercise Medicine from NUI Galway in 2011, graduating with a 1st Class Honours.
Dr. Kearns proceeded to vocational training in general practice and was awarded MICGP in 2013. Having worked in full time General Practice with a specialist interest in sports and orthopaedic medicine, Dr. Kearns began specialist training in Sports and Exercise Medicine in 2021 and completed his training in 2023. During his specialist training he undertook post graduate training in Medical Ultrasound in AECC University College, Bournemouth. He has also been awarded membership to the Faculty of Sports & Exercise Medicine UK.
Since 2018, Dr. Kearns has been the Head of Medical for Munster Rugby. He has worked as team doctor for Connacht Rugby and the Ireland Men’s senior rugby team as well as the independent match day doctor for senior internationals, including the upcoming 6 nations. Dr. Kearns also has experience working with the FAI joining the Ireland Women’s senior team in 2012 and working with the U19's Mens team thereafter.
He was awarded FFSEM (Irl) in 2017 and was elected to the Board of the FSEM in 2018. He was PCS manager until his entry onto the Specialist Training Scheme and still sits on the subcommittee for Fellowship and Membership. He is also undertaking research in collaboration with University of Limerick into blood biomarkers in concussion within elite level rugby. He has a number of publications in this area and neurology.
Andrea is the managing director at Isokinetic Medical Group UK, FIFA Centre of Excellence specialised in Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation.
Before joining Isokinetic, Andrea had a long career in Media and Entertainment. Most recently he held the position of VP& MD Franchise Management EMEA at The Walt Disney Company. In this role he was responsible for developing and implementing the cross-company commercial and marketing strategies for Disney key franchises/brands in the EMEA region.Before this, Andrea held the position of VP, Franchise Marketing Europe and Emerging Markets at Disney Consumer Products. Previously, Andrea held the positionof VP Global Retail Development and of VP & GM Global Licensing at Disney Publishing Worldwide. Andrea also worked at Universal Pictures International, where he held the position of Managing Director Universal Pictures Iberia and VP International Marketing Universal Pictures International. Before this, he held a variety of positions with Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, in Italy and at the Regional office in London, and started his career in the Account Management team at Leo Burnett Italy.
Andrea is very keen runner and can be found racing triathlons around the country.
John was the Director of Defence Rehabilitation for the UK Armed Forces for 10 years, responsible for the planning and delivery of rehabilitation services including musculoskeletal, neurological and trauma rehabilitation. He has been an active member of the FSEM (UK) Council and held the position of Vice President of the Faculty. He is currently working as a Medical Director at Pure Sports Medicine London. His clinical interests include bone health, sport and exercise medicine, exercise-based rehabilitation, rheumatology, and sero-negative arthritis.
He has developed a complex trauma rehabilitation service for the battle casualties from Iraq and Afghanistan, that achieved a world-class reputation. Dr Etherington is the President of the Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine UK and was awarded the CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2018.
In his spare time, he enjoys playing cricket, reading particularly military and English history, theatre, music and family life.
Frank Benedetto is a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) and a seasoned entrepreneur with a mission to revolutionise healthcare. His journey in physical therapy began after a life-altering injury in high school, inspiring him to pursue a career in the field.
With a bachelor's degree in psychology and a DPT, Frank possesses a unique understanding of the mind-body connection in healthcare. He is the founder of the Honey Badger Project, where he leverages technology and psychology to improve patient care.
Frank is a passionate advocate for incorporating positive and behavioural psychology into healthcare, prioritizing patient-centred, holistic approaches. His vision is reshaping the industry, and his impact is felt through his innovative ventures and dedication to improving patient outcomes.
Andy played professional rugby for 15 years, including stints with Harlequins, Bristol and England U21’s.
Alongside playing rugby, Andy was a Personal trainer and completed his degree and accreditation to become an accredited Strength and Conditioning coach. Following his rugby career he ran the Strength and Conditioning department at a semi-professional rugby club, leading him to become the Head of Strength and Conditioning at London's premier physio clinic, Pure Sports Medicine. During his time at Pure Sports Medicine, he focused on injury rehabilitation and prevention, alongside helping athletes and clients improve their performance.
Through his experience in the fitness industry, Andy has been there, done it and seen it all. He now has a deep understanding of what works, what doesn’t, and what is just industry ‘noise’.
Andy now specialises in helping clients cut through the (mis)information when it comes to strength training, race preparation and injury rehabilitation. He allows clients to perform at their absolute peak using precise preparation and planning, and optimising training around their busy schedules.
Tony Gavin is a podiatrist who graduated from The University of Huddersfield. He has spent all of his podiatry career in private practice and is passionate about using business to assist in the development of the profession and raise the profile of foot health in the UK.
Tony founded a successful multi-disciplinary practice in Stalybridge in 2008, which employs podiatrists and physiotherapists. In 2015 he founded Osgo, a membership organisation that helps podiatrists in private practice. The membership is now in its thousands and has seen huge changes in how podiatry is being promoted and delivered in the private sector. His vision for a large and inclusive conference in the industry has been realised through the formation of The Foot and Ankle Show.
Tony has additional roles with the distribution of medical products and acts as a non exec director to various projects in the health technology sector.
Amit Pannu joined Derby County's medical department in the summer of 2017 from Blackburn Rovers to take up the position of Club Doctor.
Dr Pannu, a graduate of the University of Leeds in Medicine, previously worked as the England First Team Physician at The Rugby Football League before becoming the Chief Medical Officer at Huddersfield Giants RLFC.
He joined Blackburn Rovers in 2014 as Club Doctor before becoming their Head of Sports Medicine prior to linking up with Derby.
Following a undergraduate degree in Sport and Exercise Science with first class honours, Woody spent time working in the field of strength and conditioning before undertaking a Masters degree in Physiotherapy in 2012. Since graduating, Woody has worked full time in professional sport, including lead positions in Super League rugby. Woody regularly rehabilitates and conditions professional athletes and world champions from sports including MMA, football, rugby, muay thai, motorsports, basketball, taekwondo, sprinting, triathlon, squash.
In 2017 Woody enrolled in and completed a Masters in Sport and Exercise Medicine with distinction. During this time, he added the practice of injection therapy to his skillset.
Dr Jonathan Hanson is a Sports Medicine Consultant with a background in emergency medicine. He worked as an emergency care advisor to the FA and worked on head injury systems and immediate care to the Mens team at the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Jonathan wrote the FA Area course which preceded the current ATMIF course.Jonathan is currently team doctor at Glasgow Warriors Rugby and has extensive experience of working at the Beijing olympics and with the Scottish Rugby Union.
James’ clinical passion lies within complex Hip and Groin injuries, where he developed and founded the Sporting Hip & Groin course. Through this specialist area, he has consulted for a number of Premier league & championship football clubs, Premiership Rugby Clubs & with many elite athletes.
James graduated with an honours degree on physiotherapy from Kings College London in 1996. Following a period working in the NHS James moved to the USA, where he worked in a spinal & sports specialist Centre in Chicago. During his time in the USA James qualified as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist and Pilates instructor and, worked with professional athletes from NFL, MLB, power lifting and bodybuilding.
In 2000 James moved to Australia and completed his Masters in Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy, specialising in spinal problems, at The University of Queensland. Upon return to the UK in 2001, James set up and managed his own private practice and worked predominantly in professional cricket and Athletics.
In 2003 James studied for his second MSc in Applied Biomechanics and In 2005 he took up the post of Clinical Lead Physiotherapist to the English Institute of Sport, with a special affiliation to UK Athletics. Alongside his private work, James has continued to lecture internationally and is a leading expert in Hip and Groin injuries and rehabilitation.
James also spent a period of time working as Head of Medicine for Saracens RFC before moving on to manage the intensive Rehabilitation Unit (IRU) at Bisham Abbey and was Head of Performance Services for the British Olympic Association and Deputy Chef de Mission for the Rio 2016 Olympics. James now regularly consults across all professional sports.
When he’s not in clinic, James can often be found developing new education material and spending time with his wife & two young daughters.
Chris is a highly-experienced Sports and Musculoskeletal Specialist Physiotherapist, who has spent the last 20+ years working in Elite Sport, International Rugby, Private Practice, Military Rehabilitation and the NHS. He has a post-graduate Masters Degree in Advanced Physiotherapy from Kings College London 2009 , having completed my Undergraduate Physiotherapy degree at the University of Wales College of Medicine in Cardiff 2000.
Dr Scott Drawer became Director of Sport at Millfield School in September 2018, responsible for all matters relating to sport and its development within the school.
After 20 years’ experience of high performance sport in a variety of roles, most recently as Head of the Team Sky Performance Hub, where he brought together some of the elite thinkers in sport to look at new breakthroughs and explore human potential through sport and other creative domains.
Prior to this, Scott spent two years leading a team of technical staff across the player development pathway for England Rugby. Scott started his career within the Team GB Olympic and Paralympic system, working as Head of Research and Innovation at UK Sport (later English Institute of Sport). He developed and led the Research & Innovation programme across five Olympic and Paralympic Games, spanning all aspects of coaching, science, medicine and technology partnerships.
Scott holds a PhD in Injury Risk in Professional Football and an MSc in Sport Science from Loughborough University. Scott also has a PGCE in Further Education from Nottingham Trent University.
Jamie is a registered Osteopath and the director of OsteoEsprit. He is currently a consultant Osteopath at Tottenham Hotspur Football Club and Lords Cricket Ground, and as of June 2020 Jamie has taken a role as a consultant at the leading Sports Medicine clinic Isokinetic on Harley Street, London. He has worked in various TV shows providing treatment to athletes including The Greatest Dancer and footballing legends on ITV's hit show, Harry’s Heroes. Jamie also leads a team at Seaford College working with sports teams providing treatment and rehabilitation from injuries, as well as emergency pitch side care for match days across the year. We have toured extensively with Seaford’s teams including trips to New Zealand, Australia, Scotland and Wales and look forward to joining them in South Africa for their rugby and netball tours in 2021.
In the Chichester clinic he continues to see patients from all walks of life be it athletes or elderly.
The statement of ‘move better, feel better, live better’ is something which Jamie integrates into his clinical practice with every patient.
Dr IK Ogbonmwan is dual certified as a Consultant in Sportand Exercise Medicine (SEM) and a General Practitioner (GP) based in Manchester. He completed his higher specialist training in Manchester – working in NHS trusts including Manchester Foundation Trust and Wrightington Orthopaedic Hospital. Elite sports experience was gained at the UK Sports Institute, British Cycling, GB Taekwondo, GB Para-Swimming, Manchester CityFootball Club and the Manchester Institute of Health & Performance.
His special interests in SEM include community MSK, ultrasound-guided interventions, physical activity promotion and medical education. He currently works as a consultant across the spectrum of SEM including community musculoskeletal clinics and elite sport as a Team Doctor for the England Football Association. He has a strong academic and research background and is avisiting lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University and is also on the editorial board for BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine journal.
Amelia (Amy) Arundale, PT, PhD, DPT is a physiotherapist and researcher. She is currently a physiotherapist at the Red Bull Athlete Performance Center in Thalgau, Austria. Previous posts include being a physiotherapist and biomechanist at the Brooklyn Nets. Amy's research centers around knee injury prevention, optimised rehabilitation strategies, and return to performance. She frequently teaches and lectures on her research topics as well as developing rehabilitation for non-tradional/extreme sports and motor learning concepts within rehab. Outside of work, Amy plays Australian Rules Football for the US National Team and Munich Kangaroos.
Joe is a physiotherapist at Everton football club working full time time with the senior squad. He qualified from the University of Teesside in 2003 and after 10 years in the NHS and working with Man U and Everton academy squads moved into full time professional football a few years ago.
Joe has a masters degree in football rehabilitation and has extensive experience in the diagnosis and management of hip and groin injuries.
Toby obtained a Bachelor's Degree in Biological and Biomedical Sciences from the University of Wales, Cardiff between 2003 and 2006. Toby then obtained a Bachelor's Degree in Physiotherapy from Oxford Brookes University between 2006 and 2009. Finally, he obtained a Master's Degree in Musculoskeletal Sciences from the University of Oxford between 2014 and 2015.
Toby joined as a Territory Sales Manager at Stryker, before moving to Biocomposites as a Market Development Manager in 2017, followed by a role as Marketing Manager at Recreational Systems International in 2019. In 2020, he became a Partner Manager at iPLATO, and most recently in 2021, he took on the role of Head Of Partnerships at Scan.com.
Dr Alastair Jones is a Sports Medicine and Musculoskeletal Physician as well as a Consultant in Emergency Medicine. Alastair qualified in Medicine from the University of Sheffield in 2003. He obtained Fellowship to the Royal College of Emergency Medicine in 2011 and Membership to the Faculty of Sports and Exercise Medicine in 2019. He also achieved a Post-Graduate Diploma in Sports and Exercise Medicine from the University of Bath in 2016 and a Post-Graduate Certification in Musculoskeletal Ultrasound for the University of East London in 2021. His areas of clinical interest include; Musculoskeletal Medicine, Musculoskeletal Ultrasound, Sports and Exercise Medicine and mild Traumatic Brain Injury (Concussion). The latter of which he is a key opinion leader for several global medical organisations. He also holds the role of Director of Medicine for ecovery and has a keen interest in Medical Education.
Alastair developed and leads the Bradford Royal Infirmary Minor Injury Unit and Musculoskeletal Service along with the Acute Musculoskeletal Clinic. A multidisciplinary clinic specifically designed for active patients who have suffered musculoskeletal injuries. The clinic comprises Sports/MSK physicians, physiotherapists, radiologists and orthopaedic surgeons. It takes the individual from injury right back to their work or chosen sport. He also leads a similar service at the Sports Injuries Clinic, Nuffield Hospital, Leeds.
Alastair is also heavily involved in the field of Sports and Exercise Medicine. He currently provides medical services to Leeds Rhinos Rugby League and has held the post of Head of Medical Services for Leeds Rugby, where he oversaw the medical departments of both Leeds Rhinos Rugby League and Yorkshire Carnegie Rugby Union. He currently provides medical services for the Rugby Football Union. He is a course director/instructor for the Rugby Football Unions Pre-Hospital Immediate Care in Sport Course and forms part of the Twickenham Stadium international match day medical team. He also works as a match day doctor for Premiership Rugby, specifically looking at concussion and blood incidents during matches. Alastair has previously worked for Tonga as their doctor during the 2013 Rugby League World Cup and has held the role of Immediate Care Doctor at the 2015 Rugby Union World Cup and 2016 Rugby Union Junior World Cup.
Gareth qualified in 1997 in his native Zimbabwe and established a successful practice there as well as working with a number of sports including Davis Cup Tennis, Cricket, Hockey and Athletics before moving to the UK in 2004.
He worked extensively in the elite sport sector most notably with British Diving since 2006 during which he was the Head Physiotherapist for 6 years. He also works with Energy Standard swimming Club, the first international swimming club with top swimmers from different countries. He has worked at the English Institute of Sport and has consulted for British Swimming
He has attended 4 Olympic Games (Athens, Beijing, London & Rio), 2 All-Africa Games, the Afro-Asia Games (as a physiotherapist for Africa Athletics in India) as well as 11 World Championships and numerous European Championships and World Series competitions with British Diving.
He has brought all of this experience in to his clinic; A2Z Elite Health & Performance, in central London.
Dave is currently Head of Medical at Bristol City FC. He spent over 20 years leading the medical department at Leicester City FC, including during the Premier League winning season. He initially studied sports science, before going on to do do physiotherapy, working in the NHS and private practice before moving in to elite sport. He gives a great insight in to the ups and downs of working in professional football in various divisions and on how medical departments have changed in the professional game.
Ben is a specialist musculoskeletal physiotherapist and founder of ACL Rehab Online. ACL Rehab Online focuses on delivering gold standard ACL care to athletes worldwide through a unique blend of virtual appointments, app based support and asynchronous feedback. Their mission is to continue helping athletes worldwide return to peak performance after ACL injury.
Chris is a highly-experienced Sports and Musculoskeletal Specialist Physiotherapist, who has spent the last 20+ years working in Elite Sport, International Rugby, Private Practice, Military Rehabilitation and the NHS. He has a post-graduate Masters Degree in Advanced Physiotherapy from Kings College London 2009 , having completed my Undergraduate Physiotherapy degree at the University of Wales College of Medicine in Cardiff 2000.
For over 16 years, Richard Husseiny worked as a performance coach in high performance sport, with some of the best organisations and athletes in the world – from Great Britain and China. This included supporting teams in preparation for two Summer Olympic Games – London 2012 and Rio 2016 – and the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. In 2015 he gave end of life care to his mother. This experience changed his life and inspired him to pursue a new career. He now helps performance support staff who are burnt out from improving their athletes at the expense of themselves & constantly having to take on and achieve more to prove their worth because they are worried about losing their job. He helps them move to a place of calm, clarity and freedom to live authentically to their values of balancing their personal needs with the demands of their career, put themselves first and giving their time and energy to the people they love.
Ben is a dual qualified shoulder specialist who has over 20 years of experience working with athletes as a physio and strength coach in a wide range of performance environments. Ben helped to develop the shoulder assessment and research pathway at the Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health (London, UK), and is now delighted to join the team of specialists.
Ben has worked in elite rugby at London Wasps, across Olympic sports in the lead up to London 2012 and spent six years as first team physiotherapist at Arsenal football club, before his most recent role as Performance Director in European football. He now runs his own Athletic Shoulder business working with Major League Baseball teams, supporting an NFL shoulder injury taskforce. Additionally, he consults with teams and individuals worldwide, based on his original published research, and through experience in athletic shoulder testing and training. Ben is currently undertaking a PhD at Liverpool Hope University, looking at the key determinants of throwing performance and the use of a system to optimise athlete health and performance in sports with high shoulder demands.
Dr Iqbal is a Consultant in Sports and Exercise Medicine, who has been involved in a variety of Sports and Exercise Medicine settings in the NHS and private sector since 2005. His main work over the last 17 years has been in Professional Football having worked in various leagues in England and within the English FA setup. He also has been managing and advising International athletes from a variety of sports since 2015.
At present Dr Iqbal is working as the Head of Sports Medicine at Crystal Palace FC, a post that he has held since 2015. He was in a similar position at Liverpool FC for the 5 seasons prior that and for 3 seasons as First Team doctor at Tottenham Hotspur FC. Over the last 2 years Dr Iqbal has been a member of a DCMS Working group and alongside the Chief Medical Officers of the main Sports in the UK, helped devise National guidelines for the continued safe participation in Sports during Covid19.
Dr Iqbal was recently the Chairman of The Premier League Doctors Group and for the last 17 years Co-Chairman of the FA Medical Society. Combined with his position as a Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary University of London and lecturer with the Football Science Institute, he has been contributing in the education of the next generation of Sports Medicine Specialists and helping raise standards in the medical care of Premier League footballers.
He has additional interest in promoting healthy lifestyles in the community, advising athletes on competing while fasting during Ramadan and also campaigning for people to learn CPR and the wide availability of AEDs.
A former UK National and Olympic Track & Field Coach, Kelvin spent 30 years in Australia’s high performance sport environment. He was Head T&F Coach at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra and Head of the Athletic Development department at the Queensland Academy of Sport in Brisbane. He spent 6 years at the helm of the Brisbane Broncos Rugby League team as Director of Performance and also led the Australian Rugby Union’s Elite Player Development section. He is a coach to 14 Olympic and World Championship athletes over a 40 year career. He is currently CEO of Movement Dynamics UK Ltd and currently consults across a range of National Governing Bodies and Federations and is the author of the Physical Competence Assessment resources.
Dr. Franklyn-Miller, a highly accomplished physician and with expertise in physiology, clinical design, and science communication. He has a Ph.D. in Biomechanics and served in the Royal Navy and Royal Marines for 16 years. Dr. Franklyn-Miller has extensive experience in working with high-profile sports teams and elite performers and has published more than 60 peer-reviewed papers. He is an editor of the British Journal of Sports Medicine and has authored a textbook and an IOC Handbook. With his expertise in machine learning, clinical trials, and end user analysis, he will oversee several departments at Nuritas, including software engineering, data curation, data science, proteomics, lab, and regulatory departments.
Pippa has worked in elite sport for 20 years; as Chief Medical Officer for England Women‘s Football, British Gymnastics and latterly with the British Equestrian Federation. She has supported athletes and staff at multiple Olympic, Commonwealth and World University Games and most recently with ParalympicsGB in Tokyo. She will continue her role with the Football Association as medical lead for women’s professional game and England Parafootball Teams.
Dr Nigel Jones MB ChB MSc DipSEM DipOccMed FFSEM.
Nigel is a Consultant in Sport and Exercise Medicine who currently works as Chief Medical Officer for British Cycling.
He previously worked as England Rugby Senior Team Doctor. Other positions have included Liverpool Football Club, The English Institute of Sport and Gloucester Rugby.
Nigel also has an interest in combat sports and has many boxing/MMA athletes as his clients. He is an Honorary Senior Lecturer at Liverpool University and has served two terms of office as Training Programme Director for Sports Medicine Doctors in the North West.
He is a former Chair of the British Association of Sport and Exercise Medicine (BASEM). Nigel has extensive research and publication experience – particularly in the field of Sport Related Concussion.
Ric is a Performance Coach and mentor and has done so for over 20 years.Ric has coached 8 World Champion & Olympic athletes, as well as european and british champion individuals and teams across a variety of sports. Ric has worked with the Special Forces, the RAF, the Police Force, the league managers association and many more. He has a large database of widely recognised corporate clients and has helped coach thousands of people throughout his career.Last but not least, Ric is a proud fundraiser for a number of charities, one of which is the Newborn Intensive Care Unit at Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, where he has currently raised over £400,000 and counting.
Andy gained BSc (Hons) in Sport and PE from Cardiff Metropolitan University before pursuing a career in Soft Tissue Therapy (STT), qualifying as a Level 4 Sport and Remedial Massage Therapist in 2003. Andy has spent 16 years working as a therapist in High Performance Sport, holding positions as Senior STT and Technical Lead at the English Institute of Sport, working across multiple Olympic and Paralympic sports including, British Swimming, GB Rowing, GB Hockey, British Canoeing. He was also part of Team GB at the 2012 Olympic Games, supporting British Swimming.
Andy has spent 8 years in professional football with Reading FC and Swansea City FC and Man City WFC as well as additional roles working at the AELTC during the Wimbledon Tennis Championships and Surrey CCC. Having made the decision to move away from sport to spend more time with family, Andy moved full time into private practice where he spent 2 ½ years as Head of STT at Pure Sports Medicine in London, overseeing a team of therapists as well as delivering clinically from one of their city clinics.
Andy, now works at One Physiotherapy in Reading as Senior STT where he also leads on their BusinessDevelopment. He has a special interest in ScarWork Therapy, Lymphatics as well as pursing further qualification in Oncology Massage.
Anthony is a Leeds based Chartered Physiotherapist currently working as a Senior Physiotherapist in the private sector, alongside building ecovery – which is an award winning, digital, clinical signposting service that he has co-founded with Mr Simon Boyle who is an experienced orthopaedic shoulder surgeon based in West Yorkshire.
Ant qualified from Manchester Metropolitan University in 2007 achieving a 1st in his BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy degree and he has since gained a wide range of clinical experience, working in the NHS, elite sport and in the private sector.
He has worked in advanced clinical roles, worked as a regional clinical lead and latterly was instrumental in helping set up a Sports Injuries Clinic at Nuffield Health Leeds Hospital (in conjunction with Dr Alastair Jones – Sports Medicine Physician) which was the first of its type in the Leeds region in terms of its multi-disciplinary structure.
Alex has been a physiotherapist for over 15 years with experience in elite athletics and cycling. Alex has worked with British Athletics for nearly 10 years with 2 of those years as Lead Endurance Physiotherapist. More recently Alex has been the Lead Rehabilitation Physiotherapist for INEOS Grenadiers, the multiple Tour De France winning cycling team, overseeing their off-bike work and rehabilitation programmes.
Alex has been to multiple world and European championships with athletics and cycling including Team Scotland at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and Team GB at Tokyo 2020. He has supported many training camps all over the world and worked with multiple World and Olympic Champions and medallists and World Record Holders across both sports. Alex also lectures on the Msc Physiotherapy at St Mary's University, Twickenham. As well as a BSc in Physiotherapy Alex has a MSc in Strength and Conditioning and is currently undertaking another MSc in Sport and Exercise Medicine. Alex continues to consult for British Athletics and British Cycling and individually with international athletes. As a former sub 30 minute 10km runner Alex now spends his spare time coaching international sprinters including British champions and European age group medallists.
Matthew is the co-founder of Radcliffe Group having teamed up with younger brother Mark. He is also personal physiotherapist to various elite professional athletes and one of the most experienced and well-respected injury prevention specialists to emerge from the English Premier League. He has been successfully implementing his philosophy at the highest level for over 20 years.
Like many young boys, Matthew grew up with aspirations to become a professional footballer, and after starting his journey with Bury FC he sustained a career ending injury that provoked a keen interest in treatment, management and more specifically prevention of Injuries.
He completed a bachelor’s degree in Sports Science & Coaching, an additional degree in Physiotherapy and became one of the youngest physios in the professional game commencing his first role at Bury FC.
After a number of years operating in the lower divisions Matt was recruited by Southampton and was instrumental in building the reputable medical and sports science department it is known for now, and the rapid rise through the leagues back to the Premiership, whilst also working for the Welsh National team under the late great Gary Speed.
Matthew was then headhunted by Manchester United FC. to fulfil a similar role and enhance player availability and performance levels using the same methods.
Before joining Buckinghamshire New University in 2015, I was a sports physiotherapist working in full time professional football and I have around 20 years of experience in sport.
I studied a BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy at the University of Brighton, an MSc Sports Physiotherapy at Cardiff University and a Post Graduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education and my specialist area of interest/research is in Sports Medicine. I find the area fascinating because working with amateur and elite athletes is both challenging and rewarding, plus the evidence-based practice in this field is ever changing and evolving. Any way I am able to develop evidence to help athletes in prevention or recovery strategies really does make a difference.
Within my profession I am a member of MCSP and HCPC as well as within education being a member of the HEA.
My specialist knowledge has led me to work with several professional football clubs including Arsenal FC, Norwich City FC and West Bromwich Albion and I have also worked as a team physiotherapist for England U17 Men’s and Wales u19 Men’s football teams. I am also a medical tutor for the Football Association and deliver Emergency Pitch Side Trauma courses at levels 1 to 4.
My greatest accolade to date was working as a physiotherapist at a European Under 17 championships and working at Arsenal FC with the first team squad.
Jon has had a remarkable 25-year career working in elite football with some of the world’s top athletes. Over 13 years at Chelsea FC he was part of the 1st team staff that won the Champions League twice, Premier League three times, and numerous trophies.
Prior to this he spent 9 years at Reading FC and 4 years at West Ham Utd. Whilst at Reading FC he developed a medical department that saw the club through the most successful period in its history as they rose from League 1 to the Premier League.
Alongside working in pro sport Jon has a Masters degree in advanced musculoskeletal physiotherapy and has lectured at many international sport medicine conferences and on undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses.
He is currently an honorary lecturer at Queen Mary’s University London and a visiting lecturer at the University of Birmingham on the MSc programmes. He has a particular interest in the management of lower limb tendinopathy, hip and groin related pain and the rehabilitation of football related injuries.
Jon specialises in working with elite athletes and with those recovering from injury and surgery. As a consultant physiotherapist at GoPerform he will be offering extended appointments and assessments including the Pro Athlete assessment.
Mr Neil Jain is a consultant orthopaedic surgeon and the founder of UK Sports Medicine, a private practice focused on the prevention and treatment of sports injuries through innovation. He is able to offer keyhole surgery for a wide range of knee, shoulder and elbow injuries, in addition to administering non-operative treatments such as injections of platelet-rich plasma (PRP).
Mr Jain originally graduated from the University of Southampton before undergoing basic surgical training in Plymouth. After graduating from a sports injuries and reconstructive arthroscopy fellowship at the world-renowned University of British Columbia in Canada, Mr Jain was appointed consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.
Mr Jain is widely published in peer reviewed journals and medical textbooks, and has given over 100 presentations at national and international conferences. He has worked with a number of sports clubs and associations including Wolverhampton Wanderers FC, Barrow Raiders RLFC, Bury FC, University of British Columbia Thunderbirds, Vancouver Canadians (Baseball), Winnipeg Blue Bombers (American Football) and Vancouver Canucks (Ice Hockey). Mr Jain is actively involved in teaching and is an honorary senior lecturer at the University of Salford.
Robert completed his degree in 1989 in the Netherlands and became a senior partner in private practice. He moved to London in 1994 and set up sports injury clinics within premier health clubs in Central London and provided in-house services to national newspapers and investment banks. He co-founded Waterside Physiotherapy, in Canary Wharf in 2004.
He specialises in diagnostic ultrasound imaging, complex sports injuries, post-surgical rehabilitation and muscle/biomechanical imbalance. Robert is one of the pioneers and most experienced physiotherapists using diagnostic ultrasound imaging within sports and orthopaedic medicine in Europe. He was trained in MSK ultrasound imaging by the world leading musculoskeletal radiologists specialising in this field. Since 1996 he has fully integrated it within his clinics, combining his expertise in sports medicine with ultrasound imaging, providing detailed diagnosis and tailored sports injury rehabilitation programmes.
Robert lectures on Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Imaging in Sports Medicine and provides advanced ultrasound training to Physiotherapists, Sports Physicians and Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeons, both nationally and internationally.
Andrew, founder of ProCare Sports Medicine is a sports scientist, sports medicine practitioner, senior NHS physiotherapist and sports and conditioning leader who trains other physios in the UK. He has a degree in PE/Sports Science from Liverpool University and a physiotherapy degree from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. In 2013, Andrew completed his masters in Sports and Exercise Medicine from Exeter University with distinction. Andrew is a certified strength and conditioning specialist from the NSCA. He delivers a course internationally called ‘Unravelling S&C for Therapists”, which aims to improve the therapist’s ability to prescribe exercise.
Uzo is a former Royal Marines Commando and Special Boat Service (R) Operator. He has over 18 years of military service in both the Commandos, Special Forces and the Army.
In the later stages of his military career he joined the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Directorate as a Specialist Physiotherapy Officer. He has seen service in Afghanistan twice with UK Special Forces and RAF 903 Expeditionary Air Wing (Tornado) providing deployed physiotherapy and rehabilitation support to mission critical personnel.
Uzo has a broad range of experience in physiotherapy, rehabilitation and leadership. He has served at Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre Headley Court and as Officer in Charge of Rehabilitation at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.
Uzo has a Masters of Science Degree in Neuromusculoskeletal Physiotherapy, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Applied Sports Science and Bachelor of Science Degree in Physiotherapy. Additionally, Uzo is a Strength and Conditioning Specialist with the National Strength and Conditioning Association USA.
He is a keen sport climber and adventure sport athlete.
Faraz graduated in 2006 from St Georges University of London. He went on to do his masters in Football Rehabilitation at Edge Hill University. He has worked in professional football in three countries; England, Azerbaijan & UAE as well as the UAE royal family. He has a keen interest in foot and ankle pathologies from both physical and psychological perspective. He is a proud family man with two children and loves anything to do with sport!
His favourite quote is: it's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice :)
Gemma is dual qualified in Sport Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy having completed her BSc and MSc in Sport Rehabilitation at the Universities of Middlesex and Salford respectively. She completed her Pre-Reg MSc from the University of Birmingham, following an unplanned career change from Performing Arts to Science in her early twenties.
Despite never intending on or planning for a career route in physiotherapy and sport, she went on to be the lead physiotherapist to GB Short Track Speed Skating at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics, for Team GB during EYOF in Finland and most recently Team England Wheelchair Basketball in her home city of Birmingham during the 2022 commonwealth games. Having previously occupied positions with GB Boxing through the English Institute of Sport, Birmingham City FC, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Bromsgrove School and Manchester United Soccer Schools. Currently, Gemma operates as a “pracademic”, through clinical work for the English Institute of Sport as a Senior Physiotherapist delivering the speciality of generalism across Multi-Sport Olympic and Paralympic programmes, and research/lecturer across MSc and BSc programmes.
Following the recent completion of her PhD, which looked to establish the validity and reliability of MSK profiling tools with the specific aim of deepening understanding of how movement quality changes during growth and maturation within elite and non-elite multi-sport adolescent populations. Youth athlete development and Youth health continues to be a passion-project for Gemma as she looks to further build and continue within this space through lectures, post-doc research and conference delivery.
Charlie did his Physiothreapy Masters at the University of Essex in the year 2010 and currently works as a Physiotherapist at Pure Sports Medicine, Bank Clinic in London and as the Lead Physiotherapist for England Futsal Team.
His areas of clinical interest include lower limb, spinal and shoulder injuries, sports injuries, advanced rehabilitation, tendon injuries, chronic lower back and neck pain, and injury prevention.
His sporting interests include football, golf, cricket, rugby, weight training and running. He has previously worked with the England Partially Sighted Futsal Team, England Powerchair Team, Saracens RUFC Academy, Nuffield Health, IPRS Health before joining Pure Sports Medicine.
Dr. Catherine Spencer-Smith qualified in 1995 from St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London, and trained in Sports Medicine at Bath University. She has worked with an extensive range of different sportspeople, ranging from Paralympians and Olympians and to the occasional exerciser.
Dr. Spencer-Smith was a Sports Physician at the 2012 Olympic Games, the 2002 Commonwealth Games, and has worked with GB rowing, track and field sports, marathon, endurance, and outdoor adventure sportsmen and women.
Dr. Spencer-Smith is a keen educator and developed an MSc Programme at Bangor University, she’s a keen lecturer, and has presented in several TV productions. She works full time in the private sector and has a happy and successful practice, Sportdoc London Limited, based in London.
Dr. Spencer-Smith is a marathon runner and triathlete and is passionate about helping others to get their practices into great shape; knowing from her own experience the frustration of injury and the importance of getting back to training in the fastest and most healthy way possible. She has a particular interest in hip and groin conditions (such as FAI), and undiagnosed problems.
Dr Creaney BMedSci MB ChB FRCP FFSEM trained in London at several prestigious centres including the Olympic Medical Institute, DMRC Headley Court (Army Rehabilitation Centre), The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital and the Royal London Hospital. He qualified as a Consultant in 2009, 8 years after leaving the University of Sheffield. Since then he has worked as an NHS Consultant in Sheffield, the Department of Health (DH), and Aldershot Garrison RRU. His most recent 2 years were at University Hospital Birmingham (Queen Elizabeth Hospital).
He was formerly Chief Medical Officer (CMO) at Great Britain Taekwondo, a Team Doctor with British Athletics and Liverpool FC women.
He now works exclusively in Private Practice in Manchester & Wilmslow. Dr Creaney treats all orthopaedic complaints from head-to-toe. As a physician, Dr Creaney uses a combination of physical therapy, injections and medicines to treat pain and injury, and works closely with leading surgeons to prepare those patients who need an operation.
Tim is the proud Clinical Director at Surrey Physio. He originally started working as a physiotherapist in 2000, and qualified as an osteopath in 2002 from The British School of Osteopathy, where he gained a reputation for producing superb results, and started treating his lecturers and clinic tutors. He joined the HCPC in 2005 as a Physiotherapist and achieved his Masters in Sports Physiotherapy in 2012 from Bath University. In 2017 he became a non-medical prescriber qualifying from London South Bank University, and an injection therapist, qualifying from the University of Essex.
Tim originally set up Croydon Physio in 2005, and took over control of Surrey Physio in April 2008. He brought in his own physio’s and admin staff, and set up a system of training for all the physios. With the help of a great team, Surrey Physio as a clinic developed into the Surrey Physio Group, founded by Tim. He has now expanded to over 200 locations in Surrey, London, and Hampshire. Tim now employs a team of over 120 staff.
Tim has a passion for supporting charities, and sits on the board for the Osteopathic Foundation, a charity to support innovation and development of the osteopathic profesison. He is also a Trustee for the Family Initiative, to support families, especially Fathers, during and after their baby is born, and children who go through parental divorces. Tim is also a Trustee for the British Association of Sports and Exercise Medicine, supporting medical professionals in elite sport.
Tim was the driving force behind redeploying physiotherapists and osteopaths into hospitals, GP surgeries and vaccination centres during the 2020-22 COVID-19 pandemic. The Surrey Physio Group team vaccinated over 21,000 patients.
Surrey Physio are proud to have purchased a number of freehold premises in Farnborough, Croydon, Mitcham, and Balham, and this has given the company significant stability, allowing patients to access Surrey Physio at an affordable price. Tim would love to open the clinic up to non-fee paying members of the public, and one day envisages a service where all patients can get access to high quality rehabilitation care for free.
Tim is a physio, osteopath, injection therapist, health and lifestyle coach, rehab specialist, non-medical prescriber, and acupuncturist. He has been to six Olympic Games (Vancouver 2010, London 2012, Rio 2016, PyeongChang 2018, Tokyo 2020, and Beijing 2022), two Commonwealth Games (Lead Physio at Glasgow 2014, and Birmingham 2022), one European Games, one Islamic Games, and many World Championships.
Stephen joined the Rotherham in the summer of 2017 having previously worked for local rivals Sheffield Wednesday as First Team Physiotherapist. He arrived at the club as Head Physiotherapist and can call on five years experience working at Hillsborough.
Outside of football Stephen has experience of treating a vast array of professional athletes and boxers, in addition to time working in private practice.
He completed his undergraduate degree in Physiotherapy at Sheffield Hallam University before going on to study an (MSc) in Sports Physiotherapy at the University of Bath.
Mehmet started his higher education journey at the University of Hertfordshire where he received a BSc (hons) in Sport and Exercise Science. He shortly after went on to complete a pre-reg MSc at the University of Essex and has since completed his PGDip in Advanced Neuromusculoskeletal Physiotherapy from the University of Hertfordshire.
Mehmet initially started his career working in football and rugby throughout Essex and Suffolk, predominantly with young elite athletes and also within womens rugby.
Over the last eleven years Mehmet has specialised in musculoskeletal Physiotherapy, whilst specifically developing his specialist interest in Hip & Groin injuries over the last 10 years, specifically specialising in FAI syndrome.
Alongside his role as Regional FCP Lead for Pure Physiotherapy, Mehmet has his own private hip consultancy clinic where he sees patients both locally to Devon and also with Zoom consultations for patients who are based all around the world. In addition to his clinical role, Mehmet has his own CPD course called 'Simplifying The Hip' which he teaches to healthcare professionals all around the world both remotely and face to face.
Mehmet has a strong belief in using evidence based practice to direct his treatment approaches and feels that empowering patients with the tools to prevent injuries from reoccurring is imperative.
Richmond Stace is a Chartered Physiotherapist with a background in pain neuroscience who specialises in the treatment of complex and persisting pain cases and injuries. Originally trained as a Registered Nurse, Richmond then qualified in physiotherapy before reading a further degree in Sport Rehabilitation and a Master’s Degree in Pain Science. His comprehensive approach to pain is the culmination of training and vast experience, always drawing upon the latest sciences to deliver individual and specialized treatment programmes for ongoing and recurring pain.
In the past Richmond has worked in the NHS, the sporting environment with both elite and amateur athletes and private practice for many years.
Dr. Carles Pedret has a PhD in Medicine and Surgery from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and Sports Medicine specialist from the Universitat de Barcelona. Dr. Pedret specializes in the diagnosis, treatment and return to play process following muscle and tendon injuries. He focuses on the MRI and ultrasound diagnosis/ guided procedures.
Dr. Carles Pedret is an external advisor to multiple professional teams of the English Premier League, Italian Serie A, Spanish Liga Santander and Liga Smartbank, China SuperLeague, Belgium Pro League and German Bundesliga (football), Spanish ACB basketball teams and NBA teams and advisor to the Royal Spanish Tennis Federation.
Steve is a Leeds based Chartered Physiotherapist with a wealth of experience in elite sport having qualified from Leeds Metropolitan University with a degree in BSc (Hons) Sport & Exercise Science prior to achieving a First Class Honours in BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy. More recently he qualified from University of Bath with a Distinction in (MSc) Sports Physiotherapy.
He is currently the Head of Medical Services at Sheffield United FC, having previously held the role of Lead Rehabilitation Physiotherapist with Huddersfield Town AFC in the English Football Premier League and Championship. Before his switch to football he was Head of Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation at Yorkshire Carnegie RUFC (Previously known as Leeds Carnegie RUFC/Leeds Tykes RUFC), working in the Guinness/AVIVA Premiership and Greene King IPA Championship.
Within this period, he was selected to work as Physiotherapist to the RFU for the Championship XV in camps and fixtures against Canada and New Zealand. This placed him in good stead to assist and medically lead with regional RFU England pathways on several occasions. These experiences led to an approach to assist with the Samoan international squad for a week, screening their UK & French based players for feedback on selection for their 2015 Rugby Union World Cup.
Simultaneously, from 2012-2015 he was the UK based consultant physiotherapist to triple Olympic Snowboard-Cross athlete, Zoe Gillings-Brier through British Ski-Snowboard, and away from sport he experienced working in a successful local private practice from 2013 to 2015 and managing his own private physiotherapy and sports injury clinic thereafter.
Steve holds a key interest in hamstring injuries, return to play and post-surgical rehabilitation.
Dr Christopher Norris is a Chartered Physiotherapist (MCSP) who qualified from Pinderfields College in 1981. He gained a Masters degree (MSc) in Exercise Science (physical rehabilitation) from Liverpool University in 1988 and a Doctorate (PhD) from Staffordshire University in 2009. His PhD research was on spinal rehabilitation. Chris holds postgraduate certification in both Occupational Health (cert OH) and Orthopaedic medicine (MSOM).
An experienced acupuncturist and Dry Needling practitioner, Christopher Norris trained in western acupuncture in the 1980’s with the Society of Biophysical Medicine and gained an advanced certificate in Chinese Acupuncture from Renshu college in London in 1999. He is a member of the British Acupuncture Council (MBAcC), and an advanced member and tutor for the Acupuncture Association of Chartered Physiotherapists (AACP).
Chris Norris is the author of thirteen books on physiotherapy and exercise, including a textbook on sport injuries (Sports and Soft Tissue Injuries, Routledge), now in its 5th edition, which is the set book on many physiotherapy and sport therapy courses. His book ‘Back Stability’ (Human Kinetics) has received top reviews in both the UK and USA, and his ‘Complete Guide’ books (Bloomsbury) regular get 4 and 5 star ratings on Amazon . Chris has also produced educational CDs on Back Stability, Acupuncture, Stretching exercise and Weight training, and several of his books are also available in eBook and Kindle format. See his books here
A popular postgraduate lecturer, Dr Norris lectures widely to physiotherapists, doctors and exercise professionals. He holds a postgraduate certificate in medical education (PGCmed ed) from Staffordshire University. Chris is a visiting lecturer and external examiner to several universities. See his courses here
Chris Norris is active on social media, writing a regular blog for the Norris Health website, sharing health information on Facebook and Twitter, and producing health information videos for the Norris Health YouTube channel – including the popular series 1 minute physio. See his YouTube videos here
A keen sportsman, Chris jogs, practices and teaches Yoga, and trains in the gym. He is a certified Yoga and Pilates teacher, registered with REPS. He holds a Black Belt in the martial art Ju Jitsu and is a certified coach with the World Ju Jitsu Federation (WJJF).
Lis started out as a competitive swimmer as a teenager and then continued swimming throughout her years at medical school. Whilst pursuing her medical career she took up running for fitness and as a stress relief from a busy job, taking part in several half and full marathons over this time. However, night shifts and busy on call rotas as a junior doctor meant that sport was something that was squeezed into the day.
In 2017, she completed the London Marathon in under 3 hours despite working in A&E at the time; at this time she decided to start to add structure to her training as she started work as a GP. For two years she competed over short distance running events; 1500m/3k/5k. Unfortunately due to multiple injuries she kept finding herself back in the pool, loving swimming again after a ten year break. She also found a love for open water swimming!
In late 2020, as a challenge to herself in the global pandemic, she decided to buy a bike and take up cycling with a view of getting into triathlons. This year she has competed in triathlons, running and even swimming competitions (again!), never looking back!
Brad is a Specialist Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist and Performance Coach working in Formula One with a Red Bull Racing Driver; consulting to the British Gymnastics Team; and working in Private Practice in his home town of Chelmsford, Essex, as well as consulting in London and Monaco.
He has previously been a Clinical Lead in the NHS, lectured at the University of Essex and Physiotherapist for Professional Football Side Southend United and Team GB Basketball as well as being lead Physiotherapist at Deng Camp.
He is passionate about applying sound and robust rehabilitation principles to pain and injury to help people recover, get better and then stay fit and healthy.
Brad initially gained a degree in Sport and Exercise Science from Loughborough University before following his interest in injury and rehabilitation and completing a Master’s Degree in Physiotherapy. From here he completed his junior rotations at a large acute hospital working across intensive care, stroke and neurology and trauma and elective surgeries such as hip and knee surgery. His passion however was with musculoskeletal physiotherapy which has taken him to where he is now.
Last year he had the pleasure of the success of his athletes achieving a European and World Championship gold medal and this year could be even bigger as he looks to be a small part of Olympic and Formula One success.
Brad likes to consider himself a specialist generalist continuing to assess, treat and train every area of the body with his key interests and skills lying in shoulder pain, running injuries, tendon pain and arthritis care, particularly in the younger athletic population. Brad loves to seamlessly switch between the demands of the highest level of sport and the demands of everyone else with pain and injury in clinic. He believes much of what is done in elite sport can be replicated in clinic to help everyone else get better and he enjoys treating a mixture of age groups, whether that is learning to walk again or returning to an activity such as running.
In his spare time Brad will be running himself; marathon training, or playing football and following his beloved Chelsea FC. He has spoken at evening lectures in the profession, and has featured on many podcasts whilst writing regularly for blogs.
David is a Chartered Physiotherapist with clinical experience in the NHS, MoD and professional sport. He continues to work clinically alongside his development role in Rehab Guru. David is passionate about Health tech to transform outcomes for patients
From starting out studying physiotherapy at Southampton University, John has gone on to work as Head of Medical some of the biggest rugby institutions such as Cardiff Blues, Scarlets, and London Broncos. It has lead him to his current role as National Squad Physiotherapist and Community Game Medical Manager at Welsh Rugby Union. We discussed what traits he looks for when recruiting to the medical staff as well as managing up and down.
Yehuda Shinar is a graphologist, life coach, and the owner and CEO of the Shinar Institute, established in Israel in 1976. The institute's expertise is in analysing and evaluating job candidates for managerial positions throughout the world.
In 1996, Shinar established Winning Enterprises Ltd after studying and investigating how some people seem to achieve a lot in their lives and others do not, especially in the sporting arena. Shinar and his colleagues used this information to develop a strategy for winning, focusing on their way of thinking, decision making dynamic and their one on one strategies.
In the sporting world, Shinar has worked with Sir Clive Woodward of the England rugby team, helping them to win the Rugby World Cup, Tony Falkner of Blackburn Rovers, helping them to win the National Academy League, and the Maccabi Tel Aviv football club to help them qualify for the UEFA Champions League in 2004-2005.
Shinar is also involved in lecturing and fostering winning strategies to organizations within Israel and abroad, including the Royal Bank of Scotland, the Scottish Institute of Sport, Capital Radio and Nat West.
Phin Robinson founded Pure Physiotherapy in 2006 and now leads a team of over 200 physios working across the UK, partnering with NHS and independent organisations in the delivery of MSK physiotherapy and pain services. He has been involved in the delivery of FCP for over 7 years and also works with Health Education England as an ambassador for the ARRS roles within primary care. He has a passion for quality Physiotherapy and is a huge advocate for the benefits that FCP and ARRS can bring to primary care.
Richard is a Master’s level Chartered Physiotherapist with over 20 years clinical experience. His journey has seen him work in the NHS, private practice and predominantly elite sport in the UK and North America. He has worked at Crystal Palace FC, Brentford FC, Watford FC, Wigan Athletic FC, Montreal Impact FC, Scottish Men’s National Team and he is currently the Head of Medical Services at West Ham United FC.
To complement his clinical practice, Richard has also maintained his Academic interests with Honorary lecturing positions at The University of Hertfordshire and UCL. He has published and co-authored research articles while also continuing to peer review articles in well-respected medical journals. He has also completed an MBA in Strategic Leadership in July 2022 to enhance his managerial acumen.
Outside of his busy work commitments, Richard is a keen sportsman himself, and enjoys running and cycling in particular, having taken part in numerous events including half and full marathons, triathlons, duathlons, and cycling endurance events. He also enjoys playing tennis, and has had great opportunities to travel the world, both with his work, and in his precious time off with his wife!
David is a chartered physiotherapist with clinical, consultation, pitch side and research experience in diverse settings. He has significant sports medicine practice with high-performance culture, professional athlete and non-athlete populations using evidence-based methods, accompanied by strong international research ties in industry and academia.
He has worked with Isokinetic Medical Group in Harley St., London - and in professional soccer, rugby, and private practice. He has had a research position in Royal College Surgeons Ireland and is currently a faculty member and external lecturer for Florida International University (USA). He has had chapters published in peer-reviewed sports medicine textbooks, presented at international conferences, and published opinion pieces in The Times (UK) and The Limerick Leader (Ire). David is currently developing a not-for-profit online education platform for physiotherapists and health professionals called 'The Learning Physiotherapist', using his extensive network. This will focus on the development of transferable soft skills and mentorship.
David is the founder and director of Hauora Ltd., a company based in Dublin that focuses on optimising whole person wellbeing for businesses. He is the founder and host of the podcast ‘Sleep Eat Perform Repeat’, which focuses on high performance - and the stories, learnings, and lessons in that field. He is the European Head of Medical Care and Performance Services for the Brooklyn Nets and the San Antonio Spurs of the NBA.
Dr Carl Todd is a registered osteopath, lecturer, published author and a certified strength and conditioning specialist. Carl has a PhD in orthopaedics and clinical science, Masters degree in sport injury medicine and an Honours degree in osteopathy.
Carl’s professional memberships include the General Osteopathic Council, Institute of Osteopathy, Osteopathic Sports Care Association, British Association of Sport and Exercise Medicine, British Medical Acupuncture Society and the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
In 2005 Carl became the first osteopath to be appointed by The Football Association and work with the England Football team. To date, he has provided osteopathic care for over 200 international games and attended four FIFA World Cup tournaments, Germany 2006, South Africa 2010, Brazil 2014 and Russia 2018; three UEFA European Championships Poland & Ukraine 2012; France 2016; Euro 2020. Carl has been consultant osteopath to Chelsea Football Club since 2008 working as part of the medical support for the first team players in all competitions. In 2019 Carl began providing osteopathic care in the sport of high performance Athletics, specifically providing trackside support for Dina Asher-Smith.
Carl has previously carried out consultancy roles for the England Cricket Board, Team GB male and female Basketball at the London 2012 Olympics, British Athletics at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and many other clubs including; Real Madrid, IFK Gothenburg, Manchester United FC, Manchester City FC, Liverpool FC, Tottenham Hotspur FC, Portsmouth FC, West Bromich Albion FC, and Worcestershire County Cricket Club and from 2006-2008 as part of the medical team at Honda UK.
His clinical experience with both elite and amateur level athletes has led to Carl developing his own unique style of integrating osteopathy and corrective exercise rehabilitation, encompassing bio-psychosocial, biomechanical, and functional rehabilitation for patient management and re-education. His unique areas of interest are spine, hip and groin rehabilitation pre and post surgery and specifically injury prevention. Carl lectures regularly at medical conferences both nationally and internationally on the subject of sports injury management and rehabilitation.
Rod was soft tissue therapist between 2000 and 2019. He told me about his experiences under legendary manager, Sir Alex Ferguson and the great players and team of that era. He also worked under subsequent managers; David Moyes, Louis Van Gaal and Jose Mourinho. Rod was asked to join the England team in 2001 and worked here with the 'golden generation' until 2014.
Marwan is a Sport and Exercise Medicine Physician specialised in tendon problems, musculoskeletal ultrasound and interventional therapy.
He qualified from the University of Manchester Medical School and went on to gain a Diploma in Sport and Exercise Medicine at the University of Bath. He has worked in elite sport since 2007 in the Rugby League Super League, Premiership Rugby Union, Premiership Football and UK Athletics.
He was the head of Medical Services at Leeds Rhinos and lead doctor for England Partially Sighted Futsal. He is a reviewer for the British Medical Journal for Sport and Exercise Medicine and was the Clinical Director for Connect Health, the UK’s largest independent musculoskeletal healthcare provider. He works across Yorkshire and the North West of England in NHS musculoskeletal services.
Tracy has extensive experience within sports physiotherapy, having worked with Hearts, Scottish Rugby, Edinburgh Rugby and now in her current roles with W Series (Women's Formula 1) and as head of Performance Physiotherapy at The University of Edinburgh.
After studying Physiotherapy at Southampton University, John has over 20 years of clinical experience working in the NHS, private practice, professional sports and global industry. John continues to work with some of the world’s most elite sports teams and sporting individuals, currently with Red Bull Racing.
Rick is a vastly experienced Physiotherapist, who has specialised in both sports and soft tissue injuries and workplace health.
Rick has 10 years of experience working in the premier league at West Bromwich Albion, Chelsea and Manchester United and has worked for all 3 local football clubs; Crewe Alexandra, Stoke City and Port Vale over the past 25 years.
Tony has forged a career in sports performance and become one of the country’s leading experts on neuroscience and how it relates to sport.
After four years as a player at Manchester City, having been forced to retire early from professional football due to injury, Tony trained as a Chartered Physiotherapist working at Manchester City and Blackburn. He became head of performance management at Blackburn, a role he then took up with City.
Tony’s interest in the area of performance psychology took him into the field of neuroscience – how people’s brains respond in a high performance environment. Already used to great effect in people development, the power of neuroscience is a feature of the MSc in Sports Directorship course, which Tony co-founded, bringing the subject into the business arena too. Tony is a partner with Andrew McIntyre in Visionary Sport International (VSI).
Tony is a member of the NeuroPractitioners Guild made up of a select group of practitioners in global business from neuroscience. He has worked across football, rugby and corporate business with coaches, managers and senior management teams.
Doug has worked part time in sport and private practice since graduating in 1999 starting at Bristol Rugby then London Scottish until moving to a full time position at Sale Sale Sharks in 2006. He worked at the Sharks for 4 seasons progressing to head Physio and then in 2010 became the head of Medicine at London Wasps and worked there for three seasons until being offered a full time role to tour with the senior England Rugby side for the 2013 Six Nations campaign.
After the 2013 six nations campaign Doug left full time professional sport taking up the position as physiotherapy director at Spire Manchester and responsible for the physiotherapy department there and assisting in developing new services and business development.
Doug has a degree in Physiotherapy, a degree in Sports Therapy, a masters in Physiotherapy, he has a PGCe as a lecturer in higher education and his PHd is ongoing at Salford University.
He has published three papers in British sports medical journals on shoulder rehabilitation in the last ten years and has been invited to talk at numerous national conferences on sports medicine and rehabilitation.
He is a keen sportsmen and currently training to compete in his first Iron Man event next year already having taken part in three half iron man relays in Majorca, Germany and Barcelona this season.
Dr Lee Herrington is a physiotherapist, researcher and lecturer in sports injury rehabilitation. He is a lower limb rehabilitation specialist with over 20 years of experience working with professional and Olympic sports athletes providing assessment, treatment of injury and rehabilitation solutions. He is the Senior Lecturer in sports injury rehabilitation at the University of Salford, the Athlete Health Lead at the English Institute of Sport and the Editor in Chief of the Physical Therapy in Sport Journal.
Phil Burt is a world renowned cycling health and performance innovator. An experienced physiotherapist and bike fitter, Burt has spent 12 years as the Head of Physiotherapy at British Cycling, as well as 5 years as Consultant Physiotherapist at Team Sky. Phil is the author of “Bike Fit” by Bloomsbury Sport; a best selling sports book. He is contributing Author to “Sports Medicine” – Brukner & Khan, 2017. His second “Strength and Conditioning for Cyclists” will be released in Sept 2018. Phil sits on the Retul World Board of Advisors and has acted as UCI advisor on Positional rules and Advisory Panel Board Member on the FA Premier League Injury Audit. Burt is now concentrating on using his expertise to help cyclists at all levels to improve their health, comfort and performance.
David initially began his career as a physical education teacher post completion of his sports science degree. Alongside this role he worked within semi-professional environments as a sports scientist. Pre-enrolment on his Sports Therapy MSc programme he obtained his first role within elite football, moving away from physical education. After a few years as a practitioner in elite performance he moved into higher education in 2011 as a Senior Lecturer at Edge Hill University. In addition to this David continued his work as a practitioner within elite football, consulting for various clubs including Accrington Stanley FC, Salford City FC, Everton FC; to name a few. These roles varied in nature, including specific performance monitoring approaches, rehabilitation processes and developing the performance department. During this time David also embarked on his research journey completing his PhD in ‘The Temporal Pattern of Recovery of Eccentric Hamstring Strength and Dynamic Stability of Elite Footballers’.
Angela Jackson is a Chartered Physiotherapist who has spent the last 34 years seeking to understand why some young athletes get injured, yet others don’t. As a youngster, Angela played every sport going and excelled in tennis and hockey before developing a series of knee injuries that halted her sporting dreams. Did she play more sport than her peers? Maybe, but she recognised that could not have been the only factor. Her determination to prevent young athletes developing preventable injuries has fueled a career that has taken her from Canada, to working with national teams, clubs and schools across many sports.
She has become an expert in understanding all aspects of youth athlete development and in particular, the prevention, diagnosis and rehabilitation of lumbar stress fractures. She has helped hundreds of children fulfil their sporting potential, including enjoying watching her “recipe for success” help her own two children to represent their country at their chosen sports.
After developing a highly successful physiotherapy clinic, Physiofit Limited, she now mentors a small number of athletes, helping them develop the self belief and skills to succeed not only in their sporting endeavours, but across all areas of their lives.
For 15 years, she has been the Physiotherapist and Strength and Conditioning Consultant for Cheshire Cricket Board supporting the Emerging Player Programme, their coach education programme and creating resources for parents and athletes on injury prevention and performance. She has also created coaching resources for the England & Wales Cricket Board coaching association “Wings to Fly” programme.
Her passion for sharing her knowledge is evident whether she is presenting on athlete development or the prevention of lumbar stress fractures through talks and workshops in schools, clubs and sporting organisations. She has created the highly acclaimed course “Developing the Younger Athlete” for fellow professionals and is dedicated to eliminating lumbar stress fractures in children through coach, parent and athlete education.
Angela has been a keen golfer since the aged of 10. She is one of only a few Titleist Performance Institute Medical Level 3 practitioners in the UK. She has a deep understanding of the body swing connection and the physical demands of golf, which has enabled her to develop a screening programme that can identify the root cause of pain associated with the golf swing. Better still it helps you to reduce your handicap and play more consistent, pain free golf. She regularly shares her knowledge through workshops at golf clubs and online and does workshops for county and regional England Golf squads.
Dr Daniel Brook is a Consultant in Sport, Exercise & Musculoskeletal Medicine. His specialist interests are in tendinopathy, concussion, ultrasound-guided injections, rugby medicine and hockey medicine. His sporting interests are in rugby and hockey. He currently works as lead doctor for Ealing Trailfinders RFC, lead doctor for England men rugby U20s, Chief Medical Officer for British Skeleton, sports physician at English Institute of Sport, Bath, Doctor for GB and England hockey and Match day doctor for the RFU and Premiership Rugby.
Amanda Johnson has worked as a physiotherapist in several sports at a high level including Great Britain Aquatic teams particularly swimming, synchro swimming and 10 years with the GB diving team. She has also traveled with the England Athletics Team to international camps and competitions. Mandy served for 5 years as the England Women’s Football team physio and as a senior lecturer for the Football Association. She spent 10 years as the senior physiotherapist at the Academy of Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson before becoming the lead physiotherapist at Aspire Academy for 8 years. Amanda’s PhD and research interests a are related to issues and injuries suffered by developing youth athletes in all sports. She has lectured at many international conferences on youth development, maturity and injury.
Dr Philip Batty has been involved in elite sports medicine for over 25 years. He worked as the Deputy Club Doctor at Manchester United between 1996 and 1999 combined with positions at the English Institute of Sport and Sedbergh School caring for a range of athletes, both professional and recreational, of all ages and ability. Dr Batty became Head of Sports Medicine at Manchester City Football Club in 2011-2012, in which this was the first year the club won the Premier League. He followed this as Senior Team Doctor for the England Rugby Team from 2012-2014. He is the Team Doctor for Middlesex County Cricket Club and Consultant to the English National Ballet. Dr Batty's interests are spending time with his family, musical theatre and the outdoors.
After graduating from Sheffield Hallam University with a First Class BSc (Hons) in Physiotherapy in 2006, Steve practiced within NHS & Occupational Health settings as a practitioner, team leader, clinical supervisor and delivered accelerated MSK physiotherapy mentorships. Steve worked in elite sport representing the Newcastle Falcons Rugby CLub 1st Team managing players in their Premiership Squad 2014-2020.
His other experiences include roles with Beach Volleyball during the London Olympics 2012 and Field Hockey at Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2014.
Steve is an Associate Lecturer in Higher Education including Newcastle University, Sheffield Hallam University & International Teaching Programmes for Prime Physio. These are carried out around daily roles & responsibilities such as consulting roles in injury assessment, treatment, rehabilitation, reintegration, injury reduction & emergency trauma/medicine.
Steve completed his Masters in Advanced Manipulative Physiotherapy in 2015 and is a member of the Musculoskeletal Association of Chartered Physiotherapists (MACP). He is acupuncture trained, has a keen interest in neurological contributors to symptoms and injury prevention.
Steve launched Grow Physio during the COVID-19 pandemic to offer an accessible e-learning platform to assist individuals: students to advanced practitioners to provide access to the often limited access world of professional sports & physiotherapy.
Andrew is a general practitioner and additionally works as a Sports and Exercise Medicine doctor for the European Tour Golf, the Scottish Rugby Union, and Heart of Midlothian FC. His professional interests include sports medicine and physical activity for health. Murray was appointed as the Scottish Government's Physical Activity Champion in February 2012 to work for Scotland's Chief Medical Officer, and stated that "Becoming, or staying active, is the single best thing you can do for your health," In March 2012 he re-launched the Scottish Government's "Take Life On" campaign with Sports Minister Shona Robison.
As well as his medical career, he is a prolific ultra-runner. Here are some of his notable achievements:
On 9 April 2012 he placed first overall in the North Pole Marathon despite having broken his wrist 10 days prior.
In November 2012 he ran 7 ultramarathons on 7 continents within 7 days to promote the value of exercise for health. He completed 31 mile courses in Antarctica, Patagonia, Atlanta, London, Egypt, Dubai and Australia, where he finished on the Harbour Bridge in Sydney.
On 19 July 2014, together with Donnie Campbell, he ran to the top of Britain's 10 highest peaks in a single day.[9] They completed their trip in 13 hours and 10 minutes, running for a total 9 hours and 10 minutes, with the remainder spent travelling by car between the mountain ranges.
In 2015, Murray and Campbell completed a crossing of the Namib desert. It took the men nine days to complete a 504km route from Lüderitz to Walvis Bay, running more than 50km every day on heavy sand.
In February 2016, he won the first Genghis Khan Ice Marathon in Outer Mongolia.
Additionally, Murray has won numerous endurance races which include The Sahara Race (Egypt) (2007), The Gobi Challenge (2009, 2012), the 6633 Ultra (2009), the Indo Ultra (2010), and the Scottish Ultra (2009).
He is the author of "Running Beyond Limits" (published by Mountain Media) which is an anecdotal account of his run from Scotland to the Sahara.
Paul was a professional footballer and was on Manchester Cit'y's Academy books. After suffering an ACL injury forcing him out for 23 months, Paul decided to study physiotherapy and qualified as a chartered physiotherapist from Liverpool University in 1996. After spending two years in the NHS at Salford Royal hospital moved to become head physio at Blackpool FC. After three successful seasons with Blackpool, Paul then moved to become first team physiotherapist at both Blackburn Rovers FC for 11 years and then four years at Manchester City. Paul then accepted the role of head of academy physiotherapy at LFC in September 2016. Paul is also the holder of a sport science degree and post graduate masters degree.
After studying Mechanical Engineering and then Sports Rehabilitation, Julie had her first experience in sport at Leicester City FC. After 3 years there, she embarked on a 11-year career with Leicester Tigers which progressed from massage therapist to head of medical services before she left the club to drive and develop her private practice, Function Jigsaw. Since then, she has had roles at Worcester Warriors and UK Athletics.
Having started out as a professional footballer, Derek started his career in physio working in the Miners rehabilitation centre in the North East. He then took his first role in football at Fulham FC, even playing for the reserves occasionally. Derek was offered the chance to move back North by Jack Charlton and has been Head Physiotherapist at Newcastle United for an incredible 38 years! Derek has also worked as physio to the England U21 squad which bridged 3 European Championship campaigns over 6 years.
John Hartley joined Derby County as Head Physiotherapist in December 2020. Hartley joined the Rams after almost nine years at Aston Villa. Hartley joined Villa in February 2012 from Warrington Wolves rugby league team and had been their first team physio from August 2017 until his departure to join Derby.
Matt has extensive experience at the highest level of Mens’ Professional Football. Previous roles include Head of Physiotherapy at Liverpool, Rangers and Barnsley FC and Mens’ Team Physiotherapist at the FA. Specialising in lower limb rehabilitation, Matt is passionate about human movement and it’s impact on injury and performance. His vision is to create an optimal team culture at R4P for staff and clients alike. He has a very exciting vision for R4P, so I am looking forward to seeing how this develops.
Dr Emma Rowbotham trained at St Andrews University between 1996 and 2000 and obtained a 1st class degree in Medical Science before moving to Emmanuel College, Cambridge University where she graduated in 2002.
She then completed junior surgical rotations between Cambridge, Durham, Edinburgh and Leeds and obtained FRCS membership in 2005 and entered Radiology training at the Leeds Academy in 1996.
Following a 5 year period of training she then completed her Fellowship in Leeds in 2012. Her first Consultant post was at the Royal United Hospital in Bath where she became involved in a variety of aspects of sports radiology before moving back to Leeds in 2014 to take up her role as Consultant Radiologist and Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Leeds.
Dr Rowbotham has co-authored a text book for the FRCR 2a examination, authored several peer reviewed papers focusing primarily on imaging in rheumatology and written 7 book chapters. Her main research interest is in rheumatology imaging. She is keen on teaching both undergraduates and radiology trainees and is currently the MSK Lead for the Leeds Radiology Academy.
Sarah is currently a clinical specialist Occupational Therapist in Group Rehabilitation at the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton. The service offers work focused rehabilitation, functional capacity assessments and workplace assessments to musculoskeletal patients.
In 2016 Sarah established an agreement to offer these services to a large local employer in order to generate additional income for the Trust. Since 2020 the vocational rehab service has been extended to post Covid patients throughout Derbyshire who are struggling to return to work. At present Sarah is working with other local providers to establish Covid Rehab Hubs for the county.
Sarah has a passion for student education and teaching junior staff to develop their skills as an OT and specifically in vocational rehabilitation.
Wayne's journey is a fascinating one, spanning three continents. He finished his career in the NBA as Director of player care at the San Antonio Spurs. Before this, he spent three seasons in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins as the sports performance director. Prior to joining Miami, he was the head of medical services for Tottenham Hotspur Football Club from 2007 to 2015. He also spent four years with Charlton Athletic Football Club and one year with the Gloucester Rugby Football Club. Wayne set up the first physiotherapy practice at the Sports Science Institute of South Africa after earning his PhD in exercise physiology from the University of Cape Town in 1994. Wayne has also served as the head physiotherapist for numerous South African National Teams, including rugby, swimming, men’s hockey and women’s gymnastics. He also understands Dutch!!
Eoin started his career in the health industry in 1996, in Fitness and Leisure Management and went on to be part of the management team of Irelands largest health clubs with over 11,000 members. Understanding that everyone responds differently to exercise. Eoin began his studies in Physical Therapy, Corrective Exercise and Advanced Strength and Conditioning. Realising that in order to deliver a professional personalised approach to health and well being, more individual time is needed with each person. This brought Eoin into the Personal Training realm and together with John Connor and Stephen Ward forged the beginning of what is now the largest chain of Personal Training and Nutrition Centres in Ireland, the Irish Strength Institute.
As Eoin looked after more and more clients and athletes it became fundamental for success to devote more and more time to continuous education. This directed Eoins education to Functional Medicine, Sports Nutrition, Nutritional Medicine, Active Release Techniques, Fascial Stretch Therapy, Biomedical Medical Acupuncture to name a few. With Eoin love of continuous education and presenting, Eoin now travels the world giving workshops, presentations and seminars on a wide range of health, fitness and nutrition topics.To date Eoin splits his time between his Clinic in Malahide, managing the ISI Centre of Excellence and teaching for his US Educational Company ICANS.
Born and raised in South Wales, Mike started a journey into endurance sports after completing his first marathon aged 17. Over the next 20 years, he traveled the world racing, training, coaching and treating athletes from novice to elite level preparing for a multitude of endurance endeavours.
Mike completed a 17-year career as a Royal Air Force Physical Training Instructor and Exercise Rehabilitation Instructor helping military personnel achieve and maintain optimum fitness and also recover from many musculoskeletal conditions. The pinnacle of his career was a 5-year tour at the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre Headley Court where he led a team of therapists treating complex trauma injuries suffered in Afghanistan and Iraq. Mike also completed an operational tour where he worked closely with UK personnel including special forces to ensure optimum performance in theatre.
Mike has completed over 180 marathons and ultra-marathons ranging from the classic 26.2-mile course up to 100-mile races across 5 continents. He has completed 17 Ironman triathlons, as well as double and triple Ironman triathlons, and many ultra-endurance cycling events and marathon swims as a solo and relay swimmer including a channel swim and a 41 mile solo round Jersey, becoming the first Welshman to achieve this feat.
His personal endurance background has been complimented with many roles as therapist and conditioning coach preparing individual and team athletes for swim, run, cycle and triathlon events from grass roots to Olympic level.
Mike founded “The Endurance Physio” in order to use his personal and professional experience to benefit both athletes and therapists working with endurance athletes achieve their goals. His goal is to promote injury reduction, maximal performance and optimum rehabilitation via education and treatment. He has a growing reputation in the sports medicine, rehabilitation and conditioning world.
He has had articles published in national endurance-based magazines and has lectured, presented and treated at numerous national exhibitions, competitions and shows worldwide.
Mike holds master’s degrees in Physiotherapy and Strength Conditioning, as well as degrees in Sports Rehabilitation and Sports Science. Mike’s passion is helping athletes achieve their potential and reducing injury risk, with an emphasis on strength and conditioning. He is passionate about helping athletes get to the start line and finding practical solutions to their problems.
Mike is keen to promote health, well being and an active lifestyle in the general population, aiming to educate people on the benefits of exercise as a medicine for life.
Gary trained at Guy’s Hospital School of Physiotherapy in July, 1986 and became a member of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. He joined Arsenal Football Club as the First Team Physiotherapist in September 1986. He remained at Arsenal Football Club for 22 years before he left for a full-time role at the Football Association in August 2008. In August 1996, Gary was named as the Lead Physiotherapist to the England Senior Men’s Team, a role he filled alongside his work at Arsenal. In August 2008 Gary accepted the appointment as the full time Head of Physiotherapy Services to the Football Association. From 1996 through the 2016 European Championships, he headed up the medical team at five FIFA World Cups, four UEFA European Championships and two FIFA Under 20 World Cups. Gary was also the Lead Physiotherapist to the Team GB Football Team at 2012 London Olympic Games. After leaving the FA, Gary was appointed Head of Medical Services at West Ham United where he served until the June 2018. The football drug pulled him back in in September 2021, when he became Head of Medicine & Sports Science at Arsenal Women.
Phil Taught PE for several years before re training as a physio in 1988 at the Queen Elizabeth School of Physiotherapy at Birmingham University. He has had a keen interest in health-related fitness since graduating with a Sports Science Degree in 1981 and has combined an interest in both areas by obtaining a Master’s Degree in Physiotherapy and Sports Injury in 1999.
Phil has taken part in sport at national level in rugby, triathlon and judo with nearly a combined total of 500 games as a player, physios and Head of performance at Northampton Saints. He has been Physiotherapist to the England Rugby team since 1997 including the 2003 Grand Slam Team, all the World Cup Squads (99, 03, 07, 11, 15 & 19) including the winning World Cup team in 2003. Phil was also the British and Irish Lions Senior Physiotherapist for the tour to New Zealand 2005 & 2017, South Africa 2009, and the winning Tour of Australia in 2013.
Jack founded Chews Health in 2013 as a company for his clinical consultancy, offering second opinions to local sports clubs and teams whose therapists and coaches were struggling to mastermind the recovery of some of their key athletes. As his philosophy and methods spread across the Physio profession and MSK industry a consultancy network emerged and eventually Chews Health services were sought after enough to need a bespoke facility.
Alongside his role as MD of Chews Health, Jack hosts The Physio Matters Podcast – a monthly show which goes out to over 20,000 therapists and is the director of MSKReform – a non-profit think-tank which is tasked with improving the industry to reduce the unjust variations in care standards
Dr Cosgrave graduated Medicine from Queen’s University Belfast in 2004 and after working for a year in Sydney, undertook an MSc in Sports & Exercise Medicine at Trinity College Dublin. He trained as a consultant in Sports & Exercise Medicine in Liverpool. He has a wealth of experience in elite sport having worked for two seasons at Liverpool Football Club from 2011-2013. He also provided medical cover at the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and subsequently accompanied Team GB at their High Altitude Training Camp in Iten, Kenya. Other experience in elite sport includes basketball, Northern Ireland Football, athletics, karate and judo. Ciaran joined the IRFU in June 2016 having worked as Leinster Rugby Team Doctor from July 2014.
Professor Graham N Smith is a Rehabilitation and Sports Injury Consultant, a Fellow of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, Chairman of The Society of Sports Therapists (UK) and a member of the Executive Committee of BASEM and the FMA. Graham has an extensive background in the treatment, management and rehabilitation of injuries at all levels of the sporting spectrum. He is a Visiting Professor at the University of Chichester and an external Lecturer for the MSc in Sports Medicine at Trinity College, Dublin. He is also an external examiner at Edge Hill University. He is responsible for setting up and running the Football Association National Rehabilitation Centre at Lilleshall and he has also worked with British Olympic and representative teams, as well as in professional football.
Now, alongside working in his clinic in Glasgow and consultancy commitments, he lectures extensively, nationally and internationally, on the treatment and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal injuries and sports injury management. During the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Graham was invited by the IOC Medical Committee to present a workshop as part of the Medical Education Programme.
Professor Ribbans qualified from the Royal Free Hospital, London in 1980. As a junior doctor he trained in London before undertaking Fellowships in Sheffield and at Harvard University. He is a Fellow of both the Royal College of Surgeons of England and Edinburgh. He was a Consultant at the Royal Free from 1991-1996 and then at Northampton General Hospital 1996-2012. He is Professor of Sports Medicine at the University of Northampton.
In the sporting world, Bill has been involved in elite sport since 1981. He was a Foundation Fellow of the Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine. He has been Honorary Orthopaedic Surgeon to the English National Ballet for over 30 years, Northampton Saints (1996-2009) Northampton Town FC (1999-2020), and Chief Medical Officer to Northants CCC (2012-present). He has looked after many Olympic medallists, World Champions and members of international teams.
Bill explained why he wrote his recently released book; Knife in the fast lane. After our chat, I would absolutely recommend making this purchase!
Stuart studied physiotherapy at Glasgow Caledonian University and after a couple of years in the NHS, moved to New Zealand to do a masters in manipulative physiotherapy at the University of Otago. Whilst on this course, Stuart met several influential people in the world of rugby and, after a couple of years in private practice, ended up working at Wellington Rugby. He stayed in New Zealand for six years working with the Wellington Lions and Hurricanes. Family prompted him to return to Scotland, working for Edinburgh rugby before moving on to become National Team Lead Physiotherapist at Scottish Rugby.
Grant is one of the most experienced figures in UK football performance, having worked in the industry for more than 30 years.
He started his career in the NHS, before moving into football in 1987 as a physio for the Football Association at Lilleshall. Lengthy spells as Head of Medical at Glasgow Rangers and Middlesbrough followed, before he joined Manchester City in 2011 after the Abu Dhabi takeover.
His last five years at the club were as Head of Academy Performance, managing a sizeable staff, establishing a philosophy and making sure the department remained at the cutting edge in terms of science and medical.
In 2012, Grant was awarded an OBE in the Queen's New Year’s Honours for his services to physiotherapy and young people. Now he works as a mentor and consultant for clients including City Football Group, the Premier League and SFA.
Sean took the unusual route of qualifying as a physiotherapist before starting his career in professional football, representing Stockport County, Wolves, Tranmere and Rushden & Diamonds. Sean talked about some of the highlights and challenges of playing football, including scoring a goal in the League Cup Semi Final against the star studded Middlesbrough team. After finishing playing, he linked up with his former manager at Stockport, Dave Jones, at Cardiff City as the team physio. In 2014 he left Cardiff City to become Head of Performance at Servette FC, Geneva, Switzerland. This was short lived and he quickly returned to the English Premiership as Lead Physiotherapist for Crystal Palace FC. In 2017 he left Palace to take up a full time roll with the Football Association of Wales. Sean told me some of the most memorable experiences of his career which included the 2016 European Championships, where Wales performed amazingly to get to the Semi Finals, as well as having the pleasure of studying with Dave Hancock!
James is the current Chief Medical Officer at Scottish Rugby. He initially trained as physiotherapist before going in to medicine. He has been to seven Rugby World Cups with the Scotland team, with his first tour being in 1991 in Canada. He told me about how privileged he felt to be working at this level of the sport and even more honoured he was when asked to work on the British & Irish Lions tour in 1993. This turned out to be the first of six consecutive tours, including the win in South Africa, which James says is one of his most memorable experiences. James has transcended the amateur into professional and you can still see how privileged he feels to have worked with many legends of the game. He recently celebrated his 250 cap for the Scottish Rugby Team which is a truly incredible achievement.
Prav Mathema is the National Medical Manager to the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) and an honorary lecturer on the Cardiff Metropolitan University MSc Sports & Exercise Medicine Programme.
Prav qualified as a Physiotherapist in 1998 and after a short spell within the NHS he collectively spent over a decade as the Head of Medical Services at Queens Park Rangers Football Club, and London Wasps. In addition to his duties as the National Medical Manager, he is also a Senior Physiotherapist for the WRU National Men's Squad.
Prav has been selected as a Physiotherapist to the British and Irish Lions Rugby team, touring with them in 2009 to South Africa and again in 2013 on the tour of Australia. He is also a member of World Rugby's Sevens World Series Injury Prevention Working Group. Prav acts as the Chair to the WRU's Medical Advisory Committee and leads several steering groups within the WRU.
Ollie Coburn is a BASRaT Registered Sport Rehabilitator with an interest in clinical governance and healthcare policy. He is currently the Registrar for the British Association of Sport Rehabilitators who are the professional body and regulator for GSRs in the UK. His role involves overseeing the guidance and policies of the organisation and leading the Fitness to Practise function. In addition to his work with BASRaT, Ollie is the secretary of the Accredited Registers Collaborative, a group of CEOs and Registrars from all 27 PSA Accredited Registers. He is also on the communications committee of the World Federation of Athletic Training and Therapy. Ollie is the managing director of Freehab, a unique MSK social enterprise company that offers free access to advice and support to patients who are currently financially excluded from accessing private care. Ollie still retains some face to face private practice work at M20 Health in Manchester and he shared three bits of advice for anyone opening a clinic.
Alan qualified from Glasgow Caledonian University in 1998 with a BSc (Hons) in physiotherapy. He initially worked for the NHS in both Glasgow and Northamptonshire until deciding to pursue work in the private sector and specifically in the sports medicine field. Over 5 year period he worked as a physiotherapist with Glasgow Rangers youth academy before joining St Mirren as the first-team physiotherapist in 2006 which gave him great exposure in dealing with adolescent injuries in sport and also within the pressurised environment of professional sport.
In 2008 Alan had the opportunity to work in Hampden Sports Clinic and initially joined as a member of the physio team before progressing on to his current role as Head of Physiotherapy within the clinic in 2017. As part of his current role, Alan has worked extensively with the SportsScotland's Institute of Sport as a consulting physiotherapist which has given him exposure in a variety of sports, including hockey, swimming, curling, rugby and athletics in a top-level setting. Alan is also a current Scottish Football Association physiotherapist working with both the Men's A and under 21 teams.
As Glasgow has recently become a top-class sporting city with fantastic elite facilities there has been some major sporting events which Alan has been heavily involved in. In 2018 he was the lead physiotherapist for the Aquatics events at European championships and in 2019 had the same role in the European indoor athletics championships. In these roles, he leads a team of physiotherapists, podiatrist and sports masseurs to provide medical services in collaboration with all the competing nations and their own medical staff.
He managed to keep the team he supports under wraps...!
Ashleigh is lead Physiotherapist at British Equestrian and Athlete Health Consultant for English Institute of Sport. She was born in South Africa and played professional international hockey (with Helen Millson as her physio!) whilst working as a physiotherapist. Ashleigh moved to England 25 years ago and after working for Bupa, she joined the EIS and has worked in a number of sports including hockey, rowing, bobsleigh, athletics and formula one. During this time, she has attended the Beijing London, Sochi and Rio Olympic Games as a member of the Team GB Headquarter Medical support team and as a physio embedded in the sport. She has just returned from Tokyo and gave great insight in to how different the experience was to previous Games.
I could feel how passionate and emotionally involved Ashleigh is with her team as she gave four examples of memorable moments in her career.
Luke is an MSK Physiotherapist with 19 years of experience working full time in professional sport. Having qualified from Kings College London in 1996 he went on to work at The Royal London Hospital before joining Watford football club going on to lead the medical department.
He obtained a Masters degree in Sports Physiotherapy from University College London before moving on to work as first team physiotherapist at Gloucester Rugby. Luke joined Reading FC in 2007 where he became Head of Sports Medicine. His most recent role was with Norwich City as Injury Prevention Specialist.
Luke created Go-perform in 2017 with the mission of offering elite medical support to all individuals including both professional and amateur athletes. The clinic is growing rapidly and he told me the key factor for building a successful department and business, which I certainly agree with!
Chris is currently Chief Medical Officer to British Gymnastics and Senior Sports Physician at the English Institute of Sport. He told me about his experiences at Tokyo 2020 Olympics, and which moment from Rio 2016 was his most memorable in his career. He has worked 16 seasons in professional football in all leagues from the Conference to the Premier League. Alongside his work in elite sport, Chris is a Consultant in Sport and Exercise Medicine at the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Hospital in Oswestry. Chris told me his vision for the NHS to offer high quality rehabilitation, so I will look forward to seeing how he gets on with this!
Danny is a sports scientist, Strength & Conditioning coach and co founder at Boxing Science. He told me how he came to study sports science and why his interest in coaching came about. From working with amateur athletes, Danny saw an opportunity to offer specialist S&C to boxing athletes. His story is incredible in that he was charging £3.50 per athlete for his session and just a couple of years later was supporting Kell Brook in his super fight with Gennady 'GGG' Golovkin. Danny had formed a relationship with Dr Alan Ruddock whilst working at Sheffield Hallam University and this is where Boxing Science was formed. As well as training some of the UK's highest profile athletes, they offer an online sports science consultancy and training subscription. Circumstances around lockdown saw Danny's instagram following surge from 35,000 to over 150,000 as well as online subscriptions. This meant they could accelerate the creation of their purpose built Boxing Science centre in Barnsley. Part of Danny's popularity on social media is his straight talking attitude and he certainly demonstrated this in our chat as he gave his frank views on boxing Great Manny Pacquiao drug testing. I could have spoken with Danny for hours regarding his opinion on past and present fighters, but this will have to wait for another day!
Siobhan is Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) Project Director at the College of Medicine and Health. Siobhan's father was born in Ireland in the 1904 and so was exposed to the post potato famine Ireland as well as the war. Siobhan would often see her father in thought, but when she asked what he was thinking about, he would never fully answer. Siobhan went on to become a nurse and it was during this time that she would consider how a more compassionate angel would aid decision making and help patients. After researching she came across VTS which was co developed by Abigail Housen, Harvard Cognitive Psychologist, and Philip Yenawine, Director of Education at MOMA between the years of 1988-1991. This teaching method is initiated by facilitated discussions of art images and is documented to have a cascading positive effect on both teachers and students. Siobhan really believed in this method, so introduced a course at University College Cork which all of the School of medicine now cover.
I am really interested in self development, and I think VTS could be a very useful tool for general life as well as in medicine.
Ronnie is a consultant orthopaedic surgeon working at Manchester Foundation Trust, specialising in shoulder & elbow surgery. He trained at Cambridge University medical school and, after spending a few years around the area as a junior doctor, moved back to Manchester where he completed his specialist training in trauma & orthopaedic surgery. Ronnie told me that he knew he wanted to be a doctor aged 6 (!!) and why he chose to specialise in orthopaedics. As well as his medical profession, he has worked in IT creating a number of businesses in this area. It is great to hear he say how much he still loves his work!
Rishi is the current club Doctor at Leeds United FC and one of the youngest working in professional sport. He talks about the first real opportunity he got in sport working with British Gymnastics and how working in a variety of higher trauma sports gave him a very good grounding and understanding of Sports Medicine. Combining working as a GP, as well as elite sports, gives exposure to a much wider variety of challenges. Rishi talked about how influential his parents have been in his career as well as Dr Glen Rae, Dr Chris Tomlinson and his Head of Medicine & Performance at Leeds United, Rob Price. Having a very understanding fiancee has helped Rishi balance the demands of working for a Premier League Football Club, especially when he is planning his wedding for later this year!
Andy is is the Lead Endurance Physiotherapist for British Athletics, working across London, Loughborough and Brighton. Andy has had a passion for athletics for years, covering numerous major competition events; holding camp and training camps both nationally and internationally. He has been either indirectly or directly involved across two Olympic cycles, Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2021.
Our chat got off to a different start when Andy told me his first degree was history and he has a PhD in ... After being in academia until he was 31, Andy decided to move in to physio studying at Salford University. Upon graduation he worked in the NHS for 8 years as well as in private practice. Being a competitive runner himself, Andy made contact with Neil Black to see if he could shadow the EIS team. This is when he first met James Moore who has had a huge impact on his career and someone Andy would go on to work with in numerous settings.
Andy is currently preparing for the Tokyo Olympics which he is so excited for, so we wish him and the rest of Team GB well for what should be a very memorable event!
Andy is an experienced sports physiotherapist having worked at several top football teams. He explained how he ended up doing sports science as his first degree when physiotherapy was the thing he really wanted to do. Whilst qualifying as a physio, Andy volunteered at several clubs which ultimately led to him being offered a position at Bolton Wanderers. This was at the time when the club was being heralded for sports science and Andy talked about working with players such as Youri Djorkaeff, Jay-Jay Okocha, Ivan Campo and Fernando Hierro. From there, he went to overhaul the Liverpool FC Academy alongside Dave Galley before joining the first team under Jurgen Klopp. A combination of differences with staff members and wanting to spend more time with the family meant Andy leaving Liverpool and setting up his business of working with professional athletes under the Harris and Ross umbrella based in Wilmslow. He worked with Newcastle United FC for some of the 20/21 campaign and is reviewing several options for next season!
Tom Wainwright is a physiotherapist, clinical academic and quality improvement specialist. He is Associate Professor in Orthopaedics and Deputy Head of the Orthopaedic Research Institute at Bournemouth University. Tom explained why he chose physio and how he came to move in to Orthopaedics and then research. He has a broad range of orthopaedic and musculoskeletal related research interests, and is internationally recognised for his work on Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) protocols within orthopaedics. Creating research with a real applied clinical impact is the core goal of his work and Tom gave some examples of this.
After a brief Fire Alarm evacuation, Tom explained his thoughts on the future of clinical research and how people should get involved if it is something they are considering.
Andy is a physiotherapist turned entrepreneur. He told me how he always wanted to be a physiotherapist and even though he didn't get the grades he wanted, was able to enrol on the sports rehabilitation course at Salford University. Andy explains how he and Adam started planning setting up a clinic in their first year and they fulfilled this creating Summit Physiotherapy in 2006. When I had just started Physiquipe and were looking for forward thinking clinic owners, Dr Phil Graham-Smith recommended speaking with Andy as they were the largest employer of Sports Rehab graduates at Salford University.
Over the last 5 years, Andy has been sharing his passion for supporting others along side Phil, by coaching other therapy business owners to achieve their own successes. One of his top tips for business owners is to read The EMyth, (which is genuinely one of my favourite books!!) talking about setting up processes to make small business operate efficiently.
I know Andy is really driven by helping people, so I am very excited to see the launch of his online Elevate Your Clinic platform next month.
Louise is an Occupational Therapist with over 29 years of clinical experience in both public and private settings specialising in breast cancer rehabilitation and Lymphoedema management. As Director at Australian Lymphoedema Education, Research and Treatment (ALERT) program Louise is involved in strategically managing and developing the education, research and treatment arms of the innovative multidisciplinary program. Her particular area of interest is on the early prospective surveillance model of care in early detection and management of Lymphoedema and innovative advances in management. Louise explained the development of this model of care and what her vision is for the future. Education, Education, Education (and passion..!!).
Dr Subhasis Basu is a Consultant Musculoskeletal Radiologist with his private practice locations based in Cheshire, Manchester, Lancashire and London, and his NHS base at Wrightington, Wigan & Leigh NHS Foundation Trust. He completed general Clinical Radiology and higher subspecialty training in Musculoskeletal (MSK) imaging at the then North West Deanery School of Radiology in Manchester. This was followed by further sub-specialist training during a one-year MSK and Sports Imaging Fellowship at Chelsea & Westminster Hospital, London. Shub told me about how he came to choose medicine over a career as a pilot. He lectures both nationally and internationally, and is a peer reviewed researcher. Shub gave his view on the future of imaging and the practice becoming more widely used outside of radiology.
I first met Shub at our tennis club and he explains his passion for sport and how he came to be involved as an umpire. He has worked at many tournaments including Wimbledon, even being a line judge for Federer Vs Nadal!
As a fascia stretch & structural balance coach, over the last 11 years, Barbara has helped NFL, PGA, LPGA, NHL, MLB, and UFC athletes to perform and recover effectively. This experience has taught her that performing your best requires the integrated, sustained, and heightened function of every system in your body. And physical talent alone can vanish quite quickly when and if you ignore your recovery protocol. Barbara grew up in Poland but felt that moving to the USA would open up far more opportunities, including with Thomas Myers and Anatomy Trains.
Barbara believes that you leave a gap between where you are and where you could be when you don't give recovery enough attention. And closing this “recovery gap” from exhausting athletic events and pain has become her life’s passion and work.
She created Resync products in 2017 while she was mostly devoting her time to assist the Baltimore Ravens. The product is now being used in the UK, so watch this space!
Jon is one of the foremost names in acupuncture and is chairman of the board of directors for the Acupuncture Association for Chartered Physiotherapists (AACP). Jon explains how he had a very unusual route in to physio starting out as a musician. Upon becoming a physio, he has worked in the NHS, professional football (Port Vale FC) and in academia. Interestingly Jon became disillusioned with Acupuncture at one stage in his career and he tells me what made him start to use it again. Jon has a very positive outlook on life which he says has been enhanced by surviving heart surgery in 2013. He even did his own cardiac rehab as he had written a course on this previously...! It was great to hear the support he had from Rick Carter during a time when he thought there was a very good chance he would die. Since this time he has gone on to set up a very successful needling training company, worked on many research papers and has a book coming out. Jon has definitely not had a conventional life, but he has used it to drive himself and has an amazingly positive attitude. I am very excited to be working with him on several projects in the future!
Chris is one of the best known and respected names in MSK Diagnostic Ultrasound in the UK. He explains that he wanted to be a physio from being a child and how happy he is that he made this decision. Chris told me the question he answered 'wrong' at his interview at Nottingham University meaning he wasn't offered a place. He explained that although he always wanted to be a football physio, he thinks the fact he didn't find a mentor at his time at Tottenham meant he didn't pursue a career working for a football team. It was at Homerton hospital that Chris was first exposed to Diagnostic Ultrasound. Access to the technology combined with an equally enthusiastic and interested group of colleagues including helped Chris to understand the importance of peer learning. This is where SMUG was born and he explains how the group developed to the leading provider of ultrasound education. It was great to hear the appreciation Chris still has for Rob Laus and John Leddy in providing support in learning ultrasound skills.
Chris also talks about how they have taken Complete physio from a room in a gym to one of the leading (THE leading according to Chris :D) physiotherapy clinics in London. We will be seeing lots more of Chris and SMUG as demand for MSK Diagnostic Ultrasound continues to grow.
Helen told me what it was like growing up in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and then moving to Bristol (UK) to study Physiotherapy. This was in the Apartheid era and Helen explains her thoughts on this and how it impacted her. After raising three children back in Zimbabwe, Helen became a full time physio building a busy private clinic as well as working at provincial and national level with many different sports including Rugby, Cricket, Hockey, Athletics, Surf Lifesaving and more. Helen was the first physiotherapist to work for the South African national rugby team after the release of Mandela.
Having a female physio working in this environment was highly controversial, resulting in Helen being the subject of National and International press coverage (which Helen shares showing collages of caricatures and photos of her from the press). After 5 year’s full time with the Stormers Rugby team, Helen was approached to be a Medical Advisor to Insurers in London for the Premier League Football teams, England cricket and many elite sports. She explains that she had to win the trust of the Club medical personnel and the Insurers for the first couple of years, but has now been working with them for 13 years and is thoroughly enjoying it! Helen has just completed her PhD and is an avid presenter and researcher.
She received an Honorary Award from the Sports Physiotherapy Group of SA for “Achievement and Dedication to Sports Physiotherapy at the Highest Level” in 2018 and a Merit Award for “invaluable contribution to South African Sports Medicine in South Africa” in 2019.
I worked with Helen for 6 years and it is amazing to see her enthusiasm has not diminished to this day!
This podcast is with one of my closest friends who is also Director of Outpatient Rehab Therapy Services at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Ken talks about how a brush with the law as a teenager was a pivotal point in his life that ultimately led to a career in physical therapy. His exposure to technology during this period and at his first job roles gave him a fascination for incorporating medical devices in to his clinical practice. This resulted in him moving from a clinical role to working for BTE Technologies as Director of Clinical Integration, which is where he and I first worked together. This enabled Ken to travel the world supporting clients with clinical application and justification of investment in technology. For the last 11 years Ken has been at Johns Hopkins achieving what he was told could never be done. This included growing the team 10 fold, opening 9 new clinical facilities while securing millions to invest in technology, and expanding patient care volumes from 14,000 to 140,000 visits annually. Along side this Ken is a consultant for elite athletes from NFL, NBA and other sports. With the help of an amazing team, Ken has built a successful rehabilitation network of outpatient services on the three pillars of Talent, Training, and Technology. He is usually in the UK at least three times per year so hopefully he will be back at some point in 2021!
When Professor Burke became a hand consultant he was only one of two in the UK. He tells me the impact his father had on him choosing medicine and how and why he chose to specialise in hands. Hand specialism was more advanced in the USA back then and Frank explains how beneficial it was doing fellowships under world renowned surgeons in Iowa and Louisville. Frank is a Professor of Hand Surgery AND Rehabilitation and he talks about how much emphasis he put on therapy which was one of the reasons he was the inaugural President of the British Association of Hand Therapists (BAHT) when it was formed in 1989. Professor Burke brought some of the top names to speak at Derby and this lead to a regular education program for both surgeons and therapists. It was great to see how forward and big thinking Frank was in bringing specialist technologies to the UK and working with local industry to help fund them.
It is very clear to see how much Frank has loved his career and the pride he takes in what has been created in Derby(and around the world!). He also shared what he likes to do in his spare time; writing novels... I will be asking for a copy :D
Sports science has developed massively over the last 30 years. Phil tells me about what it was like starting out in this area and how he ended up specialising in Biomechanics. He tells me what it was like working with some of Britain's top athletes, such as Jonathan Edwards, Denise Lewis and Ashia Hansen, even though he was still a relative novice. Phil talks about how important it is to conduct research that has a significant impact in the applied setting. This lead to him co creating the ForceDecks system which has gone on to be used widely in elite sports. Phil provided biomechanical support to UK Athletics for over 21 years and was consultant Head of Biomechanics to EIS, leading up to London 2012. Phil also spent time analysing a squad of top Jamaican Olympic sprinters including Asafa Powell and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. For the last 8 years, Phil has been working as Head of Biomechanics and Innovation at Apire Academy in Qatar.
We finished with Phil talking about how Biomechanics has become embedded in several professions, and highlights the risks this presents to specialist Sport Biomechanists if they don't adapt..... Watch this space!
Dave is one of the most experienced Physiotherapists in football having spent over 35 years with teams such as Port Vale, Sunderland and Stoke City. He tells me about how working in this area was the only thing he wanted to do after deciding he wanted to be a Physio. We also discuss the huge change in the role being part time all the way through to having an extensive medical team set up. Hearing his perspective on being Covid officer for a football team and the impact this has on club and players was very enlightening. Dave also tells the tale of the complaint raised by David Gill and Sir Alex Ferguson when he joined the England National Team set up, due to him being Liverpool FC Physio...
What really comes across is Dave's respect and appreciation for his wife for being so supportive and understand throughout the long and unsociable hours and various moves around the UK and overseas. Big shout out to Mrs Galley!!
Ian is Head of Performance Services & Lead Physio at GB Boxing. He explains his decision making on choosing physiotherapy when growing up in his home country. We also discuss his first experience of the Olympics in Athens, supporting local national federations. Ian has been with English Institute of Sport (EIS) for over 14 years, working predominately with GB Boxing. He tells me about the ‘electric’ atmosphere in the GB camps, having been involved as part of the wider team in the massively successful London and Rio Olympics. I personally am a big boxing fan, so it was amazing to see Ian working in the corner of recent high profile professional fights. During this interview, It was great to see his passion and drive shine through when discussing work with GB Boxing, and the wider EIS which supports so many sports in the UK. With the Olympics and possibly huge fights on the horizon, 2021 is set to be an amazing year for boxing in both the amateur and professional ranks!
Denise was one of the first people that I came across when we started working in Lymphoedema. This is a world that I knew little about but is one that has become integral to our business, and helped me understand it when a family member was suffering with the condition. Denise is still a great support to us in this area, and our work is now helping our musculo-skeletal clients to understand the importance of Lymphatics.
We talked about who inspired Denise to start exploring and find funding for a new Lymphoedema service in the Midlands. Denise set up Kendal Lymphology Centre in 2004 to provide treatment/management for patients suffering from all types of chronic oedema, Lymphoedema and Lipoedema. Treatment of these conditions has always been poorly funded, and Denise gave her views on the challenges of being able to offer a good quality service to support patients whose lives can be so badly affected. She also made a plea for anyone who may want to take over her work once she retires, so applications will be accepted!!
Andrew is the Lead academy doctor at Millwall FC. As well as this, he is now Senior Editor & podcaster for the Football Medicine & Performance Association and Assistant Secretary at the FA Medical Society. We are moving in to a new world of how we share and consume information and it was really interesting to hear Andrew's perspective on the impact social media is playing on this. Is an infographic more helpful than a 10 page research paper? He talks about the impact of the BJSM (where he is a Reviewer) and FMPA at disseminating this information and how critical this can be, certainly from a time saving perspective. He will be starting a new role in Spring, sharing research from UEFA at the Football Research Group. Andrew is one of the new generation of doctors and certainly is embracing the changing landscape!
Lorenzo is a leader in the world of tendinopathy, diagnostic ultrasound and ultrasound guided interventions. We discuss him starting university at 16 which ultimately led to working in the sporting and sports medicine 'capital of the world', Melbourne. His time here included working with some of the biggest names in Sports and Exercise Medicine as well as for Melbourne Storm Rugby League. Lorenzo is passionate about tennis and spent seven years with Tennis Australia and at the Australian Open, so it was great to hear what it was like watching the rise of some of the all time greats: Serena & Venus Williams, Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal. He tells me how he came to move to London and get job roles with teams such as Wasps and Fulham FC. As a world renowned expert in diagnostic ultrasound, it was fascinating to hear his perspective on the explosion within MSK that is currently happening, which he think is a really good thing. We also discuss how he came to find his passion for tendinopathy which was mainly driven by working with pioneers such as Hakan Alfredson and Jill Cook. As ever, he says it was 'luck' that he got a great many of his roles! The harder you work, the luckier you get...
Clint spent over 20 years as a professional footballer representing teams such as Tranmere Rovers, Stoke City, and Crystal Palace. Clint and I were in the same High School team and I remember very clearly how much he stood out back then, as a man in a boys team at 16. He talks about how he got his chance at Tranmere and how a leg break set his career back for several years. He was part of the QPR team that played against Manchester City when they won their first Premier League title and Clint gives his own perspective of the legendary Sergio Aguero goal. Clint was always a managers and fans favourite due to his work ethic and commitment, which meant he was captain of most of the teams he represented and won several fans player of the year awards. However, there was one big name manager who he didn't have a great relationship with. It was fascinating to hear the story of how he got the chance to play for one of the biggest teams in Europe at the age of 37, AND score a goal in the Old Firm match at Celtic Park!! He has now moved in to management and was recently working with Joey Barton as part of the Fleetwood team. It was great to catch up with Clint after so long, even if he didn't credit me as one of the most inspirational players he played with...
Duncan studied at Edinburgh University, before joining the Army in 1983, where he served as a doctor until 1992, which included tours in The Falklands and Afghanistan. He tells me how rejoining the military helped him get in to sports medicine and how he had to go to the top of the command chain to be allowed to leave early, much to the annoyance of his immediate superiors. During his four years treating injured soldiers at the Catterick Regional Rehabilitation Unit, Duncan was involved in forming a medical Diagnostic Ultrasound Group at Bournemouth University, which has now become the School of Medical Ultrasound at the AECC University College. He has since worked at Derby County, Aston Villa, Chelsea Blackburn Rovers and now at Fleetwood Town. Duncan has recently set up Fylde Sports Injury Clinic and reunited with Dave Fevre, who gatecrashed the end of this interview!
With the current political state in the USA, now could not be a more relevant time time to have spoken with Drew Contreras! Drew served as Director of the White House Wellness Centre and physical therapist to President Barack Obama. We discuss how he got this role and his first meeting with the 44th POTUS. Drew also tells how he started in physiotherapy and why he chose to serve in the military. Hearing what it was like moving from working on the front line in war zones, with young soldiers in peak physical fitness, to becoming Director of Rehabilitation and Wellness at the Pentagon is a fascinating account.
Drew is another example of good people getting opportunities by doing a great job rather than having to position themselves or even apply for roles. This has been a recurring theme with the people I have interviewed.
I first met Tom when he used our technology during his rehabilitation for his Achilles injury. As with most athletes, injuries play a huge part in a career and Tom gives his insight in to how he managed this. We discuss how he first started in running and his athletic scholarship at Florida State University, leading to Tom representing Great Britain at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing over 1500m. It was fascinating to hear some of the Tom's proudest achievements, which include working with Steve Peters, winning the team Penn Relays, not to mention beating Sir Mo Farah! Winning the Didsbury Park run didn't make the list, but is an honourable mention...
Phil was Team GB’s Lead Physiotherapist at the Rio 2016 Olympics. He is also a visiting professor of the Ulster Sports Academy at the University of Ulster and teaches on a number of postgraduate sports medicine programmes at various UK and European universities. He is now working with Irish Rugby overseeing the integration of the regional and national side. Phil talks about the importance of medical practitioners working in different (sporting) environments to help develop enhancing skills and learning. He also discusses some of the inspirational people he has worked with such as Andy Farrell and Tyson Gay. I really found Phil's perspective on developing teams fascinating..!
Ian is one of the most renowned shoulder physiotherapists in the world, having completed his PhD in examining musculoskeletal causes of shoulder injuries within professional rugby. He is one of the few medical practitioners who has worked with the Football Association, Rugby Football Union and English institute of Sport, all whilst running his private practice, Back In Action. He has worked for EIS for many years as technical lead and we discuss how demanding a job it is working at this level. Ian also talked about some of the inspirational athletes he has worked with and how they have helped him raise his game.
Julian has recently been featured in CSP Frontline magazine in his role for promoting the Leadership Development Program to future leaders, and especially for members from BAME backgrounds. ESP (Extended Scope Practitioner) physiotherapist, Julian gives a really interesting insight as to his issue with the Black Lives Matter slogan, and also talks about how he coped with the cultural differences he encountered during his undergraduate studies. I know how influential my parents were in encouraging me to go to university, so it was good to hear what an important role Julian's played for him in his career path. We talk about his placement under Dave Fevre and Paul Kelly at Blackburn Rovers, and the advice they gave that he took in to his own work choices. Julian is going through some unexpected health problems himself currently, so we talk about how he has managed with these during COVID19.
I have encountered many incredible people in my life, but Polly has one of the most tragic AND inspirational stories I have come across. Having been in the Sari Club regularly myself during a two week holiday the previous year, the Bali bombing was shocking to me. Little did I know that 15 years later I would meet someone whose life it completed devastated in every sense. As they were enjoying a night out in the Sari Club, Polly's husband of five weeks, her bridesmaid, and seven other friends were all killed by the terrorists on 12th October 2002. Polly was the sole survivor of the party of ten suffering 43% burns. In spite of this, she has set up an amazingly successful charity, Dan's Fund For Burns (named after her husband), which is providing incredible support for burns centres and victims across the UK. Her story is an absolutely remarkable one...
Dave has been working in top level sport in the US for the last 12 years. Having worked in the Premier League for many years, he tells me why he decided to leave Chelsea to work in a new sport and country. Dave gives great insight in to how he worked with some of the most successful managers and coaches in a variety of sports, such as Phil Jackson and Jose Mourinho. We also delve in to how he builds his own team within both sporting medical departments, the sports software solution (Apollo) and the physiotherapy business he started in 1998. Dave gives great insight into both psychology and business decision making. I will certainly be incorporating some of this when we are recruiting!
Mark is back, and we start with his involvement with Michael Owen's emergence as a teenager. He explains the challenges of managing a player who was so good, but was still developing physically. We go in to the reasons Mark left Liverpool FC, what it was like going to work for the team he supports and designing the Sunderland FC 'Academy of Light.'
Dave was physiotherapist during the glory years of both Wigan Warriors RLFC and Manchester United FC. He talks about how he got started in physio despite it not being his early passion, his 14 weeks away with the British Lions as well as how he really wanted to stay on at Wigan before the move to MUFC. Roy Keane recently spoke about how good Dave was during his ACL rehabilitation and Dave discusses this period from his perspective. We also go in to what it is like managing personalities such as Robbie Savage, Paul Ince as well as Sir Alex Ferguson.
Mark is a well known physio in the world of elite sport having worked for various football and rugby league clubs. In part one of our chat, Mark talks about how he got started in physiotherapy and made the transition in to elite sport. Mark and I were part of the team who assessed medical departments in Saudi Arabia in 2010, so I got to hear many stories of his time in sport. I did my best to get this information out of him and the tales at Liverpool FC are definitely worth listening to, especially the one about his first day as head physio being confronted with having to 'manage' 11 uninjured first team players who services 'were not part of the managers plans...' I am hoping to get the nod as ghost writer for the autobiography, as it will be a best seller!
Sue is a world renowned physical therapist and certified athletic trainer. She holds the distinction of being the first female head athletic trainer in any of the four major sports in the United States and served as Head of Athletic Training and Sport Performance with US Soccer’s Men’s National Team. Sue talks about volunteering her services for 6 months (as the first person in the medical department) in the early days at Athletes Performance (now Exos). We also discuss how she got the job with the LA Dodgers and how she managed 45 athletes over a 160 game season, AS WELL as another full time job. Her Dachshund Richard also contributes throughout...
Nick has worked as a physiotherapist for many football teams, mainly the Premier League and Championship, but also including a stint in Abu Dhabi as head as sports medicine. I first met him at Bolton Wanderers FC, so it was really interesting to hear his perspective on what he came in to when he got the job at the famed 'sports science leader' medical department under Sam Allardyce. Nick also talks about which Newspaper helped him get his first job in football as well as his time on tour with U2!
John Rogers is one of the best known and highly regarded Sport and Exercise Medicine consultants in the UK. He has and continues to work with top elite athletes, numerous private healthcare groups as well as maintaining his NHS clinic. I would have loved to have done this in person, especially as John lives round the corner from me, but it was great to hear more about his career and how he got started in medicine.