Sports Therapy Association Podcast

STA108: Focus on Foot Pt 2: ’Plantar Fasciitis... Or Is It?’ with guests Maddie Tate & Ian Griffiths

Our monthly focus on 'The Foot & Ankle' continues, and in this episode we turn our attention to the extremely common and yet notoriously tricky to treat condition known as 'Plantar Fasciitis', and how other conditions of the foot, ankle and indeed whole body need to also be considered when presented with common symptoms.

Joining us in this episode are Sports Podiatrists Maddie Tait of mtpodiatry.co.uk and Ian Griffiths of sportspodiatryinfo.co.uk. Maddie Tait and Ian Griffiths both have a huge amount of experience working with complex foot & ankle injuries. Maddie works closely with Foot and Ankle Consultants, Sports Medicine Doctors and Physiotherapists and has represented England in Hockey. Ian has spoken worldwide on the topics of lower limb biomechanics and foot orthoses, and is also a visiting lecturer at Queen Mary University of London, leading the biomechanics module on the MSc in Sports & Exercise Medicine.

Topics discussed in this episode include:

• 'Plantar Fasciitis', 'Plantar Fasciopathy' or 'Persistent Heel Pain' - does the label we use matter? 
• The importance of a thorough subjective assessment.    
• Recognising red flags.     
• Tests that could highlight when further investigation is needed.        
• Calcaneal squeeze test for potential stress fracture.
• Having the confidence to refer out.     
• The relevance of lower back pain.  
• Plantar fibromas.
• Statins and heel pain.  
• Rheumatoid arthritis and other systemic disease.
• Fatty pad degeneration & gait adjustments 
• Reminder of risk assessments for Covid-19 
  
  

Useful Links  

• Maddie Tate Website: https://www.mtpodiatry.co.uk/ 
• Ian Griffiths Website: https://sportspodiatryinfo.co.uk/

Our sincere thanks to Maddie Tate and Ian Griffiths for giving up their time to be guests on the Sports Therapy Association Podcast.

Please Support Our Podcast!
If you appreciate what we do, please take a couple of minutes to leave us a rating & review on Apple Podcasts. It really does make all the difference in helping us reach out to a larger audience. iPhone users you can do this from your phone, Android users you will need to do it from iTunes.

Questions? Email: matt@thesta.co.uk

STA107: Focus on Foot & Ankle’ Pt 1: ’Foot Anatomy’ with guests Dr Emma Cowley & Nick Knight

This month on the Sports Therapy Association Podcast, we start a new focus topic: 'The Foot & Ankle'. Three episodes, each one bringing you expert guests discussing and sharing their experience & knowledge regarding 'Foot & Ankle' injury management.

In this first episode, we look at the ANATOMY of the foot & ankle, with special guests Dr Emma Cowley, Director of 4D Podiatry & Senior Teaching Fellow at Southampton University, and Nick Knight, MSK/Sports Podiatrist & Owner of NK Sports Podiatry.

Topics discussed in this episode include:

• Why is the foot such an area of mystery? 
• How the human foot differs from all other animals.    
• Stiff big toes and the Windlass Mechanism   
• How has our understanding of foot anatomy & function evolved?     
• Podiatrists, Physios, Sports Therapists - there's good & bad in all professions.  
• How do you tell patients that your approach to the foot & ankle has changed?    
• Why do many educating bodies still turn out outdated information? 
• Cadavers, Sweden and drilling pins into people.
• The importance of the words we use with patients.  
• Reliability of tests for foot & ankle
• Overpronation - should we still use that word?
• Understanding 'pain' with the foot & ankle.
• CPD opportunity: Improving your assessment skills with Nick Knight (face-to-face in Romsey, UK)
• Research opportunity: Dr Emma Cowley's work at Southampton University 
  
  

Useful Links  

• 4dPodiatry Website
• NKActive Website

Our sincere thanks to Dr Emma Cowley and Nick Knight for giving up their time to be guests on the Sports Therapy Association Podcast.

Please Support Our Podcast!
If you appreciate what we do, please take a couple of minutes to leave us a rating & review on Apple Podcasts. It really does make all the difference in helping us reach out to a larger audience. iPhone users you can do this from your phone, Android users you will need to do it from iTunes.

Questions? Email: matt@thesta.co.uk

STA106: ’Mental Health for Business’ with guests James Chapman and Emma Wardle

Whether you are running your own clinic or working as part of a team, how much attention do you pay to looking after your own Mental Health? Would you recognise the signs if you needed help? Would you know who to go to for support & advice?

In Part 4 of our month's 'Focus on BUSINESS', the topic is 'Mental Health for Business', with special guest James Chapman of AllAboutTheMind.com. James is an instructor for MHFA (Mental Health First Aid) and was a guest back in January 2021 in Ep.35 'Mental Health First Aid Training' talking about how as therapists we can support our patients/clients. 

We are also joined by guest Emma Wardle, a graduate Sports Therapist, business & clinic owner Based In Farnborough, and South East Regional Rep for the Sports Therapy Association. Emma is also a previous guest on the show, back in November 2021 in Ep75 ‘Safety In Practice: Female Sports Massage Therapists’ which we thoroughly recommend you listen to. 

* * * Apologies for the slight echo at times on the audio recording. * * * 

Topics discussed in this episode include:

• Are mental health issues on the increase? 
• How as therapists do we avoid 'taking our work home'.    
• Are soft tissue therapists susceptible to mental health issues?   
• Taking time between sessions.  
• How much of an effect can recent world events have on our stress levels?  
• Can Social Media have a negative effect on therapists' mental health?    
• Specific tips for soft tissue therapists to self care & avoid burn out. 
• How the 'Mental Health First Aid' course' can help therapists. 
• The importance of listening to others when they try to help.   
• The role of medication
• How to contact James Chapman & Emma Cowley  

Useful Links  

• James Chapman Website: Allaboutthemind.com
• Up & coming courses with James Chapman
• Emma Wardle Sports Therapy website

Our sincere thanks to James Chapman and Emma Wardle for giving up their time to be guests on the Sports Therapy Association Podcast.

Please Support Our Podcast!
If you appreciate what we do, please take a couple of minutes to leave us a rating & review on Apple Podcasts. It really does make all the difference in helping us reach out to a larger audience. iPhone users you can do this from your phone, Android users you will need to do it from iTunes.

Questions? Email: matt@thesta.co.uk

STA105: ’Social Media Marketing for Business’ with special guest Gilly Woodhouse

In Part 3 of our month's 'Focus on BUSINESS', the topic is 'Social Media Marketing for Business', with special guest mentor and business development strategist Gilly Woodhouse.

Gilly Woodhouse is a Coach, Speaker, Trainer & Author who has been helping clinics become fully booked and profitable since 2013. With particular focus on guiding clinicians on how to avoid wasting time & money on stuff that doesn’t work, Gilly discusses in this episode ways that soft tissue therapists can streamline their business and social media marketing, save time, and be more efficient and profitable.

Topics discussed include:

• The fear of using social media effectively 
• How to choose which social media platform you shoud; use to market your business  
• Listening to & using the language of your clients to help with your marketing 
• Successful marketing can be the same for any type of therapist   
• What does a 'bad' social media presence look like?
• Typical mistakes business owners make when posting on social media 
• How important is the time of day you send out posts? 
• How much personal information should you share in your marketing? 
• Understanding the 'Know-Like-Trust' principle 
• Should you tailor your posts according to which platform you use?
• Using Facebook Communities for networking 
• Is there a danger of posting too much on social media?
• Should soft tissue therapists still have a website?
• Is Wordpress the best platform to use for websites?  
• Writing blogs for Linkedin
• How do you check if you are getting a return on your use of social media?
• Check out Gilly Woodhouse's '90 Day Recession Proof Program' for your business (details on website link below)

Useful Links  

• Gilly Woodhouse Website
• Gilly Woodhouse Instagram

Our sincere thanks to Gilly Woodhouse for giving up her time to be a guest on the Sports Therapy Association Podcast!

Please Support Our Podcast!
If you appreciate what we do, please take a couple of minutes to leave us a rating & review on Apple Podcasts. It really does make all the difference in helping us reach out to a larger audience. iPhone users you can do this from your phone, Android users you will need to do it from iTunes.

Questions? Email: matt@thesta.co.uk

STA104: ’How To Optimise Client Experience’ with special guests Jemma Oliver & Andy Hosgood

Our month's 'Focus on Business' continues on the Sports Therapy Association Podcast, in an episode entitled ’How To Optimise Client Experience' with special guests Jemma Oliver & Andy Hosgood.

Jemma Oliver, creator of 'The Physio & Therapist Support Group' and Andy Hosgood, founder of 'Elevate Your Clinic' have a huge amount of experience in helping therapists manage & expand their businesses, and in this episode they guide us on how to optimise one of the most important factors in any business: client experience.

This episode includes some exceptional advice on how to optimise client experience, from pre-arrival to initial consultation, feedback to follow up. Also, how to measure what is working & where to focus time, effort and energy!

Topics discussed:

• History of the Physio & Therapist Support Group on Facebook
• Crossover of skillsets between being a good therapist and having a good business. 
• The importance of the clinic environment, including staff hapiness in a multidisciplinary clinic.
• The benefits of having others critiquing your business, especially if you wirk alone.
• Being honest with yourself: you knpow deep down what your clinic needs!
• The benefits of having clients who speak their mind: listening to client feedback.
• Free E-book on Improving Your Clinic - Email: andy@elevateyourclinic.com
• Take a moment to think 'Who Am I? What's My Style?' and then making sure your marketing reflects that.
• Expectation matching
• People respond to people - make sure some of your marketing introduces the client to YOU. Clients want to come to therapists who are REAL.
• Andy's 'Let Me Hang Up Your Coat' story...
• Making sure your client understands the plan ahead.
• Making sure people book in again if they need or want it.
• How automated systems can help you  
• How to get in contact with Jemma Oliver and Andy Hosgood.
  
  

Useful Links  

• The Physio & Therapist Support Group on Facebook
• Elevate Your Clinic Website
• Free E-book on Improving Your Clinic - Email: andy@elevateyourclinic.com

Our sincere thanks to Jemma Oliver and Andy Hosgood for giving up their time to be guests on the Sports Therapy Association Podcast!

Please Support Our Podcast!
If you appreciate what we do, please take a couple of minutes to leave us a rating & review on Apple Podcasts. It really does make all the difference in helping us reach out to a larger audience. iPhone users you can do this from your phone, Android users you will need to do it from iTunes.

Questions? Email: matt@thesta.co.uk

STA103: Focus on Business Pt1: ’How To Build A Successful Clinic’ with special guest Tim Allardyce

This month on the Sports Therapy Association Podcast, our focus is on the BUSINESS side of being a successful Soft Tissue Therapist.

As Sports Massage Therapists and Sports Therapists, many of us believe that the success of our clinic relies solely on our manual therapy skills. However, being a successful therapist in this challenging economic climate requires FAR more than that, and many clinics fail to reach optimum performance due to lack of BUSINESS acumen.

In this episode, special guest Tim Allardyce, Group Clinical Director, Founder of Rehab My Patient and NHS England Clinical Entrepreneur, will be discussing the FIVE most common business mistakes that soft tissue therapists make when trying to build a successful clinic.

Topics discussed:

• Has post-Covid provided a better economic climate for soft tissue therapists?
• Should we be preparing for a 2022 recession?
• Should you be putting up clinic prices, and if so how?
• The advantages of Mentorship
• The future of Sports Injury Fix
• Five most common mistakes made by soft tissue therapists:
  - No. 5: Relying solely on massage
  - No. 4: Not rebooking clients in
  - No. 3: Not networking
  - No.2: Not contacting old clients
  - No. 1: Wasting money on advertising
• How to get in contact with Tim Allardyce
  
  

Useful Links  

• Twitter: @timallardyce
• Surrey Physio Website
• Rehab My Patient (Exercise Prescription Software)

Our sincere thanks to Tim for giving up his time to be a guest on the Sports Therapy Association Podcast!

Please Support Our Podcast!
If you appreciate what we do, please take a couple of minutes to leave us a rating & review on Apple Podcasts. It really does make all the difference in helping us reach out to a larger audience. iPhone users you can do this from your phone, Android users you will need to do it from iTunes.

Questions? Email: matt@thesta.co.uk

STA102: Nutrition Month Pt4: ’Nutrition For The Athletic Female’ with special guest Kathryn Stewart

Our month's 'Focus on Nutrition' concludes with Part 4: ‘Nutrition for the Athletic Female’.

In this episode, we are joined by special guest Kathryn Stewart, a registered dietician with the Dublin Nutrition Centre, with a Masters in Sport and Exercise Nutrition.

Kathryn has worked as a dietitian in both the UK and Ireland covering a range of clinical areas such as bowel surgery, gut disorders, oncology, stroke, respiratory conditions, heart health and weight management.

Some of you may have seen the work Kathryn has done with The Athletic Female team Emma Brockwell, Grainne Donnelly and Dr Helen McElroy, who were guests on the show back in February 2022 in Ep.89 of the Sports Therapy Association Podcast: 'The Athletic Female'.

Topics discussed:

• How to get experience as a Dietician or Nutritionist
• How important is gender when looking at nutrition for athletes?
• The problem of research historically being done by males on males
• Signs that your client/patient may have a nutrition related issue
• Using the menstral cycle to flag potential nutritional deficiency
• How to overcome 'taboo topics' in clinic
• Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS): how common is it and how much can diet modification help?
• Are there any particularly 'dangerous' diets out there?
• Athletic Amenorrhea: how much is it regarded as 'to be expected' by competitive female athletes?
• Frozen food: friend or foe?
• Supplements: necessary for female athletes or can everything be obtained in a healthy diet?

Useful Links  

• Kathryn Stewart on Instagram: @edible_evidence
• The Athletic Female on Instagram: @theathleticfemale

Our sincere thanks to Kathryn Stewart for giving up her time to be a guest on the Sports Therapy Association Podcast!

Please Support Our Podcast!
If you appreciate what we do, please take a couple of minutes to leave us a rating & review on Apple Podcasts. It really does make all the difference in helping us reach out to a larger audience. iPhone users you can do this from your phone, Android users you will need to do it from iTunes.

Questions? Email: matt@thesta.co.uk

STA101: Nutrition Month Pt3: ’Food Intolerance’ with Dr Gill Hart

Our 'Focus on Nutrition' month continues with Part 3: 'Food Intolerance' with special guest Dr Gill Hart, BSc (Hons), PhD, Cert Mgmt (Open), FIBMS.

Dr Gill Hart is a leading UK Biochemist, an expert on food intolerance and a credible and respected authority on a range of related issues, with over twenty years experience in the development and clinical evaluation of diagnostic tests.

As Scientific Director at YorkTest Laboratories ,a leading provider of food intolerance tests and food allergy tests for 40 years, Gill regularly gives talks and lectures on food intolerance at Universities, Colleges, trade shows and consumer events. She also provides guidance for those choosing diagnostic tests with her ‘What makes a good diagnostic test’ checklist, and has written many articles in scientific journals and consumer magazines.

Topics discussed in this episode include:

• The history of food intolerance testing and how YorkTest became the UK’s leading food intolerance, allergy and home health testing company.
• The difference between an allergy and a food sensitivity
• The prevalence of food intolerance worldwide and in the UK
• Different types of food intolerance and the tests available
• Symptoms of food intolerance
• Immunoglobulin G Tests - Why do we measure food-specific IgG antibodies in blood?
• IgG tests at YorkTesting - how blood is taken, how food-specific IgG reactions are measured, how results are collated
• A look at the evidence for food-specific IgG tests being effective
• How soft tissue therapists & practicioners can work alongside YorkTest, and how can tests be ordered

Useful Links  

• YorkTest Website: yorktest.com
• YorkTest Practitioner Account Team:
  Tel: 01904 410 410
  Email: client.support@yorktest.co
• Facebook: @yorktestUK
• Twitter: @yorktestlabs
• Instagram: @yorktestUK

Our sincere thanks to Dr Gill Hart for giving up her time to be a guest on the Sports Therapy Association Podcast!

Please Support Our Podcast!
If you appreciate what we do, please take a couple of minutes to leave us a rating & review on Apple Podcasts. It really does make all the difference in helping us reach out to a larger audience. iPhone users you can do this from your phone, Android users you will need to do it from iTunes.

Questions? Email: matt@thesta.co.uk

STA100: Nutrition Month Pt2: ’The Endurance Diet’ with guest Matt Fitzgerald

We've reached 100 episodes! A huge thank you to all listeners & guests who have helped us reach this milestone! And to celebrate it, we continue our 'Focus on Nutrition' month: 'The Endurance Diet' with special guest Matt Fitzgerald. 

Matt Fitzgerald is a hugely respected endurance runner, sports journalist & best selling author. Therapists who work with runners/triathletes or are runners/triathletes themselves will most probably be familiar with Matt Fitzgerald's articles online & in magazines, plus his books including 'Brain Training for Runners', '80/20 Running', the recent 'Run Like a Pro', plus his excellent nutrition based books including the 'Racing Weight Series', 'Diet Cults' and 'The Endurance Diet'.

This episode is an absolute must for anyone interested in diet for endurance athletes!

Topics discussed include:

• You’ve written quite a few books on nutrition over the years including your 'Racing Weight Series' 2011 -2014, 'Diet Cults' in 2014, 'The Endurance Diet' in 2016. Have your views on diet for athletes changed much across that time?
• Your Book 'The Endurance Diet' is based on your personal study of how elite athletes around the world eat. Should we recreational athletes be following the same diet as elite athletes?
• How important a factor is genetics when it comes to elite endurance athletes?
• A look at the evolution of humans and diet 
• A look at the 'Five Principal Habits' of a successful endurance diet:
  - eat everything
  - eat quality
  - eat carb-centred
  - eat enough
  - eat individually.
• Why are most popular diets based on cutting out certain types of food?
• Do Elite endurance athletes all follow the same diet? 
• When you say eat everything, do you mean things like alcohol & sweets too?
• How common are food intolerances and allergies in elite athletes?
• Training Plans: https://www.8020endurance.com/
• Latest book: 'Run Like a Pro, Even If You're Slow'.  

Useful Links  

• Matt Fitzgerald Website: https://www.8020endurance.com/
• Matt Fitzgerald Latest book: 'Run Like a Pro, Even If You're Slow'.
• Facebook: 8020Endurance 

Please Support Our Podcast!
If you appreciate what we do, please take a couple of minutes to leave us a rating & review on Apple Podcasts. It really does make all the difference in helping us reach out to a larger audience. iPhone users you can do this from your phone, Android users you will need to do it from iTunes.

Questions? Email: matt@thesta.co.uk

STA99: ’Nutrition: Mind Over Matter?’ with special guest Dr Gary Mendoza

New month, new Focus Topic... NUTRITION! Join us for LIVE video recordings of the Sports Therapy Association Podcast throughout May at 8pm (GMT+1) with special guests discussing nutrition related topics.

Our special guest Dr Gary Mendoza, a behaviour change expert and lecturer in Nutrition for Sport & Exercise at Bath Spa and Cardiff Metropolitan Universities, opens the month with an episode entitled 'Nutrition: Mind Over Matter?'

Dr Mendoza was a guest back in August 2021 in Ep64 of the Sports Therapy Asspciation Podcast: 'Motivational Interviewing for Client Communication', and in this episode discusses how important an understanding of Behaviour Change is when working with patients or clients trying to manage their weight.

Topics discussed include:

• The research work Dr Mendoza did into the psychology of change, as part of his PhD in Nutrition
• The importance of a client’s state of ‘readiness’ when looking at weight management
• The fact that people will employ the services of a personal trainer or sports therapist even if they are not psychologically ready to change.
• The use of Motivational Interviewing (MI) when working with behaviour change goals, drawing on the knowledege of MI Founders William Miller and Stephen Rollnick, as well as Professor Terry Moyles.
• The value as a therapist or personal trainer of improving ones communication skills, including the ability to understand & use open questions effectively, affirmations, reflections and summaries (known collectively in MI terms as ‘OARS’).
• The use of “real play” vs “role play”, i.e. learners using their own personal or business issues when studying behaviour change, rather than a made up scenario.
• Details of courses run by Dr Mendoza, as well as his free downloadable 'Behaviour Change Booklet' (for therapists and clients) - see 'useful links' below.

Useful Links  

• Website & courses: stagesofchange.co.uk
• Free downloadable 'Behaviour Change Booklet' 
• Twitter: @Drgarymend
• Instagram: drgarymendoza 

About This Week's Guest
Dr Gary Mendoza has a PhD in Nutrition and a particular interest in the psychology of change. A former programme leader for sports nutrition and advanced sports nutrition at Massey University in New Zealand, Dr Mendoza lectures in nutrition for sport and exercise at Bath Spa and Cardiff Metropolitan Universities and is an Academic Associate member of the SENr. He is also director of Stages of Change Ltd and delivers the Behaviour Change Workshop, drawing on information he gained from training under the founders of Motivational Interviewing (MI) Professors Stephen Rollnick & William Miller.

Please Support Our Podcast!
If you appreciate what we do, please take a couple of minutes to leave us a rating & review on Apple Podcasts. It really does make all the difference in helping us reach out to a larger audience. iPhone users you can do this from your phone, Android users you will need to do it from iTunes.

Questions? Email: matt@thesta.co.uk