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At The Football Physio, we understand the unique challenges and demands faced by football players at all levels, from grassroots to professional leagues.

Our mission is to empower football players with knowledge and techniques to prevent injuries, recover effectively, and optimise their performance. We firmly believe that with the right guidance and support, every footballer can reach their full potential and stay at the top of their game

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Specialist Practitioners

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Introduction

X, formerly known as Twitter, is a leading resource for continuing professional development. A variety of expert practitioners regularly share information that helps you keep up to date as a Football Physio. In this blog, we have compiled a list of suggested accounts to follow across several categories that are relevant to your practice as a Football Physio. We have included individuals who have demonstrated extensive applied and / or research experience within their given area, the majority also have renowned experience working with football players.

Foot & Ankle

  • Liz Bayley – @lizbayleyphysio – Foot and ankle specialist physio.
  • Steve Kemp – @physiostevekemp – Head physio at the football association, completing a PhD in ankle rehabilitation.
  • Fraser McKinney – @frasermckinney – Lead rehab physio at Southampton FC, foot and ankle rehab specialist.
  • Colin Griffin – @colingriffin   Lower limb rehabilitation specialist, PhD in achilles tendon rehab and lower limb biomechanics.
  • James Calder – Website – Founding member of the Fortius clinic, a highly regarded foot and ankle surgeon with an extensive background of working with elite level football players.
  • Suzy Speirs – @suzy_speirs – Consultant podiatric surgeon.
  • Foot and Ankle MD – @footandanklemd –
  • Journal of Foot and Ankle Research – @jfootankleres

Knee

  • Mick Hughes – @mickwhughes – ACL rehab specialist.
  • Enda King – @enda_king – ACL and hip / groin specialist.
  • Claire Robertson – @clairepatella – Consultant physiotherapist and patellofemoral expert.
  • Nicholas Colyvas – @drnickcolyvas – Professor of orthopaedic surgery, special interest in meniscus preservation surgery.
  • Bilal Barkatali – @kneeclinicmcr – The Knee Clinic Manchester
  • Sanjay Anand – @manchesterknees – Consultant knee surgeon at Orthteam Manchester.
  • Andy Williams – Website – Renowned knee surgeon with extensive experience of knee ligament surgery in elite football players.
  • The Knee Resource – @thekneeresource – Shares up to date research and rehab ideas for all knee injuries.

Hamstring

  • Professor Fares Haddad – @bjjeditor – The go to surgeon for significant hamstring injuries.
  • Lasse Lempainen – Website – Specialist in lower limb surgery, completed his doctoral thesis on “Surgical treatment of hamstring injuries and disorders – the clinical spectrum from chronic tendinopathy to complete rupture”.
  • Fearghal Kerin –@fearghalherin Rehab physio at Chelsea, PhD in hamstring muscle injuries.
  • David Opar – @davidopar – Leads a high level research team investigating the prevention and rehabilitation of hamstring injuries.

Hip & Groin

  • Mehmet Gem – @thehipphysio – ‘The Hip Physio’
  • Enda King – @enda_king – Specialist rehab physio with a particular interest in groin and ACL injuries.
  • James Noake – @drjn_sportsmed – Consultant in musculoskeletal medicine, special interest in hip and groin injuries.
  • Per Holmich – @perholmich – World renowned orthopaedic surgeon within the field of groin injuries in sports.
  • Adam Weir – @adamweirsports – Sports medicine physician, special interest in hip and groin injuries.
  • Professor Aali Sheen – @aalisheen – Leading ‘sportsmans hernia’ surgeon, has published extensively on sports groin injuries and put forward the concept of ‘inguinal disruption’.
  • Professor Ernest Schilders – @e_schilders – Hip, groin and hamstring surgeon, introduced the PLAC concept.

Upper Limb

  • Adam Meakins – @adammeakins – Previously worked at Watford FC, experienced sports physio and shoulder specialist.
  • Ben Ashworth – @benashworth – Dual qualified in physio and S & C, previously worked at Arsenal FC, shoulder specialist.
  • Val Jones – @valjones2305val – Upper limb specialist physio with a special interest in the elbow.
  • Ian Gatt – @iangattphysio – Experienced upper limb sports physio, has been head of performance and medicine at GB boxing for several years.

Youth Development & Injuries

  • Diane Ryding – @dyriding – Experienced youth football physio working several years in the academy at Manchester United, specialist in youth injuries.
  • Angela Jackson – @angiephysio – specialist physio in youth injury management.
  • Sam Blanchard – @sjbphysio_sport – experienced youth football physio with an interest in long term athlete development.
  • Gemma Parry – @gemmanparry – EIS physio, PhD in profiling movement and the adolescent athlete.
  • Sean Cumming – @phd_sean – Researcher on growth and maturation in sport and exercise, bio-banding, talent development.
  • Rhodri Lloyd – @drrslloyd – Professor of pediatric strength and conditioning.
  • Des Ryan – @deasunO – Experienced specialist in youth athlete development.
  • Nirav Pandya – @drniravpandya – Professor of pediatric orthopaedic surgery.

Experienced Football Physio’s

  • Tom Hughes – @dt_hughes – Worked for several seasons at Man Utd academy, completed a PhD on injury prediction in football.
  • Steve Kemp – @physiostevekemp – Lead physio at the football association, completing a PhD in ankle rehab.
  • James Haycock – @jimmyphys77 – Well qualified and very experienced football physio

Sports Medicine Specialists

  • James Noake – @drjn_sportsmed – Consultant in musculoskeletal medicine. Shares interesting MSK case studies including information on assessment and management.
  • RJ @northwoods1980 – MSK radiologist, shares lots of case studies.
  • Rowena Johnson – @rowenasports – Professor of sports medicine imaging.
  • Professor Waqar Bhatti – Consultant radiologist, not on social media. His website is https://professorwaqarbhatti.co.uk/
  • Andy Massey – @andy_massey – Medical director at FIFA. Shares lots of information on all aspects of football medicine, FIFA emergency protocols are particularly good.
  • Aneil Malhotra – @DrAneilMalhotra – Prof Malhotra is a highly regarding sports cardiologist. His research interests include the overlap between hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and the physiological adaptation of the athlete’s heart, as well as cardiac screening in football.

Sport Science Practitioners

  • Franco Impellizzeri – @francoimpell – Professor in sport and exercise science, vastly experienced researcher in all aspects of football performance.
  • Matt Taberner – @matttaberner – Experienced sport scientist / S & C coach, has produced a lot of work in data based rehab.
  • Stephen Patterson – @stephen_patt – Leading researcher in blood flow restriction training.
  • Richard Akenhead – @richakenhead – PhD on the physiological demands of elite football. Specialist in training load monitoring
  • Robin Thorpe – @drrobinthorpe – Specialist in recovery markers and practices in football.
  • Stacey Emmonds – @s_emmonds – Specialist in youth athlete development and strength and conditioning in womens football.
  • Neil Welch – @nwconditioning – Head of performance services at SSC Dublin, specialist in S & C and high level musculoskeletal rehab.
  • Michael Gleeson – @profmikegleeson – Professor in sports nutrition, wrote the book on nutrition in football.

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