Episode 108: Ben Ashworth chats to Darcy Norman a qualified PT, AT and S&C with over 20 years experience in the human performance industry. He is currently a performance coach for the US Mens National Soccer Team and the Lead Performance Strategist at Kitman Labs. Darcy has previously enjoyed roles at the German Mens National Team, A.S. Roma, FC Bayern Munich, EXOS and many other roles as a PT, AT and S&C Coach. This episode between Ben and Darcy was recorded a little ago whilst Ben was still at AC Sparta, with the conversation covering nuances of effectively working in soccer managing workload & recovery in elite environments. 
 
 
 
Topics Discussed: 
Communication between club and national team
Individualisation within team settings
Collaborating on technical & tactical information with coaches
Optimal on-field volume & Intensity
Maximising Recovery 
 
 
Where you can find Darcy:
 
LinkedIn
Twitter
 
 
 
Sponsor
Inform Performance is sponsored by VALD Performance, makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training
 
 
 
Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on:
 
 
Instagram
Twitter
Our Website
 
 
Our Team
 
Andy McDonald
Ben Ashworth
Alistair McKenzie

Darcy Norman (Performance Coach - US Men’s National Soccer Team & Lead Performance Strategist at Kitman Labs)

The Inform Perform Podcast is an industry show focussed on Sports Performance and Sports Medicine. The show interviews thought leaders and professionals that support elite athletes and teams.  The aim of the show is to deconstruct the strategies and philosophies the guests utilise in their working  environment or area of expertise. Featured guests  have worked across the NBA, NFL, MLB, F1, World title Boxing, EPL and more.

Medicine

Science & Medicine

Health & Fitness

Episode 146: In this Research Unpacked Episode from Inform Performance, Dr Dylan Carmody chats to Snehal Patel the Clinical Supervisor for Sports Rehabilitation at Hospital for Special Surgery NYC. The main focus of the conversation is on his paper titled 'The Evolution of Rehabilitation and Return to Sport Following Cartilage Surgery.' Snay explains the differences between operative and non-operative management of cartilage injuries and the importance of strength training in the rehabilitation process. Snay also discusses BFR, the psychological aspect of returning to sport and the use of force plate testing and motion capture to assess jump height, landing mechanics, and force attenuation.



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Topics Discussed 
 
Operative vs. Non-Operative Management of Cartilage Injuries
Range of Motion & Loading Progressions in Post-Surgery Rehabilitation

Psychological Aspect of Returning to Sport


Assessing Jump Height, Landing Mechanics & Force Attenuation

Staying Updated on Emerging Surgical Techniques
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Where you can find Snehal:
:
LinkedIn
Research Gate
Instagram
SportsRehabLab
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Sponsors
VALD Performance, makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training.
- 
TeamBuildr: A platform for any coach in any setting. Every day, thousands of coaches log into TeamBuildr to write training programs, build questionnaires and access athlete and client performance data. Teambuildr is a complete platform. Whether you're building your own programming, looking to create custom reports or give athletes a tool for accountability, they've built it out.
-
Where to Find Us
Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on:
 
Instagram
Twitter
Our Website
-
Our Team
Andy McDonald
Ben Ashworth
Alistair McKenzie
Dylan Carmody

Research Unpacked: Snehal Patel - The Evolution of Rehabilitation & Return to Sport Following Cartilage Surgery

Episode 145: Dr Andy McDonald chats to Rich Willy from Montana Running Lab. Rich is an internationally known speaker on the treatment of running-related injuries who has more than 20 years’ experience as a PT. His expertise is in treating runners of all ages and ability levels, including professional and elite runners. Rich’s research aims to develop clinically effective treatments for common running-related injuries, such as patellofemoral pain, Achilles tendon injuries, and bone stress injuries. In this episode Rich and Andy discuss how Rich manages and rehabs LE bone stress injuries. 
 
Topics Discussed 
 
Bone Stress Injury detection
Rehab progressions
Signs of rehab success
BSI loading according to structure
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Where you can find Rich:
Instagram
X (Twitter)
Montana Running Lab
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Sponsors
VALD Performance, makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training
-
TeamBuildr: A platform for any coach in any setting. Every day, thousands of coaches log into TeamBuildr to write training programs, build questionnaires and access athlete and client performance data. Teambuildr is a complete platform. Whether you're building your own programming, looking to create custom reports or give athletes a tool for accountability, they've built it out.
-
Where to Find Us
Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on:
Instagram
Twitter
Our Website
-
Our Team
Andy McDonald
Ben Ashworth
Alistair McKenzie
Dylan Carmody

Rich Willy - Bone Stress Injury Rehab (Montana Running Lab’s Scientist & Educator)

Episode 144: Dr Andy McDonald chats to David Grey a Rehab Coach based in Ireland. David regularly rehabs some of the the best athletes in the world, and he has delivered workshops and seminars internationally regularly consults with top Coaches & Therapists to help them get even better results with their own clients. In this conversation David and Andy discuss Davids movement based approach to assessing and training the foot, ankle and achilles complex. 
 
Topics Discussed 
 
Training Considerations for the Foot & Ankle
Importance of Hip Extension and Positive Shin Angle

The Connection Between Foot and Hip

Movement Competency in Achilles Function
The Importance of Movement Coaching
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Where you can find David:
Instagram
Youtube
Website
-
Sponsors
VALD Performance, makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training
-
TeamBuildr: A platform for any coach in any setting. Every day, thousands of coaches log into TeamBuildr to write training programs, build questionnaires and access athlete and client performance data. Teambuildr is a complete platform. Whether you're building your own programming, looking to create custom reports or give athletes a tool for accountability, they've built it out.
-
Where to Find Us
Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on:
Instagram
Twitter
Our Website
-
Our Team
Andy McDonald
Ben Ashworth
Alistair McKenzie
Dylan Carmody

David Grey - Movement Competency for the Foot, Ankle & Achilles Complex

Episode 143: Dr Andy McDonald chats to Stephania Bell an Injury Analyst & Senior Writer for ESPN. Stephania is a license Physical Therapist, board-certified orthopedic clinical specialist emeritus and certified strength and conditioning specialist with an extensive clinical background prior to joining ESPN. In this conversation, Stephania discusses the importance of interdisciplinary experience in the field of sports medicine. She also dives into the ongoing debate on turf as a playing surface, highlighting the complexity of the issue and the need for more research. The conversation emphasises the importance of considering player feedback, performance, safety, and fiscal factors when selecting a playing surface.
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Topics Discussed 
 
Transition to Media and ESPN
Finding the best 3rd party practitioners
The complexity of surface selection
Objective assessment of playing surface
-
Where you can find Stephania:
Instagram
X
Turf Article
-
Sponsors
VALD Performance, makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training
-
TeamBuildr: A platform for any coach in any setting. Every day, thousands of coaches log into TeamBuildr to write training programs, build questionnaires and access athlete and client performance data. Teambuildr is a complete platform. Whether you're building your own programming, looking to create custom reports or give athletes a tool for accountability, they've built it out.
-
Where to Find Us
Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on:
Instagram
Twitter
Our Website
-
Our Team
Andy McDonald
Ben Ashworth
Alistair McKenzie
Dylan Carmody

Stephania Bell: The Complexity of Surface Selection (ESPN Injury Analyst & Senior Writer)

Episode 142: In this Research Unpacked Episode from Inform Performance, Dr Dylan Carmody chats to Colin Griffin, a Strength and Conditioning Coach and lower limb Rehabilitation Specialist. In this episode they discuss Colins work at the UPMC Sports Surgery Clinic and his experience as an elite athlete. He emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and continuous professional development in his clinic. Griffin explains his assessment process for Achilles tendon issues, considering factors such as the patient's background, training history, and goals. He also discusses the use of isokinetic testing and alternative testing setups. Griffin provides insights into the gastrocnemius run out and the tensile demands placed on tendons and muscles during various activities and explores various aspects of Achilles tendon rehabilitation.



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Topics Discussed 
 
Pathoanatomy
Force profiling with IKD, Force Plates, HHD
Realistic achilles loads
Plyometric exercises for the achilles
Achilles tendinopathy assessment
 
- 
Where you can find Colin:
LinkedIn
X (Twitter)
Instagram
-
Sponsors
VALD Performance, makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training.
- 
TeamBuildr: A platform for any coach in any setting. Every day, thousands of coaches log into TeamBuildr to write training programs, build questionnaires and access athlete and client performance data. Teambuildr is a complete platform. Whether you're building your own programming, looking to create custom reports or give athletes a tool for accountability, they've built it out.
-
Where to Find Us
Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on:
 
Instagram
Twitter
Our Website
-
Our Team
Andy McDonald
Ben Ashworth
Alistair McKenzie
Dylan Carmody

Darcy Norman (Performance Coach - US Men’s National Soccer Team & Lead Performance Strategist at Kitman Labs)

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