Inform Performance

Episode 225: In this Gameplan episode - a collaboration between Gameplan & Inform Performance, Host Andy McDonald is joined by Consultant Physiotherapist Lindsay Bull. 

Lindsay is an experienced sports physiotherapist and medical services leader working across elite professional sport and high-performance environments. His work centres on performance rehabilitation, return-to-sport decision making, and management of complex musculoskeletal injuries, particularly thigh muscle and hip/groin conditions across elite athletes. Lindsay's experience includes leading medical services within elite AFL programs across multiple programs, with responsibility for multidisciplinary team leadership, medical and rehabilitation strategy, and player availability outcomes.

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Topics Discussed:

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Where you can find Lindsay Bull:

LinkedIn

Instagram

Where you can find the paper: 

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Sponsors

Gameplan Is a Rehab Management System providing Medical & Performance Departments with a centralised platform to plan, track & manage the return-to-play process inside a data rich environment. Gameplan provides one platform to connect the people, process and data during rehab. 

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Where to Find Us

Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on:

Episode 224: In this episode of Accelerate Podcast, host Nicola Graham is joined by Mark Opar — a clinical physiotherapist of ten years who made the leap into sports technology, and now serves as Head of Strategy for Health at VALD, one of the world's leading sports technology companies.

Mark's career has bridged the clinic and the boardroom — giving him a rare perspective on what it takes to translate elite sport innovation into everyday healthcare. VALD's force plates, strength testing systems, and assessment tools are trusted by thousands of elite teams worldwide, and Mark's mission is to bring that same objective assessment capability to clinics, hospitals, and the general population.

ㅤ At the centre of the conversation is a provocative thesis: objective assessment isn't just about better data — it's about better engagement. Mark unpacks how giving practitioners and patients a shared language changes the dynamic of care, driving motivation, trust, and ultimately better outcomes.

ㅤ The discussion also explores the realities of moving from clinician to corporate strategist, and what elite sport can teach healthcare about measuring what matters.

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Sponsors

Gameplan is a rehab Project Management & Data Analytics Platform that improves operational & communication efficiency during rehab. Gameplan provides a centralised tool for MDT’s to work collaboratively inside a data rich environment

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

Hytro: The world’s leading Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) wearable, designed to accelerate recovery and maximise athletic potential using Hytro BFR for Professional Sport. 

BTL: BTL Industries develops advanced rehabilitation and performance technologies, including SIS DUO, Shockwave Therapy, High-Intensity Laser, TR-Therapy, Lymphastim and R-FORCE. BTL systems are designed to support recovery, pain management, functional rehabilitation and return-to-play pathways across clinical and elite sport settings.

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Where to Find Us

Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on:

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Our Team

Episode 223: In this 1st episode of Gameplans - a collaboration between Gameplan & Inform Performance, Host Andy McDonald is joined by Michael Giakoumis the Head of Rehab at Manchester City FC.

Michael is an experienced sports physiotherapist with specialised expertise in complex hip, groin, and lower-limb muscle injuries, frequently providing second opinions for challenging cases. He has previously held roles at the Marylebone Health Group (MHG) in their specialist hip, groin, and muscle injury clinic, as well as within elite international athletics with British Athletics and across multiple other sports. 

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Topics Discussed:

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Where you can find Michael Giakoumis:

LinkedIn

Instagram

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Sponsors

Gameplan Is a Rehab Management System providing Medical & Performance Departments with a centralised platform to plan, track & manage the return-to-play process inside a data rich environment. Gameplan provides one platform to connect the people, process and data during rehab. 

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Where to Find Us

Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on:

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Our Team

Episode 222: In this episode of the Inform Performance Podcast, Andy McDonald is joined by Dr. Warren Bradley — sports nutritionist turned co-founder of Hytro, the world's leading Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) wearable used by elite teams across multiple sports worldwide.

With over a decade of experience in professional sport and a PhD in sports nutrition, Warren has spent the past six years transitioning from applied practice into building a company that delivers BFR solutions to high-performance environments around the globe. His unique perspective bridges the science of recovery with the practical realities of elite sport.

Throughout the episode, Warren explores the physiological challenges athletes face during congested tournament schedules, and how practitioners can mitigate the effects of jet lag, travel fatigue, and accumulated load. The conversation examines neuromuscular function, the role of perception in fatigue and recovery, and how emerging modalities like BFR may support tendon recovery.

The discussion also dives into how practitioners can identify which recovery strategies actually matter, how to evaluate their effectiveness, and why the human element remains central to recovery science — even as technology and data continue to evolve.

Topics Discussed:

Where you can find Warren:

LinkedIn

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Sponsors

Gameplan is a rehab Project Management & Data Analytics Platform that improves operational & communication efficiency during rehab. Gameplan provides a centralised tool for MDT’s to work collaboratively inside a data rich environment

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

Hytro: The world’s leading Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) wearable, designed to accelerate recovery and maximise athletic potential using Hytro BFR for Professional Sport. 

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Where to Find Us

Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on:

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Our Team

Episode 221: In this episode of Sports Science Insights, host Steve Barrett is joined by Julie Gooderick — a UKSCA Accredited Strength & Conditioning Coach and Sports Therapist with more than 15 years of experience supporting athletes across a wide range of sports, from grassroots participation through to the Olympic Games.

Julie has led athlete scholarship programmes within schools and universities, helping to create pathways that develop talent from early participation to elite performance. With a degree in Sports Therapy, an MSc in Strength & Conditioning, and experience supporting athletes at two Olympic Games, she brings a unique perspective on long-term athlete development, performance support, and the realities of working in high-performance sport.

At the centre of the conversation is the challenge of supporting athletes beyond the training programme itself. Julie discusses the role of recovery in performance, why sleep remains one of the most underutilised tools available to athletes, and how practitioners can create environments that promote both performance and wellbeing.

The discussion also explores Julie's involvement in initiatives designed to support and develop female coaches within the profession. Drawing on her own experiences, she reflects on the progress that has been made, the challenges that remain, and the importance of creating opportunities for future generations of practitioners.

Throughout the episode, Julie shares practical examples and case studies from her consultancy work with female athletes, providing insight into the complex and individualised nature of performance support across different sporting environments.

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Topics Discussed:

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Where you can find Julie:

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Sponsors

Axon: Performance teams spend the morning after game day stitching together six systems before the coach gets an answer. Axon Perform fixes that. Every source you already use, Catapult, StatSports, VALD, Opta, OVAL, Wyscout, WHOOP, Garmin and the rest, connects into a dedicated Snowflake warehouse.

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

Hytro: The world’s leading Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) wearable, designed to accelerate recovery and maximise athletic potential using Hytro BFR for Professional Sport. 

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Where to Find Us

Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on:

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Our Team

Episode 220: In this episode of Accelerate Podcast, host Nicola Graham is joined by Allan MacDonald — a decision-making specialist who has spent 15 years in elite sport before transitioning into government, and who holds a professional doctorate in judgmental forecasting and decision-making.

Allan's career has taken him across high-performance sport, public sector strategy, and academic research — giving him a rare cross-domain perspective on how decisions actually get made under pressure. His doctoral work focuses on the science of forecasting and human judgement, exploring why even experienced professionals fall short when it matters most.

ㅤ At the centre of the conversation is a question every high-performance environment faces: how do we make better decisions — not just with better data, but with better thinking? Allan unpacks the gap between having information and knowing how to weigh it, and why expertise alone is no defence against the biases that quietly shape our choices.

ㅤ The discussion also explores how the principles of judgmental forecasting and calibrated confidence translate beyond sport — into business, strategy, and any environment where decisions are made in the face of uncertainty.

ㅤ Topics Discussed:

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Where you can find Allan:

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Sponsors

Gameplan is a rehab Project Management & Data Analytics Platform that improves operational & communication efficiency during rehab. Gameplan provides a centralised tool for MDT’s to work collaboratively inside a data rich environment

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

Hytro: The world’s leading Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) wearable, designed to accelerate recovery and maximise athletic potential using Hytro BFR for Professional Sport. 

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Where to Find Us

Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on:

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Our Team

Episode 219: In this episode of the Inform Performance Podcast, Andy McDonald is joined by Simon Wallace — Senior Physiotherapist at Aspetar Sports Medicine Hospital, where he leads the Foot, Ankle, and Calf rehabilitation team.

With extensive experience across elite sport and high-performance environments, Simon has developed particular expertise in lower limb rehabilitation, specialising in complex foot and ankle injuries as well as recurrent thigh muscle issues. Prior to Aspetar, Simon spent over a decade working in professional rugby, including serving as Medical Lead & Head Physiotherapist at Leicester Tigers.

Throughout the episode, Simon shares a detailed insight into the rehabilitation process following Achilles tendon rupture and repair, exploring how clinicians can effectively balance tissue healing, loading strategies, and athlete expectations throughout recovery. The conversation highlights the importance of understanding the variability within Achilles rehab and why rigid timelines often fail to reflect the realities of individual recovery.

The discussion also dives into the role of early-stage management post-surgery, common mistakes that can delay progress, and how practitioners can better integrate strength and plyometric training to prepare athletes for the demands of return to performance. Simon offers practical perspectives on navigating decision-making in elite sport while maintaining athlete confidence and long-term outcomes.

Topics Discussed:

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Where you can find Simon:

LinkedIn

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Sponsors

Gameplan is a rehab Project Management & Data Analytics Platform that improves operational & communication efficiency during rehab. Gameplan provides a centralised tool for MDT’s to work collaboratively inside a data rich environment

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

Hytro: The world’s leading Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) wearable, designed to accelerate recovery and maximise athletic potential using Hytro BFR for Professional Sport. 

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Where to Find Us

Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on:

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Our Team

Episode 218: In this episode of Accelerate Podcast, host Nicola Graham is joined by Dr Naomi Myhill — Director of Applied Science at Cascaid Health, a proactive health platform applying elite sport methodology to consumer health and longevity.

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Where you can find Naomi:

Website

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Sponsors

Gameplan is a rehab Project Management & Data Analytics Platform that improves operational & communication efficiency during rehab. Gameplan provides a centralised tool for MDT’s to work collaboratively inside a data rich environment

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

Hytro: The world’s leading Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) wearable, designed to accelerate recovery and maximise athletic potential using Hytro BFR for Professional Sport. 

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Where to Find Us

Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on:

-

Our Team

Episode 218: In this episode of Accelerate Podcast, host Nicola Graham is joined by Emma Meehan — Founder, CEO and CTO of KinetikIQ, a company transforming smartphones into full-body 3D biomechanics systems using LiDAR and machine learning, without the need for wearables.

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Where you can find Emma:

LinkedIn

Instagram

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Sponsors

Gameplan is a rehab Project Management & Data Analytics Platform that improves operational & communication efficiency during rehab. Gameplan provides a centralised tool for MDT’s to work collaboratively inside a data rich environment

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

Hytro: The world’s leading Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) wearable, designed to accelerate recovery and maximise athletic potential using Hytro BFR for Professional Sport. 

- 

Where to Find Us

Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on:

-

Our Team

Episode 217: In this episode of the Inform Performance, Andy McDonald is joined by Hannah Marchant — a Sports Therapist working across elite sport and clinical environments, currently with New York City FC, and formerly at Cleveland Clinic.

With a background spanning high-performance sport and advanced clinical practice, Hannah brings a detailed perspective on integrating rehabilitation, objective testing, and data-led decision-making within multidisciplinary teams. Her work centres on optimising athlete recovery while ensuring robust, criteria-based return-to-play outcomes.

Across the conversation, Hannah breaks down the complexities of managing patellar instability and MPFL injuries — from initial assessment through to long-term rehabilitation strategy. The discussion explores how anatomical risk factors influence decision-making, the importance of structured clinical workflows, and how practitioners can adapt rehab in real time based on objective feedback.

The episode also dives into the nuances of progressing patellar rehab in elite environments, highlighting how to balance tissue healing, strength development, and movement quality — while maintaining clarity across the MDT. Hannah shares practical insights into monitoring progress, refining interventions, and ensuring athletes are not just cleared to return, but truly prepared to perform.

Topics Discussed:

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Where you can find Hannah:

LinkedIn

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Sponsors

Gameplan is a rehab Project Management & Data Analytics Platform that improves operational & communication efficiency during rehab. Gameplan provides a centralised tool for MDT’s to work collaboratively inside a data rich environment

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

Hytro: The world’s leading Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) wearable, designed to accelerate recovery and maximise athletic potential using Hytro BFR for Professional Sport. 

- 

Where to Find Us

Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on:

-

Our Team