The Sports MAP Network

Syndesmosis injuries, commonly known as high ankle sprains, are among the most frequently missed and mismanaged injuries in sports medicine. In this episode of the How I Rehab podcast, host Nick Kane sits down with Melbourne orthopedic surgeon Dr Sasha Roshan, a foot and ankle specialist with a particular focus on sports-related injuries, to break down everything clinicians need to know about syndesmosis injury recognition, decision-making and rehabilitation. Sasha walks through the on-field and clinical signs that separate a syndesmosis injury from a standard ankle sprain, the investigations that actually change management (and the ones that don't), when surgery is warranted versus a structured period of conservative care, and how modern fixation techniques, from traditional screws to TightRope and internal brace augmentation, have changed return-to-play timelines. The conversation closes with a detailed walkthrough of post-operative rehabilitation, from wound-focused early management through to safe return-to-running criteria. Whether you're a physiotherapist, athletic trainer or S&C coach working pitch-side or in private practice, this episode gives you a surgeon's-eye view of a diagnosis you cannot afford to miss. Want to go deeper? Sports MAP's Masterclass platform features a full Syndesmosis Injury and Management Masterclass with Stuart Imer, covering classification, surgical management and rehabilitation in detail — start your 7-day free trial and watch it today. Topics covered: Dr Sasha Roshan's background and international fellowship training Insights from the 2026 AOFAS/NZOFAS Combined Annual Scientific Meeting in Singapore On-field and clinical signs that distinguish syndesmosis injury from lateral ankle sprain Why missed syndesmosis injuries lead to long-term joint damage and premature arthrosis Weight-bearing X-ray, MRI and ultrasound: what to order and when Determining stability vs instability and when to refer for surgery Weight-bearing CT and diagnostic arthroscopy for grey-zone cases Evolution of surgical fixation: screws, TightRope and internal brace Combined medial (deltoid) ligament injuries and surgical decision-making Post-operative rehabilitation: wound care, early ROM, weight-bearing progression Dorsiflexion range of motion and safe return-to-running criteria Follow-up imaging philosophy and tightrope button removal https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wsTP8x-uxg Do you want to go deeper with your rehabilitation skills? ⁠ Explore the full library of practical sports physio and rehabilitation-based Masterclassesfor all your CPD/CEU needs with a free 7-day limited-access trial. ⁠⁠ Explore the Masterclasses HERE

In this episode of the How I Rehab Podcast, we sit down with sports podiatrist Blake Withers to work through a real clinical case: a 19-year-old marathon runner with anterior shin pain and eight weeks to go before race day. Blake Withers is a musculoskeletal podiatrist, University of Newcastle biomechanics lecturer, and PhD candidate researching running injury prevention. He also hosts The Sports Medicine Project podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/sports-medicine-project/id1608497693) and is a marathon runner himself. Together we work through the full clinical picture, history, red flags, imaging decisions and a week-by-week return-to-run plan covering: Training load and distribution as the biggest driver of bone stress injury How bone stress injury symptoms differ from tendinopathy Differential diagnoses for shin pain — and the one you can't afford to miss Why the anterior tibia is a high-risk site, and how to palpate it properly Imaging pathways: when to choose X-ray, MRI or CT MTSS ("shin splints") vs. bone stress injury — same spectrum, or separate conditions? The three phases of rehab: pain, capacity, and minimum effective dose Progressive reloading and unloading strategies by injury grade Running biomechanics, footwear and gait changes that offload the tibia Want to go deeper on bone stress injury assessment and reloading? Rich Willy, one of the world's leading voices on running injuries, breaks it down step by step in the Bone Stress Injury Reloaded Masterclass, now live on SportsMAP: https://sportsmap.com.au/course/bone-stress-injury-reloaded-the-lower-limb/ Get a free 7-day trial and unlock the entire SportsMAP masterclass library while you're there. Connect with Blake: Instagram: @blakesportspodiatrist Podcast: The Sports Medicine Project Join us at Fast Track the Injured Runner — our annual running injury conference in Melbourne this February. Full details at https://sportsmap.com.au/product/fast-track-the-injured-runner-2027/   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4NL4Jjqf6M

Lindsay has a wealth of experience, having spent over a decade in the AFL, initially starting as a Rehab Physio and then progressing on to be the Head Physio for the Gold Coast Suns. Lindsay recently returned home from his role at Aspetar Hospital and is now consulting from Gold Coast with elite and sub-elite athletes. In addition, he’s worked with Championship side Bristol City FC and Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club in the UK as well as working as a physiotherapist at the 2012 London Olympic games. We chat with Lindsay to: How the article ‘The Handover Hangover’ came about and why. The Integrated Rehab Continuum and the three key principles of collegiality, alignment & concurrent engagement The Integrated Rehab Continuum in practice; what is looks like in real time. How to ensure all practitioners are on the same page. How to avoid falling into ‘silos’ as a high-performance team. Tissue loading decisions that were changed from insights from the strength team. How to build a strong communication network in the team. How do we best integrate new staff whilst still allowing them to bring their natural skills and expertise? Tips for those not working in elite sport to maintain strong rehab frameworks. The role of medical oversight in rehabilitation. The full article, ‘The Handover Hangover ’, can be found HERE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQRRviV1D0s Do you want to go deeper with your rehabilitation skills? ⁠ Explore the full library of practical sports physio and rehabilitation-based Masterclassesfor all your CPD/CEU needs with a free 7-day limited-access trial. ⁠⁠ Explore the Masterclasses Here

Achilles Tendinopathy in the NBA: A Bottom-Up Approach with NBA Physical Therapist Jarred Boyd Achilles tendinopathy is one of the most performance-limiting conditions in basketball — and one of the hardest to manage well across an 82-game NBA season. In this episode of the How I Rehab Podcast, host Nick Kane sits down with NBA Physical Therapist Jarred Boyd (Memphis Grizzlies) to unpack how elite NBA medical staff actually assess, load and progress Achilles and patellar tendon pain, from the first signs of irritability through to full return to play. Jarred holds a Doctor of Physical Therapy and has spent seven seasons working in the NBA, most recently as Director of Rehabilitation for the Memphis Grizzlies. His approach blends first-principles thinking, systems-based reasoning and tissue-specific loading science — aligning every intervention with an athlete's tissue ecology, impulse capacity and neuromechanical readiness. In this episode, Jarred and Nick discuss: How prevalent tendon pain really is in NBA basketball, and why the demands of the modern game are driving it To what extent tendon pain limits participation and performance, even before it stops an athlete playing The "bottom-up" approach to tissue health — building tendon stiffness through morphology and material adaptation, not chasing it directly Three key management principles built around strain: strain magnitude, strain tolerance and strain rate Practical prescription of loading — sets, reps, %1RM and %MVIC for isometric and isotonic tendon work Ideal positioning for tendon loading and adaptation, and why range matters as much as load What the seated calf raise and inner-range calf exercise actually do — and don't do — for Achilles tendinopathy What mechanical fatigue is, and how it shapes in-season load management decisions Addressing the real risk of Achilles tendon rupture, and the role of vertical integration in reducing it Addressing the fear of Achilles rupture in athletes who are managing tendon pain   Want to take this from theory into your own clinical practice? Jarred's bottom-up framework blends with Colin Griffin’s Sports Map Masterclass, Athlete Profiling & Rehab for the Calf & Achilles Complex. Colin is a Lower-Limb Rehabilitation Specialist at UPMC Sports Surgery Clinic in Dublin, holds a PhD in Achilles tendon injury rehabilitation and lower limb biomechanics, and spent over 15 years in high performance sport. Colin walks you through objective calf assessment, isokinetic and horizontal jump testing, rehabilitation progressions for the calf and Achilles complex, and the coaching cues you…

In this episode of the How I Rehab Podcast, we sit down with Rebecca Rushton, podiatrist and director of Esperance Podiatry, to dig into a real clinical case on blister prevention and management. Rebecca shares the practical strategies and clinical reasoning she uses to help patients avoid blisters and manage them effectively when they do occur. We chat to: What causes blisters and what is repetitive shear deformation? What are the 5 stages of blisters? Taping is a commonly used method to prevent blisters. Does it help reduce blisters? Should we shave/trimming a callous? Should I pierce or pop a fluid-filled blister? Can you measure shear to help prevent blisters? Prevention of blisters: What works? What does not? What does not work? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoESNZurq90 Do you want to go deeper with your rehabilitation skills? Explore the full library of practical sports physios and rehabilitation-based masterclasses for all your CPD/ CEU needs with a free 7 day limited access trial. https://sportsmap.com.au/masterclasses/

In this episode, we sit down with Andy, a clinician working across both Physiotherapy and Strength & Conditioning, to unpack how he plans and progresses rehabilitation once the clinical picture is clear.   Andy has over 15 years' experience working within the performance and sports medicine space. His career has spanned teams, individuals, and private-sector clients — ranging from developing youth and collegiate athletes through to Olympic/Paralympic and Professional levels. Andy has a passion for high-performance and sports medicine, with extended interests into leadership, marketing, and wider health and wellness. He thrives working in dynamic, forward-thinking MDT environments and enjoys contributing to the ambitions of athletes and organisations alike.   We chat with Andy about: - How Andy plans out his rehabilitation once he has the required clinical information- What Andy means by "co-actives"- How to determine rehab objectives and the "ladder of loading"- How to avoid getting lost in Excel spreadsheets — collating information into an organised format- How to balance field and gym demands, and whose role that is- Working collaboratively across the medical and performance departments- Understanding pathology, and how to plan and adjust accordingly- Planning while staying flexible based on athlete response- Managing risk in rehabilitation — the return to high-speed or high-force demands- How much information to share with the athlete — thinking not "when" the athlete will be ready, but "how" the athlete will be ready- What Game Plan is, and how it can help clinicians   Do you want to go deeper with your rehabilitation skills? Explore the full library of practical sports physios and rehabilitation-based masterclasses for all your CPD/ CEU needs with a free 7 day limited access trial. https://sportsmap.com.au/masterclass-library/ Watch the full podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jEhmDDPReM

Toby Banfield is an accomplished performance practitioner across a number of sporting codes and elite environments. He is the current Head of Sport Science for Brentford FC in the English Premier League.  In this episode, Toby discusses his philosophies and blueprints for performance planning, how his blueprint has allowed him to adapt to a wide range of diverse sporting situations, and the differences and parallels between season planning for a whole team and rehabilitation planning for an individual injured athlete.  Topics The Six Step Blueprint for Effective Performance Planning. The Six Step Blueprint for Effective Rehabilitation Planning. How to Plan in an Appropriate Level of Detail and Avoid Common Pitfalls of “Too Much Detail”. “Vertical Integration” for Performance Planning.  “Vertical Integration” for Rehabilitation Planning.  Non-Invasive Athlete Testing “Everything is a Test”. Do you want to go deeper with your rehabilitation skills? Explore the full library of practical sports physios and rehabilitation-based masterclasses for all your CPD/ CEU needs with a free 7 day limited access trial. https://sportsmap.com.au/masterclasses/ Watch on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sX3YeEbRYdY

Brenton is the lead performance therapist at the Brooklyn, having recently relocated from his role as head physio in the AFL with the North Melbourne Football Club.  Brenton is a Sports Physiotherapist (Master’s in Sports PT) and has previously worked as the Rehabilitation Physio with the Melbourne FC (AFL) and Norwich FC. He has also been a co-founder of Enhance Sports Performance and Rehabilitation since Dec 2016. Topics: Transitioning between elite sports Working in different countries and sports- the cultural shift How to level up your communication & soft skills Building trust with athletes and staff Being reflective as a learning practice Not getting lost in the world of data for decision-making Fundamental rehabilitation principles Navigating High-performance environment pressures Brenton’s lessons, transferable to practitioners Watch on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fp2kQ1wwos0 Do you want to go deeper with your rehabilitation skills? Explore the full library of practical sports physios and rehabilitation-based masterclasses for all your CPD/ CEU needs with a free 7 day limited access trial.

Darcy Norman is the current Director of Performance at Chicago Fire FC in the MLS. He is a multi-accredited and accomplished practitioner, especially in the world of soccer. Darcy’s roles have included Performance and Rehab Coach at Bayern Munich FC in the German Bundesliga and for the German national team, including their 2014 world cup winning campaign, the Director of Performance at AS Roma in the Italian Serie A, Head of Performance for the US Men’s National Soccer Team and the Lead Performance Strategist at Kitman Labs. Topics Darcy’s career journey, qualifications, mentors, and his pathway to elite sport and top-flight, international soccer. Data-informed vs. data-driven sports performance and medicine. Defining power. The six components of soccer-specific power. Technical advancements in measuring sport-specific power through GPS monitoring. The “vertical integration” model of injury rehabilitation. Using power as a key metric to guide rehabilitation. WATCH ON YOUTUBE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIoNjY_g6Ck Do you want to go deeper with your rehabilitation skills? Explore the full library of practical sports physios and rehabilitation-based masterclasses for all your CPD/ CEU needs with a free 7 day limited access trial.   References: GPS 3.0: https://martin-buchheit.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/SPSR280_Buchheit_Final.pdf

Ben Dixon is the current Head of Strength, Conditioning & Rehabilitation at Millwall Football Club.  His prior experience includes roles with Watford FC, Head Performance Coach for the Chinese Olympic Committee, Head of Physical Performance for the Taiwan national football team and the English National Ballet. Topics: Ben fills us in on his post-doctorate to date and what we can expect moving forward. What is ‘match load’? What do we often overlook when it comes to match load? Ben talks about a framework to clarify the construct of match load. What is ‘density ' in practice? How accurate is the data we are getting? How do we include all this information in our rehab systems? Advice around rehabilitation for those without GPS units What do we mean by injury-specific metrics, and how might this be something that can be applied in practice moving forward? What are we missing in our current rehab RTP models in sport of recent times? Individual factors to account for the return to play process. Position demands and rolling windows. What is the post-rehabilitation phase and how can we minimise subsequent injury here? When does rehab actually stop (by definition)? One specific change Ben has made to his rehab system based on his research that other practitioners could implement tomorrow? WATCH ON YOUTUBE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8WqG4C79Ws Do you want to go deeper with your rehabilitation skills? Explore the full library of practical sports physios and rehabilitation-based masterclasses for all your CPD/ CEU needs with a free 7 day limited access trial.   References: Ben is undertaking a Professional Doctorate at the University of Central Lancashire, evaluating rehabilitation procedures in professional football.   Ben Post Doc Papers: Match load as a construct in professional football: complexities and considerations  Evaluating rehabilitation and return to play procedures in male professional football: A narrative review. Post Rehabilitation Phase’ in professional football: are we optimising player support after return to play?    References mentioned: Mechanism of Injury of soft tissue injuries research paper summary  Mitchell & Gimpel, 2024- A return to performance pathway in professional Soccer Zhang et al 2025. The time course of injury risk and return to Sport in Professional football.  Chris Bramah - SMAS Dylan Harper: Assessment of Deceleration