Psychology Series - Pre performance anxiety with Danielle Burns

In this episode, host Dr. Ian Cookson interviews Danielle Burns, a sport and exercise psychologist, about the topic of pre-performance anxiety in sports, particularly in women's football.

Key Topics Discussed

- Danielle's academic and playing background in sport and exercise psychology [00:00:36 - 00:01:35]

Where to Find Danielle Burns

- Twitter: @dburnsmsc

- LinkedIn: Danielle Burns

Where to Find Dr. Ian Cookson

Women's Football Hub

Key References

- Bolton Wanderers

In this episode, host Carolyn Kent interviews Dr. Sinead Dufour, an associate professor at the Faculty of Health Science at McMaster University in Ontario and the director of pelvic health at the World of My Baby (The Womb). Dr. Dufour has over 20 years of experience as a physical therapist and a PhD in Health and Rehabilitation Science.

• [00:00:40] Changes a female athlete's body goes through during pregnancy, including impacts on cardiovascular, respiratory, and pelvic floor systems

• Website: www.thewomb.ca

• Pelvic floor muscle training

In this episode, host Carolyn Kent interviews Lachlan Mackenzie, a strength and conditioning and sports science specialist who works with the female high performance football program at the University of Wollongong and the South Coast Flame club.

Lachlan discusses:

• [00:01:29] The limitations of the term "strength and conditioning" and why "athletic development" may be a better framing

In this episode, host Carolyn Kent interviews Professor Evangelos Pappas, an expert in musculoskeletal health and ACL injuries. Professor Pappas is the Director of the MedTech Research and Innovation Hub and a Professor of Musculoskeletal Health at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT).

Topics Covered:

Why women's football players are at higher risk of ACL injuries (00:01:27)

Surgical options for ACL tears, including hamstring grafts and bone-patellar tendon-bone grafts (00:07:18)

Non-surgical management approaches, including the "CrossBrace" protocol and bridge-enhanced ACL repair (00:14:03)

The long-term consequences of ACL injuries, including increased risk of early-onset osteoarthritis (00:18:34)

Importance of injury prevention programs and educating athletes about return-to-sport risks (00:20:39)

Decision-making tools to help patients choose surgical vs. non-surgical treatment (00:26:09)

Where to Find Professor Evangelos Pappas:

Twitter: @EVPappas

Key Terms & References:

ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament)

ACL injury prevention programs

"CrossBrace" protocol

Bridge-enhanced ACL repair

Post-traumatic osteoarthritis

Return-to-sport risks after ACL injury

ACL Decision-Making Tool for Adults

ACL Decision-Making Tool for Children/Adolescents

Our resident Sports Psychologist in Training Dr Ian Cookson talks us through a case of a youth athlete who was referred with low confidence, but all was not what is seemed. 

ADHD and Athletes with Dr Kelly Collins

In this episode, host Carolyn Kent interviews Dr Kelly Collins, a registrar at the Australasian College of Sports and Exercise Medicine, about her recent editorial in the British Journal of Sports Medicine on the topic of ADHD and athletes.

Key Topics Discussed

Key References

Our resident Sports Podiatrist and Queen Margaret University lecturer Katie Reilly talks us through a player case that involves surgery to a players toe nail. 

Dr Nicole Surdyka talks to Carolyn Kent about her time as director of rehabilitation at OL Reign, gender and sex based considerations for female athletes and structures and strategies for athlete health. 

In another episode of our pelvic health series Emma Bradley director of the 360 Mama Ltd talks to Carolyn Kent about the pelvic floor and C-Section scars

Our resident Sports Scientist Dr Megan Lowery talks to Carolyn Kent about the field of sports science and some of the topics she will be covering in her segment.