The Perform Prevent Recover Podcast

Episode 26 Eliza James - Forging A Path For Females In Football

It hasn't always been an easy path for females in Aussie Rules Football, and Eliza James has been through it all - from starting with boys teams (when no girls teams were available), through to the fledgling girls competitions with minimal teams and minimal girls, and now into the elite world of AFLW.
In this episode Eliza talks to us about her beginnings in football with local football club St Peter's East Bentleigh, through to her position now as an up and coming star in the AFLW for Collingwood.
For any young person aspiring to greater levels, especially females in sport, Eliza's journey is a fascinating one and a great example of how passion and hard work can result in dreams coming true!

Episode 25: When The Battle In Life Is For Life Itself - the heartbreaking but inspirational story of Jolene Anderson

Imagine the devastation of a diagnosis of cancer. And then imagine that once you start to get on top of that diagnosis, you are delivered the same diagnosis again - this time Stage 4, and completely unrelated to the first. And now imagine you're only in your 30's.
It's actually unimaginable, but it's true. Today we deviate away from the performance and achievements of our amazing athletes and clients, and focus on a life battle.
And whilst not taking away from any of these achievements that we have heard about in past podcasts, this one certainly makes you stop, and think, and appreciate your own life and your own health.
Bowel cancer is one of our greatest cancer killers, but mention bowel cancer and most people under 50 years of age wouldn't even give it a second thought, and in fact most healthy fit people over 50 still don't give it a second thought. But in Jolene's case she was dealt the double blow of breast cancer and bowel cancer.
Listen to Jolene and you will hear an eternally positive, brave, realistic, and inspirational human being - fighting for her life, but doing it with every ounce of energy and hope she has.
So sit back, take it in, and listen to a true hero - and if you can help her in the fight for her life, Jolene's fundraising links for her life saving surgery are below:
https://gofund.me/f4a170f0
Rare Cancers Australia link (a tax deductible option for big businesses/large donations. 
https://treat.rarecancers.org.au/campaign/2120/helping-jolene-anderson
If anyone wants to register for liver donation they can contact Jolene at 
Jolene.anderson2222@gmail.com 

Episode 24: Coast To Kosciuszko 2021 - Running Through A Storm

Coast To Koscioszko is one of Australia's toughest endurance events, beginning in the town of Eden in southern NSW and ending 240km later at Australia's highest point at the peak of Mount Koscioszko. The 2021 event, delayed due to COVID, presented some of the most challenging weather conditions the event and the athletes had ever seen - torrential sideways rain and floods that brough a whole new dimension to race tactics and survival.
Today we speak to ultra marathon runner Donna Urquhart and track her progress from her COVID impacted training schedule right through the race until her incredible finish. The cold, the wet, the terrain, the tiredness, the nutrition - it's all covered!
And as an extra bonus we get to speak to chief crew member, Donna's husband Rhys about the preparation, and the challenges that the crew also faced, and the battle they had to keep Donna dry and warm!
Tune in and listen to one of our toughest endurance athletes talk about one of our toughest endurance events, at the same time gaining insight into what it takes to conquer events such as C2K!

Episode 23: ACL Injuries - The Journey From Diagnosis To Return To Sport Part 2

We welcome back Sports Physio and ACL guru Mick Hughes for Episode 23 and the second part of our talk about the "diagnosis that devastates" - Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries and Return To Sport.
If you haven't listened to Episode 22 yet, take a listen to that first as Mick discusses:
- why the ACL is so critical
- why the rates of ACL injury and reconstruction are increasing so rapidly
- what makes females so at risk of ACL injuries
- the reason young kids are also suffering more and more ACL injuries.
- how we diagnose ACL ruptures and why "no pain" after injury isn't necessarily a great sign.
And in this episode Mick continues on with:
- why a reconstruction is not necessarily a "given" anymore.
- how we decide who gets an operation and who doesn't.
- why delaying your decision on surgery may be the best decision you make.
- the critical importance of the ACL rehabilitation process and why strength must form the foundation of your rehab program.
- how we can make a massive difference in preventing ACL injuries
- the essential factor that guides our rehabilitation and progressions (and it's not the factor of time).
- when you should return to sport.
Take a listen to this episode to hear Mick discuss some really critical aspects that must be considered when anyone has an ACL injury. This is a rare opportunity to hear it "from the horse's mouth", from someone who has been so instrumental in changing the way we approach and manage our ACL injuries.
 

Episode 22: ACL Injuries: The Journey From Diagnosis To Return To Sport Part 1

Today we welcome Sports Physio and ACL guru Mick Hughes to the podcast to talk about the "diagnosis that devastates" - Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries and  Ruptures.
 
Nearly everyone who plays sport knows what an ACL is, and also knows that if you receive this ACL Rupture diagnosis, you'll likely miss 12 months of sport, and need surgical reconstruction to fix it.
But that's what used to happen, and in this episode Mick will separate fact from fiction, and talk us through so many aspects of the ACL journey. Mick covers topics such as:
- why the ACL is so critical
- why the rates of ACL injury and reconstruction are increasing so rapidly
- what makes females so at risk of ACL injuries
- the reason young kids are also suffering more and more ACL injuries.
- how we diagnose ACL ruptures and why "no pain" after injury isn't necessarily a great sign.
Mick discusses all this and more in the first part of our ACL podcast, and then in the next episode, goes on to talk about:
- why a reconstruction is not necessarily a "given" anymore.
- how we decide who gets an operation and who doesn't.
- why delaying your decision on surgery may be the best decision you make.
- the critical importance of the ACL rehabilitation process and why strength must form the foundation of your rehab program.
- how we can make a massive difference in preventing ACL injuries
- the essential factor that guides our rehabilitation and progressions (and it's not the factor of time).
 
Take a listen to this first episode to get a great understanding of the ACL and why it's such a common injury in sport, and then in Episode 2 we'll get into the "nuts and bolts" of how you get yourself back to sport.

Episode 21: Total Knee Joint Replacements - The What, When, How & Why: Part 2

In this episode we continue our chat to leading Orthopaedic Surgeon, Mr Chris Jones, about all things knee replacements. As the Podcast title suggests, we discuss WHAT a knee replacement is, WHEN it should be performed, HOW the surgery is actually performed, and WHY it is necessary for so many people. In the first episode Chris talked about what a knee replacement actually is, how the decision is made that someone requires a replacement, the materials used and much more.
But buckle down for this episode which delves into the operation itself - what actually happens, what tools are used, the pain, the swelling and probably most importantly: what can you expect your knee to enable you to do "on the other side"!
There's a stack of information in both these episodes for anyone suffering OA of the knee, and the episodes are a "must listen" for anyone who is considering, or has been recommended, a Total Knee Joint Replacement.
By the end of the two part series, all your questions about TKJR should be answered. And if you are suffering pain and OA issues with your hip, much of the information in this two part podcast is just as relevant.
Enjoy this two part series and please recommend it to anyone you know who is considering this life changing operation.

Episode 20: Total Knee Joint Replacements - the What, When, How & Why: Part 1

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis in Australia. An estimated 2.2 million Australians have this condition, and whilst it affects people of all ages, the prevalence increases sharply from the age of 45 years. 1 in 5 Australians (22%) over the age of 45 have osteoarthritis with the number increasing to just over a third in adults aged 75 and over.
Hip and knee joint replacement is often the recommended surgical intervention for those suffering severe pain associated with end stage OA. Joint replacement has been shown to be a clinically effective treatment for severe osteoarthritis, which is just as well, because approximately 100,000 hip and knee replacements are performed in Australia every year.
Whilst Total Knee Joint Replacements (TKJR) do so often completely change a person's quality of life for the better (much better), no doubt it is a big operation, and with it comes some nervousness and hesitancy on behalf of the patient - understandably. But a lot of this nervousness and hesitancy stems from lack of in depth knowledge about the surgery and its effectiveness!
So today we chat to leading Orthopaedic Surgeon, Mr Chris Jones, about all things knee replacements. As the Podcast title suggests, we discuss WHAT a knee replacement is, WHEN it should be performed, HOW the surgery is actually performed, and WHY it is necessary for so many people. Plus there's a stack more information for anyone suffering OA of the knee, and is a "must listen" for anyone who is considering, or has been recommended, a Total Knee Joint Replacement.
In fact, Mr Jones had so much invaluable information that we broke this podcast into two! By the end of the two part series, all your questions about TKJR should be answered. And if you are suffering pain and OA issues with your hip, much of the information in this two part podcast is just as relevant.

Episode 19: Guest Feature - Gerard Healy. AFL legend and media star talks AFL from yesteryear to today!

In this episode Anthony chats to Gerard Healy, one of the VFL/AFL superstars of the 80's and now leading TV, radio and Fox Footy commentator.
Listen to Gerard reflect back on his career, his coaches, the Edelston years and then compare it to today's footballers and the many challenges facing the AFL.
We cover many more topics too, such as concussion, mental health, the rules, COVID, coaching handovers and much more.
Get a fascinating insight into AFL from someone who has played the game at the highest level, winning the ultimate individual award The Brownlow Medal, and is now one of the longest serving and most respected football commentators.

Episode 18: Recovery From AthleteTraining & Competition - Ensuring Your Recovery Strategies Maximise Your Performance

RECOVERY - what a fascinating topic and one of the most investigated topics in our sporting world. Once upon a time recovery was mostly about what you didn’t do - basically having a day away from training was considered your recovery strategy. Now we’ve got google and social media on our side, and as a result we’ve got what seems like an unlimited amount of recovery gadgets and strategies we can use. Together with Load Management and Tendinopathy Management, Recovery has become one of the most investigated and researched topics in the physio world.  And the new information we are finding out has as much relevance to athletes as it does to people recovering from any tissue damage, injury or even surgical intervention.
There are so many aspects of recovery to discuss and the obvious ones are the modalities that everyone uses, and are obviously so familiar with and have used over decades. 
It seems so many people, once their training session has finished, are still solely worried about how they’re going to recover, grabbing their ice packs, jumping in cold water baths, using foam rollers, compression gear etc, but what is so fascinating now is it's not just about  HOW we recover and WHAT modalities we use, but just as much, and perhaps more importantly about WHEN we should be recovering.
So it really excites us to welcome Dr Shona Halson to the PPR Podcast, someone who has been touted as the ‘world’s leading expert on athlete recovery’, a topic that is massive for all athletes - from recreational to elite, and all in between.
As a bit of background, Dr Halson was the head Recovery Physiologist at the Australian Institute of Sport  for almost 16yrs, Director of the AUS Olympic Committee Recovery Centre at the 2008, 2012, and 2016 Olympic Games. 
Dr Halson is currently a Professor at the Australian Catholic University in the school of Behavioural and Health Sciences, as well as an Associate Editor for the International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance; she also provides consultancy services to the Australian Open Tennis Tournament and Nike as part of both the Nike Performance Council and Nike Sports Research Advisory Group. Dr Halson also consults to a number of international professional sporting teams and Defence organisations.
Dr Halson’s research focuses heavily on recovery science and strategies, in particular over recent times the topics of fatigue and sleep, and she has over 130 scientific papers and research projects, and many book chapters to her name.
So there's no-one better to educate us on what the "Recovery Science" is telling us, and how we must change our traditional thoughts around recovery in order to ensure we achieve optimal athletic and sporting performance.

Episode 17: The "10% Rule" And How It Relates To Injury Prevention & Fitness Progression

In this first episode for Season 2 of the Perform Prevent Recover podcast series, SSPC Physio's Anthony Lance and Rob O'Donnell use the COVID Lockdown backdrop to discuss where the "10% Rule" fits into the prevention of injury and the progression of fitness regimes.
Most people who have been in sport, or been to their physio for an injury, have probably encountered the "10% Rule" and used it to progress their fitness or injury status.
Anthony and Rob look in depth at the 10% Rule, the evidence behind it, and how applicable it is in our current world.  They touch on some of leading Sports Scientist Tim Gabbett's research, in particular the brilliant "basement/floor/ceiling" concept of Load management.
Even if you haven't heard of the 10% rule, or have never used it in your management, there's some fantastic information in this podcast that will help you not only reduce your injury risk when training and progressing training, but also help you increase your own performance levels.
In the words of Tim Gabbett, this podcast is all about educating you on how the 10% rule fits into "Training Smarter AND Training Harder".