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Dear Sports Medicine Professional, Recently Sports Injury Doctor contributor Chris Mallac discussed the controversial topic of Strength and Conditioning training for Physiotherapists. Specifically, he mentioned a special report written by Sean Fyfe, which sparked controversy by stating that the crucial element of Strength and Conditioning is missing from the physio profession's basic training. Since then we've been inundated with requests from injury professionals desperate to access this career changing information. Miss out? It could cost you your career. Due the popular demand for this report I would like to offer Sports Injury Doctor readers access to their very own copy of Strength and Conditioning for Physios - absolutely free, as part of a trial membership to the Sports Injury Bulletin newsletter. Hot off the press, each issue of Sports Injury Bulletin has a cover price of $16.50 and brings you the very latest research into sports injury prevention, treatment and rehabilitation. Click here to claim your copy now. What's all the fuss about? Sean Fyfe's recent experience of completing a Level 2 Strength and Conditioning course provoked him into asking publicly a question that has bothered him privately for years: How can a physio practise in the sports field without a sound knowledge of strength and conditioning training? Strength and Conditioning for Physios, written by Sean Fyfe, argues that physiotherapy and strength and conditioning go hand in hand. It is an integral part of the physiotherapist's role to plan long-term rehabilitation and maintenance programs for acute and chronic injuries. When Fyfe does this part of his job he is constantly drawing upon his knowledge of strength and conditioning. He has gained this knowledge as a result of a vast amount of independent study, a post-graduate degree and his own experience as a tennis player. But if a physio is not taught the fundamentals of strength and conditioning in their undergraduate physiotherapy studies - how many have this 'crucial' knowledge now? And what effect will it have when you're trying to rehabilitate client injuries - from back pain to achilles tendinitis - if you're not 'in the know'? It must be emphasised that Fyfe is in no way claiming to be unique among physios in having such knowledge; the important point is that those who have acquired it have done so through mechanisms other than their physiotherapy training. And Fyfe would hazard a guess that a large proportion of physios practice without such knowledge. "I certainly took comfort in the fact that the physios with whom I underwent my recent strength and conditioning course, share my sentiments exactly. And all of us were at a loss to explain how it was that we were never taught the fundamentals of strength and conditioning training in our undergraduate physiotherapy studies." Claim your free copy of Strength and Conditioning for Physios and Sean Fyfe will take you through some of the principles behind program design, and as always with Sports Injury Bulletin, illustrate his argument with case studies. PLUS, act now and also claim a bundle of bonus free reports on Core Muscle Training and Back Injury Treatment and Prevention, and much more... The flip side Perhaps Sean has it all wrong. Physiotherapy is not sports training. After initial rehab it is up to the athlete to move on to the next professional with a different skill set. Isn't it? What all physios should know but don't Strength and Conditioning training covers a broad range of skills – strength, power, speed and agility, endurance and flexibility training and recovery methods – the significance of each of which varies according to the athlete being trained and their sport. A competent trainer needs to understand the purpose of different exercises, exercise technique, correct programming for different sports, phases of training and individual circumstances, and the detail of how, when and why to vary instructions on the performance of sets, repetitions, speed of repetitions and length of rest periods. But should a physio be expected to have the competencies of a strength and conditioning coach? | Join the Debate "It was with great interest that I read Sean Fyfe's article about physiotherapists' lack of knowledge of strength and conditioning training. In South Africa we continually face the "challenge" between the physiotherapy and biokinetics (strength and conditioning) professions about who should be doing what. It's a relief to hear of other physiotherapists sharing my sentiment on the topic."
- From Leon Raath, Physio, South Africa Click here to claim your free issue now, or read on for more details |
Whose job is it anyway? It can be argued – and no doubt many of you will be thinking this – that this kind of exercise programme is surely the job of a professional strength and conditioning coach. This is a fair comment – up to a point. It is the job of a physiotherapist to prescribe exercises and therefore you need to know what kinds of exercises should be done at which rehab points. That is only possible if you understand properly how the movement and load will affect the injured structures. Secondly, if you don't understand these principles, how can we advise our coaching colleagues (whose primary purpose is to train healthy bodies, not injured or recovering ones)? Thirdly, how many athletes can afford to track down and work with a strength and conditioning coach, especially once they've already paid for physiotherapy treatment? Three key elements Sean Fyfe states that three elements of strength training – exercise technique, progressive overload and specificity – are critical to the competent practice of physiotherapy. "One of the lecturers on my recent course tells of how, as a tutor, he routinely encounters sports physiotherapists, many with more than 10 years' experience, who cannot teach the performance of a basic squat. If they can't teach a squat, it is doubtful they could teach someone to deadlift. So how, for example, have they been teaching their patients with lumbar disc injuries to brace their low backs in neutral?" To take the point further, "If they can't teach a double-leg squat, they surely can't teach a single-leg squat, so how have these physiotherapists been rehabilitating someone with patellofemoral dysfunction?" Fyfe wasn't taught on his undergraduate course how to squat or how to deadlift correctly, which does seem to me a pretty incredible omission. "Here's something else that was barely touched on in my undergraduate studies. The overload principle is the underpinning principle of all training. Put simply, the body adapts in line with the demands placed on it. To achieve a positive training response and thus gain strength improvements, you must overload the relevant muscles. Too little effort and the client will fail to make strength gains. But too much overload at any point will cause injury, so it is necessary to prescribe a program of progressive overload, manipulating the weight, repetitions, sets, rest periods and speed of movement" The other key principle common to effective training and physiotherapy is specificity, or SAID (specific adaptations to imposed demands). Again, put simply, the body adapts in a highly specific way to increased demands: the precise input will determine the precise adaptation. Case Study - Sprinter vs Marathon Runner To illustrate this, let's look at how you might use a single-leg squat in the rehab of a sprinter versus a marathon runner, both recovering from patellar tendinitis. The aim of the single leg squat is:  To improve strength through gluteus maximus and gluteus medius.
To improve quadriceps strength and activate vastus medialis (VMO). To maintain neutral spine under load. To improve proprioception of the lower limb chain. The exercise is functional for the sporting needs of both athletes, and will be working aspects of their lower limb chain that probably need improvement to prevent further tensile overload to the patellar tendon. But the 100m sprinter needs to do all of these things fast, with maximal contraction, for 10 to 11 seconds; while the marathon runner does them all sub-maximally and slower -- for more than two hours. It is therefore no good prescribing exactly the same dose of this exercise to both athletes. The sprinter will need: Low repetitions. Greater load to achieve maximal contraction. Fast speed of movement. Longer rest periods. And the marathon runner needs quite the opposite. The teaching of correct technique and the principles of overload and SAID should be at the forefront of a your mind whenever prescribing an exercise program. Indeed, they should underpin the setting of all rehabilitation programs. Join the Debate "I have worked for many years for a well known fitness training company as a tutor in personal training and sports massage therapy. I have also run my own fitness consultancy for more than 10 years and have always been amazed by the number of people I see who have felt let down by some physiotherapists, whom they felt did very little for their money. It is not simply that they lack a sports conditioning background but any real knowledge of training and therefore rehab. I have now stopped referring clients to any physiotherapist who do not have experience in strength and conditioning. This is a sign of how much this industry has really moved on in recent years and the physios are in danger of being left behind."
- From Kevin Witham, Personal Trainer, UK As a subscriber to Sports Performance Bulletin, you qualify for a free copy of Strength and Conditioning for Physios if you respond to this special message today by clicking here Programming in practice In your free copy of Strength and Conditioning for Physios you'll find an in depth case study which outlines how strength and conditioning knowledge needs to be woven into the way you treat musculoskeletal problems. In this particular case, Fyfe examines a lumbar spine stress fracture which developed in this 16-year-old male tennis player as a result of serving. A detailed 18 week strength and conditioning rehabilitation programme is given, at no cost, to further illustrate Fyfe's argument. Join in the debate: tell us your reactions to Sean Fyfe's argument, your own views, experiences and proposals. Claim your free copy of Strength and Conditioning for Physios now | Join the Debate "I have a number of years in private practice as a physio, prior to which I competed at national level, was a physical training instructor in the Army and a rugby coach. I can see both sides of the equation. The fundamental problem lies in the training of physiotherapists and what they are initially being trained for. In the UK their role is to work in the national health service, so most of the training is directed towards this. Nevertheless, I do remember spending at least three months during my course on exercise regimes, class training, circuit training and so on. When a physio wants to work in sport, it then becomes their own responsibility to undergo any additional qualifications. Sean Fyfe mentions physios not being able to demonstrate or teach a correct squat. I have seen the same problem among strength and conditioning coaches. Worse, I have seen coaches blame the individual for not being able to achieve correct technique without knowing why. The physio, on the other hand, is able to work out why someone can't do a correct squat or dead lift, as they have a higher level of physiology, biomechanics and understanding of body position. They are also able to assess muscle control and joint function."
- From Mark Saunders, UK Click here to claim your free copy - and join the debate - now. |
Why am I offering you this best selling issue of Sports Injury Bulletin absolutely free? Is there a string attached to my offer of a free copy of Strength and Conditioning for Physios? Yes. But it's a small one. In exchange for providing you with this free special report (a $16.50 value), I ask that you accept my offer of a no-risk 60 day trial subscription to Sports Injury Bulletin. For just $9.97 you will receive access to a library of injury prevention and treatment material- as well as an amazing starter package, exclusive to Sports Performance Bulletin members. Sports Injury Bulletin contains information that will transform sporting lives... Sports Injury Bulletin is leading the pack when it comes to doing something most people fail to - translating the very latest sports injury advances into practical advice on prevention, treatment and rehabilitation. And at an affordable price. You see, until our team came on to the scene, these findings were not generally available to the masses, published only in jargon-laden and pricey technical journals. Now, our worldwide team of expert contributors assess the practical value of developments made in treatment and rehabilitation techniques. Those worth your attention as a member are then published in Sports Injury Bulletin and on our website. No other advice centre carries the wide range of illustrated 'best practice' performance-enhancing methods available through our exclusive membership website. For physiotherapists, injury specialists, coaches and trainers, it's essential reading for staying on top of current thinking and best practices, ensuring your clients or patients stay fighting fit and on winning form. Subscribers are informed of each advance and why it works. You'll learn how to treat the injury effectively and make sure it doesn't happen again. The information you receive includes new and unorthodox treatments from top exercise physiologists covering the complete spectrum of rehabilitation. Our focus is on management and prevention – we cover anything physical or mental that prevents an athlete performing at his or her best. As the world's only regular newsletter dedicated to the complete spectrum of sports injury management and prevention, Sports Injury Bulletin will continue to provide you with fresh insights and proven, expert-approved solutions for the perennial problems faced in the arena of sport, on an ongoing basis. There's no advertising. No editorial bias. Just solid, evidence-based guidance passed on directly to our members. And this information is ONLY available to our members. Our sources are worldwide and include centres of injury research and conferences. Top exercise physiologists provide all of our treatments, and our research is always backed up by thorough testing in scientific trials. Take a lead from SIB contributor Mark Alexander, whose own involvement in sports science has taught him the importance of getting the right advice: " …These experiences exposed me to the theories and thought processes of cutting-edge researchers and experts, which set me on the path of always striving for the facts and not assuming that what the current 'gurus' say is gospel." To qualify, please use the link below to make your nominal payment at the secure independent site administered by Worldpay. Your trial package has a full money-back guarantee which you can claim at any time. Click here to claim your free copy - and join the debate - now.  | | Strength and Conditioning for Physios FREE with The Sports Injury Bulletin Starter Package Hundreds of dollars worth of Information for just $9.97. |
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That's total package is available immediately for just $9.97. And if you're not happy we'll even give you that back! Everything you've received is yours to keep. $9.97 (£6.15) 60-day trial For those who respond to this email today we are offering a trial subscription to Sports Injury Bulletin for the token payment of $9.97, together with all the other free reports listed above. Your order is fully guaranteed. If during your trial you decide to continue receiving Sports Injury Bulletin, no further payment will be due until after your 60-day trial period. Read your free reports and your Strength and Conditioning for Physios issue and test our advice over those 60 days. If you don't find our injury prevention and rehab methods show an immediate improvement in performance - or for any other reason whatsoever - simply let us know and we will cancel your order before your credit card is charged. If you decide to continue your subscription, you can do so at the special rate of $97.50 (GB £61.15) every six months. The material you have received is yours to keep. A full guarantee Please note that your order and payment are fully guaranteed under both our terms and conditions, and those of the secure payment site. This means you can cancel your order within your 60-day trial period and no further payment will be processed. Once you take out a 60-day trial subscription, you can cancel for any reason - simply let us know and we will cancel your order. To place your order, click here I look forward to hearing your views on this controversial issue, and to welcoming you as a member. Yours Sincerely, 
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