From the moment I was forced to retire from inter-county football due to back and hamstring injuries that could not be solved, a new passion was born.
I went from feeling physically very strong and powerful to feeling fragile and in pain. In 2005 I was nominated for an All-Star and felt my game was starting to come together.
By 2006 I felt I was falling apart. I kept waiting for things to change but they didn’t. I felt if I hit anything near top gear I would break down.
I moved within my injuries which meant I moved slower and couldn’t train as hard. This had an instant effect on my on field performances which were terrible and a million miles off what they were previously.
I battled on for another year or two but no matter how many physiotherapists, manual therapists, trainers etc I attended I couldn’t get back to where I was. My injuries seemed to be a mystery to everyone including myself.
Football was a passion from a young age and in my early 20s I developed a keen interest in Strength and Conditioning and how it could enhance my performances.
This interest became a business in 2006 when I opened my first gym with my wife Jillian. We then opened a second gym in 2009, both of which we still run today. In 2009 after a two-year battle with injury and my interest in playing waning due to those injuries I decided to return to education and focus more on injuries than training.
A new passion was well and truly born and my search for answers deepened. From my basic qualification in Ireland which gave me a strong foundation in anatomy, physiology and treatment techniques to advanced workshops on assessment, treatment, rehabilitation and functional training here and abroad it’s been a fascinating and rewarding journey that continues every day.
It is impossible to articulate in a column like this everything I have learned. But I have come to a few basic conclusions.
Diagnosis & Assessment are essential
A detailed history starts the investigation into an injury. Skilled palpation of connective tissue tells us what is injured and in what way. Assessing joint movement tells us what needs to be done to restore function.
Specific treatment techniques should be used
There are many types of treatments all effective in their own right. Precise diagnosis and assessment of injury guides what treatment techniques which mean results will be quicker and more effective.
Individualised & Progressive Rehabilitation programs are a vital part of the equation
Guiding healing at the acute stage of injury, returning full function and strength to the injured tissue, enhancing overall function and removing dysfunctions which cause injury are all are essential when reducing the recurrence of injury.
In our clinics and gyms we combine all of our experiences and knowledge gained over the last 10 or more years. We try to help many different types of people recover from injury and return to their sports, activities or just return to normal life.
