Podcast

STA #139: ’ASK TIM 2’ with special guest Tim Allardyce

It’s the first Tuesday of a new month, so we bring you our regular series ‘Ask Tim’, recorded as always LIVE on the Sports Therapy Association Youtube Channel. Tim Allardyce, founder of Rehab My Patient clinical software, Group Clinical Director and NHS England Clinical Entrepreneur, answers YOUR questions on anything to do with the soft tissue therapy industry. If you have questions for future episodes, email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., OR come join us LIVE on the first Tuesday of the month and ASK TIM yourself, face to face!

What's happening in the rest of March?
In Ep140, Ep141 and Ep142, our focus will be on Lower Back Pain, starting MARCH 14^th with guest Owen Lewis, part of ‘Born To Move’ education providers (with James Earls, author of Born To Walk). Owen will be taking us through some of the common misconceptions in causes and rehab of lower back pain, as well as highlighting outdated narratives regarding the 'core'.

Topics in this episode of 'Ask Tim':

0:00 Intro
6:00 Latest episode of 'Women In Sports Therapy Association Podcast'
9:19 - Ask Tim Q1: As evidence informed practitioners, how do we compete with the “easy fix” claims marketed across social media but still maintain our ethics?
15:25 - Ask Tim Q2: I had a client who wanted me to take pictures before and after to see ‘postural changes’ (rolled/winged shoulder). There was a difference and I could have easily posted this as a win but ethics got the better of me. Should I have taken the photo for them?
21:30 - Ask Tim Q3: Hey Tim, do you have any tips on finding ways to use Sports Therapy abroad? I love experiencing new countries & cultures, but don’t know where or how to start looking.
29:07 - Live Question: You said in a previous episode that for therapists 2023 would be 'a year to survive not thrive'. Is this still your plan?
42:30 - Ask Tim Q4: I have read that shockwave therapy is very effective in treatment of tendinopathies, and that it can also help as treatment for chronic pain. Would you say it is worth the financial investment?
51:28 - Ask Tim Q5: As a Sports Therapist, how important is it to have experience in the sport of the client you are treating? How can you help & give advice if you don’t know the demands of that particular sport?
52:09 - How to follow/contact Tim Allardyce & Dr Fiona Higgs

Useful Links:

Tim Allardyce on Twitter: @timallardyce
Rehab My Patient on Twitter & Instagram: @rehabmypatient
Dr Fiona Higgs on Twitter and Instagram: @fiona_higgs1
Women In Sports Therapy Podcast on Twitter & Instagram: @UK_WIST
Dr Fiona Higgs email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Our sincere thanks to Tim Allardyce, Dr Fiona Higgs and Gary Benson for giving up their time to be guests on the show!

Want to join the live recordings?
Episodes of the Sports Therapy Association podcast are recorded live every TUESDAY at 8pm on the Sports Therapy Association YOUTUBE CHANNEL. Everyone is welcome - you do not have to be an STA member! If you cannot join us live, be sure to subscribe to the 'Sports Therapy Association Podcast' on all popular podcast apps to be notified when new episodes are available.

Please Support Our Podcast!
If you appreciate what we do, please take a couple of minutes to leave us a rating & review on Apple Podcasts. It really does make all the difference in helping us reach out to a larger audience. iPhone users you can do this from your phone, Android users you will need to do it from iTunes.

Questions? Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

STA138: 'Mental Health Part 3: Lets Be Frank' with Jack Coward & Ryan Smith

In Ep.138 of the Sports Therapy Association Podcast, we bring you Part 3 of our 'Focus on Mental Health & Learning Disability', with special guests Ryan Smith & Jack Coward, creators & hosts of 'Let's Be Frank Podcast' – a mental health awareness podcast that gives men a platform and a safe space where they can stand up and speak out about their life struggles and mental health challenges.

Reminder Of Other Episodes:

Ep136 with James Chapman of AllAboutTheMind.com, an instructor for MHFA (Mental Health First Aid)
Ep137 my Alistair Beverley of TheLDPhysio.com (LD standing for Learning Disability)

Content Warning
The content on this episode is not suitable for all age groups. It includes real life stories of mental health, suicide and the effects of suicide on individuals and families. If you decide to continue listening and are affected by the content please feel free to email:
• This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Episode Timestamps:

6:20 - Content Warning
7:15 - How & why 'Let's Be Frank' started
8:30 - How much support is out there for men with mental health problems?
12:00 - 2021 & 2022: Over 10,000 suicides in the UK, two thirds of whom were men.
15:25 - How to make a difference
21:00 - Should mental health be taught earlier at school?
22:30 - A look at the podcast content
24:10 - Was it difficuilt to be so open in the podcasts?
29:38 - Support for ex-military
37:14 - How can soft tissue therapists look after their own mental health
45:00 - Duty of care for clients & patients
51:00 - The power of active listening
57:00 - Follow Lets be Frank & LDPhysio on TikTok and other Social Media!

Useful Links:

Website: https://letsbefrank.org.uk/
TikTok: ryanandjack_letsbefrank
Twitter: @L3tsBFrank
Instagram: @letsbefrankpodcastuk
Facebook Page & Lets Be Frank Private Group

Our sincere thanks to Jack Coward & Ryan Smith for giving up their time to be guests on the show!

STA137: 'Healthcare for People with Learning Disabilities' with guest Alistair Beverley

As a soft tissue therapist, how well equipped are you to assess an MSK condition for an individual with a learning disability? Would you fall prey to the all too common trait of 'diagnostic overshadowing', i.e. where symptoms of physical ill health are mistaken or attributed to that person's learning diasability?

In Part 2 of this month's 'Focus on Mental Health & Learning Disabilities', we are joined by special guest Alistair Beverley of TheLDPhysio.com, discussing how we as soft tissue therapists can help promote & improve healthcare services for those with learning disabilities.

Topics discussed:

3:40 - Alistair Beverley at Therapy Expo 2022
6:50 - Diagnostic Overshadowing - one of the biggest killers of people with Learning Disabilities
10:40 What causes diagnostic overshadowing?
15:15 TheLDPhysio.com - 'Jon & Al': a personal blog about a normal childhood growing up with an older brother with a Learning Difficulty.
19:40 Definitions - What Is A Learning Disability?
26:50 What can Soft Tissue Therapists do to help people with Learning Difficulties?
36:50 NEW ONLINE COURSE: 'Learning Disabilities for Mainstream Practicioners'- Saturday April 22nd - Register your interest by emailing: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
41:10 Putting the FUN back into therapy
52:20 Follow Alistair Beverley on Social Media

Useful Links:

Twitter: @theLDphysio
Instagram: @_theLDphysio_
Facebook: @TheLDphysio
TikTok: @_theldphysio_
Website: TheLDphysio.com

Our sincere thanks to Alistair Beverley for giving up his time to be a guest on the show! In Part 3 of this month's 'Focus on Mental Health & Learning Disabilities' (to be recorded LIVE on Feb 28^th), our special guests will be Ryan Smith & Jack Coward, creators & hosts of 'Let's Be Frank Podcast' – a mental health awareness podcast that gives men a platform and a safe space where they can stand up and speak out about their life struggles and mental health challenges.

STA136: ’Focus on Mental Health & Learning Disability’ Part 1 with guest James Chapman

Ep.136 of the Sports Therapy Association Podcast, we start this month's focus on 'Mental Health & Learning Disability', looking at how as soft tissue therapists we can play a part in the healthcare of patients & clients with mental health issues and / or learning disabilities, as well as keeping an eye on our own mental health.

This Month's Guests:

IN THIS EP.136 - James Chapman of AllAboutTheMind.com, an instructor for MHFA (Mental Health First Aid)
Ep.137 (live recording date Feb 21^st) - Alistair Beverley of TheLDPhysio.com, promoting & improving healthcare services for those with learning and lifelong physical disabilities.
Ep.138 (live recording date Feb 28^th) - Ryan Smith & Jack Coward, creators & hosts of 'Let's Be Frank Podcast' – a mental health awareness podcast that gives men a platform and a safe space where they can stand up and speak out about their life struggles and mental health challenges.

Topics discussed in this episode:

4:50 - A little about James Chapman, MHFA (Mental Health First Aid) and what MHFA can offer soft tissue therapists.
8:50 - Does the modern soft tissue therapist need new skills to be able to know what to do when faced with clients with mental health problems?
11:50 SOUND IMPROVES!
12:10 Are mental health problems becoming more common?
17:40 How do adults help educate the natural rebellious tendencies of the young?
24:00 The responsibility & opportunity that soft tissue therapists have
26:25 The skill of Active Listening
36:50 Safeguarding
43:20 The 'Stress Container' - a great tool for keeping an eye on mental capacity
61:39 How to get in touch with James Chapman, including a discount code for STA members!

Useful Links:

Our sincere thanks to James Chapman for giving up his time to be a guest on the show!

STA135 ’Ask Tim’ #1 with special guest Tim Allardyce

'ASK TIM!' - special guest Tim Allardyce answers any questions that YOU, a soft tissue clinician, may have regarding work & survival in the healthcare industry. This is the first of a regular series that will be recorded LIVE on the first Tuesday of every month, at 8pm (UK) on the Sports Therapy Association YouTube channel. Join us LIVE! No need to be an STA member!

Submit YOUR questions to Tim by either joining us for the live stream on YouTube or emailing them prior to the show to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Tim Allardyce is a leading physiotherapist & osteopath working across elite sport, NHS, and private practice. With over 17 years experience as a physiotherapist, he is founder of Rehab My Patient, an exercise software program for sports therapists, physiotherapists, osteopaths and chiropractors, that can be used on any computer or tablet by the practitioner and the patient.

Questions Answered in this episode of 'Ask Tim':

12:15 - Question1: Can I have some advice on room/space/clinic renting. I am rubbish at it. I hate negotiating, it makes me cringe. I never know whether to charge per hour, or % of the their clients. To charge even if they don’t have any custom, cause it’s gives newbies a step up.
21:00 - Question 2: How do you get business in little villages? They have so little footfall compared to a busy city. I’m doing more marketing now than I ever did but had far more business when I was in a big city.
28:40 - Question 3: Now we are aware that working with a person involves more than just the biomechanical, should we be studying more about psychology (Eg ACT, CBT, MI, hypnotherapy?) and sociology? Should there be more of this in courses?
37:28 - Question 4: I’ve noticed a drop in interest since I removed sports massage from marketing and started pushing soft tissue therapy and pain management etc. Should I change back to calling it sports massage.
45:35 - Question 5: Soft tissue therapists are being urged to include more exercise based advice. What are the positives of this and what are your concerns if you have any around this fairly new acquired scope?”
52:09 - Question 6: What are some of your favourite home exercises for patients who aren’t into “gym/traditional weight training, to encourage buy in/motivation/fun factor/meaningfulness?

Useful Links:

Our sincere thanks to Tim Allardyce and STA Founder Gary Benson for giving up their time to be guests on the show!

STA134 Focus on The Hip Pt3 : 'Buttock Pain Case History' with guests Emer Acton & Dr. Sarah Rollins

Part 3 of this month's 'Focus on the Hip' is a follow up to Ep.133, in which guest Dr. Sarah Rollins of Pure Sports Medicine & the Ministry of Defence (MoD) returns, this time accompanied by Sports Physio Emer Acton to together talk about a real life posterior hip case which they saw in clinic literally that day!

Emer Acton is a clinical specialist MSK physiotherapist who works with Dr. Rollins for the MoD, but is about to embark on a new role with McLaren F1 Race Team as their Senior Specialist Physiotherapist. A big fan of the 'hands on' approach, Emer discusses the process she followed with Dr. Rollins to diagnose what the issue was with a patient who had presented himself to them that day with a rather strange combination of posterior hip symptoms that initially had them both a little stumped.

This episode is a wonderful example of clinical reasoning, and indeed something we may well start doing regularly on the Sports Therapy Association Podcast. There is so much to gain in this episode, the chance to listen to the step by step mutidiscipinary approach that two such highly experienced professionals followed in order to ascertain what was indeed causing the patient's symptoms. Enjoy!

Useful Links:

Twitter: @DrSarahRollins
Pure Sports Medicine · Raynes Park, London
Sports Therapy Association Website

Our sincere thanks to Emer Acton and Dr Sarah Rollins for giving up their time to be guests on the show!