The Sports MAP Network

Achilles Tendinopathy in the NBA: A Bottom-Up Approach with NBA Physical Therapist Jarred Boyd Achilles tendinopathy is one of the most performance-limiting conditions in basketball — and one of the hardest to manage well across an 82-game NBA season. In this episode of the How I Rehab Podcast, host Nick Kane sits down with NBA Physical Therapist Jarred Boyd (Memphis Grizzlies) to unpack how elite NBA medical staff actually assess, load and progress Achilles and patellar tendon pain, from the first signs of irritability through to full return to play. Jarred holds a Doctor of Physical Therapy and has spent seven seasons working in the NBA, most recently as Director of Rehabilitation for the Memphis Grizzlies. His approach blends first-principles thinking, systems-based reasoning and tissue-specific loading science — aligning every intervention with an athlete's tissue ecology, impulse capacity and neuromechanical readiness. In this episode, Jarred and Nick discuss: How prevalent tendon pain really is in NBA basketball, and why the demands of the modern game are driving it To what extent tendon pain limits participation and performance, even before it stops an athlete playing The "bottom-up" approach to tissue health — building tendon stiffness through morphology and material adaptation, not chasing it directly Three key management principles built around strain: strain magnitude, strain tolerance and strain rate Practical prescription of loading — sets, reps, %1RM and %MVIC for isometric and isotonic tendon work Ideal positioning for tendon loading and adaptation, and why range matters as much as load What the seated calf raise and inner-range calf exercise actually do — and don't do — for Achilles tendinopathy What mechanical fatigue is, and how it shapes in-season load management decisions Addressing the real risk of Achilles tendon rupture, and the role of vertical integration in reducing it Addressing the fear of Achilles rupture in athletes who are managing tendon pain   Want to take this from theory into your own clinical practice? Jarred's bottom-up framework blends with Colin Griffin’s Sports Map Masterclass, Athlete Profiling & Rehab for the Calf & Achilles Complex. Colin is a Lower-Limb Rehabilitation Specialist at UPMC Sports Surgery Clinic in Dublin, holds a PhD in Achilles tendon injury rehabilitation and lower limb biomechanics, and spent over 15 years in high performance sport. Colin walks you through objective calf assessment, isokinetic and horizontal jump testing, rehabilitation progressions for the calf and Achilles complex, and the coaching cues you…

In this episode of the How I Rehab Podcast, we sit down with Rebecca Rushton, podiatrist and director of Esperance Podiatry, to dig into a real clinical case on blister prevention and management. Rebecca shares the practical strategies and clinical reasoning she uses to help patients avoid blisters and manage them effectively when they do occur. We chat to: What causes blisters and what is repetitive shear deformation? What are the 5 stages of blisters? Taping is a commonly used method to prevent blisters. Does it help reduce blisters? Should we shave/trimming a callous? Should I pierce or pop a fluid-filled blister? Can you measure shear to help prevent blisters? Prevention of blisters: What works? What does not? What does not work? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoESNZurq90 Do you want to go deeper with your rehabilitation skills? Explore the full library of practical sports physios and rehabilitation-based masterclasses for all your CPD/ CEU needs with a free 7 day limited access trial. https://sportsmap.com.au/masterclasses/

In this episode, we sit down with Andy, a clinician working across both Physiotherapy and Strength & Conditioning, to unpack how he plans and progresses rehabilitation once the clinical picture is clear.   Andy has over 15 years' experience working within the performance and sports medicine space. His career has spanned teams, individuals, and private-sector clients — ranging from developing youth and collegiate athletes through to Olympic/Paralympic and Professional levels. Andy has a passion for high-performance and sports medicine, with extended interests into leadership, marketing, and wider health and wellness. He thrives working in dynamic, forward-thinking MDT environments and enjoys contributing to the ambitions of athletes and organisations alike.   We chat with Andy about: - How Andy plans out his rehabilitation once he has the required clinical information- What Andy means by "co-actives"- How to determine rehab objectives and the "ladder of loading"- How to avoid getting lost in Excel spreadsheets — collating information into an organised format- How to balance field and gym demands, and whose role that is- Working collaboratively across the medical and performance departments- Understanding pathology, and how to plan and adjust accordingly- Planning while staying flexible based on athlete response- Managing risk in rehabilitation — the return to high-speed or high-force demands- How much information to share with the athlete — thinking not "when" the athlete will be ready, but "how" the athlete will be ready- What Game Plan is, and how it can help clinicians   Do you want to go deeper with your rehabilitation skills? Explore the full library of practical sports physios and rehabilitation-based masterclasses for all your CPD/ CEU needs with a free 7 day limited access trial. https://sportsmap.com.au/masterclass-library/ Watch the full podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jEhmDDPReM

Toby Banfield is an accomplished performance practitioner across a number of sporting codes and elite environments. He is the current Head of Sport Science for Brentford FC in the English Premier League.  In this episode, Toby discusses his philosophies and blueprints for performance planning, how his blueprint has allowed him to adapt to a wide range of diverse sporting situations, and the differences and parallels between season planning for a whole team and rehabilitation planning for an individual injured athlete.  Topics The Six Step Blueprint for Effective Performance Planning. The Six Step Blueprint for Effective Rehabilitation Planning. How to Plan in an Appropriate Level of Detail and Avoid Common Pitfalls of “Too Much Detail”. “Vertical Integration” for Performance Planning.  “Vertical Integration” for Rehabilitation Planning.  Non-Invasive Athlete Testing “Everything is a Test”. Do you want to go deeper with your rehabilitation skills? Explore the full library of practical sports physios and rehabilitation-based masterclasses for all your CPD/ CEU needs with a free 7 day limited access trial. https://sportsmap.com.au/masterclasses/ Watch on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sX3YeEbRYdY

Brenton is the lead performance therapist at the Brooklyn, having recently relocated from his role as head physio in the AFL with the North Melbourne Football Club.  Brenton is a Sports Physiotherapist (Master’s in Sports PT) and has previously worked as the Rehabilitation Physio with the Melbourne FC (AFL) and Norwich FC. He has also been a co-founder of Enhance Sports Performance and Rehabilitation since Dec 2016. Topics: Transitioning between elite sports Working in different countries and sports- the cultural shift How to level up your communication & soft skills Building trust with athletes and staff Being reflective as a learning practice Not getting lost in the world of data for decision-making Fundamental rehabilitation principles Navigating High-performance environment pressures Brenton’s lessons, transferable to practitioners Watch on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fp2kQ1wwos0 Do you want to go deeper with your rehabilitation skills? Explore the full library of practical sports physios and rehabilitation-based masterclasses for all your CPD/ CEU needs with a free 7 day limited access trial.