Medical Experts in Football

**Sit-down interview in Spain** This episode features Shori Sasaki, a strength and conditioning coach for La Liga’s Rayo Vallecano 2 in Madrid. He shares his bold journey from Japan to Madrid, strategic process to learn Spanish and immerse himself in the soccer world to earn an opportunity with a La Liga club.  He earned his Bachelor's degree at Oregon State, and then went on to complete stud...

Dr. Eric Giza is a surgeon, professor, and Chief of Foot and Ankle at UC Davis in Sacramento, California. He earned his medical degree from Temple University School of Medicine and completed extensive residency and fellowship training in foot and ankle around the world.  A former collegiate soccer player, Dr. Giza has served as team physician for various professional soccer organizations, includin...

Maria Stergiou is the lead physical therapist for Al-Ittihad, a women’s professional soccer club in Saudi Arabia. With a master's degree in Football Tactical Analysis and a PhD in Sports Medicine in progress, she shares her journey—from growing up in Greece and discovering her passion for biomechanics to building a new program in Saudi Arabia and developing a holistic approach to sports medic...

Dr. Oliver Materne is the head physical therapist with Standard de liège, a football club in the Belgian Professional league with Standard de liège. His previous roles include being the Academy and Women's medical Manager with Ranger F.C. in Scottish Premier League, and working 20 years years in Qatar with Qatar football association, Aspetar and Aspire Academy with youth sport.  Intro: Welcom...

 Dr. Allison Davis is a sports PT and business owner, who spent over10 years working  in a sports clinic setting. Afterwards, she transitioned to also working as a PT for NWSL Kansas City Current from their inaugural season to 2023. Today, she is the business owner for Game Changer Physical Therapy in Kansas City, Kansas.  Game Changer Physical Therapy: If you're in the Kansas City, Missouri...

Matt Midkiff is a sports PT/ director and owner of Foothills Sports Medicine (Gilbert-Mesa) in Arizona. Aside from his clinical work with athletes (from youth soccer player to the professional men's team in the valley, Phoenix Rising FC), he's also a long-time youth soccer coach. Today's episode is about the incredible cardiac arrest recovery involving one of his twin daughters, Pyp...

Dr. Patrick Carton is a surgeon and director of orthopaedic sports medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC)-Ireland. He specializes in the surgical management of the athletic hip joint; He treats conditions from hip impingement/labral tears, hip instability, hip dysplasia, to hip arthroscopy and primary and revision hip replacement. We discussed the truth behind the start of...

Dr. Oluseun Olufade is a board certified orthopedic and sports medicine physician in Atlanta, Georgia. Of his many roles, he works as an Assistant Professor of Orthopedics at Emory School of Medicine and serves various athletic organizations such as, U.S. Soccer, Atlanta Hawks, Emory University and Northview High School. We discussed Atlanta, realities of a sports medicine doctor in America, and a...

Dr. Mariah Bullock is a sports psychologist for the Canadian WNT and OL Reign in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She shares her transition from professional soccer to psychology, World Cup experience with the Canadian WNT, becoming the first sports psychologist in the NWSL, mental health/mental performance, and how to better understand and relate to injured athletes. Follow for upd...

Dr. Nick van de Horst is a PT and rehab coordinator for PSV Eindhoven in the Eredivise league -- the top football league in the Netherlands. After his playing days, he continued his sports medicine work, completing a PhD in hamstring injuries. We talked Netherlands, PT schooling process, work experiences (working for various football clubs and at the KNVB Sports Medical Centre), rehab coordinator...

Theron Enns is an athletic trainer and Senior Director of Athlete Health and Performance for Real Salt Lake, a top professional soccer club in Major League Soccer. He shares his journey from the early days of MLS, athletic training, brief stints as an athletic trainer with U.S. Soccer and observer for the National Women's Soccer League. And, he provides great tips and considerations for medic...

Przemyslaw Tokarek is the Head of Physiotherapist for top Poland professional club, Pogon Szczecin. He shares his work experiences from Spain to  Qatar -- Aspetar, Qatar National Team and World Cup experience -- to finally return back to Poland.   Follow for updates:  https://www.instagram.com/soccerandinjuryreporter Music:  Adding The Sun by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/so...

Dr. Eirini Manthou is the Head of Nutrition for Greek professional football club, Olympiacos (Team B and the academy). She holds a PhD in Human Nutrition as well a masters in nutrition with a specialization in sports. She is also an educator in the online course “Sport Nutrition in Soccer” in the International Soccer Science; Performance Federation ( www.isspf.com ) and has contributed to a number...

Dr. Vivek Nigam is the head of sports medicine & physiotherapist for Jamshedpur FC, a football club in the Indian Super League. He is currently pursuing his PhD in physical therapy, and has a masters in physical therapy, with specialization in sports. Vivek Nigam on social: https://linktr.ee/viveknigam Follow for updates:  https://www.instagram.com/soccerandinjuryreporter Music:  Adding The Su...

Dr. Zoran Bahtijarević is a Croatian doctor whose  journey started in small town, Zagreb, but now resides in Switzerland, where he serves as UEFA's chief medical officer. He has held many different roles within UEFA, and his prior work experience includes: 30 years of experience working as a pediatric surgeon and 20 years as the Croatian National Team doctor. UEFA Medical: https://www.uefa.co...

Álvaro Collado is a sports scientist and physical therapist who works as the U-23 rehabilitation coach for Juventus F.C. in the Serie A.  Follow for updates:  https://www.instagram.com/soccerandinjuryreporter Music:  Adding The Sun by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5708-adding-the-sun License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license<p> Support the show

Dr. Holly Silvers-Granelli is a physical therapist and researcher with a PhD in Applied Physiology and Biomechanics at the University of Delaware. She's published over 60 peer reviewed articles on injury mitigation and biomechanics assessment of injury risk. She's also the owner of Velocity Physical therapy, an outpatient orthopedic private practice focused on injury mitigation in athlet...

Dr. Carles Pedret is a Spanish sports medicine doctor whose primary focus is on muscle and tendon injuries. He received his doctor in medicine and surgery from the Autonomous University of Barcelona and a masters degree in sports traumatology and high performance. Today, he works primarily as a freelance external advisor to multiple professional teams around the world: English Premier League, Engl...

Dr. Gyaran Ibrahim Abubakar is a sports medicine doctor who  has been the Nigerian Senior National Team doctor since 2010. He completed his medical school in Nigeria, and a master's in Science focused in Sports and Exercise Medicine and in business administration  in the UK.  He shares medical schooling and treatment considerations in Nigeria, his decision to pursue further education in Europ...

Andrea Mosler is an Australian sports physical therapist and researcher who completed her PhD on risk factors for hip/groin pain in professional male footballers. She has worked 3 Olympics and spent 4.5 years as a senior physical therapist at Aspetar Sports Medicine Hospital in Doha, Qatar. Today she works as a research fellow at LaTrobe University, splitting her time in clinic and research/contin...

Dr. Adam Weir is a British sports medicine physician, who has a PhD on the treatment of groin injuries in athletes. He was the lead author  on the Doha Agreement on terminology and Definitions in Groin Pain in Athletes. He is the visiting sports doctor at Aspertar and medical coordinator of the Erasmus University Hospital Academic Centre for Groin Injuries in Rotterdam, Netherlands, and works at t...

Amy Dirks is a Sports Dietitian-Nutritionist and Wellness Consultant, with a strength and conditioning background. She was the former dietitian-nutritionist for MLS Sporting KC and the current founder of Amy Dirks Sports Nutrition. She shares how she essentially developed the professional soccer nutritional program, the food recovery mistakes many athletes make, how to eat to reach peak performanc...

Dr. Francesco Della Villa (MD) is an Italian sports and exercise medicine physician who leads the Education and Research Department at the Isokinetic Group in Italy. He completed his medical degree at  -- one of, or if not -- the oldest school in the Western world, the University of Bologna. And that followed with a sports and exercise medicine residency and a fellowship focused on movement analys...

Dr. Joan Steidinger is a licensed clinical and sports psychologist in the San Francisco Bay Area with over thirty years of experience working with professional and amateur athletes. She's trained in  executive coaching, performance issues, injured athletes, clinical issues, and much more. But, her specialty is working with female teens and professional athletes. She provides tips for medical...

Tim Harkness is a South African sports psychologist who  shares his journey, from working in the backroom of his home to landing an opportunity in the Premier League. He provides insights on how medical professionals can best relate to athletes, the power of effective communication, and strategies to manage pressure and stressful situations.  10 Rules for Talking: An Expert's Guide to Masteri...