Learn from 33 x Expert Speakers International Speaker Panel
Day 1 ~ Keynote ~Saturday 6th November Opening Keynote Speaker
Prof. Eanna Falvey
Chief Medical Officer World Rugby, Ireland
Prof. Eanna Falvey
Chief Medical Officer World Rugby, Ireland
The Role and Translation of Research in Elite Sport
Prof Éanna Falvey is the Chief Medical Officer for World Rugby and former Director of Sports Medicine here at the Sports Surgery Clinic. Prof. Falvey graduated from University College Cork School of Medicine before working clinically and researching at the Department of Rheumatology, Sports and Exercise Medicine in Cork University Hospital. He undertook a fellowship in Sports Medicine at the University of Melbourne and completed a PhD at University College Cork.
He was appointed the Director of Sports Medicine at the Sports Surgery Clinic in 2008. He is heavily involved in the clinical research programme and is also clinically active there on a weekly basis. He was the Irish Senior Rugby Team Doctor from 2009 spanning the Rugby World Cups of 2011 and 2015. He was Doctor to the successful British & Irish Lions tour to Australia in 2013, and was Doctor with Munster Rugby for 4 years from 2003–07 including the inaugural Heineken Cup win in 2006. He was the Irish Amateur Boxing Association High Performance Unit Physician from 2009–2016 during a period of unrivalled success for Irish boxing.
He is an active member of the Irish sports medicine community. He is a member of the IRFU Medical Advisory Committee, a board member of the Faculty of Sports Medicine and is a member of the IRB Pitch Side Concussion Assessment (PSCA) working group.
Prof. Falvey is Senior Lecturer in Sports and Exercise Medicine at University College Cork, where a new generation of sports and exercise medicine practitioners are being trained. Having worked in professional and elite sport for more than a decade, as a former international amateur boxer Dr. Falvey brings personal experience of competition – failure, injury and success – to match a unique clinical skill-set.
As a clinician researcher Prof. Falvey has worked, and collaborated with, some of the leading names in world sports medicine. His research output over the last decade has included a textbook, numerous book chapters and over 30 peer-reviewed publications. His work is continuously informed by research, ensuring patients receive elite-level care while avoiding non-evidence-based practice.
Saturday 6th November Session 1 Muscle
Dave Binningsley
First Team Physiotherapist, Manchester United, UK
Dave Binningsley
First Team Physiotherapist, Manchester United, UK
Rehabilitation of muscle injury in the Premier League
Dave Binningsley is the First Team Physiotherapist for Manchester United. Dave studied Physiotherapy in the University of Teesside (1998) and completed his junior rotations in Durham. Dave has excelled in the sports rehabilitation field of Physiotherapy, progressing from the Academy set-up to working with the first team over the 16 years he spent at the Stadium Of Light. Dave joined the team at Manchester United after 16 years of experience at Sunderland, and 3 years as the Head Academy Chartered Physiotherapist at Middlesbrough Football Club. The vast majority of Dave’s time is currently spent rehabilitating the first team players, some of the best in the game.
Dr. Carles Pedret
SEM consultant for professional sports teams, Spain
Dr. Carles Pedret
SEM consultant for professional sports teams, Spain
Role of Imaging in Diagnosis of Lower Limb Muscle Injuries
Dr. Carles Pedret has a PhD in Medicine and Surgery from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and Sports Medicine specialist from the Universitat de Barcelona. Dr. Pedret specializes in the diagnosis, treatment and return to play process following muscle and tendon injuries. He focuses on the MRI and ultrasound diagnosis/ guided procedures.
Dr. Carles Pedret is an external advisor to multiple professional teams of the English Premier League, Italian Serie A, Spanish Liga Santander and Liga Smartbank, China SuperLeague, Belgium Pro League and German Bundesliga (football), Spanish ACB basketball teams and NBA teams and advisor to the Royal Spanish Tennis Federation.
Professor Keith Baar
University of California, USA
Professor Keith Baar
University of California, USA
Muscle Injury and Healing
Dr. Keith Baar is a professor at UC Davis and renowned tendon training researcher and expert. Professor Keith Baar received his PhD from the University of Illinois where he discovered the molecular signal that causes load-induced muscle hypertrophy. Keith is currently the head of the Functional Molecular Biology Laboratory (FMBLab) at the University of California Davis.
Over the last 15 years, Keith has worked with elite athletes, as the scientific advisor to Chelsea Football Club, USA Track and Field, Paris Saint-Germain Football Club, British Cycling, The English Institute of Sport, Leicester Tigers Rugby, and the Denver Broncos. He also spent time as an assistant strength coach with the University of Michigan football team where he was an undergraduate. Keith’s current work is focused on how loading and nutrition alter tendon/ligament/ECM health and performance.
Ben Peterson PhD
Head of Health and Performance, San Francisco 49ers, USA
Ben Peterson PhD
Head of Health and Performance, San Francisco 49ers, USA
In-season strength and power development in NFL
Ben Peterson is in his third season with the 49ers as head of player health & performance, overseeing athletic training, reconditioning, functional performance, nutrition and strength & conditioning. In his role, he manages and orchestrates all available resources to ensure 49ers players are provided the best standard of care, with the goal of maximizing their performance and availability. Ben is an experienced Performance Director with a proven track record of developing high performance systems. He coordinates a team of performance specialists that build solutions to complex problems in high stress, time restricted environments.
Prior to joining the 49ers, Ben spent more than two years as the director of sports science with the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League. In his role with the Flyers, he helped integrate strength and conditioning, sports medicine, physical therapy and nutrition. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University (2007), an NSCA qualification (2010), a Masters (2011) and a PhD (2014) in Kinesiology and Exercise Science from University of Minnesota.
Saturday 6th November Session 2 Bone
Karl Denvir
Senior Physiotherapist, Leinster Rugby, Ireland
Karl Denvir
Senior Physiotherapist, Leinster Rugby, Ireland
Rehabilitation of Ankle Fracture and Syndesmosis Injury in Elite Rugby
Karl Denvir is a Senior Physiotherapist with Leinster Rugby. Karl prides himself in delivering high quality clinical outcomes and increasing player availability. His key achievements include lead physiotherapist at European Rugby Champions Cup, Guinness Pro14 fixtures and IRFU overseas tours, accelerated return-to-performance of key players and academic award for clinical excellence. Karl also lectures in Trinity College Dublin, where he graduated from a Masters in Sports and Exercise Medicine in 2008. He obtained his undergraduate degree in Physiotherapy from the Univeristy of Brighton (2007), and has also completed a Masters in Strength and Conditioning at St. Mary’s University College London Twickenham (2015).
Dr. Jennifer Pugh
Senior Medical Officer, Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board, Ireland
Dr. Jennifer Pugh
Senior Medical Officer, Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board, Ireland
Assessment and Management of Bone Health in Elite Jockeys
Jennifer graduated from Queen’s University Belfast in 2003. Following her internship in Belfast, she completed a two year post graduate programme in St James’s Hospital Dublin and a four-year vocational training programme in General Practice in the Midland hospitals. She worked as a GP from 2010- 2020 in Co Kildare, combining this role with her racecourse medical officer’s work.
She has a keen interest in horse racing, having held her amateur rider’s license for 10 years and was Irish Ladies Point to Point Champion Rider in 2009. She has been working as racecourse medical officer since graduating in 2004.
In 2019 she took up the role of Senior Medical Officer for the Irish Horse Racing Regulatory Board (IHRB), charged with the care and well-being of the licensed jockey’s and the pre-hospital emergency care at Racecourses throughout Ireland.
As well as acting as Racecourse medical officer on the racecourse the role includes licensing policies and procedures, injury management and fitness to ride, management of support services to jockey’s including physical and mental wellbeing supports, and involvement in the Jockey’s Research Group.
Dr. Richard Willy
Associate Professor, University of Montana, USA
Dr. Richard Willy
Associate Professor, University of Montana, USA
Loading strategies to maximize bone health in the runner
Dr. Richard Willy is an Associate Professor in the School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, University of Montana (Missoula, MT, USA). He received his PhD in Biomechanics and Movement Science from the University of Delaware. Dr. Willy has been a clinician for over 20 years. His research aims to develop clinically effective treatments for persons with patellofemoral pain, Achilles tendon injuries, and bone stress injuries. His work focuses on two populations: endurance runners and tactical athletes i.e., Soldiers. He has received funding to support his work from the United States Department of Defense and the Foundation for Physical Therapy.
Dr. Doug Campbell
Orthopaedic Surgeon, UK
Dr. Doug Campbell
Orthopaedic Surgeon, UK
Management of Hand and Wrist Injuries in Combat Sports
DA Campbell ChM, FRCS.Ed, FRCS(Glas), FRCS(Orth), FFSEM(UK)
Doug Campbell has been a Consultant Hand and Wrist Surgeon in Leeds, UK since 1998.
He has been a Visiting Orthopaedic Professor in the USA, Australia, Singapore, South Africa, Hong Kong and to the Royal Society of Medicine. In 2014, he was invited to deliver the Richard J Smith Oration at Harvard University describing his work in surgical implant development.
He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and was awarded an Honorary Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons of Glasgow in 2016. He was also awarded a Foundation Fellowship of the Faculty of Sports and Exercise Medicine in 2010, representing his significant contribution to this growing area of medical specialism.
He has an established and specialist Sports Medicine & Performance practice in hand & wrist problems; in golf (being a Member of the Medical Advisory Board of the European PGA Tour and Ryder Cup) and a specialist medical adviser to British Olympic Associations (both summer and winter sports), professional soccer clubs, the Scottish Rugby Union, Premiership Rugby Union clubs, multiple Rugby League clubs and international teams, international and county cricket organisations as well as non contact sports such as diving and gymnastics. He is also a consultant to the Northern Ballet Theatre and he regularly treats professional musicians, both classical and contemporary.
His research interests are mainly clinically based. He was awarded his Master of Surgery degree (ChM) from the University of Leeds in 2000 with the thesis ‘Post traumatic digital cold related symptoms’. He was the Chairman of the AO Hand Expert Group in Switzerland from 2005 until 2019, leading the design of many current hand & wrist implants and has a passion for the blending of laboratory and research science with clinical applications, including micro surface science and 3D bone mapping of the distal radius, and biomechanical investigation of wrist movement patterns in golf.
He keenly maintains his interest in medical education and regularly lectures globally. He has organized and chaired courses in Switzerland, Holland, South Africa, Dubai, South America and the USA and has lectured in more than 20 countries. He has produced many surgical technique videos, has written chapters in over a dozen textbooks, edited a book on the Management of Hand Trauma and been the lead publisher in more than 25 peer reviewed articles. He is co-editor of the ‘AO Manual of Fracture Management: Wrist’ – the new keynote international textbook publication released in 2019.
Saturday 6th November
Panel Session
"Key Factors in Successful Multidisciplinary Teams”
Phil Coles
Executive Director of Performance, Boston Celtics, USA
Phil Coles
Executive Director of Performance, Boston Celtics, USA
Key Factors in Successful Multidisciplinary Teams - Panel Session
Phil Coles is an ESSA accredited High Performance Manager, ASCA accredited Strength and Conditioning coach, APA accredited Sports Physiotherapist and current Executive Director of Performance at the Boston Celtics. Formerly the High performance coordinator at Football Federation Australia and also led the Athletic Performance Dept. at the San Antonio Spurs (NBA), the Physical Therapy Dept. at Liverpool FC (EPL), and Medical Services at the Newcastle Knights (NRL). He engages in a career across multiple sports and countries, dedicated to elite sports performance and athlete well being.
Lynne Cantwell
Women’s High Performance Manager, South Africa Rugby, South Africa
Lynne Cantwell
Women’s High Performance Manager, South Africa Rugby, South Africa
Key Factors in Successful Multidisciplinary Teams - Panel Session
Lynne Cantwell is Irish rugby’s most capped (86) female player and Ireland’s Grand Slam vice captain from 2013 Rugby world cup sevens team. Lynne has a Sports and Exercise Science degree from the University of Limerick and a Masters in Physiotherapy from Southampton University. Lynne has recently been appointed South African rugby’s first high performance manager for the women’s game and is currently doing an Executive Team Coaching MSc with Ashridge Business school.
She is a member of the Sport Ireland Executive Board & High Performance Board and Chair of Sport Ireland's Women In Sport Committee. She is notably the most capped Irish Women's Rugby Player, and now applies learnings from High Performance Sport to Business and back again.
Dave Hamilton
Director of Performance Science, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, USA
Dave Hamilton
Director of Performance Science, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, USA
Key Factors in Successful Multidisciplinary Teams - Panel Session
Dave Hamilton has 20 years of experience in Sports Science and Strength and Conditioning. He has programmed and coached a mixture of athletic levels, from elite youth athletes to current Olympic, World and Commonwealth medallists. During his time as a physical preparation coach he has gathered vocational experience working in Qatar, Hong Kong, Canada and the UK. He has led the sports science program for 2 world class Olympic field hockey programs, both of which have shown growth as a team and made considerable strides up the world ranking system.
His philosophy has always been to be innovative in his approach to programming and the assessment of athletic development, believing that integrity, communication, excellence and the ability to challenge are the keys to success when leading a program, as the goal of any performance program should be to maintain athletic longevity, understand the individual, embrace change and develop performance models that constantly evolve in order to challenge the norms and progress performance.
Dave also played Professional Rugby with Bedford Blues RFU, Nova Scotia (Canada), and Aberdeen RFC (Hong Kong).
Ben Peterson PhD
Head of Health and Performance, San Francisco 49ers, USA
Ben Peterson PhD
Head of Health and Performance, San Francisco 49ers, USA
In-season strength and power development in NFL
Ben Peterson is in his third season with the 49ers as head of player health & performance, overseeing athletic training, reconditioning, functional performance, nutrition and strength & conditioning. In his role, he manages and orchestrates all available resources to ensure 49ers players are provided the best standard of care, with the goal of maximizing their performance and availability. Ben is an experienced Performance Director with a proven track record of developing high performance systems. He coordinates a team of performance specialists that build solutions to complex problems in high stress, time restricted environments.
Prior to joining the 49ers, Ben spent more than two years as the director of sports science with the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League. In his role with the Flyers, he helped integrate strength and conditioning, sports medicine, physical therapy and nutrition. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University (2007), an NSCA qualification (2010), a Masters (2011) and a PhD (2014) in Kinesiology and Exercise Science from University of Minnesota.
Saturday 6th November Session 3A Special Groups
Margie Davenport
Associate Professor, University of Alberta, Canada
Margie Davenport
Associate Professor, University of Alberta, Canada
The Female Athlete Post Partum
Margie Davenport is Associate Professor, Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation in the University of Alberta, and also currently holds the Christenson Professorship in Active Healthy Living (2020-2025). Her qualifications include Postdoctoral Fellowship (Physiology and Pharmacology), University of Calgary, 2012; PhD (Integrative Physiology), University of Western Ontario, 2010; BSc (Kinesiology), University of Western Ontario, 2005; BSc (Biology), Trent University, 2001.
Her principal research interest is the investigation of maternal-fetal health outcomes, and an exploration of the preventative role of exercise and/or lifestyle interventions in the development of chronic disease.
She led the development of the SOGC/CSEP 2019 Canadian Guideline for Physical Activity throughout Pregnancy, and the upcoming Canadian Guideline for Postpartum Activity. As a former national team athlete, her recent work has examined elite sport participation during pregnancy, and return to sport following delivery. This line of research aims to develop more inclusive guidelines and policies for elite pregnant/postpartum athletes.
Dr. Philip Skiba
Director of Sports Medicine, Advocate Medical Group, USA
Dr. Philip Skiba
Director of Sports Medicine, Advocate Medical Group, USA
The Post Covid Athlete
Dr. Skiba is a world-renowned expert in elite athletic performance. Board-certified in primary care sports medicine, Dr. Skiba previously served as the Program Director for Sports and Exercise Medicine at The University of Exeter, in the United Kingdom. His practice focuses on the non-surgical management of sports injuries, as well as athlete training, health, rehabilitation and wellness. He works clinically, on the sidelines, and in the training rooms with high school, collegiate and professional athletes. With a PhD in exercise physiology, Dr. Skiba maintains an extensive research program which focuses on oxygen use and the determinants of athletic performance. His work has been used by athletes in amateur and elite sports on a regular basis, including the Olympic Games. Notably, Dr. Skiba has also coached a number of national champion, world-class and World Champion triathletes. Dr. Skiba was a consultant on the Nike Breaking 2 project, and traveled 3 continents working with the world’s best marathon runners. He also appeared in the National Geographic Documentary, Breaking 2. He serves on the medical boards for USA Cycling and Dare2Tri, and is the Associate Editor for Medicine for the European Journal of Sports Science. Dr. Skiba is a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine.
Jeremy Frisch
Director, Achieve Performance Training, USA
Jeremy Frisch
Director, Achieve Performance Training, USA
Athletic Development of Young Athletes
Jeremy Frisch is the owner and director of Achieve Performance Training in Clinton, Massachusetts. Although he trains people of all ages and abilities, his main focus is on youth athletic development, physical education, and physical literacy.
Jeremy is the former assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Holy Cross athletic department. Prior to joining Holy Cross, Frisch served as the sports performance director at Competitive Athlete Training Zone in Acton, Massachusetts. In 2004, he did a strength and conditioning internship at Stanford University. Frisch is a 2007 graduate of Worcester State College, with a bachelor's degree in health science and physical education. He is certified USA Weightlifting, USA Track and Field, and SFG 1.
Damian Griffin
Professor, Warwick Medical School, UK
Damian Griffin
Professor, Warwick Medical School, UK
The Post Joint Replacement Athlete
Professor Damian Griffin is the founder and lead doctor of the Hip Arthroscopy Clinic.
Professor Griffin obtained a first Class degree in Physiology at Cambridge University and his medical degree from Oxford Univeristy. He trained as an orthopaedic surgeon in Oxford and the United States, and then returned to Cambridge to study and research the clinical epidemiology of musculoskeletal disease.
Professor Griffin moved from his consultant post at Oxford to be the foundation professor at Warwick Medical School in 2002. Since then he has led the development of a new academic department of trauma and orthopaedic surgery with a clear research focus on the assessment of the clinical effectiveness of surgery.
As a busy clinical surgeon, Professor Griffin’s particular passion is the practical application of hip arthroscopy to address problems in young, active or athletic people. After fifteen years of working in this area, hip arthroscopy and hip-preserving surgery has become almost his entire clinical practice and a major part of his research. He is an internationally recognised expert, regularly teaching and lecturing all over the world, and drawing patients for specialist opinions and surgery from the UK, Europe and elsewhere
Saturday 6th November Session 3B The 24 Hour Athlete
Dr. Meeta Singh
CEO / President at Meeta Singh MD PC, USA
Dr. Meeta Singh
CEO / President at Meeta Singh MD PC, USA
Role of Sleep in Injury and Performance
Dr Meeta Singh is a sleep doctor whose work and research focuses on “Coaching the sleep muscle” to help maximize performance in both individual athletes and sports teams. She also works with C suite executives to help with jetlag management and enhancing sleep.
She is the CEO and president at Meeta Singh MD PC and runs a Performance Sleep consulting practice. She served as section head and service chief at the Henry Ford sleep disorders center from 2006 to July 2021.
She did her training in psychiatry at the Mayo clinic and a sleep fellowship at the Henry Ford hospital. She is board-certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (under the American Board of Medical Specialties) as a psychiatrist and sleep medicine subspecialist. She is a member in good standing of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine the Sleep Research Society.
She has served as a consultant for multiple NFL, MLB, NHL and NBA teams. She has also worked with college sports teams. As part of this service, Dr. Singh performs athletic sleep assessments with personalized prescriptions for better sleep. She also helps sports teams and athletes with their travel management with a focus on addressing sleep deprivation and jet lag and maximizing athletic performance. Her passion is lecturing and educating teams and athletes about the benefits of sleep on performance. She is also a speaker at national conferences aimed at educating sports leaders and business organizations about this subject.
Ross Wadey
Professor, St Mary’s University, London, UK
Ross Wadey
Professor, St Mary’s University, London, UK
‘Putting the Puzzle Together’: From Psychological Factors to Stories of Sport Injury
Ross Wadey is a Professor of Sport Psychology at St Mary’s University and a Chartered Psychologist with the British Psychological Society. His research involves working with external stakeholders (e.g., National Health Service, English Institute of Sport, Injured Players’ Foundation) to develop programmes of research that meet their needs. Currently, his research operates at the at the intersections between disciplines (e.g., sport psychology, sports sociology, sports medicine, sports communication) and aims to work with professionals operating across various fields (e.g., sport, military, health, performing arts) to support their craft (i.e., performance, health, well-being) and, where appropriate, to bring about social justice. He sits on the Editorial Board for The Sport Psychologist and Journal of Applied Sport Psychology. In addition to his research activities, Ross is a Trustee to the charity LimbPower that aims to engage amputees and individuals with limb impairments in physical activity to improve quality of life and aid lifelong rehabilitation.
Dr. Georgie Bruinvels
Dr. Georgie Bruinvels, Director of Sports Science, Orreco, Ireland
Dr. Georgie Bruinvels
Dr. Georgie Bruinvels, Director of Sports Science, Orreco, Ireland
The influence of the menstrual cycle on injury, recovery and performance in female athletes
Georgie Bruinvels is a Senior Sports Scientist and Research Scientist at Orreco. She manages Orreco’s Redox testing at client sites, analyses blood biomarker data, and leads the science behind our Female Athlete Program and FitrWoman™ and FitrCoach™ applications.
Georgie holds a PhD from University College London and has published widely on the female athlete, iron deficiency and the menstrual cycle. Prior to joining Orreco, she worked for 3 years with UK Anti-Doping. Georgie is also an elite endurance athlete. She has represented the British Athletics Team and won her first international marathon in 2015.
Dr. Orla O’Sullivan
Senior Research Officer, Teagasc, Ireland
Dr. Orla O’Sullivan
Senior Research Officer, Teagasc, Ireland
Fitness Matters: the role of the gut microbiome in health and performance
Dr Orla O'Sullivan is Senior Research Officer at Teagasc Food Research Centre at Teagasc, Moorepark, Fermoy, Ireland and a principal investigator with the APC Microbiome Ireland and VistaMilk Science Foundation Ireland Research Centres. She is a computational biologist focusing on elucidating the microbiome from a variety of ecosystems including soil, food, rumen and human gut. Of particular interest to her is the role of fitness and diet, specifically whey protein, on the human gut microbiome both in healthy and diseased cohorts. As part of her research into the gut microbiome in fitness Orla has worked with athletes from the IRFU, Cricket Ireland, Sports Ireland Institute and a Premiership soccer team. In 2018 Orla was listed as a Clarivate Highly cited Researcher placing her in the top 1% of researchers globally and in 2019 was awarded the prestigious SFI Early Career Researcher of the Year.
Sunday 7th November Keynote Presentation (Day 2)
Allistair Mc Caw
Author and Performance Consultant, USA
Allistair Mc Caw
Author and Performance Consultant, USA
Key Attributes of Great Multidisciplinary Team Culture
Allistair McCaw is recognized as one of the world’s leading figures in human performance, team culture and leadership. For over 25 years, Allistair has worked with numerous Fortune 500 companies, Olympians, Grand Slam Champions, NCAA Colleges and Professional Sports Teams. An author of four best-selling books and a much sought-after keynote speaker, Allistair consults and partners with sports teams and corporations around the globe optimizing individual and group potential. Some of his clients include Louisiana State University, Paris Saint Germain, Glasgow Rangers and the United States Tennis Association. Allistair resides in South Florida, USA. For more on Allistair, go to www.allistairmccaw.com
Sunday 7th November Session 4 Tendon
Professor Jess Snedeker
University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Switzerland
Professor Jess Snedeker
University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Switzerland
Tendon Structure Changes During Injury and Rehabilitation
Professor Jess Snedeker is an Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Biomechanics at the University of Zurich and ETH Zurich. Additionally, he is Chief Scientific Officer, Swiss Center for Orthopaedic Innovation and Application (SCOIA) at Balgrist Campus. Jess graduated from a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering in 1995 from Lehigh University. He then went on to complete an MSc in Bioengineering between 1998 and 2000 in Penn State University, and followed this up with a PhD in Mechanical Engineering with ETH Zurich between 2000 and 2004.
His research interests include mechanobiology, collagen matrix biology, regenerative biomaterials and medical device design, clinical validation and translation. His professional goals include educating tomorrow's leaders in health related sciences, and the healthcare industry, making breakthrough scientific discoveries in the field of musculoskeletal physiology and improving orthopaedic patient care through novel biomedical devices and biotechnology research and development.
Stefania Rizzo
Director of Performance Rehabilitation, Brooklyn Nets, USA
Stefania Rizzo
Director of Performance Rehabilitation, Brooklyn Nets, USA
Rehabilitation of Tendon Injuries in the NBA
Stefania Rizzo is a Sports Physiotherapist and Director of Performance Rehabilitation at Brooklyn Nets since May 2018. Before moving to the Brooklyn Nets Stefania worked as Director of Physiotherapy at Fortius Sport and health.
Stefania has extensive experience working with professional athletes in the elite sports environment, working as a physiotherapy consultant with Golf Canada and Alpine Canada Alpin attending the Vancouver 2010 Olympics and Socchi 2014 Olympics. Stefania was the COC Designated PT and national team physiotherapist from 2006-2018.
James Wild
Performance Consultant, Furō Motion, UK
James Wild
Performance Consultant, Furō Motion, UK
Assessment and Development of Acceleration after Tendon Injury
James Wild is a performance consultant with over 20 years experience working across a range of sporting environments. Using a blend of physical preparation and biomechanics techniques with skill acquisition and motor learning principles to help address sports performance problems, James has worked with coaches and athletes across a full spectrum of abilities including medal winning teams and athletes at major international competitions.
James has taught on undergraduate and masters level degree programmes for the last decade; creating and leading on modules in skill acquisition, biomechanics, strength & conditioning and human movement & rehabilitation. He is also an active applied researcher currently in the final stages of completing a PhD in the biomechanics and motor control of team sport athletes during sprint acceleration. James is a book author (‘Strength Training for Speed’) and has published several articles within scientific journals.
Dr. Dave Alred MBE
Performance Coach, Australia
Dr. Dave Alred MBE
Performance Coach, Australia
Dave Alred MBE PhD has been at the top of the game as a world leading performance coach for the past two decades. His accolades and achievements range from nurturing World Cup winner Jonny Wilkinson into rugby’s most feared kicker to supporting Luke Donald achieve the position of world number one golfer.
A genuine pioneer in performance psychology, Dave is uncompromising and unequivocal in his pursuit of continual improvement, revolutionising the performance abilities of sports & business people alike. Over thirty years of hard won experience has helped Dave create world beaters across the spectrum. Dave has helped athletes and businesses alike, to improve themselves far beyond their own personal expectations. His relentless drive and application towards performance and improvement has put him right at the very peak of his field.
Sunday 7th November Session 5 Load
Professor Franco M. Impellizzeri
PhD, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia
Professor Franco M. Impellizzeri
PhD, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia
Acute:Chronic Workload Ratio: lessons we can learn
Franco M. Impellizzeri is a Professor in Sport and Exercise Science and Medicine at the faculty of Health of the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) where he teaches research methods and exercise physiology. He started his career as a coach before becoming head of research at the MAPEI Sport Research Centre (Italy), where he was taking care of the training and testing for elite and top-professional level athletes. Prof. Impellizzeri has also worked 10 years in clinical setting (head of the Lower limb Clinical Outcome Unit) as a Senior Research Fellow at the Department of Research & Development of the Schulthess Clinic (Zurich, Switzerland) developing his research on clinical outcomes and in the area of clinimetrics (patient-reported outcome measures). He is member of the editorial boards of various scientific journals including co-editor in chief of Science and Medicine in Football. His main research areas and interests are training, testing, training load and research methods. He has several publications (>170) in the area of sport science and orthopedics. He is fellow of the European College of Sport Sciences and member of the STORK (The Society for Transparency, Openness, and Replication in Kinesiology). He has collaborated with international and national federations and organizations/teams as scientific consultant. Franco has been the strength and conditioning coach of elite athletes of different disciplines (snowboard, fencing, MTB, etc.) participating and winning Olympic Games, such as more recently the Swiss Fencing Team for Rio de Janeiro 2016.
Jo Clubb
Performance Science Consultant, Global Performance Insights
Jo Clubb
Performance Science Consultant, Global Performance Insights
Load Monitoring and Management in the NFL
Jo Clubb is a Performance Science Consultant, driven to add impact where performance matters. Jo has gained insights and experiences from more than a decade of working across a variety of professional teams; most notably, the Buffalo Bills (NFL), Buffalo Sabres (NHL), Chelsea Football Club and Brighton and Hove Albion.
Jo has a Bachelor degree from Loughborough University and a Master degree in High Performance Sport from the Australian Catholic University. She is passionate about developing people, which she pursues through lecturing and mentoring practitioners around the world, as well as in Australia as an Honorary Fellow for the University of Technology Sydney. She disseminates research and ideas through publishing scientific papers, contributing to textbooks, and writing online, including on her website globalperformanceinsights.com.
Martin Buchheit
Head of Performance Intelligence Research, Kitman Labs, France
Martin Buchheit
Head of Performance Intelligence Research, Kitman Labs, France
Load Monitoring and Management in Elite Football
I am a very passionate strength and conditioning coach that progressively developed into an applied sport scientist, with a main emphasis on football (soccer). My work (>200 publications) has focused on intervention strategies and profiling assessments that may improve players’ physical and technical potential, using a scientific approach whenever possible. Using my background in strength & Conditioning (2 Msc), statistics (1 Msc) and a PhD in exercise physiology, I have developed different training 'tools' such as the 30-15 Intermittent Fitness to program high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and the 5'-5' (now 4'-3') running test to monitor training status using accelerometers, GPS and heart rate (variability). I also have extensive experience with fitness and strength training, injury prevention, recovery, nutrition, match analysis and youth development. I have been ranked as the 4 (2019) to 6th (2021) scientific expert in Soccer in the world.
Currently, I consult and speak for various organizations, and hold the position of Head of Performance Research at Kitman Labs, in charge of the Performance Intelligence Research Initiative with Derk McHugues.
Over the past 20 yrs, I have worked and consulted a bit all over the world and in various sports (Soccer, Handball, AFL, Rugby, Basketball, individual sports), worked at the Aspire Academy in Qatar (2009-2014), which allows me to merge theory, experience and pragmatism for a holistic and contextualized approach of high performance. This has lead me to the position of Head of Performance at Paris Saint Germain, which I held from July 2014 to July 2020.
Co-founder of HIITScience (The Science and Application of High-Intensity Interval Training, HIIT), a web platform (course, book) aimed at improving our understanding of the use of HIIT for performance in elite sports, I am also co-editor of Sport Performance & Science Reports, the first review-free, open-access scientific journal.
Pete Mc Knight
Coaching and Sports Science Director, Hintsa Performance, UK
Pete Mc Knight
Coaching and Sports Science Director, Hintsa Performance, UK
Load Monitoring and Management in Formula 1 Racing
Pete leads the team of around 40 coaches and practitioners within the Hintsa Sports Business. His background is as a Strength and Conditioning Coach and Head of Performance with professional and Olympic athletes for nearly 2 decades. During his career, Pete has worked with Formula 1 drivers, alpine skiers in France, track & field athletes, rowers, swimmers, cricketers and footballers across Europe, as well as athletes in India and other parts of Asia, just to name a few.
Pete’s educational background is in Physics and Sports Science, with a research focus in the physiological and psychological characteristics of motorsports drivers.
Pete was previously the Chairman of the UKSCA and has sat on different boards of directors and leadership teams. His interests lie in combining his passion for sport with business, performance leadership and public speaking.
Sunday 7th November
Panel Session 2
"What I Look for in My Multidisciplinary Team"
Ronan O’Gara
128 caps for Ireland, winning three Triple Crowns and the Grand Slam
Ronan O’Gara
128 caps for Ireland, winning three Triple Crowns and the Grand Slam
One of the best goal-kickers and game-controlling fly-halves of his era, Ronan O’Gara is still Ireland’s leading point scorer and the top point scorer in the history of the European Cup by some distance. Ronan won 128 caps for Ireland, winning three Triple Crowns and the Grand Slam. He also played on the British and Lions tours on three occasions (2001 2005, 2009). He is Munster's all time leading scorer and holds the Heineken Cup record for most points and caps.
Perhaps his most notable moment in a green jersey was the last-minute drop goal which brought Ireland a 17-15 win over Wales and the 2009 Six Nations Grand Slam – Ireland’s first for 61 years. When he finally called time on his Irish career he was the sixth most-capped player in international rugby.
Despite being born in California, O’Gara was a Cork man through and through, making his Munster debut in 1997 and then helping the province to Heineken Cup wins in 2006 and 2008.
As a superb reader of the game, a move into coaching was the natural course of action for O’Gara once he finally hung up his boots. After four years as an assistant coach at Racing 92, he left Paris at the end of 2017 to take on a similar role with the Crusaders in New Zealand. He is currently the Director of Rugby of La Rochelle after joining them in 2019.
Aidan O’Brien
Irish horse racing trainer
Aidan O’Brien
Irish horse racing trainer
Aidan O'Brien is a world renowned Irish horse racing trainer.
Over the past 25years he has been the private trainer at Ballydoyle Stables in County Tipperary for John Magnier and his Coolmore Stud associates.
In 1998 he became Irelands youngest ever Champion Trainer, a title which he has not relinquished since then. In 2001 he became the youngest ever Champion British Trainer, and the first overseas holder of the title since. He has enjoyed spectacular success and identified himself as one of the world’s leading trainers, with his exploits garnering him five trainers’ titles.
In 2017, O’Brien’s horses achieved a world record 28 Group 1 wins, beating the previous record of 26 achieved by the late Bobby Frankel in 2003.
Horses trained under him have amassed over 425 Group 1 wins internationally, most notably Galileo, who has long-been the most influential stallion in the world. His outstanding offspring include the mighty Frankel.
Under his tuition, jockeys, trainers and future champions learn their craft, with his son, Joseph O’ Brien, benefitting from his immense stewardship, winning the Emirates Melbourne Cup on two occasions, something O’Brien himself has not yet achieved.
O’ Brien continues to be a pioneer and push the boundaries of what’s achievable in Horse racing through the use of the most up to date science and technology.
Sunday 7th November Session 6 Joint
Alicia Tang
Women's Lead Physiotherapist, The Football Association, UK
Alicia Tang
Women's Lead Physiotherapist, The Football Association, UK
Rehabilitation & Return to Play following Knee Injuries in Elite Football
Alicia is an international physiotherapy consultant for EXOS, whose career has taken her from clinics in Melbourne, to working in China, and now all the way to her current role in the UK as Head Physiotherapist for the English National Women’s Football team.
While still completing her first degree at La Trobe, Alicia began working at the St Kilda Football Club as a Sports Trainer and Physiotherapist. From there, she went on to work at the Melbourne Aces in the Australian Baseball League and at the Western Bulldogs simultaneously.
Alicia’s experience in baseball was furthered when she took a role with the Colorado Rockies as an International Physiotherapy Consultant. From there, Alicia headed to China to work as Head of Physiotherapy for the Chinese Olympic team.
David Dunne
Performance Nutritionist and Co-Founder Hexis Performance, Ireland
David Dunne
Performance Nutritionist and Co-Founder Hexis Performance, Ireland
Nutritional Considerations in the Management of Joint Injury in Elite Sport
David is a performance nutritionist for a range of professional and Olympic organisations. He has experience working with an array of elite sports from Harlequins, Queens Park Rangers FC, Bradford Bulls, British Fencing, British Canoeing and Professional Golfers.
David is the CEO & Co-Founder of Hexis Performance and is currently completing his PhD in Nutrition, Behaviour Change and Technology.
Hexis Performance was founded in 2017 when a PhD research project united elite sport coaches with international academics in data science, behavioural science, nutrition science, performance science and biostatistics.
The aim: to simplify and unlock elite-level coaching. To personalise best-practice nutrition and deliver at scale. And to turn insights into easy-to-digest instructions for anyone.
The Hexis Performance engine runs on cutting-edge data science, AI and machine learning. But in-app support and consultations come from David’s experience working for decades on the front-line of elite sport.
Thilina Vitharana
PhD Candidate, Sports Surgery Clinic, Ireland
Thilina Vitharana
PhD Candidate, Sports Surgery Clinic, Ireland
Assessment and Rehabilitation of Sensorimotor Dysfunction after ACL Injury
Thilina is an experienced sports physiotherapist with a demonstrated history of working in a private practice setting and with a variety of sporting teams at various levels. This experience has enabled Thilina to develop proven skills in injury diagnosis/management, injury prevention and exercise rehabilitation.
Thilina received a Bachelor of Applied Science (Physiotherapy) from the University of Sydney and has since completed a Masters of Sports Physiotherapy at the University of Queensland. Most recently, Thilina has successfully acquired a Diploma in High Performance Sport from the Australian Catholic University.
Thilina has been a Senior Physiotherapist in Sports Surgery clinic since 2019 and is now constructing his PhD surrounding Sensorimotor Dysfunction post ACL injury.
Dr. Greg Rose
Co-Founder Titleist Performance Institute, USA
Dr. Greg Rose
Co-Founder Titleist Performance Institute, USA
Factors influencing Lumbar Spine Injury in the Elite Golfer
Dr. Greg Rose is a board certified Doctor of Chiropractic and holds an engineering degree from the University of Maryland. Greg specializes in injury prevention, rehabilitation and performance enhancement of amateur and professional athletes. Greg is the Co-Founder of the Titleist Performance Institute (TPI), located in Oceanside, California. TPI is the research and testing facility built by Titleist, to help analyze, train and develop the best golfers in the world.
Dr. Rose is also the co-developer of the Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA), part of the Functional Movement System (FMS) family of evaluations. The SFMA has revolutionized the field of movement assessment and changed the way many healthcare practitioners diagnose musculo-skeletal injuries.
Greg is also the founder of RacquetFit, a tennis education business that certifies fitness and medical professionals for the United States Professional Tennis Association. Greg also founded OnBase University, which certifies coaches, medical professionals and fitness professionals who work in the fields of baseball or softball.
He has also been a contributing writer in several Physical Therapy, Athletic Training and Chiropractic books. Greg was the co-host of The Golf Fitness Academy seen on the Golf Channel for over ten years and is frequently used as a fitness expert on the Golf Channel.