**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 studies at the Escuela Univ Real Madrid. https://www.instagram.com/shorisasaki_sc Follow for up...

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, including U.S. soccer, and both the men's and women's top professional soccer league in the United S...

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 medicine. Resources: Effectiveness of Neuromuscular Training in Preventing Lower Limb Soccer Injuries...

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: Welcome, update of what all happened in 2024! 3:55 Belgium & what's the story of the origin o...

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 or Kansas area, this is the place to be! https://www.gamechangerptkc.com/ Follow for upd...

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, Pyper. He shares the event from her collapse on the soccer pitch, hospitalization, defibrillator/pacemaker (also fo...

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 St. Patrick's Day (sorry for my Irish folks!), his journey from becoming a surgeon, creating th...

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 avulsion injuries/fractures in adolescent athletes. And we reviewed a unique case study presented ...

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 updates: https://www.instagram.com/medicalexpertsinfootball Music: Adding The Sun by Kevin ...

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 role for PSV Eindhoven, and hamstring considerations for amateur and professional athletes. Fo...

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 medical professionals pursuing opportunities in a professional setting. Follow for updates: h...

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/medicalexpertsinfootball Music: Adding The Sun by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5708-adding-the-sun License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license<p&...

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 of publications. Follow for updates: https://www.instagram.com/medicalexpertsinfootball Mu...

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/medicalexpertsinfootball Music: Adding The Sun by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5708-adding-the-sun ...

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.com/insideuefa/protecting-the-game/medical/ European football steps up to save lives: http...

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/medicalexpertsinfootball Music: Adding The Sun by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5708-adding-the-sun License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license<p>

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 athletes. She does work for many of the professional leagues, from MLS, MLB, NFL, etc. And her soccer work incl...

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, English Championship, Italian Series A, Spanish Liga, China Superleague, Belgium Pro league, German B...

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 Europe and how that prepared him for his national team experiences. He also discusses...

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/continuing education. She shares how her early experiences afforded her opportunities in the sports w...