The Pure Pod — Sports & Exercise Medicine

Pure Sports Medicine

Injuries happen every day and can dramatically impact your life, job, activities and chosen sports. We are on a mission to empower people to live the active lives that everyone deserves, whether you consider yourself an elite athlete or not.   Pure Sports Medicine is the UK’s leading provider of musculoskeletal, sport and exercise medicine, providing access to the highest standards of non-surgical medical care delivered by our team of world-class specialists working together all under one roof. Our team approach means efficient and effective treatment with same day referrals where needed to ensure you have the exact people around you that you need. In this podcast we hand the mic to our team of experts including, Physiotherapists, Sport & Exercise Medicine consultants, Nutritionists, Strength & Conditioning Coaches, Soft Tissue Therapists and many more, to bring you the most up-to-date information and advice to help you achieve your sporting or fitness goals. We'll give you tips on avoiding injury and managing new or ongoing conditions with the goal of helping you get back to your best.   For more expert info and advice right at your fingertips, check out the links below: Website: www.puresportsmed.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/puresportsmed/X: https://twitter.com/puresportsmedInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/puresportsmed/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@puresportsmedLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pure-sports-medicine

Episodes

  1. JAN 27

    The Pure Pod — S2 E1 'Preparing for a triathlon’

    Triathlons are the ultimate test for the inter-disciplinary athlete. Combining running, swimming and cycling, these races offer a unique challenge. Not only do you need a high-level of fitness, but managing the different physical expectations in the build-up to race day requires careful planning and meticulous preparation.  How do you manage and mitigate injury risk across three disciplines with drastically different mechanics and stresses on the body? How do you find the time to balance training alongside a busy routine? As you catch the bug, how do you ramp up training to battle increasing distances, without putting your body under undue stress?  We’re drawing on the expertise of two triathletes, Alex Townsend, a podiatrist with particular expertise in the treatment of injuries related to long-distance running, and strength and conditioning coach Andy Page to talk us through these big questions and more.  Here are the topics we covered in the conversation:  -       Andy and Alex’s route into triathlon (02:00)  -       The mistakes new triathletes tend to make (04:45) -       Finding the time to train (06:45) -       How to train for transitions on race day (09:45)  -       Andy and Alex’s worst and best triathlon experiences (14:45) -       The importance of supplementary strength training for triathletes (26:30) -       The prevalence of overtraining in triathletes (33:00) -       How each discipline presents different injury risk (40:45) -       How Andy and Alex would collaborate in a triathlete’s rehab (48:00) Speaker Bios  Andy Page https://puresportsmed.com/team/andy-page/  Alex Townsend https://puresportsmed.com/team/alex-townsend/  Pure Sports Medicine is the UK’s leading provider of musculoskeletal, sport and exercise medicine, providing access to the highest standards of non-surgical medical care delivered by our team of world-class specialists working together all under one roof. Our team approach means efficient and effective treatment with same day referrals where needed to ensure you have the exact people around you that you need. In this podcast we hand the mic to our team of experts including, Physiotherapists, Sport & Exercise Medicine consultants, Nutritionists, Strength & Conditioning Coaches, Soft Tissue Therapists and many more, to bring you the most up-to-date information and advice to help you achieve your sporting or fitness goals. We'll give you tips on avoiding injury and managing new or ongoing conditions with the goal of helping you get back to your best. For more expert info and advice right at your fingertips, check out the links below: Website: www.puresportsmed.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/puresportsmed/ X: https://twitter.com/puresportsmed Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/puresportsmed/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@puresportsmed LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pure-sports-medicine

    55 min
  2. 03/19/2025

    #6 - London Marathon: Preparation and Recovery

    We’re deep into Marathon prep season. The London Marathon, at the time of recording, is just six weeks away. We know many of you will be on top of your training plans, but you’ll likely still want to know all the tips and tricks for finishing the race at your very best. That means nailing your running routine, your strength and conditioning programmes, your diet, your hydration, and maybe most importantly, your motivation for getting miles in your legs. That feeling when you cross the finish line is the culmination of months of hard work. But what comes after is often overlooked. How do you mitigate the immediate risk of injury after 26.2 miles? Looking at the medium, or long-term recovery should you push on or scale back? What comes after the adrenaline dump?  This is our second podcast on Marathon prep, and it will look in detail at the last-minute prep, raceday itself, and the aftermath. Consider it your companion to the next month of effort, and the fitness journey that comes after. To guide us through this process, we’ll be talking to physio and running injury specialist John Daly, and podiatrist Alex Townsend. Both men are long distance runners themselves, so can draw on personal and professional expertise to help with your prep and recovery.  Here’s what we covered:  Where runners should be in their programme at this stage (4:15)How to stay motivated with marathon training (7:15)Nutrition tips for the buildup, and on the day of the race (10:00)How to mitigate injuries, in particular lower limb ailments (16:45)Why recovery is a priority at this stage of prep (25:00)When you should start tapering your programme (26:30)The ideal routine for the week before the race (31:30)Tips for enjoying the day and maximising performance (35:45)Post-race recovery (39:30)How a podiatrist and physio might collaborate to help a patient recover from an injury post-marathon (44:30)Words of advice and motivation for runners taking part in the marathon (51:15) Running a marathon? Sign up for our special newsletter. It’s completely free, and will provide weekly content on maximising your performance over the 26.2 miles: https://landing.puresportsmed.com/marathon-mission Speakers:  https://puresportsmed.com/team/alex-townsend  https://puresportsmed.com/team/john-daly  Pure Sports Medicine is the UK’s leading provider of musculoskeletal, sport and exercise medicine, providing access to the highest standards of non-surgical medical care delivered by our team of world-class specialists working together all under one roof. Our team approach means efficient and effective treatment with same day referrals where needed to ensure you have the exact people around you that you need. In this podcast we hand the mic to our team of experts including, Physiotherapists, Sport & Exercise Medicine consultants, Nutritionists, Strength & Conditioning Coaches, Soft Tissue Therapists and many more, to bring you the most up-to-date information and advice to help you achieve your sporting or fitness goals. We'll give you tips on avoiding injury and managing new or ongoing conditions with the goal of helping you get back to your best. For more expert info and advice right at your fingertips, check out the links below: Website: www.puresportsmed.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/puresportsmed/ X: https://twitter.com/puresportsmed Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/puresportsmed/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@puresportsmed LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pure-sports-medicine

    54 min
  3. 02/21/2025

    #5 - Maintaining your New Year Fitness Goals

    Did you commit to a New Year’s Resolution in 2025? A 2024 survey by Yougov found 27% of Britons have set themself a goal to coincide with the turn of the year. Three of the top five were pertaining to physical wellbeing and performance. Some 17% of respondents wanted to get fitter and exercise more; 16% wanted to lose weight; 7% wanted to be more healthy in general.  Keeping momentum is difficult. A similar survey conducted in 2017 found one-in-five people that commit to a resolution have slipped up by the 7th January. When we try to change our habits, it’s common for us to aim too high, jeopardising future performance by reaching for a goal that is unsustainable.  How do you plan an exercise plan that fits around your commitments? What should you do when motivation for healthy eating drops? What role does recovery and sleep play in helping you achieve your goals?  To answer these questions, we’re joined by Clemence Cleave, an award-winning nutritionist, and one of Pure’s leading strength and conditioning coaches, Tom Williams.  How unsustainable or ill-defined goals can undermine lifestyle changes (2:00) The steps medical or fitness professionals may take to help their patients focus on more realistic targets (4:30) Why focussing on enjoyment can help us achieve our goals (9:00) The possible dangers of over-exercising, or embarking on overly-restrictive diets (13:00)How Tom and Clem stay motivated in their fitness, and how a clinician may use their own experiences to relate to their patients (17:15)How a strength and conditioning coach can help with building a fitness regime that fits around a busy schedule (21:00)The importance of maintaining a balanced diet, rather than demonising or completely removing certain food groups to stimulate weight loss (23:30)Whether meal planning is an effective strategy for maintaining a healthy diet (29:00)How nutritionists and strength and conditioning coaches work within a wider MDT to support a client’s fitness goals (32:30) The vital role of sleep and recovery in making healthier lifestyle choices (37:00)Our New Year’s resolutions for 2025 (40:00) One final tip for those struggling with their fitness goals (43:00) Guest bios  https://puresportsmed.com/team/tom-tom-williams https://puresportsmed.com/team/clemence-cleave  Pure Sports Medicine is the UK’s leading provider of musculoskeletal, sport and exercise medicine, providing access to the highest standards of non-surgical medical care delivered by our team of world-class specialists working together all under one roof. Our team approach means efficient and effective treatment with same day referrals where needed to ensure you have the exact people around you that you need. In this podcast we hand the mic to our team of experts including, Physiotherapists, Sport & Exercise Medicine consultants, Nutritionists, Strength & Conditioning Coaches, Soft Tissue Therapists and many more, to bring you the most up-to-date information and advice to help you achieve your sporting or fitness goals. We'll give you tips on avoiding injury and managing new or ongoing conditions with the goal of helping you get back to your best. For more expert info and advice right at your fingertips, check out the links below: Website: www.puresportsmed.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/puresportsmed/ X: https://twitter.com/puresportsmed Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/puresportsmed/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@puresportsmed LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pure-sports-medicine

    45 min
  4. 01/28/2025

    Preventing injury and maximising performance in winter sports

    According to the Ski Club of Great Britain, the UK has 1.8m active skiers, defined as those who have participated in the sport in the previous 12 months. For many active holidaymakers, jetting off to the slopes in the midst of the miserable winter months is a boost to their mental and physical wellbeing; unless they spend too much time at the apres-ski of course.  Winter sports aren’t a pursuit that should be taken lightly however. There is an inherent risk of serious injury, particularly to the lower body. A 2019 study of nine winter seasons showed that knee injuries were the most prevalent for skiers, making up 35% of all major incidents. Upper body injuries to the shoulder, head and neck are also common.  How can winter sport athletes and hobbyists mitigate these risks? What supporting exercise should they prioritise? When injuries do hit, what does gold standard care look like?  We’re joined by Tom Ulset and Charlotte Vaile. Both are physiotherapists with a passion for winter sports, and expertise in the treatment of its associated injuries.  Here’s what we covered:  The most common injuries sustained on winter sports holidays (1:30)How skiers and snowboarders can mitigate those injuries (3:15)The steps an MDT may take in treating a serious knee injury like a torn ACL (7:45)If there are any specific steps skiers can take to prevent knee injuries and pain (12:00)How MDTs treat other common issues, in particular injuries sustained to the hand and shoulder joint (13:45) How physios can keep their patients engaged in lengthy rehabilitation programmes (15:00)The importance of managing a patients’ mental health as they aim to return to their preferred sports (18:00)Why the social aspect of winter sports can help people enjoy their winter sports trip (22:15)How skiers can improve their conditioning and strength before a skiing holiday (25:00)The importance of flexibility and balance in preparing for winter sports (29:30) Why a balanced approach to training is the best preparation for a winter sports holiday (33:30)Speaker bios:  Tom Ulset: https://puresportsmed.com/team/tom-ulset  Charlotte Vaile: https://puresportsmed.com/team/charlotte-vaile  Pure Sports Medicine is the UK’s leading provider of musculoskeletal, sport and exercise medicine, providing access to the highest standards of non-surgical medical care delivered by our team of world-class specialists working together all under one roof. Our team approach means efficient and effective treatment with same day referrals where needed to ensure you have the exact people around you that you need. In this podcast we hand the mic to our team of experts including, Physiotherapists, Sport & Exercise Medicine consultants, Nutritionists, Strength & Conditioning Coaches, Soft Tissue Therapists and many more, to bring you the most up-to-date information and advice to help you achieve your sporting or fitness goals. We'll give you tips on avoiding injury and managing new or ongoing conditions with the goal of helping you get back to your best. For more expert info and advice right at your fingertips, check out the links below: Website: www.puresportsmed.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/puresportsmed/ X: https://twitter.com/puresportsmed Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/puresportsmed/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@puresportsmed LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pure-sports-medicine

    37 min
  5. 12/04/2024

    Achieving your fitness goals in winter: Training for marathons and Hyrox

    Training over the winter months can prove difficult. A 2022 survey by Noom found that a fifth of UK adults exercise less as temperatures drop. Where motivation lacks, sometimes, fitness challenges or goals can help to increase activity. However, jumping into physically exerting training regimes can produce its own problems.  Long distance running is one of the most popular forms of exercise in the UK. A poll by Our Sporting Life found that 1-in-5 adults run at least once a month. Participation in organised races are rapidly increasing; over 800,000 people applied to run in the 2025 London Marathon.  For those chosen in the ballot the reality of the arduous but rewarding training regime quickly quicks in. With around four months of escalating effort ahead, managing injury, prioritising recovery and ensuring peak performance for race day requires a level of planning most amateur runners aren’t accustomed to.  Hyrox has proven a cultural phenomenon over the past couple of years. The gruelling fitness race which mixes weight training, callisthenics, high intensity cardio and middle distance running has captured the imagination of fitness aficionados.  In this podcast, we’ll give you tips for maintaining motivation for training over the winter months, specific training strategies for both marathon training and Hyrox preparation. We’re joined by Dawn Nunes, a physiotherapist and Pure’s head of rehab, as well as Ian Griffiths, a podiatrist with experience in working with Premier League Football teams, England Rugby 7s and Team GB hockey.  Timestamps:  Maintaining motivation over the colder winter months (2:00)The dangers of pursuing difficult exercise challenges without proper management or preparation (5:00)How to ramp up training before a long distance race (7:00)The different recovery strategies available to long distance runners (13:00) How runners can introduce different types of training to stave off boredom or apathy (16:30) How long distance runners can develop resilience in their training (20:15)How a podiatrist and physiotherapist might work together to help overcome common injuries (26:00) The other common issues associated with long distance running (28:15)If there are common injuries associated with cross training, the training style that underpins Hyrox (32:15) How to build up training for a Hyrox event (36:45)Advice for runners or athletes struggling for motivation while trying to achieve their new fitness goals (40:45) Pure Sports Medicine is the UK’s leading provider of musculoskeletal, sport and exercise medicine, providing access to the highest standards of non-surgical medical care delivered by our team of world-class specialists working together all under one roof. Our team approach means efficient and effective treatment with same day referrals where needed to ensure you have the exact people around you that you need. In this podcast we hand the mic to our team of experts including, Physiotherapists, Sport & Exercise Medicine consultants, Nutritionists, Strength & Conditioning Coaches, Soft Tissue Therapists and many more, to bring you the most up-to-date information and advice to help you achieve your sporting or fitness goals. We'll give you tips on avoiding injury and managing new or ongoing conditions with the goal of helping you get back to your best. For more expert info and advice right at your fingertips, check out the links below: Website: www.puresportsmed.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/puresportsmed/ X: https://twitter.com/puresportsmed Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/puresportsmed/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@puresportsmed LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pure-sports-medicine

    46 min
  6. 11/12/2024

    An introduction to women’s health

    Multiple studies show that women’s pain is often undertreated compared to men; for example a study by the American Heart Association found that women waited 29% longer to be evaluated for heart attack when reporting chest pain.  This often means conditions such as Menopause, Endometriosis or pelvic health are under discussion in the public realm, or worse yet, mistreated on a patient-by-patient basis. In this podcast, we’ll look at the treatment options available to women for these conditions, and also look at how exercise and diet can be tailored to mitigate symptoms and improve general well being.  We’re joined in this episode by Dr Linia Patel, a dietitian and performance nutritionist who specialises in helping women better achieve optimal health, and Aisling Frier, Pure Sports Medicine’s head of women’s health and a specialist musculoskeletal and pelvic health physiotherapist.  Timestamps:  How Pure Sports Medicine approaches common issues pertaining to women’s health (1:40)The common misconceptions around menopause (2:30)How menopause can affect general wellbeing (5:30)Tips for improving quality of life through menopause, and how nutritionists and physiotherapists may work together towards an effect treatment plan (11:10)The early symptoms of endometriosis (15:30) How endometriosis can affect quality of life (18:30)How a multidisciplinary approach can support women with endometriosis (21:00)How women can take control over their health and exercise, when much of the research is optimised for men’s performance (26:00)The importance of pelvic floor health to a woman’s general wellbeing (29:40)Tips for maintaining better pelvic floor health (33:10)Managing common injuries for active women (36:10)How women can tailor their exercise schedule to stages of their menstrual cycle (40:20)Pure Sports Medicine is the UK’s leading provider of musculoskeletal, sport and exercise medicine, providing access to the highest standards of non-surgical medical care delivered by our team of world-class specialists working together all under one roof. Our team approach means efficient and effective treatment with same day referrals where needed to ensure you have the exact people around you that you need. In this podcast we hand the mic to our team of experts including, Physiotherapists, Sport & Exercise Medicine consultants, Nutritionists, Strength & Conditioning Coaches, Soft Tissue Therapists and many more, to bring you the most up-to-date information and advice to help you achieve your sporting or fitness goals. We'll give you tips on avoiding injury and managing new or ongoing conditions with the goal of helping you get back to your best. For more expert info and advice right at your fingertips, check out the links below: Website: www.puresportsmed.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/puresportsmed/ X: https://twitter.com/puresportsmed Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/puresportsmed/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@puresportsmed LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pure-sports-medicine

    49 min
  7. 10/08/2024

    An introduction to multidisciplinary care

    A multidisciplinary team (MDT) approach to treatment involves professionals from a range of fields to produce a comprehensive recovery plan for an athlete or patient.   This has become common practice in the treatment of many different illnesses and conditions. Studies have shown that MDTs lead to better outcomes for cancer patients, and it can reduce older peoples’ need to seek in-patient treatment. In elite sport, the latest innovations in physiotherapy, nutrition, sport & exercise medicine and other specialist fields are used in tandem for prevention and treatment, reducing the burden of injury on their athletes.   On the inaugural episode of our new podcast, we speak to Pure Sport Medicine’s Chief Clinical Officer, Claire Small, and Medical Director, Dr John Etherington, to explain this concept in more detail. Here’s what they covered:   The core principles of an MDT (1:30) How an MDT might be used to treat a common knee injury (3:30) How an MDT differs to single-discipline approach in practice (12:00) The benefits of an MDT for the patient (16:00) How an MDT can benefit all types of patient profiles, injuries and common health problems (19:30) The role an MDT can play in informing patients, and reducing the risk of ongoing injury (32:15)  How clinicians use technology to provide best-in-class care (38:00) https://puresportsmed.com/team/claire-small  https://puresportsmed.com/team/dr-john-etherington-cbe  Pure Sports Medicine is the UK’s leading provider of musculoskeletal, sport and exercise medicine, providing access to the highest standards of non-surgical medical care delivered by our team of world-class specialists working together all under one roof. Our team approach means efficient and effective treatment with same day referrals where needed to ensure you have the exact people around you that you need. In this podcast we hand the mic to our team of experts including, Physiotherapists, Sport & Exercise Medicine consultants, Nutritionists, Strength & Conditioning Coaches, Soft Tissue Therapists and many more, to bring you the most up-to-date information and advice to help you achieve your sporting or fitness goals. We'll give you tips on avoiding injury and managing new or ongoing conditions with the goal of helping you get back to your best. For more expert info and advice right at your fingertips, check out the links below: Website: www.puresportsmed.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/puresportsmed/ X: https://twitter.com/puresportsmed Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/puresportsmed/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@puresportsmed LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pure-sports-medicine

    42 min

About

Injuries happen every day and can dramatically impact your life, job, activities and chosen sports. We are on a mission to empower people to live the active lives that everyone deserves, whether you consider yourself an elite athlete or not.   Pure Sports Medicine is the UK’s leading provider of musculoskeletal, sport and exercise medicine, providing access to the highest standards of non-surgical medical care delivered by our team of world-class specialists working together all under one roof. Our team approach means efficient and effective treatment with same day referrals where needed to ensure you have the exact people around you that you need. In this podcast we hand the mic to our team of experts including, Physiotherapists, Sport & Exercise Medicine consultants, Nutritionists, Strength & Conditioning Coaches, Soft Tissue Therapists and many more, to bring you the most up-to-date information and advice to help you achieve your sporting or fitness goals. We'll give you tips on avoiding injury and managing new or ongoing conditions with the goal of helping you get back to your best.   For more expert info and advice right at your fingertips, check out the links below: Website: www.puresportsmed.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/puresportsmed/X: https://twitter.com/puresportsmedInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/puresportsmed/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@puresportsmedLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pure-sports-medicine