Libsyn Directory

171. Achilles tendon ruptures: Rehab & recovery with Prof. Peter Malliaras

Release Date: 07/08/2025

174. ACJ - The hidden culprit behind stubborn shoulder pain? Physio Edge Shoulder Success podcast with Jo Gibson

Physio Edge podcast

Have any of your shoulder patients improved and then plateaued, unable to regain their full range of movement, or get rid of their painful arc? Sometimes it’s not the cuff, capsule, nerves or neck—it’s the acromioclavicular joint (ACJ) holding things back. In this episode, Jo Gibson sheds light on this often-overlooked contributor to persistent shoulder pain. From real patient case studies to the latest research and simple clinic-ready symptom modification tests, Jo shares practical strategies you can use immediately. Learn how to identify ACJ involvement, and use targeted rehab...

173. Hip flexor pain in runners: Diagnosis, myths, and rehab. Physio Edge Track record: Running repairs podcast with Tom Goom

Physio Edge podcast

Anterior hip pain is often blamed on the hip flexors, but in runners, that’s rarely the diagnosis. So how can you identify the real cause and guide patients to a safe, effective recovery? In this episode, Tom Goom (Running Physio) explores the function of the hip flexors in running, key differentials for anterior hip or groin pain, and practical rehab strategies you can use right away. You’ll discover: Why true hip flexor tendinopathy is uncommon in endurance runners Red flags and key tests to identify bone stress fractures and intra‑articular pathology Early‑stage loading strategies...

172. Shoulder pain assessment & clinical reasoning. Physio Edge Shoulder Success podcast with Jo Gibson

Physio Edge podcast

Your patient presents with shoulder pain, and straight away you need to identify: Is it rotator cuff related shoulder pain, frozen shoulder, instability, or something else entirely? Is it rotator cuff related shoulder pain, frozen shoulder, instability, or something else entirely? Is the pain actually coming from the shoulder? Could it be the cervical spine? Is there a tear that needs urgent referral? Should you order imaging? Refer to a surgeon? Or confidently continue with rehab? In this podcast, Jo Gibson (Upper Limb Rehabilitation Specialist Physio) guides you through a simple,...

171. Achilles tendon ruptures: Rehab & recovery with Prof. Peter Malliaras

Physio Edge podcast

Your patient is running, playing sport, or jumping or lunging forward - an activity with fast eccentric or concentric activity in dorsiflexion,and suddenly they feel like they’ve been kicked in the back of the leg. They might hear a snap and have difficulty weightbearing, walking and pushing off. What’s your likely diagnosis? You picked it - an Achilles tendon (AT) rupture. AT ruptures are a devastating injury that can drastically impact a patient’s ability to walk, run, or return to sport. Despite their frequency, there’s a lot of uncertainty among clinicians, patients, and even...

170. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) injuries with Dr Lachlan Giles

Physio Edge podcast

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is a popular grappling-based martial art that uses joint locks and chokes to subdue or submit opponents. It’s an intense, physically demanding sport with complex movements and submission techniques that involve a risk of injury, particularly to the knees, shoulders, elbows, neck, and lower back. It’s important for Physiotherapists and health professionals who treat BJJ athletes to understand the different mechanisms of injury, movements and positions athletes need to be able to perform, so they can develop successful rehabilitation programs, and safely and...

169. Beyond stretching: How to create lasting flexibility. Physio Edge Running repairs podcast with Tom Goom

Physio Edge podcast

Static stretching has long been used to improve flexibility, but research shows its effects are often short-lived. So how can you help patients achieve lasting improvements? In this episode, Tom Goom (Running Physio) explores exercises you can provide to patients to increase muscle fascicle length, improve flexibility, and reduce injury risk. You’ll discover: Why static stretching alone may not create long-term flexibility gains Exercises to improve muscle length and function Key training parameters for effective flexibility training Strategies to maintain flexibility improvements...

168. How to explain shoulder pain to patients. Physio Edge Shoulder Success podcast with Jo Gibson

Physio Edge podcast

How do the terms we use influence a patient’s understanding of their shoulder pain, their recovery expectations, and even their treatment choices? In this episode of the Physio Edge Shoulder Success Podcast, Jo Gibson (Upper Limb Rehabilitation Specialist Physio), explores the power of language in physiotherapy and how our explanations can either support or hinder a patient’s progress. Drawing on research and real-world clinical experience, Jo discusses a compelling case study: Persistent shoulder pain after multiple treatments – A patient with years of ongoing pain, failed...

167. Bones, them strong bones: How to use bone loading programs. Physio Edge Running repairs podcast with Tom Goom

Physio Edge podcast

Bone strength and density are vital in your running and sporting patients who can experience bone stress injuries (BSI’s), and also as patients get older and more vulnerable to falls and fractures. How can you improve bone strength in patients following a bone stress injury such as Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome or stress fractures, or in other patients that you’d like to improve bone density or strength? Traditional approaches to strength and conditioning may not always address the needs of your patients recovering from bone stress injuries. That’s where bone loading programs come...

166. To tape or not to tape? Physio Edge Shoulder Success podcast with Jo Gibson

Physio Edge podcast

Taping: does it really help patients with shoulder pain, or is it just a brightly coloured placebo? In this thought-provoking episode of the Physio Edge Shoulder Success Podcast, Jo Gibson, upper limb rehab specialist at Rehab for Performance, unpacks the complexities of taping in shoulder rehabilitation. Drawing from the latest evidence and her extensive experience with shoulder pain, Jo shares two compelling case studies and whether taping was useful in the treatment of: Volleyball player post-stabilisation surgery – Despite passing all return-to-play criteria, this patient struggled...

165. Busting hip pain myths with Mehmet Gem

Physio Edge podcast

Join hosts David Pope and The Hip Physio - Mehmet Gem as they dive deep into the myths and misconceptions surrounding hip and groin pain. This podcast explores common myths about glutes and hip flexors, effective rehab exercises, and how to accurately assess and treat various hip conditions. Get free access to the "Tricky tendons" infographic series Unlock the secrets of successful tendinopathy assessment and treatment with this free infographic series for therapists. Links Chapter markes: 00:00 Intro 00:27 Getting to know Mehmet 03:11 Glute myths and...

More Episodes

They might hear a snap and have difficulty weightbearing, walking and pushing off.

What’s your likely diagnosis?

You picked it - an Achilles tendon (AT) rupture.

AT ruptures are a devastating injury that can drastically impact a patient’s ability to walk, run, or return to sport.

Despite their frequency, there’s a lot of uncertainty among clinicians, patients, and even surgeons around how to best assess, treat, and rehabilitate Achilles tendon ruptures.

Patients are often fearful of doing the wrong thing and re-rupturing the tendon.

Therapists often follow a non-surgical protocol of putting people in a boot, but are unsure how to progress, how fast to progress and what to do during and after they’re in the boot.

An even bigger problem than AT re-rupture is the very common issue of an elongated tendon where patients have long-term difficulty with calf weakness and inefficiency, walking long distances, hopping, jumping, and returning to sport.

In this podcast, David Pope (APA Titled Musculoskeletal and Sports & Exercise Physiotherapist) is joined by Prof. Peter Malliaras (Specialist Physiotherapist FACP, clinician and researcher with a PhD in tendinopathy) to explore the latest evidence, clinical insights, and rehab strategies for Achilles tendon ruptures.

Peter draws on his extensive clinical experience, recent research, and the development of a specialist Achilles rupture service at OrthoSport Victoria to help guide your decision-making and treatment approach.

In this podcast, you’ll discover:

The mechanism of injury and clinical presentation of Achilles tendon ruptures.
Key diagnostic tests and how to avoid missed or delayed diagnoses.
Common pitfalls that lead to tendon elongation—and how to prevent them.
When to recommend surgical vs non-surgical management.
A new, innovative approach to strengthening the Achilles tendon while the patient is in the boot.
How to safely begin loading the Achilles in the early phase of rehab.
Strategies to protect against tendon elongation during and after boot use.
Whether we should be stretching or trying to improve dorsiflexion.
Objective strength criteria to guide progression through rehab stages.
Return-to-walking and return-to-sport timeframes—and how to individualise them.
What to do when patients present late or have already developed elongation.
Complications to watch for post-injury or post-surgery.
How to help patients navigate the psychological and motivational challenges of recovery.

Listen to this episode to gain clarity on Achilles tendon rupture assessment and rehab, and develop a structured, evidence-based approach you can apply immediately in your clinical practice.

Timeline

00:06:23 Problems Physios and patients face with AT ruptures?

00:09:29 Subjective - How to identify a likely AT

00:12:03 Who gets an AT rupture?

00:18:45 Why do AT's rupture?

00:20:06 Misdiagnosis

00:24:14 Surgical or non-surgical management?

00:30:25 Elongation - Improve dorsiflexion or make the AT stiffer?

00:36:53 Safe loading in the boot & progressions

00:42:49 When to start exercising in the boot

00:46:08 Elongation - why is it a problem?

00:54:00 Bent or straight knee calf exercises?

00:59:55 RTP - How long does it take?

01:03:32 Surgical vs non-surgical timeframes

01:04:25 Assessment and diagnosis of AT ruptures

01:08:40 Initial management of an AT rupture

01:11:26 Education - What to tell patients

01:12:54 Imaging

01:14:57 Delayed presentation - How to manage

01:16:10 Red flags & complications

01:19:10 Walking - How to guide patients as they come out of the boot

01:21:27 Exercise progressions after the boot

01:23:48 Key takehome messages

Get free access to the "Tricky tendons" infographic series

Unlock the secrets of successful tendinopathy assessment and treatment with this free infographic series for therapists.

Get free access to the "Tricky tendons" infographic series

Links associated with this episode:

Research associated with this podcast

TOPICS