Ep 383: Prof Franco Impellizzeri on Load Management, Data & the Truth About ACWR
Release Date: 07/30/2026
Ep 384: Tibial Bone Injury Q&A - All Your Questions Answered
The Physical Performance Show
In episode 384 of The Physical Performance Show, Brad Beer and fellow physiotherapist Tim Studley tackle a wide-ranging Q&A on tibial bone stress injuries. Following the recent bone stress injury mini-series and two-part tibial bone stress injury masterclass, Brad and Tim answer listener questions covering chronic tibial stress responses, recurring shin pain, rehabilitation, plyometrics, strength training, anti-inflammatory medications, and how to reduce the risk of future bone stress injuries. The episode explores some of the practical clinical questions that arise when athletes are...
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Ep 383: Prof Franco Impellizzeri on Load Management, Data & the Truth About ACWR
The Physical Performance Show
Physical Performance Show – Episode 383 Show Notes In episode 383 of The Physical Performance Show, host Brad Beer sits down with Professor Franco Impellizzeri, one of the most influential and outspoken voices in athlete load management research, for a wide-ranging conversation on why "load management" is an old concept dressed up in new data, why the acute to chronic workload ratio (ACWR) never held up to scrutiny, and why context — not more metrics — is what separates good decision-making from noise. Show Sponsor: Pillar Performance continues to lead the way in sports nutrition through...
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Ep 382: Tibial Bone Stress Masterclass Part 2 (Fixing Shin Pain & Tibia Injuries)
The Physical Performance Show
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The Physical Performance Show
In episode 381 of The Physical Performance Show, host Brad Beer — sports and exercise physiotherapist — sits down with Pogo physiotherapist Tim Studley for the first instalment of a two-part mini-series on shin pain and tibial bone stress injuries, following on from their earlier three-part bone stress injury series. This episode is essential listening for runners, coaches, and clinicians alike, unpacking how to tell the difference between medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS/shin splints) and a true tibial bone stress injury — two conditions that can feel identical but require...
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Ep 380: Bone Stress Injuries: Recovery, Rehabilitation & Return to Running (Part 3)
The Physical Performance Show
In episode 380 of The Physical Performance Show, host Brad Beer and Pogo Physio physiotherapist Tim Studley conclude their three-part expert series on bone stress injuries by focusing on what happens after diagnosis. From imaging and prognosis to rehabilitation, return to running, and long-term prevention, this episode provides a practical roadmap for athletes, coaches, and clinicians managing these complex injuries. Brad explains why identifying the underlying causes of a bone stress injury is just as important as healing the bone itself. The discussion covers deloading, progressive...
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Ep 379: Bone Stress Injuries: Risk Factors, Diagnosis & Prevention (Part 2)
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Ep 378: Bone Stress Injuries: Causes, Symptoms & Early Warning Signs (Part 1)
The Physical Performance Show
In episode 378 of The Physical Performance Show, host Brad Beer is joined by Pogo physiotherapist Tim Studley for the first instalment of a three-part expert series exploring bone stress injuries. Drawing on decades of clinical experience and the latest research, Brad unpacks the mechanisms behind one of the most common and misunderstood injuries affecting endurance athletes. This episode explains how bone stress injuries develop, why they occur, and why they're often missed until they become more serious. Brad and Tim discuss the relationship between training load, bone...
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The Physical Performance Show is back!
The Physical Performance Show
Brad shares what's happened over the last two years, why there has been infrequency in episode production adn what teh plan is from ehre. Listen into this brief update as he explains what shape the podcast will take and what content you can expect. We want to say a special thank you to you, our loyal listeners. Without youthere wouldn't be this podcast, we deeply apprecaite you.
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Ep 376: Ellie Salthouse — Resilience, Racing Under Pressure & The T100 Comeback
The Physical Performance Show
In episode 376 of The Physical Performance Show, professional triathlete Ellie Salthouse joins Hugh Darnell and Brad Beer for a deeply honest conversation about resilience, pressure, and longevity in elite endurance sport. Recorded following knee surgery and a strong return to racing, this episode unpacks what it truly takes to rebuild confidence, performance, and belief when the path back to the start line is anything but straightforward. Ellie reflects on her Wollongong T100 performance, the physical and mental demands of injury rehabilitation, and the systems that now support her...
info_outlinePhysical Performance Show – Episode 383 Show Notes
In episode 383 of The Physical Performance Show, host Brad Beer sits down with Professor Franco Impellizzeri, one of the most influential and outspoken voices in athlete load management research, for a wide-ranging conversation on why "load management" is an old concept dressed up in new data, why the acute to chronic workload ratio (ACWR) never held up to scrutiny, and why context — not more metrics — is what separates good decision-making from noise.
Show Sponsor:
Pillar Performance continues to lead the way in sports nutrition through micro-nutrition innovation, now expanding into the Performance Health range. One of their newest releases, Collagen Repair, was developed with Gelita Laboratories (Germany) using a clinically trialled collagen peptide (Tendofort) to support tendon and ligament health in conditions like hamstring tendinopathy, Achilles tendonitis, shin splints, and patellofemoral pain.
Head to pillarperformance.shop (or thefeed.com for North American listeners) and use code PHYSICALPERFORMANCE for 15% off your first purchase.
Pogo Physio also offers online Telehealth Consultations for endurance athletes managing bone, tendon, or joint issues — book online at pogophysio.com.au.
Professor Franco Impellizzeri’s work can be explored here:
https://profiles.uts.edu.au/Franco.Impellizzeri
And...
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=z35F1WAAAAAJ&hl=en
Listen in as we delve into the following:
What "load management" actually means, and why it's a relabelling of concepts coaches have wrestled with since the 1930s–40s
The double-edged sword of the data revolution: from heart rate monitors to today's GPS, wearables, and AI-driven analytics
Commercial and career incentives behind pushing metrics — both from tech companies and researchers
Confirmation bias and why interpreting data without a theoretical framework is "like reading tarot"
The case against the acute to chronic workload ratio (ACWR): its lack of scientific support despite IOC endorsement
A landmark runners' study showing the opposite relationship between ACWR and injury risk — and what that reveals about the field
Why meta-analyses and systematic reviews in load research can be manipulated to "find whatever you like"
The difference between using a metric personally versus promoting it as scientifically validated
Why the most skilled clinicians tend to hold their conclusions with the least certainty
A real-world case study: a soccer training drill "failure" that was actually a video-monitoring blind spot, not a bad drill
The expanding role of data scientists in sport, and why interpretation — not collection — is the real skill gap
Whether AI and machine learning can (or should) replace the sports scientist's judgement
Individualised and personalised training approaches — and why even these are still built on group-level generalisations
Distinguishing signal from noise, and why one "failed" intervention doesn't mean an athlete won't respond next time
Practical advice for coaches and practitioners: accept uncertainty, treat training like a "trial of therapy," and reassess
If he could track only one metric: heart rate (or perceived effort) over power
The push for more honest scientific debate — including a proposed on-air "intellectual sparring" series with dissenting researchers
Quotes:
"Understanding the quantity of training for athletes has been a hot topic since training methodology started... managing load is not new." — Professor Franco Impellizzeri
"When you don't have a theoretical framework and an a priori idea strong and supported, it's like reading tarot, to be honest." — Professor Franco Impellizzeri
"There's zero evidence that this metric can either help or can actually reflect some sort of mechanism." — Professor Franco Impellizzeri, on the acute to chronic workload ratio
"Don't take yourself too seriously." — Professor Franco Impellizzeri
Timeline:
00:00 – Introduction: host's specialist physio training and the load management "viva" question
01:04 – What is load management? An old concept, relabelled
02:31 – From heart rate monitors to GPS: the rise of training data
06:14 – Commercial interests and the risk of becoming "slaves of data"
08:05 – Why load management matters: the drug-dosing analogy
09:24 – Load management as a decades-old coaching concern
10:23 – Confirmation bias and interpreting data "like reading tarot"
13:17 – Championing methodological rigor in sports science
16:33 – Meta-research, honesty, and acknowledging uncertainty
18:22 – Why the most skilled clinicians express the least certainty
19:18 – Origins of the critique of the acute to chronic workload ratio (ACWR)
20:09 – Takeaways for contemporary practitioners on load management models
21:34 – Why the ACWR lacked scientific and conceptual support
23:02 – Training load, time-at-risk, and reframing injury risk
24:24 – The contradictory runners' study and what it implies
26:43 – Cherry-picking and overfitting in load-injury meta-analyses
28:34 – Taking a stronger public stance on social media
30:34 – Science as a self-correcting process
31:31 – The discipline required to properly read and critique research
33:58 – Why data alone can't tell you what to do
34:24 – Case study: the soccer drill that "failed" — until the video told the real story
36:49 – The role (and limits) of data scientists in sport
38:46 – Could AI replace the sports scientist's job?
40:42 – Advice for coaches and practitioners: accept uncertainty
42:09 – Individualised approaches are still a form of generalisation
44:31 – Separating signal from noise — and why not to give up early
46:56 – If only one metric: heart rate over power
48:21 – One piece of advice: "don't take yourself too seriously"
48:51 – This week's physical challenge: swimming without pain
50:16 – What's next: meta-research projects and replication studies
51:43 – A proposal for public scientific debate, and Ian Shrier's work on consensus
56:32 – Why genuine debate is hard to find in science communication today
57:59 – Episode close
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