Training the lower limb to improve performance and reduce injury risk with Colin Griffin

This week on the Pacey Performance Podcast has Rob speaking to Foot & Ankle Rehabilitation Lead and the Sports Surgery Clinic in Dublin, Colin Griffin. Colin is an Olympian turned accredited strength and conditioning coach, specialising in the rehabilitation of the foot and ankle.

This episode references and dives deeper into some of the concepts presented in this article that Colin wrote for Sportsmith earlier in the year. We chat about why the foot, ankle and calf have traditionally been neglected when it comes to performance enhancement. Colin then details his testing procedures so coaches and clinicians can get a better idea of how much time they need to dedicate to this area. On the back of those tests, Colin explains the interventions he would use to develop each given area.

As well as looking at performance enhancement, he takes us through various lower limb rehabilitation examples, going through exercise selection, sets and reps. He finishes off with some insights into his PhD and a novel test that is showing encouraging signs.

If you want to listen to Colin, press play on your chosen podcast player.

Today's topics -

• Assessing calf strength
• Reasons for recent increases in calf injuries
• Developing calf strength 
• Foot strength assessments
• Developing exercises for the foot
• Is isolated foot work needed for all athletes
• Developing reactive strength during the return to play process
• Reactive strength assessments, progressions and regressions
• Explosive strength assessments, progressions and regressions