Athletic Shoulder - Ian Horsley: Not the Shoulder!

Episode 184: In this episode of the Athletic Shoulder Podcast, powered by Inform Performance and hosted by Ben Ashworth, we’re joined by Hon. Professor Ian Horsley, a renowned Chartered Physiotherapist and Athlete Health Lead at the UK Sports Institute. With over 25 years of experience in elite sport, Ian has worked with England Rugby, Rugby League, professional football clubs, and was part of Team GB’s HQ physiotherapy team at four Olympic and two Commonwealth Games.

Ian is internationally recognized for his expertise in shoulder dysfunction, upper limb rehabilitation, and dysfunctional breathing. He also serves as Clinical Director at Back in Action Rehabilitation and holds an honorary professorship at the University of Salford, where he contributes to the MSc in Sports Rehabilitation program.

Topics Discussed:

• The importance of respiratory health in movement and rehab

• Assessing thoracic shape and breathing patterns to support shoulder function

• How cranial nerves and eye movements influence pain and range of motion

• Using the brain’s activation to enhance rehabilitation exercises

• Case studies from elite sport showcasing holistic assessment techniques

• The 'not the shoulder' approach to shoulder treatment

• The role of proprioception in athlete performance and recovery

• Innovative methods like sensory input and non-threatening assessments

• Gaps in current functional and overhead testing for athletes

• The value of collaborative research in advancing shoulder rehab

Tune in for a masterclass in shoulder performance and rehabilitation, combining neuroscience, biomechanics, and decades of elite sport experience.

-

Where you can find Ian:

• LinkedIn
• ResearchGate
• X/Twitter
• Back in Action (Rehabilitation) Physiotherapy in Wakefield

- 

Sponsors

VALD Performance, makers of the Nordbord, Forceframe, ForeDecks and HumanTrak. VALD Performance systems are built with the high-performance practitioner in mind, translating traditionally lab-based technologies into engaging, quick, easy-to-use tools for daily testing, monitoring and training

Hytro: The world’s leading Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) wearable, designed to accelerate recovery and maximise athletic potential using Hytro BFR for Professional Sport.

- 

Where to Find Us

Keep up to date with everything that is going on with the podcast by following Inform Performance on:

• Instagram
• Twitter
• Our Website

-

Our Team

• Andy McDonald
• Ben Ashworth
• Alistair McKenzie
• Dylan Carmody
• Steve Barrett 
• Pete McKnight