We are lucky at North Dow Chiropractic to avail of the services of Chris Young (Bsc, MSc) who has an extensive history with this particular sport; not only through treating combat sports participants but also competing himself in MMA, as well coaching various MMA classes.

The combination of Chris’ participation, coaching and treatment gives him the best possible understanding of what is being asked of athletes in this sport, it enables him to fully understand not only the injury process but also the mindset associated with this sport.

Chris has undergone further training in the area of sports injury in order to provide the most detailed assessment and hands on work possible. Chris utilises the Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) to provide a whole-body exam in order to find areas of dysfunction often neglected by others.

He then uses a multimodal package of care including being one of the few Active Release Therapy (ART) practitioners in Northern Ireland. Chris has also undergone extensive training in manipulation of the spine and extremities. These bespoke hands on skills are combined with Chris’ background as a physiotherapist which enable him to prescribe exercise rehabilitation and return to sport protocols.

Luke Neal has undertaken further study in the area of golf, being only one of two TPI (titlest performance institute) medical level 2 certified practitioners in the province. The TPI qualifications go into detail around not only swing mechanics, injury mechanics and exercises but also how to do a physical screen to assess how the joints in a golfers body move. This information is then used to help guide you on the best swing style for you, not forcing you into swing styles that you are physically incapable of doing. The benefits of this should be obvious, but if you are struggling to perform a full backswing how do you know if you are being limited by your hip, back, shoulder or neck?

“If you’re not assessing your guessing!”

Luke has had the ability to work with numerous golfers of a high standard providing performance based care, as well as injury management. Most of Luke’s golf clientele are amateur, keen retired golfers. Treatment is not just about the fine details of the professions, but also providing the hands-on care to keep people playing for as long as possible. As our bodies age, we tend to stiffen up, and the ability to mitigate this for golf is of upmost importance.

One of the key parts of the modern golf management is integration and communication between the golf professional, the medical professional and the strength and conditioning therapist (personal trainer). To provide long lasting results the three different professions must all be “singing from the same hymn sheet” effective communication is underpinned by a common language and TPI certifications provide that vehicle.

Luke has built relationships with a golf professional, as well as strength and conditioning practitioners, this network relies on inter-referrals, for instance, someone presents to Luke with back pain, Luke assess, treats and helps reduce the pain which was deemed to the product of a swing fault. Only once Luke has referred onto the golf professional to correct the swing fault can we really be comfortable the back pain will not return.

“If we do not correct the swing fault that led to the back pain, the patient will only return in a few months with the same problem”

TREATMENT FOR FOOTBALLERS

Luke Neal has undertaken extensive post graduate training in relation to football, completing courses such as the FIFA football medicine diploma, Active Release Techniques and the SFMA. These courses focus on the diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of football specific injuries, mostly those of the ankle, foot and lower limb.

Luke’s work at Bangor spans the monitoring of injury across the first team, the prescription of pre-training exercise to combat most common injuries, hands on treatment of players as well as co-ordination of the medical team. This allows for not only the specific focus on treatment of individual injury but also the governance and oversite associated with managing sports teams’ injuries and performance across the season.