Thihan is a highly experienced Sports Physiotherapist who has held roles with the Melbourne Renegades, Bangladesh Cricket, Hampshire Cricket, and most recently as the Rehabilitation Manager for the Sri Lankan Cricket Team. Thihan is also one of the hosts of the Physio Social Club Podcast.

In this episode, we took a tangent from cricket, and discussed Thihan’s recent leg injury and his experiences with injury, surgery and rehabilitation. Thihan offered very interesting insights into the experience of having a serious injury and surgery in a developing country, reflections on the real experience of a lengthy rehabilitation, and advise for students and new graduate physios for prioritising their assessment and management. There is a lot in this episode! Thanks Thihan for a great conversation.

In this episode:

• 0:00 About this episode and welcome Thihan
• 3:05 Thihan’s injury – fractured tibia and fibula. There was no pain until after the surgery – reflecting on when pain is not associated with pathology
• 5:30 The experience of having surgery in a developing country
• 9:30 How did you process the experience? Shared decision making with the surgeon
• 12:23 ‘Letting go’, controlling what you can control and allowing people to do their job
• 14:40 Fracture healing, pain management, IV paracetamol, risks of compartment syndrome, experience of having an epidural
• 20:50 Waking up halfway through orthopaedic surgery! (not as bad as it sounds)
• 25:45 Being present and taking things one step at a time. It’s hard to think about the bigger picture as a patient. Meet the person where they are
• 31:40 Being proactive in your own rehabilitation. Lessons for practitioners
• 36:35 How can students keep things simple and be effective? Have a system and a structure to your assessment that you can repeat until you learn the patterns. Know why you are asking questions.
• 42:40 What is your job as a sports physio? How is this similar to hospital-based work?
• 47:30 How do you stay motivated during long-term rehab?
• 50:30 Goals in long-term rehab can often be impairment goals, e.g. ankle dorsiflexion range of motion, because this helps you visualise progress
• 53:40 Maintaining a positive mindset during the rehab journey
• 55:30 Empathy – 'get in the hole' with the patient / person
• 59:00 Summary – the secret to long-term success is to engage with the process of your rehab (or learning), review and repeat throughout your career.

Read more about Thihan here: https://thecricket.physio/about

The Physio Social Club podcast: https://physiosocialclub.com/about

Read Thihan’s Linked In posts related to his injury, surgery and rehab here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thihanchandramohan/?originalSubdomain=au

Physio Foundations Podcast Summaries: You can find articles based on Physio Foundations podcast episodes at www.Perraton.Physio or on the Perraton Physio LinkedIn page.

Visit our YouTube channel for more: https://www.youtube.com/@PerratonPhysio

Follow @PerratonPhysio on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram and Linked In.

This is a discussion aimed at health professionals and health professional students. Always seek the guidance of a qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition.

Dr. Malia Ho is a sports podiatrist and Senior Lecturer within Monash University's Doctor of Podiatric Medicine course. With over two decades of experience in clinical practice, research, and education, Malia has a wealth of knowledge and insights. In this episode, Malia shares her unique journey from engineering to podiatry, revealing the pivotal moments and decisions that shaped her career. Malia offers useful tips for health profession students for achieving success, emphasizing the crucial role of foundational skills such as listening and empathy, alongside the importance of embracing technology in healthcare education. Thanks Malia for a great conversation.

In this episode:

• 0:00 About this episode and welcome Malia
• 2:15 Malia’s professional background and interests – from engineering to podiatry
• 9:00 How did your hospital work influence your sports podiatry practice? Developing good habits early in your career
• 14:40 Malia’s education focus – technology in education, critical thinking skills
• 17:40 Realistic and authentic teaching with case based learning, interprofessional skills, the importance of listening skills
• 22:20 The most important knowledge and skills for a health professional – listening, empathy, being a good human.
• 25:30 The importance of clinical anatomy, using technology in assessment, core podiatry skills
• 30:55 Final thoughts – invest in your education, learn with other people

Read more about Malia here: https://research.monash.edu/en/persons/malia-ho

Physio Foundations Podcast Summaries: You can find articles based on Physio Foundations podcast episodes at Perraton.Physio or on the Perraton Physio Linked In page.

Visit our YouTube channel for more: https://www.youtube.com/@PerratonPhysio

Join the conversation on social media @PerratonPhysio

For a list of episodes, transcripts and associated blogs, visit www.perraton.physio/physiofoundations

Follow @PerratonPhysio on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram and Linked In.

This is a discussion aimed at health professionals and health professional students. Always seek the guidance of a qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition.

Dr Luke Davies is a musculoskeletal physiotherapist, educator and researcher in the School of Primary and Allied Health Care at Monash University. His research focuses on telehealth for physiotherapy clinical practice and education. In this episode, we discussed how telehealth can be used within your clinical practice, and Luke’s tips for effective clinical care, in-person, or through technology. Thanks, Luke for a great conversation.

In this episode:

• 0:00 About this episode and welcome Luke
• 1:12 Welcome to Physio Foundations
• 2:40 Hands on and Hands off physiotherapy
• 3:17 What is telehealth?
• 4:32 Who can telehealth be helpful for?
• 5:50 Rural and remote healthcare
• 6:40 What parts of care are easier to do in person?
• 8:40 Getting started with telehealth in private practice
• 9:50 How much should you charge for telehealth vs in-person care
• 11:15 Setting up curriculum for universities and systems for using telehealth in clinics
• 22:10 The most important knowledge and skills for a physiotherapist – communication, therapeutic alliance, building relationships between patients and therapists, lifelong learning – ask questions
• 24:20 Communication skills online – a core competency for our profession
• 26:55 Final thoughts – don’t be afraid to use telehealth, give it a go.

Read more about Luke here: https://research.monash.edu/en/persons/luke-davies

Read Luke’s research here: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=3ELSw1QAAAAJ&hl=en

Physio Foundations Podcast Summaries: You can find articles based on Physio Foundations podcast episodes at Perraton.Physio or on the Perraton Physio Linked In page.

Visit our YouTube channel for more: https://www.youtube.com/@PerratonPhysio

Join the conversation on social media @PerratonPhysio

For a list of episodes, transcripts and associated blogs, visit www.perraton.physio/physiofoundations

Follow @PerratonPhysio on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram and Linked In.

This is a discussion aimed at health professionals and health professional students. Always seek the guidance of a qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition.