BRINGING SCIENCE TO TREATMENT
Chris is a highly qualified Physiotherapist and Human Movement Educator with extensive experience in elite level sport. He has worked with elite level State and National level AFL, rugby union and football teams in Australia, UK and France, more recently as High Performance Manager for the Brisbane Roar in the Australian A-League Football Competition.
He still travels the world presenting Rehab Trainer courses and also works as a Physiotherapist and Educational Consultant with Inspire Health Services in Brisbane, Australia.
in Diagnose & Treat, Neck and back injuries
Chris Mallac explores the concept of extension pattern back pain in athletes and provides insights for clinicians treating low back injuries. Low back pain is common in the general population, with reported rates as high as 84%(1). In athletes, complaints of low back pain are less common, only accounting for about 6-10% of injuries behind... MORE
in Diagnose & Treat, Shoulder injuries
In the second part of this two-part series, Chris Mallac highlights some clinically relevant exercises designed to retrain serratus anterior function. Overhead athletes need stable shoulders. Their power and performance comes directly from the stability and mobility offered in this joint. As reviewed in part I of this series, the serratus anterior (SA) helps stabilize... MORE
in Diagnose & Treat, Shoulder injuries
Dysfunction in the serratus anterior can lead to shoulder injuries and affect performance. In the first of a two-part series, Chris Mallac looks at its anatomy and biomechanics, Shoulder pain is a common complaint in overhead athletes involved in sports such as swimming, tennis and the throwing sports. Overhead arm movements place high demands on... MORE
in Ankle and foot injuries, Diagnose & Treat
Chris Mallac investigates the causes, diagnosis, and management of navicular stress fractures in athletes. First described by Towne and colleagues in 1970(1), stress fractures of the navicular bone are uncommon in the general population. However, male athletes in their mid-20s participating in sports such as sprinting, middle distance running, hurdling, and basketball are more at... MORE
in Ankle and foot injuries, Diagnose & Treat
Chris Mallac explores the etiology and classification of 5th metatarsal fractures in athletes, provides diagnostic guidance, and available treatment options. First described in 1903 by Sir Robert Jones(1), fractures of the fifth metatarsal (MET) are relatively common fractures of the foot(2). The estimated incidence of fifth MET fracture is 1.8 per 1000 person-years(3,4), and 68%... MORE
in Diagnose & Treat, Leg injuries
The plantaris muscle and tendon are considered unnecessary for the biomechanical function of the lower limb. Yet this benign muscle can cause problems if ruptured or involved in a medial Achilles tendon injury. Chris Mallac explains why, and how to manage an injury to either. The plantaris muscle (PM) is a small, thin, and spindle-shaped muscle... MORE
in Anatomy, Leg injuries, Pre-hab and post-surgical rehab, Uncommon injuries
Chris Mallac looks at the etiology, diagnosis, and treatment options for proximal hamstring ruptures in athletes. Although an uncommon form of hamstring damage (only eight to 12% of all hamstring injuries), an untreated rupture at the muscle origin leads to significant functional debilitation(1-3). The actual incidence of undiagnosed rupture may be much higher, thus accounting... MORE
In part one of this 2-part series on the importance of neuroplasticity in sports injury rehab, Chris Mallac explained how the ability of the cerebral cortex and cerebellum to reorganize and adapt has implications for athletes in the context of skill acquisition for an effective return to sport. In part two, Chris explores more key... MORE
In the first part of a 2-part article, Chris Mallac explores the concept of neuroplasticity, and how a better understanding of its underlying principles improves rehab outcomes. Reinjury rates following return to sport are often quite high. In under-25 athletes for example, the incidence of another anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture (or ACL failure) run... MORE
in Diagnose & Treat, Improve, Uncommon injuries
Chris Mallac explores the current understanding of nerve mobility and the implications for clinicians treating athletes in their care. David Butler and Michael Shacklock coined the terms neuro-dynamics or neuro-mobilizations to describe the concept that impaired neural movement can cause limitations in the range of motion in the body(1-3). Subsequent research has supported the hypothesis that... MORE
