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, 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
in Anatomy, Diagnose & Treat, Elbow and arm injuries
Lateral elbow and forearm pain can be maddening for racket athletes. In part I of this series on posterior interosseous nerve dysfunction, Chris Mallac explains how PIN injuries differ from typical ‘tennis elbow’ and offers thoughts on the differential diagnosis of forearm pain in athletes. Lateral elbow pain around the extensor compartment of the forearm is typically attributed... MORE
in Diagnose & Treat, Shoulder injuries, Uncommon injuries
Chris Mallac explores the anatomy and biomechanics of subcoracoid impingement syndrome, including how clinicians can diagnose and most effectively manage this condition. Sub-coracoid impingement (SCI) syndromes are an uncommon cause of anterior shoulder pain in the athlete; the prevalence in the general population who complain of anterior shoulder pain is approximately 5%(1). Although originally identified... MORE
Following on from our recent article on the use of extracorporeal shockwave therapy in adhesive capsulitis, Chris Mallac takes a wider look at this mode of treatment and investigates a number of other sporting injuries where its use might be appropriate and beneficial. Extracorporeal shockwave treatment (ESWT) was developed over 40 years ago to disintegrate urinary... MORE
in Diagnose & Treat, Knee injuries
Chris Mallac describes the signs and symptoms of an infra-patella fat pad injury and outlines measures the clinician can take to alleviate pain and pathology in this structure. Injuries to the infra-patella fat pad (IFP) can be a cause of anterior knee pain in athletes – particularly in sports that require forced extension of the... MORE
in Diagnose & Treat, Musculoskeletal injuries, Overuse injuries, Shoulder injuries
Chris Mallac explores the relationship between the long thoracic nerve (LTN) and the biomechanics of the scapula and provides rehab strategies to promote serratus anterior function in the event of an LTN injury. The long thoracic nerve (LTN) is a motor nerve that innervates the serratus anterior muscle. Injury to this nerve may lead to... MORE
