BRINGING SCIENCE TO TREATMENT
Tracy is a senior physiotherapist specialising in musculoskeletal and sports injuries within a private hospital in Aberdeen. She is a certified Pilates Instructor and also a pilates course tutor for the APPI.
She previously worked with high level athletes for Scottish Hockey and within rugby, rowing, and triathlon. Tracy blogs about pilates, fitness and rehab on her website and creates videos for YouTube.
Outside of work she is a competitive ice skater, runner and can be found anywhere outdoors with her pug!
Bio-banding and altering training parameters play a role in preventing injury in very young athletes. Tracy Ward explains the developmental basis for these strategies and how to incorporate them into your youth training and rehab programs. Image by Dimitris Vetsikas from Pixabay Three processes characterize youth development from birth to adulthood(1): Growth refers to the changes in body composition,... MORE
in Improve, Neck and back injuries
Lots of factors may contribute to back pain in runners. Tracy Ward explores the causes of nagging non-specific low back pain and outlines a rehabilitation program to get runners back on track. Running is one of the most popular sporting activities worldwide. Still, it carries a high injury risk in both amateur and professional athletes,... MORE
The dramatic increase in technical difficulties in ice skating requires vigorous training. Tracy Ward explores the causes of low back pain in figure skaters and provides treatment and prevention strategies. The various forms of figure skating, singles, pairs, dance, and synchronized, all have technically challenging elements that require strength, flexibility, artistic flare, and grace. It... MORE
in Anatomy, Core injuries, Diagnose & Treat
Tracy Ward considers the biomechanical and physical aspects of rowing and their contribution to upper extremity injuries and explores injury prevention strategies, including targeted strength and conditioning. Rowing is a repetitive, weight-supported sport where the high training volumes are similar to cycling, kayaking, and swimming(1). Despite being non-contact and low-impact, rowers are still subject to... MORE
in Core injuries, Improve, Prevent
Tracy Ward explains why even elite athletes can suffer from diastasis recti during the postpartum period, and how clinicians can comprehensively assess and treat this condition. Female athletes often experience the peak of their physical performance and their optimal fertile age simultaneously. Many female athletes continue to train during pregnancy and the postpartum period –... MORE
in Diagnose & Treat, Leg injuries
Tracy Ward presents a criteria-based rehabilitation plan for returning to sport post-adductor injury and how this protocol can reduce days lost to injury. Athletes forced into isolation and withdrawn from contact exposure due to COVID-19 face an uphill challenge to return to professional levels of play and competition. With soccer as one of the first... MORE
In the second part of this two-part article, Tracy Ward reviews the best-practice, home-executed loading techniques for runners seeking a return to sport following injury. Returning to running following an injury is a complex process that requires careful planning and monitoring. The most common running-related injuries are medial tibial stress syndrome, Achilles tendinopathy, plantar fasciitis,... MORE
in Improve, Power development, Prevent, Speed development
Sidelined due to the coronavirus, now is the ideal time for athletes to develop foundational components to enhance performance and prevent injury. In the first of a two-part series, Tracy Ward explains the benefits of adding strength training to a running schedule and deciphers the prescription variances. Now that concerns over the spread of the coronavirus... MORE
in Diagnose & Treat, Leg injuries, Musculoskeletal injuries
Tracy Ward examines the principles of standard hamstring rehabilitation, expands them to differentiate by anatomical location within the muscle group, and shows how this translates into more specific rehabilitation protocols. Hamstring injuries are the most common soft tissue injuries seen in team field sports and track. The very high rate of re-injury (as high as... MORE
in Improve, Sports psychology, Tools and technology
How soon can an athlete return to sport? Tracy Ward looks at the best-practice research and comes up with three guidelines for clinicians. Returning an athlete to sport following an injury requires clinicians to be part of a decision-making team. While they must ensure adequate rehabilitation, they must also weigh the negative consequences of keeping... MORE
