From Core to Kick: The Pelvis as the Missing Link in Hamstring and Groin Injuries ft. Nick van der Horst

Summary

In this conversation, Dr. Nick van der Horst, a sports physiotherapist, discusses the significant impact of hamstring and groin injuries in football, emphasizing the importance of pelvic control in injury prevention and rehabilitation. He highlights the prevalence of these injuries, the role of eccentric strength training, and the need for comprehensive screening and assessment methods. Dr. van der Horst shares insights on how to modify pelvic posture and control during rehabilitation, providing practical advice for integrating these concepts into injury prevention programs. The discussion also covers the relationship between pelvic mechanics and performance optimization, making it clear that understanding these factors is crucial for effective rehabilitation and injury prevention in sports.

Guest

Dr. Nick van der Horst is a sports physiotherapist and rehabilitation specialist with deep expertise in football medicine. He's currently part of the medical staff at PSV Eindhoven's first team, where he focuses on on- and off-field rehab, return-to-play strategies, and injury prevention.Nick earned his PhD at UMC Utrecht with a thesis on preventing hamstring injuries in male soccer players. Over the years, he has worked with organizations like the KNVB and Go Ahead Eagles, and he's the founder and CEO of SoccerDoc, a platform dedicated to improving football medicine through research, education, and clinical care.His work centers on maximizing football performance by reducing injury burden and creating evidence-based, player-centered rehab and prevention programs.

Timestamps

00:00:00 Intro and guest bio

00:01:00 How big are hamstring and groin injury problems (incidence and time loss)?

00:04:04 Clarifying the topic: SI joint issues vs pelvic position/control

00:04:42 Why are pelvic control and positioning key for hamstring and groin pain?

00:12:44 Sponsor: PhysioTutors Premium Membership

00:15:28 Screening and assessment: Go-to markers for pelvic posture/control issues

00:19:27 Do you need motion capture or other equipment to assess pelvic control?

00:22:17 How do you differentiate pelvic-mechanics-related hamstring issues from tissue-specific or neural problems?

00:27:12 Common lumbopelvic patterns in recurrent hamstring and groin injuries

00:25:38 Sponsor: WriteUpp Practice Management

00:37:54 Groin pain: Is pelvic posture/control a cause or a consequence?

00:41:50 How modifiable is pelvic posture and control?

00:44:51 Rehab progression: Early vs late stages when focusing on pelvic control

00:48:54 Do you use basic core/lumbopelvic exercises (bird dog, dead bug, pelvic tilts)?

00:52:13 Have improvements in pelvic control reduced hamstring/groin injuries in practice?

00:54:46 Sponsor: PhysioTutors Online Courses

00:56:13 Case experience: Moments that shifted perspective on pelvic role

01:03:08 Practical advice for integrating pelvic control into prevention/rehab in football

01:05:49 Where to find Dr. Nick van der Horst

01:06:29 Outro

Bonus Material

Download the referenced transcript including PubMed Links and a high-resolution infographic on this episode as part of your Physiotutors membership on the Physiotutors App.

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