Emma O'Loughlin, ACL rehabilitation with menstrual cycle-phased training

Women in Sport and Exercise Academic Network Podcast

Emma completed her BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy from Trinity College Dublin. She completed rotations in Geriatrics, General Medicine, Neurology and Sports Medicine at Changi General Hospital in Singapore before travelling to the US, where she was the physiotherapist for the 3,000-mile bicycle race ‘Race Across America’ in 2015 and 2016. She then moved to Switzerland where she worked in musculoskeletal private practice with skiers in Verbier.

Emma moved to New Zealand in 2017, and currently works as a Health Partner with ACC and as a Musculoskeletal Medicine Lecturer at The University of Otago, Wellington. She is also completing a PhD on the impact of a female-specific anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction rehabilitation programme. Emma is strongly interested in including female participants in her research and investigating female-specific prevention, causation and management of common musculoskeletal conditions.

When Emma is not working, she is usually running, biking or tramping in New Zealand’s backcountry.

Twitter: @femaleathletept

Topics discussed:

• Overview of career journey to date and advice for others who would like to work and live in NZ, plus PhD progress to date.

• Main multi-centre RCT from PhD: Explain the intervention, follicular-phase based vs. luteal-based training. Trends observed to date.
• Scoping review purpose and findings regarding phase-based resistance training. Mechanisms to support adaptation.
• Qualitative study with health and medical practitioners on their knowledge, perceptions of and comfort in discussing the menstrual cycle. Study overview and findings. Practical recommendations, based on this study, for the medical professions.
• Career plans post-PhD/dream job.
• Personal experiences on using menstrual cycle phased training/injury avoidance.