Mervyn Travers

@tomgoom @AdamMeakins @lizbayleyphysio @ShoulderGeek1 @mccauleyandrew @SarahHaagPT @theEndurancePT @DerekGriffin86 @ExploredPhysio @TDekkersPhysio We all have our crosses to bear in life. A rig like that is yours. People will never understand the struggle!

What exercises work the core muscles? Results from Oliva-Lozano et al. (2020) Systematic Review. P.S. That’s not all me in the images. I had a lot of help from AI, I had to ask ChatGPT to make me less buff 😉

@GregLehman @DerekGriffin86 Leave my glutes out of this!

Just a reminder that the underpinnings of the Lower Crossed Syndrome were disproven 30 years ago and nothing has changed about this in 3 decades p.s. your Glutes are firing too jospt.org/doi/pdf/10.251…

@DrJN_SportsMed This will be of immense value to clinicians and, in turn, their patients.

Consent ✅ Just the 600 pages…

@lizbayleyphysio Likewise!

Proud to be part of it 🥃

@Physio_lab @Seth0Neill @sportskongres @tomgoom Enjoy! Wish I could be there.

@Seth0Neill and so it starts @sportskongres #teamwhiskey @tomgoom Bowmore 16 years

@DrJN_SportsMed Fantastic. This will no doubt be an extremely useful resource. Hard book has my vote!

So - making big strides with the book First 'skeleton' draft done for the 'Knee, Lower Leg, Foot & Ankle' book - currently at approx 300 pages It's taken a loooooooonnnggg time Very exciting to collaborate with the best clinicians in their respective fields Hard book or e-book? Or both? Then to start on the big one - 'Hip, groin, Buttock, Lumbar Spine'...🤯

@Seth0Neill Wish I could be there this year. Enjoy!

Who's going to be there ? Looking forward to catching up with old faces (friends/colleagues as opposed to ) and new. #teamWhiskey

@DrJN_SportsMed This is a terribly sad case. Thanks for sharing so we can all learn. Indeed, exposing the skin can be so informative in clinical examination of pain +/- neurological signs.

Consent ✅ A very sad case with some important lessons that I recalled whilst writing my book 40s - trying to increase exercise to lose weight Worsening bilateral shin pain, with altered sensation and progressive weakness Pain worse on extension, relieved by flexion – for example, preferred cycling to running / elliptical trainer Admitted ‘off legs’ to my medical unit – lower limb neurological exam very abnormal with patchy deficits Initially treated as Guillain-Barré syndrome with intravenous immunoglobulins but no improvement When I removed their top to do the lumbar puncture, small scar seen on their back (“they removed a lump four years ago, it was a melanoma I think”) CSF looked gelatinous and bloody - protein levels sky high at 12g/l (Froin’s Syndrome) and Red Blood Cell count elevated Sent for histopathology – macrophages seen containing ingested melanin granules (see pathology slide) MRI lumbar spine image (sagittal) with contrast – cauda equina nerve roots infiltrated by tumour and central canal dilated due to obstructed CSF flow Diagnosis – Malignant Meningitis (leptomeningeal carcinomatosis) secondary to disseminated malignant melanoma Rapid deterioration due to brain metastases (CT image) and died several weeks after admission Pearls – Whenever possible, try and expose a patient fully and remove appropriate clothing to observe eg for scars and explore their past medical history; the patient may consider some of their medical history irrelevant Patchy bilateral neurological deficits should always ‘ring the alarm bells’ – as should comments like ‘my legs don’t feel like my own’ Research link – Noake, J - Melanomatous Leptomeningeal Carcinomatosis masquerading as Guillain-Barré Syndrome pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21597563/

@DrJN_SportsMed So glad to see you are making some progress on a very hard road. Stay strong.

4 months after discharge, updated CT scan shows still not fused naturally, but some progress still got bilateral sciatica and footdrop, but manageable In the meantime, just getting it done in the gym Can now squat, single leg bridge, bench press, row So, chipping away at it

@DrJN_SportsMed Such an interesting case. Thanks for sharing

Consent✅ - this is a beauty 🤓 Elite runner Crampy, aching lateral knee pain - onset at around 20-30 mins Seen multiple clinicians - had numerous injections including ITB plus extensive rehabilitation - refractory Almost 'claudicant' in nature - settles quickly on cessation of exercise - spreads both proximal & distal to lateral joint line No spinal symptoms & LSp assessment clear No lateral compartment pathology eg meniscal tear Had popliteus tendinopathy on US, but minimal response to my initial diagnostic injection POCUS video - The inferolateral genicular neurovascular bundle ('pepper pot' structure) is seen compressed under the distal ITB on active knee flexion : terminal extension Patient localises pain in this area with probe pressure Injection - hydrodissection (CSI, LA) - fluid seen separating plane just superficial to NV bundle 100% pain relief on extended treadmill test beyond 45 mins 👍 I wonder how many recalcitrant 'ITB' cases are actually neurovascular in aetiology? 🧐 Plan - considering angiography, MR neurography & possible distal ITB release at Gerdy's tubercle if not responsive to injection

@Seth0Neill @DerekGriffin86 @BSHSIreland Definitely worse places in the world hang out!

A huge thanks to @DerekGriffin86 and the @BSHSIreland staff in Tralee for the warm welcome and sight seeing alongside great course interactions. Officially @DerekGriffin86 slowest run ever today (due to me)

@dibbygibby Very cool, Mick. Looking forward to seeing more of this. Well done.

Pleased to be able to share this short piece on a tech breakthrough we are currently working on at EQL - proud to work alongside massively talented people like Dr Kate Ryan and Leslie Pan and the rest of the EQL family htworld.co.uk/news/is-digita…

@Physio_lab Seeing demonstrable progress maybe goes a long way!

Interesting points. Curious if progressive loading is a better way to boost adherence through the psychology of progress - self-efficacy, mastery, motivation.

@MaryOKeeffe007 @Europarl_EN @WHO_Europe @EFIC_org @ucd_sphpss @ucddublin Well done, Mary

I was delighted to contribute to today’s event ‘From Burden to Prevention: Reframing Chronic Pain in EU Health Policy’ in the @Europarl_EN. Great to see @WHO_Europe, policymakers, researchers, and patient representatives together. #chronicpain #backpain #healthpolicy @EFIC_org

@DrJN_SportsMed Great to see you back in the game. May the journey back be kind to you

First time back in the ‘gym’ since discharge from disciitis epsiode recumbent bike 💤😴🥱 Got to start somewhere though “Means to an end”

@DerekGriffin86 @Seth0Neill If I was home then, I would definitely attend this. I am sure it will be a great learning experience for all participants.

We are delighted to welcome @Seth0Neill to #Kerry to deliver a one day workshop on the calf & achilles complex! This is a great opportunity to learn from one of the best! eventbrite.com/e/calf-and-ach…

@tomgoom …. And the diagnostic information they have been given?

Tendons respond well to progressive loading but there is a bigger picture…

@Physio_lab Love it. Read it many years ago on Boxing Day at the beach. Saying no is a learned skill. I find people value my time more now that I do that!

Reading Essentialism by Greg McKeown reminded me: you can’t do everything. -Choose what matters most -Create space to see clearly -Say no more with courage -Give 50% extra time for every task It’s not less for the sake of less — it’s clarity + purpose.

🫵🏻CALL FOR ABSTRACTS📣 Now is the time to submit your abstract and share your work during #Sportskongres2026 The level of abstracts is extremely high! Did you know, that 5/6 studies presented at oral competition during #Sportskongres2025 is published and the 6th is under review

@EamonnFlanagan @ClaireJBrady I would love to watch this.