THE SPORTING FOOT-ANKLE COMPLEX - vitalperformancemanagementltd.arlo.co

Description

This course is focused on the assessment, rehabilitation and performance training of the foot–ankle complex, with a strong emphasis on strength, power, load tolerance and practical exercise prescription.

Designed for physiotherapists, rehabilitation professionals, coaches and performance specialists, the course provides a practical, evidence-informed approach to understanding how the foot and ankle contribute to movement, running, jumping and athletic performance.

You will learn how to objectively assess muscular strength and function, identify key deficits, and design targeted strengthening programmes that progress from rehabilitation through to high-level performance. The course also explores reactive strength and power, progressive high-load training and periodised programming to help improve capacity, resilience and performance.

By the end of the course, you will have practical tools and strategies to help your patients and athletes become stronger, faster and more resilient from the ground up.

Course Outline

Course aims and learning objectives:

The foot–ankle complex is the foundation of movement. Every time we run, jump, accelerate or change direction, it helps absorb impact, generate force and transfer power through the lower limb.

Research over the last decade has shown just how important the calf and foot–ankle muscles are for efficient movement, propulsion and athletic performance, especially triceps surae and extrinsic muscles to optimize lower limb energy conservation and propulsion. For therapists, the challenge is not simply identifying weakness — it is knowing how to strengthen the foot and ankle effectively.

This course gives you a practical, evidence-based approach to building strength, power and resilience in the foot–ankle complex, helping your patients move better, perform better and reduce the risk of future problems.

This course will give you the keys to:

(1) objectively assess the muscular strength of the foot-ankle

(2) effectively strengthen the foot absorbers and foot propellers muscles for a therapeutic rehabilitation or athletic development

purpose

(3) improve reactive strength and explosivity of the foot-ankle complex and

(4) to build a high-load periodized foot-ankle strengthening protocol in a rehab or performance oriented

approach.

Course Schedule

Overview of the course programme:

PROGRAM (2 DAYS – 8 HOURS PER DAY):

Day 1 (9.00-5.30pm) Saturday 11 January 2027

8.30 am Registration

 Part 1: From the biomechanical role of the foot-ankle muscles to the biomechanical-performance rehab framework (theory)

 Part 2: Main sports injuries of the foot complex: plantar heel pain, bone stress injuries, and metatarsalgia (theory & practice)

 Part 3: Evaluation of the stabilizing foot-ankle ", “absorbing foot-ankle”, and “propulsing foot-ankle” (theory & practice)

 Break time (one in the morning and one in the afternoon with times to be defined with participants and organizers)

 Lunch (time to be defined with participants and organizers)

Day 2 (9.00-5.00pm) Sunday 12 January 2027

8.30 am Registration

 Part 4: Improvement of the stabilizing foot-ankle, “absorbing foot-ankle”, and “propulsing foot-ankle” (theory & practice)

 Part 5: Evaluation and improvement of foot-ankle explosiveness and reactive strength (theory & practice)

 Part 6: Building a foot-ankle strengthening protocol: principles, periodization, and integration (theory)

 Break time (one in the morning and one in the afternoon with times to be defined with

participants and organizers)

 Lunch (time to be defined with participants and organizers)

Tutor

Romain TOURILLON

PT / PhD

Rehabilitation Specialist | Consultant | Educator | Researcher

Romain combines his roles as a sports physiotherapist, researcher and educator through his work with individual athletes at the Swiss Olympic Medical of La Tour Hospital in Geneva (Switzerland). Currently leading the foot-ankle service, he also did a PhD thesis on the role of MTPj

flexion strength in propulsion kinetics and sport physical performance at the University of Saint- Etienne (France).

Romain actively participates in the representation of the profession on the

international level as he’s an active member of the scientific organization: International Ankle Consortium and organized the 10th International Ankle Symposium 2024 in France. On a clinical level, Romain completed his MSc in physiotherapy and then undertook his MSc in S&C (Training and Sport Performance Optimization).

On a scientific level, Romain participated as a speaker in several national and international congress: International Ankle Symposium,

French Ankle Symposium, European Congress of Sports Science, etc and has peer-reviewed publications around the thematic of

human foot-ankle muscles strength. Finally, he is also a private consultant for elite professional athletes or sport structures in parallel of his clinical and scientific activities”.

Venue Details

Pure Sports Medicine - Bank

41 - 47 Threadneedle Street
London EC2R 8AR