When Josh Manuel was 15, he had persistent knee issues while playing footy, whereby his patella would often dislocate.
The then teenager was forced to undergo surgery on his knee and was determined to do everything possible to get back to playing the game he loved.
But he didn’t have a great experience with rehab.
“When I was 15, I hurt my knee playing footy and it (the rehab) process didn’t go well,” Manuel said.
“The rehab process wasn’t a great experience.
“Especially towards the end of the rehab where I should’ve been jumping and doing all sorts of exercises, I just wasn't being instructed to
“I ended up going ‘Ok, this is not working, what can I do to get myself back to footy?’
That experience, however, motivated Manuel to get into the sports science field.
Fast forward to now and Manuel is Adelaide’s Head of Strength and Athletic Development.
“(That rehab experience) sparked an interest and enjoyment in going to the gym and the (rehab) side of things,” Manuel told AFC Media.
“(Now) my role ecompasses injury prevention and injury rehab… I am really big on trying to make it as holistic in rehab as possible and help players enjoy the experience.”
Manuel has been part of the Crows’ high performance unit for almost five years, following stints at Adelaide United, the SA Sports Institute and Port Adelaide.
He took over as the Club’s Head of Strength and Athletic Development earlier this month, following Sam Dodge’s return to the UK to work in rugby.
As part of his role, Manuel works closely with High Performance Manager Darren Burgess, helping to prepare players’ bodies for the rigours of AFL.
And as the competition continues to become faster and more physical, the importance of tailoring sports science programs to suit each player is also increasing, according to Manuel.
“Although it’s a really sciency, high-tech, high-knowledge field, at the end of the day it’s a people industry,” Manuel said.
“The people are the ones who matter most, so most of what I do is helping people.
“It’s hard for athletes in those rehab settings because the thing they’re passionate about and the thing they love to do is taken away from them.
“Our whole philosophy is that if you’re in the rehab group, we want you to exit a better athlete than what you were when you came in and it’s about the process and trying to make it enjoyable and fun.”
Manuel said helping the likes of Riley Thilthorpe, Nick Murray and Harry Schoenberg return to the field this season after long-term injuries had been highlights of the year so far.
“My biggest thing is athlete-centred care and giving our athletes the best service and helping them push towards what they want to do and their ultimate goals, that’s the most rewarding part,” Manuel said.
“All of our rehab guys are great but the one thing we hammer home to them is that we can write whatever program we want but at the end of the day if the player doesn’t buy into it and doesn’t work really hard, it won’t work.
“It is incredibly rewarding when you see (players) run back onto the field for their first game after an injury and all the little milestones that happen in the middle.”
