Introducing industry professional Nathan Plaskett
Nathan has gained a wealth of experience having worked across a wide range of sports and environments. From undergraduate and postgraduate internships with the AIS Canoe Slalom program and Sydney Football Club, to work in contact sports at Wests Tigers / NSW Rugby League and his injury prevention role with the NSW Ambulance Service.
Currently, Nathan works for Derby County FC following a move from Sydney, Australia to England in Nov 2019. Originally working in a strength, conditioning & rehab role, supporting the Head of Sports Science, Nathan now leads the strength, conditioning & rehab programs for the full-time squads across the club.
Tell us a bit about yourself and your role at Derby County FC
I am from Sydney, Australia and moved to the UK in Nov 2019 to pursue a career goal of mine, to work in English Football. I am a big football fan and watch it / play it every chance I get. I enjoy travelling with my fiancée, trying to experience as many different cultures as possible.
My role at Derby County FC involves leading the strength & conditioning programs for the full-time squads – 1st team, U23’s and U18s. This includes off-field performance programs, testing, monitoring and rehabilitation.
What are the most common injuries you see?
From a non-contact perspective, the most common injuries would be Hamstring, Adductor, Rec Fem. And Calf strains. From a contact perspective, most commonly see a variety of ankle injuries from tackles.
How has KT360 been integrated into your existing testing and training programming?
The KT360 is an important part of our testing program for the full-time squads, performed on a semi-regular basis throughout the season to monitor strength and deficits in injury prone areas.
In a rehab setting, the large variety of tests available allows for a sound, criteria driven approach to progression, regardless of the injury location. The training functions also provides an engaging and quantifiable experience for the players during the early stages of their rehab
Which protocols on the KT360 have you utilized in pre-season and during this season and how will this data help?
The most utilized protocol on the KT360 is the ‘Time Under Tension’ at 30% for 10 seconds (usually 6 sets) This protocol is used extensively during the preparation part of the training day, whether that’s to train with the squad or the prepare for a rehab session.
What have you been able to improve since partnering with KangaTech and using KT360?
The individualization of our programming has improved as I am able to prescribe exercises with the consideration of a player’s KT360 screening. Depending on the screening, these could include low level ‘specifics’ exercises or more significant interventions as part of their strength program. Rehab systems have also improved, especially in the earlier stages as we’re able to get live feedback from isometric loading.
What are your go to resources for relevant industry events, research and inspiration?
I use Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and governing body websites to inform me of industry events and sometimes, even research. If you follow the right people, you are exposed to plenty of relevant literature without having to search for it yourself. I fill my social media feeds with people in and outside of the industry from a variety of professions and backgrounds. We work and interact with people, it’s important that our ‘go to resources’ don’t just include your niche area.
What is your focus for the coming months?
Continue to refine our systems within the football club and hopefully, have a healthy and happy group of players.
Nathan is presenting at our upcoming webinar on September 9th. REGISTER HERE