Talking foot and ankle injuries & treatments with NY’s finest – Dr James McWilliam MD
It was fantastic to welcome New York’s finest, Dr James ‘Jim’ McWilliam foot and ankle surgeon to Scotland recently to our InternalBrace 10-year celebration. While he was here we took the opportunity to record a podcast episode in which we talked not only about his work in collaboration on the InternaBrace with Prof Mackay but also about his practice in general and some of the sports injuries he sees and treats.
Unique sports injuries podcast hosted by expert, specialist sports orthopaedic surgeon, Professor Gordon Mackay, and broadcaster Jennifer Reoch who asks the questions you all want answers to! Together they explore the world of sport, injuries, treatments, rehab, and recovery.
We have amazing guests who range from Olympians to weekend warriors in all sporting disciplines- from football to skiing, golf to rugby, we learn how they managed their injuries and recoveries and discover what impact this had on their sporting careers. But we also love to chat about their sporting careers and highlights.
In other episodes, experts in fields of sports medicine and rehab join us to discuss how advances in research, technology and treatments are helping athletes both avoid injury or accelerate recovery.
Conversations range from the light-hearted to the more serious and along the way it is hoped listeners pick up tips about how to deal with your own sports injuries, how to avoid injury, and just enjoy the general sports chat.
In this episode, we're thrilled to have Olympian Andy Butchart, a standout figure in the world of athletics, joining us on the podcast. Andy is renowned for his incredible achievements and unwavering passion for his sport. For years though, Andy has been plagued by a condition known as Haglund's deformity, causing persistent heel pain, he recently decided to have surgery even though it means he will miss the Paris Olympics. He explains his decision and long-term vision of a commitment to returning stronger and better than ever.Â
Prof Mackay talks us through this common injury, also known as Pump Bump, why it happens, what you can do to try relieving it, and if all else fails, how surgery can help. Andy is recovering well and focussing during rehab on what he can do to stay strong. He has some great tips for others struggling with the same problem.Â
Andy's journey to the top began to gain serious momentum when he clinched the British 5000-meter title, a victory that earned him a spot on Team GB at the Rio Olympics where he delivered a stellar performance, finishing sixth in the 5000 meters final and setting a new Scottish record. He has continued to shine on the international stage – his versatility netting him bronze at the European Cross Country Championships in 2017. More recently he competed in the 2022 Commonwealth Games – demonstrating his versatility and endurance across different running disciplines. In his downtime, he also recently broke the Park Run World Record!Â
Jennifer is impressed by Andy's incredible enthusiasm for his sport, his positivity about beating his injury as well as his optimism for the future. Download this episode today.Â
Thanks for listening – follow us on X and Instagram or head to our website for more info
X
Instagram
Website
We chat over his current thinking on treatments for everything from ankle sprains to achilles ruptures and the common but painful complaint – plantar fasciitis. Jim explains why new innovations, including the InternalBrace, mean he is able to offer advanced surgical solutions for ankle and achilles injuries rather than falling back on more conservative traditional treatments which can often leave athletes with permanently weak tendons and ligaments and many patients surprisingly disabled 10 years on.
He also has some great self-help tips for plantar fascitis sufferers and on ways to avoid Achilles injury in the first place.
Have a listen – it’s a short and sweet episode but packed with lots of great info.