Ciaran Pender Injury Clinic

03/01/2026

Most non-contact injuries will be a result of a spike in load and volume.

So be mindful this January as you get into that new training regime

Or try to increase your current training to make up for Xmas

That you don’t overcook it and overload.

I’m not saying don’t push your training.

You should absolutely do that.

But think long term, building steadily and working on known weaknesses along the way.

Not maxing out every session when you haven’t lifted or ran for a month 🤷🏻

Have you started back training yet?

17/12/2025

Great craic doing this session with the girls. Best of luck for the year!

Great team bonding evening for our U12s tonight. Huge thanks to Ciaran Pender for doing a plyometrics session with the girls. Well done girls 👏

24/11/2025

Having something to aim for is so important.

Be that in the rehab setting I see people in.

Or financially, or life in general.

Working towards something and hitting those milestones along the way is what we live for.

I get so many blank stares back when I ask the question

‘So what’s the dream outcome here?’

The usual response I get is to be out of pain.

And that’s perfectly valid.

But if the negative of pain is the main focus point.

I find people don’t get better as quick as those who are actively working towards something.

Whether that’s being able to lift their grandkids again.

Or get ready for the Hyrox in 2 weeks time.

It’s all relative to each person.

And that’s key.

Set some goals today. Keep it simple.

Hitting the milestones along the way to that goal and the reward that gives the brain

Is what drives us to be better and keep hitting higher heights.

21/11/2025

Hi all

Now is the time to work on those ongoing issues you’ve have all year. Get in touch and hit the ground running for your goals into Christmas and the New Year before it gets too hectic!

21/11/2025

One and done for me in solos I think.

Happy with that time after finding out I can’t count to 4 and running an extra lap after sled pulls 🤷🏻

But yeah found it a slog and a bit boring so doubt I’ll do that again.

Maybe a doubles to push the pace there instead👀

Good to challenge the body and brain though. Always a privilege to be able do these things.

05/11/2025

Don’t search for the quick fix that doesn’t move the needle long run.

Is it any coincidence you’ve injured your back 3 times in the past 2 years

When all you’ve done is get needles and cupping to the area

While going straight back to squatting those weights you definitely don’t have the leg strength for?

And not built any actually movement capacity or strength?

It’s a crazy thought process.

Injury is your body telling you something is up.

In sessions with clients, the most important thing we do is identify potential ‘why’s’ for injury

Then figure out ‘what’ we’re going to do to address those ‘why’s’.

Relying on passive treatments for persistent issues will leave you frustrated and questioning will you ever be better.

Actually working to improve your strength and movement will give you confidence, clarity and ability to keep doing what you love.

Give me a shout if you’ve been stuck in an endless loop of passive treatments

And actually want to get better long run!

19/10/2025

When looking at plyometrics most people look at the height of the jump.

When the real benefit is in the ability to land,

Then produce force at speed to leave the ground.

The more you efficient you are at this, the faster you will move.

Whether that be agility work for sport.

Or your Olympic lifting power for CrossFit.

Plyos should always be in the programme somewhere.

Look at the highest level athletes anywhere online, they will be doing both intensive and extensive plyometrics to compliment their training.

Which is why plyos make up a huge part of the rehab process for me with clients.

15/10/2025

"Do a good job, have good knowledge to guide people through their issue and offer more in value than you take in payment. You'll never have an empty diary...."

Read more in comments.

06/10/2025

Knowing how to train through an injury is a vital skill to have as an athlete.

Just because that Achilles is flaring up

Doesn’t mean you need to stop running.

(Sometimes it does but that’s for another conversation!)

Just managing the volume and intensity of running can often be enough to let the tendon settle.

While building strength, better movement and more resilience.

Before increasing the training intensity and volume when ready.

This applies to pretty much all those niggly type injuries

That you just can’t shake but they’ve been there for ages.

Learning when to push through and when to pull back is hard.

But with the right guidance and knowledge is very do-able.

The magic number for me when working with athletes needing to train through an injury is a 3/10.

But that can be pushed to 5 if needed depending on the individual.

This is all on the prerequisite that the pain does not last more than 24 hours before returning to at most a 1-2/10 at rest the next day.

If we can manage to do that while keeping you training and competing.

That’s a job well done.

For more information how to achieve this give me a DM and we can discuss your own injury and how to do this!

#

18/09/2025

When you get injured is the first thing you think is ‘I’ll get a massage’?

Or stretch, or foam roll, or get bent into a pretzel and cracked 100 times.

If your goal is a return to full performance

Hate to break it to you but it won’t work.

These things can help manage the pain and create a change in the pain response.

But it’s not going to get that injury fixed long term.

That takes a good plan, dedication and time.

Which usually isn’t what you want to hear after picking up an injury.

Unfortunately that’s the truth 🤷🏻

So get the plan in place, put the work in, and see the results you actually want.
rehab

29/08/2025

Getting the early phase of an injury correct is crucial towards a positive outcome.

Here’s some tips to nail that return to play.