"This
clinic is for everyone - from recreational runners to elite
athletes, and children to older adults. It is particularly rewarding
to help people who are struggling with chronic injuries and haven't
had success with other solutions."
The
clinic also has a strong research component. There is collaborative
research planned with the University of Calgary's Running Injury
Clinic, where Sheerin spent time working in 2007, with the aim of
enhancing the understanding of the biomechanics of running and the
prevention of injuries.
"Pain
in the knees and lower legs is one of the most common running-related
injuries, however initial research suggests that in many runners the
root cause is actually weak hip muscles," he says.
"With
the Calgary clinic, we will continue this line of research and
hopefully find the causes of chronic running-related pain."
Closer
to home, Sheerin will also work with the Millennium Institute of
Sport's Long Term Athlete Development programme designed to provide
young athletes with the foundations for success.
"Adolescence
can be a particularly demanding time for the young athlete, and in
some cases, the demands can be too much for the growing body. Through
this partnership we hope to develop an initiative that helps prevent
lower-limb overuse injuries in active children."
Much
of what Sheerin learnt at the Calgary clinic, a leader in its field
in Canada, will be valuable to the AUT clinic.
"The
clinic had only become part of University of Calgary a few months
before I arrived, so I helped develop their research programme and
worked alongside clinicians analysing running mechanics. Now I have
the exciting opportunity to use the knowledge and insight I gained
there, to run a similar clinic here."
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