Ben’s Story
A Story of Resilience and Teamwork at Osteo In Port
Meet Ben, a bloke who’s no stranger to hard knocks and the highs and lows of footy. Our paths first crossed years ago at Williamstown CYMS Football Club, where I was the head trainer. Since then, we’ve worked together in the Port Melbourne Osteo clinic, forging a partnership built on trust, respect, and a shared love of the game.
The Injuries and the Comeback Mindset
Ben’s footy journey has been littered with setbacks: a shoulder reconstruction, a finger fracture, and ongoing hamstring troubles. Yet through it all, Ben’s passion for footy never wavered. Ben will admit his previous preparation and recovery has been largely left up to chance.
July’s Challenge: The Grade 2 Hamstring Strain
Come July this year, Ben copped another blow, a Grade 2 biceps femoris strain. In the past, he’d mostly relied on his body’s natural knack for recovery, but this time the stakes were higher. His team was sitting pretty atop the ladder, and finals footy was just around the corner. Ben came into the clinic with a new intensity, and a mindset firmly set on returning for week two of the finals series.
The Blueprint for Rehab
We sat down together and mapped out a rehab plan, our blueprint for getting Ben back on the field. The first order of business was to knock his pain on the head and restore his range of motion. From there, we shifted focus to bodyweight strengthening, before taking things up a notch with gym-based strength and conditioning.
Ben’s running program gradually ramped up: starting with sub-max straight line running, he progressed to sport-specific drills including curved runs, change of direction, stop-start efforts, and deceleration work.
Ben at the Centre
The real takeaway from Ben’s story is that he was always at the centre of his rehab. The plan was just that, a plan. At Osteo In Port, we pride ourselves on reducing pain and restoring function with a mix of hands-on treatment, advice, and tailored exercise prescription. But Ben’s true success was driven by his own perseverance and commitment to the program. His buy-in made all the difference.
Thanks to his hard work and determination, Ben hit his goal—returning to play and lifting the premiership cup with his mates. We couldn’t be prouder of what he’s achieved, both on and off the field.