About Me
My name is Joe Sowden and I’m a Senior Physiotherapist at Sheffield United FC. My specialties lie in injury diagnosis, management and rehabilitation in field-based sports. I’ve worked in professional sport for the best part of 10 years from both codes of rugby and now football; and from academies to first team.
I played semi-professional rugby union for teams based in Yorkshire for the most part. My per-suit of a career in professional sport started with my own injuries and gaining a deeper understanding. Graduating from Swansea University in 2011 with a Sports Science degree was the first step before I travelled to Australia to work in a school system. Here I gained my level one and two Australian Strength & Conditioning Association accreditation allowing early experience developing and supporting young athelets from rowing and volleyball to rugby union.
On my return from the other side of the world I re-engaged in university life and studying Physiotherapy at the University of Huddersfield, graduating in 2015. From here I entered into the NHS while working part time with Huddersfield Giants and later Dewsbury Rams. This early experience in sporting life giving the foundations for rehabilitation of the professional athlete.
On my return from the other side of the world I re-engaged in university life and studying Physiotherapy at the University of Huddersfield, graduating in 2015. From here I entered into the NHS while working part time with Huddersfield Giants and later Dewsbury Rams. This early experience in sporting life giving the foundations for rehabilitation of the professional athlete.
After over a year I left the NHS and part time sport I relocated to South Wales to join the Cardiff Blues as their lead academy physiotherapist. This was the first time the club had full time lead academy physiotherapist as the increasing constant stream of academy graduates required more time and effort than previous years. Overseeing the medical staff throughout the academy and working closely with S&C staff daily to develop the next crop of professional players, many of them now play for Wales and England first fifteen.
After two seasons with the academy at Cardiff Blues I was promoted to the first team where I worked in what was the Guinness Pro 14, now the United Rugby Championship. Here, my emphasis on rehab changed from being a developmental one into performance based and working to strict time frames.
While based in Cardiff I had the privilege of working in the Welsh Rugby Union. Heading up the U18’s program from a medical point and then selected as the support staff for the 2019 U18’s Six Nations Championships. From here I progressed to assistant U20’s physiotherapist for 2020 Six Nations championship, which was sadly cut short due to the pandemic. During the summer of 2019 I travelled Europe with the WRU sevens team as they participated Europe’s prestige 7’s tournaments, finishing third overall behind England and Ireland. Upon returning from Europe I was once again selected to aid the Welsh men’s first team in their preparation and base camp for the 2019 rugby world cup in Japan.
Post pandemic I was hired by Bath Rugby as First Team Physiotherapist. Here the team was tasked with re-developing the return to play process. Working closely with S&C and sport science staff we re-vitalised this process from start to finish, prioritising intensity markers through a criteria and objectivity approach. The speed based process allowed a way to get athletes moving in a locomotive way earlier than had been previously. Working in the English Gallagher Premiership had it challenges with the relentless fixtures and the physicality of the sport leading to a persistent case load, challenging time lines and differing strategies within the newly formed process.
Once my time with Bath had come to end, I decided on a new challenge was needed. That challenge was found in football and becoming the Head Academy Physiotherapist for Sheffield United. Here I found challenges in abundance and in many forms. Footballs very nature is extensive with bouts of intensity. Adapting to these needs within rehab was the first obstacle. Working closely with the Head of Academy Performance proved crucial in constructing and delivering a criterion and speed based approach to return to play.
After one season with the academy at Sheffield United and supporting the first teams promotion from the Championship to the Premier League during the 2022/23 season, I was subsequently promoted to work with the first team during the 2023/24 Premier League campaign. Here, a significant re-load of the rehabilitation service was required. Tasked to redevelop this imperative service with the aim of streamlining the service to establish a more efficient way of working.
Firstly, I needs analysis of the service was established confirming that communication channels were required to be tightened up. Launching a new rehabilitation schedule that could be followed weekly by players and key members of staff was paramount to this. We then set about working on the rehab planner, for staff purposes in daily/weekly content, aims and objectives that could be seen and delivered by the relevant staff member. Finally, we underwent a new introduction to on feet/running process. Whereby, physiotherapists would deliver the start of on feet rehab ensuring relevant intensity markers were hit before handing over the strength and conditioning coaches. Here the on feet rehab focus would shift more towards a conditioning and football focus rather injury.
Now heading into the 2024/25 season and working in the Championship a different work schedule has presented as a challenge. With the added pressure of promotion and the increase in games required a new needs analysis within the rehab process. One where we can be progressive and efficient with our time management. As we dive into my philosophy you’ll gain an insight into how I and the team go about this.