Ep234 'Lower Limb Amputees: Stepping Through Adversity' - with Rich Potter, Rich Davies, Carla Bickerstaffe, Jenny Lane

We reach the final part of this month’s four part series on Working with Athletes with Disabilities, in which we are joined by special guests Rich Potter and Rich 'Dickie' Davies – armed forces veterans and single below leg amputees who set world records at the end of last year on their ‘Limb-itless Expedition: Conquering The Himalayas' as the first ever amputees to achieve the half and full length of The Snowman Trek in Bhutan. With them are Sports Therapist Carla Bickerstaffe and Massage Therapist Jenny Lane, both of whom have considerable experience of working with athletes with disabilities. While discussing the physically and mentally demanding trek, the guests share insights into the rigorous preparations, the role of sports therapy & sports massage, and the importance of self-care in their endeavor. The discussion also touches on the emotional hurdles faced, especially when unforeseen challenges forced Dickie to withdraw, underscoring the human aspect and the relentless spirit of perseverance. Rich and Dickie’s journey is a testament to human resilience and teamwork, with valuable takeaways for anyone working with or aiming to better understand athletes with disabilities. Chapter Markers: 00:00:00 - Welcome to the Sports Therapy Association Podcast 00:04:38 - Introducing Our Guests 00:06:22 - Rich 'Dickie' Davies shares his history 00:07:32 - Rich Potter shares his history 00:08:28 - Not all amputations in military are combat related 00:10:26 - Carla Bickerstaffe and Jenny Lane at the Invictus Games 00:12:44 - Preparing for the Limbitless Expedition - Soft Tissue Therapy 00:18:20 - The Physiology of a Stump 00:25:54 - Equipping Clients for Self Care 00:30:50 - Phantom Limb Pain 00:39:15 - The Limitless Expedition Challenges 00:43:11 - Facing Adversity and Withdrawal 00:50:55 - Reflections on Support and Funding 01:03:00 - New 'Reflection Series' on The Sports Therapy Association Podcast Useful Links Invictus Games Webpage  Blesma Armed Forces Charity Webpage Rich Potter on Instagram - @amputee_rich Rich Davies Instagram - @rightfootrich The Limbitless Expedition on Instagram @the_limbitless_expedition Carla Bickerstaffe on Instagram @sportstherapybycarla Jenny Lane on Instagram @jennylane.sportsmassage Want to join the live recordings? Episodes of the Sports Therapy Association podcast are recorded live every TUESDAY at 8pm on the Sports Therapy Association YOUTUBE CHANNEL and FACEBOOK page. Everyone is welcome - you do not have to be an STA member! If you cannot join us live, be sure to subscribe to the 'Sports Therapy Association Podcast' on all popular podcast apps to be notified when new episodes are available. Please Support Our Podcast! If you appreciate what we do, please take a couple of minutes to leave us a rating & review on Apple Podcasts. It really does make all the difference in helping us reach out to a larger audience. iPhone users you can do this from your phone, Android users you will need to do it from iTunes. Questions? Email: [email protected]