Who?

Aidan Raftery

What do you do?

I am a Sports Physio from Roscommon, Ireland. I work with clubs and teams for all sports at all levels for training, matches and tournaments I also have my own Clinic AR Sports Clinic www.arsportsinjuriesclinicireland.com

What is your own sporting history/background?

I am a former player. I was a goalkeeper in Hurling, Gealic Football and soccer. I also played outfield. I played for my home GAA club Roscommon Gaels underage up to and including Senior, Athlone Senior Footballer, Kilmacud Croke junior Hurlers and Footballer. I played junior County football for Gloucestershire where I won the All Britain Junior Football title. We went on to play Dublin in the All Ireland Junior Football Semi Final. Dublin won. I started my Clinic in 2011. 3 teams I was physio for  include, Ireland 6 aside football squad for the European Minifootball Championships in Kiev in 2018 and Ireland Diabetic Futsal Squad for the 2019 European DiaEuro Futsal Championship in Kiev and finally Sparta Belfast Futsal Club who qualified for the UEFA Futsal Champions League Preliminary Round Tournament in Estonia. 

What would you like to accomplish in your career now, what is your mission?

Continue to learn more and do more courses and continue working with more teams and travel to places through my work as a Sports Physio. I am fortunate to do a job I love and has given me so many opportunities, the coaches and players I got to work with. I also look forward to working with new players and coaches and maybe asked back by coaches I worked with in the past. I have an interest in Concussion and concussion in sport. I recently completed an online course in Concussion in Amateur Sport through UCD. I would love to help educate people on concussion and learn more in that area in addition to sports physio. 

What about athletes’ brain health and safety, what would you like to see happen there? 

I have a huge interest in this area and I want to expand my knowledge on concussion by talking and learning from people who has the same interest in Concussion as I do and through this come up with solutions and ways to help people and play my part in treating. Sports players and athletes by assessing and diagnosing from the signs and symptoms and making the decision that the player has to leave the pitch and explain the reason why. I want to educate players coaches etc on the signs and symptoms, knowing the questions to ask and knowing what to do or what action to take and how to hand over to the paramedics. 

How could ACT Head Impact Tracker help you, and all the athletes, your peers and coaches on the sidelines?

I feel that by partnering up and working with ACT Head Impact Tracker can help me through regular podcasts to help educate people on Concussion but also discussing and working together. I am excited and looking forward to the exciting opportunities and possibilities of the partnership where we learn from each other and develop solutions and everyone benefits. I think the ACT Head Impact Tracker is a great device. The future looks bright, I think. New tools, improved awareness and understanding can help us to take great steps forward in improving the athletes’ brain health and safety in sports in short, medium and long term.