Dr Joshua Heerey is recognised internationally as an expert in the diagnosis and management of hip and groin conditions.  Dr Heerey is a physiotherapist and Hip Osteoarthritis Research and Development Lead at La Trobe University’s Sport and Exercise Medicine Research Centre.

Dr Heerey has particular expertise in the effective, evidence-based management of hip and groin conditions, including femoroacetabular impingement syndrome, acetabular dysplasia, labral tears, and hip osteoarthritis.  His PhD research investigated the causes of worsening hip joint disease in football and soccer players with femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAI).  This large Australian Government funded study was the first of its kind in the world to track young and middle-aged athletes with FAI overtime, and will provide valuable information about the causes of hip and groin pain and the development of hip osteoarthritis.  He has published numerous articles examining the diagnosis and treatment of intra-articular hip conditions and is a current member of the International Hip-Related Pain Research Network and Young Athlete’s Hip Research Collaboration, which are multi-disciplinary international research teams created to improve the care of people living with hip and groin conditions.

In addition to treating men and women of all ages with hip and groin pain, Dr Heerey also has a keen interest in knee and ankle injuries, sporting injuries, and tendon problems.

Outside of work, Dr Heerey enjoys spending time with his two young children, playing soccer, and supporting the Western Bulldogs and Liverpool.

I am highly trained in the management of adolescent athletes, with a particular focus on the treatment of hip and groin pain. As an APA Sports Physiotherapist, treating sporting injuries is a strong passion of mine and outside of Complete Sports Care, I worked as the Dandenong Stingrays Football Club physiotherapist from 2008-2017. This interest in athletic hip and groin injuries drove me to complete a PhD which I investigated lower limb biomechanics in athletic patients with hip pain.

Treating plenty of younger athletes has led me to have a particular interest in the management of lower limb injuries, including tendinopathies, and this allows me to successfully apply these same treatment principles to athletes of any age. My work has exposed me to thousands of junior and adolescent sporting injuries, helping me to develop exceptional knowledge in age-related musculoskeletal changes and management of adolescent sports injuries. I have also previously worked with the Casey-South Melbourne district cricket team, where I honed my skills in the management of acute and chronic shoulder injuries – I still enjoy the challenge of helping treat difficult shoulder injuries and working with throwing athletes.

I have recently finished my PhD which I investigated relationships between self-reported burden, hip joint structure, and running biomechanics in football players with hip and groin pain. I graduated from La Trobe University in 2007 and completed my Master of Sports Physiotherapy at La Trobe University in 2015, enabling me to be accredited as an Australian Physiotherapy Association Titled Sports Physiotherapist. Throughout my Master program I concentrated on the management of injuries sustained during AFL football, and spent time at both North Melbourne and Hawthorn football clubs.

Having dedicated myself to further study and understanding complex lower limb biomechanics, I pride myself on providing a thorough assessment of your injury and establishing the most effective rehabilitation program that is specific to you.