THIS EVENT HAS NOW PASSED, BUT THE CONFERENCE VIDEOS WILL BE AVAILABLE SHORTLY.

2019 AFAP ANNUAL CONFERENCE

2021 conference Date: Saturday 23rd March, 2019

Time: 9.30 - 4.30

Location: Imperial College Medical Building, Norfolk Place within St Mary's Hospital, Paddington, London, W2 1NY

Cost: AFAP MEMBER £145. NON-MEMBER £160. Lunch is provided. Payment via PayPal below.

Agenda below or click here for PDF version.

Email admin@afap.org.uk with any enquiries

AFAP Conference 2019 - updated agenda.pdf

PREVIOUS AFAP ANNUAL CONFERENCE VIDEOS:

2018 - 6th Annual conference

2017 - 5th Annual conference

2016 - 4th Annual conference

2015 - 3rd Annual conference

AFAP 2019 Conference Speakers Biographies:


  • Steve Avil

Post Grad. Dip. in Sports Medicine, FCPM., MCPod., HCPC Reg.

Senior Lecturer.

Steve has recently retired from full time lecturing at the University of Northampton where he had specialised for over 30 years in Sports Medicine and Applied biomechanics.

During those years he has keynote lectured at Sports conferences in Australia and the Ukraine, at National conferences and numerous CPD events and courses.

Previously he also worked for The English Institute of Sport at Loughborough, Milton Keynes Dons FC, Fulham FC, and with the National Badminton Centre Milton Keynes.

He has taken 3rd Year student podiatrists to the London Marathon, to treat runners, for the past 27 years.

From 1996-2006 he worked for the England Test and County Cricket Board sitting as a representative on the Sports Medicine Advisory Group to the ECB and providing pre and post tour management of the U19, Academy, One day and Test teams.

His interest in and clinical approach with orthoses in the management of shin pain led Steve to be invited to be involved in a multidisciplinary Single Visit specialist clinic (SVC) at The Department of Sports Medicine based at Leicester General Hospital with Consultant Mr. Mike Allen in 1996. The SVC has been ongoing ever since attracting referrals from all over the UK and beyond.

He also ran a weekly Sports clinic at the Northampton School of Podiatry receiving referrals from all over the country for lower limb injuries from a wide variety of sports focussing on the application of knowledge in the clinical setting.

He continues to be external examiner for the Podiatry BSc(Hons) and Masters course at the University of Salford and he is now focusing on private practices in Leicester, Loughborough University and Market Harborough.

He also continues to provide podiatry services to Leicester City F.C., Leicestershire CCC and combines his love of squash by treating some of the top National and International squash players as well as coaching squash.


Jim Kerrs:

Dr Kerss is a Consultant in Sport & Exercise Medicine at the English Institute of Sport in Manchester and currently the England Netball Chief Medical Officer. His NHS practice is the Joint Health Integrated Musculoskeletal service at Southport & Ormskirk NHS trust. He has prior experience working with elite athletes in football as the 1st team Dr at Everton FC, in Rugby League, Swimming and Athletics.


  • Ratna Raichura:

Since graduating from Podiatry from the University of Southampton in 1996, Ratna went on to complete her Masters in Sports Science at Brunel University.

Ratna has 20 years of experience in all different aspects of Podiatry and has specialised as Biomechanics podiatrist with a keen interest in lower limb sport injuries where the gait is analysed as well providing patients with appropriate stretching and strengthening exercises.

Ratna divides her working hours within private and NHS Clinics settings. Her current NHS role is working as a Biomechanics Specialist podiatrist in a multi-disciplinary setting within the Foot & Ankle Orthopaedic and Falls clinic at St Mary’s Hospital, Imperial Health Care Trust where she has developed valuable experience and knowledge with a wide variety of forefoot conditions. This has led to developing specialist lectures for a better understanding in forefoot conditions and their conservative management.

She also provides an annual lecture to final year students at University of East London on the role of the podiatrist in the Falls prevention clinic and acts as a specialist footwear consultant to the staff at the Oberoi Trident Hotels & Resorts, South East Asia.


  • Sophia Busfield:

Sophia specialises in rehabilitation and return to sport after injury. She completed her BSc in physiotherapy at St Georges Medical School in 2006, from there she headed up the academy with Millwall FC. She went on to deliver full first team duties which saw her become the first female physiotherapist to run on at ‘The New Den’ for Millwall.

In 2008 she studied a Masters degree in Sports and Exercise Medicine at Barts, London as well as heading up the medical provision for sports scholars at Emanuel in Battersea.

Since then Sophia has gone on to work with a variety of elite sports teams, including British Judo at their performance insitute in the build up to London2012. GBR Beach Volleyball GregorySheaf from 2014-18, facilitating them to become the first male beach volleyball squad to represent TeamGB.

In 2016 she became the lead physio for English Lacrosse and supported them during their bronze winning World Championships in 2017.

She also was lead of both Beach Volleyball Team GregorySheaf and Badminton England squads that went to the latest Commonwealth games, Gold Coast 2018.

She has honed her rehabilitation and return to sport skills over the past few years, through working with Badminton at the national centre as well as contracting for the English Institute of Sport in a variety of settings.

When she is not working you will find Sophia looking after her son, trying to stay fit, or watching a movie!


  • Adrian Mellows:

Adrian is a Lecturer in Physiotherapy and Deputy Director of Education for the School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences at the University of Essex, UK. Adrian has extensive experience in relation to musculoskeletal health and currently leads the MSc (pre-registration) Physiotherapy programme. Additionally, he leads modules related to musculoskeletal physiotherapy for both undergraduate and postgraduate physiotherapists.

In addition to his teaching, he is currently completing his PhD looking at optimising outcomes for people with Achilles tendon related pain and he has published several peer-reviewed papers in this field. Adrian is a member of the Committee for Education and Professional Development for the Musculoskeletal Association of Chartered Physiotherapists and also works as an External Examiner for the University of Brighton, UK.