We’re thrilled to have Dr Richie Johnston joining our team on Monday 10th January. Richie is now available on Monday and Friday.

Richie is a highly credentialed and experienced musculoskeletal manipulative physiotherapist with an extensive background in elite sports physiotherapy, performance and academic research.

Outside of the practice, he fits in very well with Melbourne CBD Physiotherapy and Sports Medicine as a competitive distance runner over the marathon, half marathon, and 10km. Richie will chew your ear off about rugby. 

His PhD investigated training load monitoring and injury within the endurance athlete population. Richie has an extensive physiotherapy background prior to moving to Melbourne from Ireland where he worked within professional rugby for 5 years. He has a keen interest in the management of all musculoskeletal disorders. He also continues with his academic interests and is the lead investigator of the TRAIL running project at La Trobe Sport and Exercise Medicine Research Centre. 

Richie has a passion for implementing best evidence practice that contributes to the innovative high-performance environment within Melbourne CBD Physiotherapy and Sports Medicinetherapy and Sports Medicine. 

He has 15 years of clinical experience, and within elite and professional sports teams (Ulster and Irish rugby, Melbourne Storm, West-Coast Waves and North Harbour Netball and Rugby) within Australia, New Zealand and Ireland. Since moving to Melbourne 2019, he is currently the lead investigator of the TRAIL running study at La Trobe Sport and Exercise Medicine research centre. 

He is also the lead physiotherapist with the Jersey Flegg team at NRL Victoria, where he provides acute day to day team physiotherapy services (assessment, treatment, strapping), and short and long-term rehabilitation programs that focus on reduction of pain, inflammation, restoration of pain free movement patterns, strength and neuromuscular control and psychology-based care. 

Richie has professional memberships to Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA), Sports Medicine Australia (SMA), Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) UK and the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Sports and Exercise Medicine (ACPSEM). Out of the clinic he’s a proud member of Hunter Athletics & Recreation and RunStrong, Melbourne.

He has a passion for elite sport physical performance, movement, and training load analysis that he developed from his PhD. Through La Trobe University, he experiences on going mentorship from world renowned evidence-based sports medicine researchers. 

Richie has particular passions for:

• Sport Injury and Training Load Management
• Running Biomechanics
• Lower Limb injuries and rehabilitation
• Shoulder injury and rehabilitation
• Sports functional performance management
• Running programming and coaching