As part of the Pittodrie People feature in RedMatchday, we recently spoke to physio Aimee Clark:

AFC Physiotherapist Aimee Clark knows more than most about injuries, not merely because of her medical studies and qualifications but because she has had to endure many during her international hockey career. It turns out that those injures weren’t earned in vain, but have been good preparation for her role here at Pittodrie, a place where she already had the inside line thanks to her brother Chris.

“Playing hockey at international level and seeing a lot of injuries during my playing career has helped me do what I do. For example, it helps in regards to how a player might be feeling emotionally and I understand what the aches and pains feel like. I know what it can be like during the rehab process because I have had to do it a number of times. It can be a very lonely time working away on your own. I fell out with my physio many times because I was desperate to get back, but I now understand that you have to be patient and get yourself right before playing again.

“I was selected for the Scottish hockey team at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games in 2006. I was the youngest in the squad. I was studying in Liverpool at the time and then travelling up to Edinburgh for training every weekend. A month before the games, we were in South Africa at a training camp and I ruptured my anterior cruciate. It was hard and probably the lowest I’ve ever felt, I couldn’t even watch the games. All I ever wanted to do was play in the Commonwealth Games.

“I had the cruciate repaired, returned to Liverpool, got my head down, began my rehabilitation and concentrated on finishing my degree.”

“A year later, I went back to playing hockey and whilst diving for a ball, I injured my posterior cruciate and then the following year, I was out playing for Westside Wolves in Perth, Australia and was getting back to full fitness when I re ruptured my original knee injury. It was one of those moments where you think to yourself…okay just stop, time to quit“

“That thought only lasted a short time as I was then offered the chance to go to the Commonwealth Games Delhi in 2010. My determination was bigger than ever, no way was I missing a second shot at the games! After my third injury in Australia, the Scottish Institute of Sport were incredible. I had a specially designed knee brace which I still wear now. So I went to Delhi and suffered a double fracture in my finger in the first match! I was devastated again but nothing was going to stop me from missing another game. I had to get injections in my hand as I couldn’t straighten my finger, so holding a hockey stick was challenging! But I would do anything to play and I did. “

“Initially when I went to University, I wanted to be a sport development officer or work as an active schools coordinator but then with my injuries and all the experiences I went through, it strangely inspired me and it changed my career mind set.

“Working with different physios made me decide what I wanted to do. The physio at the time in Australia was the national hockey team physio. The depth of knowledge and the skills she had were unbelievable. I also had a very good physio in Inverurie, so I thought, “I want to do that!”

“After finishing University, I worked at Robert Gordon’s University Sports Section. They were great in that they supported me through my hockey training and allowed me to do a lot of unpaid leave ahead of the Commonwealth games in 2010. I was commuting to Stirling two or three times a week for training.

“I decided after Delhi that I needed to be more focused on my career so I took a step back from the hockey and retired from International level. That was when I started my Masters, in 2011. My very last placement during my Masters was an elective where you can choose where you want to go, so I contacted David Wylie and John Sharp and they kindly allowed me to come into the club. They did check with Chris who was still here at the time! I couldn’t dampen my brother’s ‘style’ ! I was very fortunate to work with two of the best physios in the county. I was even more fortunate that when I finished the placement, I was then given the opportunity to stay on at the club.

“My role within the club now expands from the U10 team right through to the first team. I also cover all the U20 games every week. I was also lucky enough to do some first team games at the end of last season which I really enjoyed and the experience was amazing. It gave me a taste of first team football which is what I want to achieve in my career. The Physio team here at Aberdeen have very good working environment. The three of us, Adam Stokes, John Sharp and myself, get on well and there is a good balance within the department. The club doctors are all of extremely high calibre and are all exceptional at their role within the club. (I hope they big me up as much as I do to them)

“I really enjoy being part of the U20 set up with Paul Sheerin and Scott Anderson. At times I am like a mother to the boys! I am trying to help them develop as individuals as well as help them improve their football but they are a good bunch of lads and easy to work with. There are a lot of female physios in Scotland.  I am not sure why, but over the past couple of seasons the clubs are taking in a lot of females and long may it continue! You have to have a thick skin to work in this environment, but that goes for men as well as women!

“The hardest part of the job is seeing players out injured and missing out on games because of injury. The best part of the job is seeing a player coming back into the team after an extensive period out, especially if they score! Seeing them getting back to their full potential is very satisfying”.

It is imperative as a physio to keep up to date with current research, maintain CPD and I am continuously working hard to better myself as a physio. I have a keen interest in Acupuncture and use this as an adjunct to my treatments and have had some excellent results. In my ‘spare time’ I also own a private clinic, this is something I am hugely proud of.

Aimee is, as noted, the second Clark sibling to make a mark at Pittodrie. Naturally enough, her relationship with Chris has often revolved around sport.

“We have always been very competitive with both of us playing in sport. I always seemed to follow in his footsteps. He did judo so I did judo, he did athletics so I had to do athletics. It was the same when it came to exams, I always asked what Chris got! I even played football. I played for inverness Caley Thistle ladies and we won the Scottish Cup twice at U16 level.

“I was going to go full-time when I was younger but decided to stay on at school for another year, carried on playing football and hockey, I was then asked to go pro again but the hockey was going too well, so the football stopped. A bit like Chris, I was quite versatile and played a few different positions.

“At hockey I played as a striker but seem to be going further back on the field as I get older! I still play for Merlins Gordonians Hockey Club. It is a league below what I used to play but I still have that competitive edge! I don’t think you ever lose that, no matter what sport you play.”