Our story

Where injury recovery and elite performance training finally speak the same language.

Two disciplines.

one plan.

Most training plans are made in separate worlds.
Physios fix pain. Strength coaches chase performance.
When the two don’t communicate, clients either stay injured or never reach their potential.

AT DT Sports Medicine, both disciplines sit at the same table. Put simply, you get the knowledge of a physio and the performance drive of a coach in one seamless plan - whether you’re coming back, levelling up, or training like you mean it.

10+ Years
Combined clinical & performance experience
Dual-Discipline
Registered Sport Rehabilitators + S&C Coaches
Elite Pathways
Return-to-play protocols used by professional athletes
Bespoke Plans
Every programme built around one person, not a template

Meet the Team

  • Dr. Rachael Hearn-Connolly

    DIRECTOR & CLINICAL LEAD

    Rachael is a US-trained certified athletic trainer and registered sport rehabilitator specialising in sport injury and return-to-play rehabilitation. Her experience spans American football, football, lacrosse, basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball, and tennis. In the UK, she works with elite athletes including Commonwealth Games and Team GB competitors, Paralympians, WBBL players, marathon runners, university scholars, and Premier League/EFL officials.

    She also teaches at the University of Salford and researches interventions for CTE, a brain condition linked to repetitive concussion in contact sport.

  • Lucy McNally

    SENIOR CLINICIAN


    Lucy is a certified personal trainer and registered sport rehabilitator with six years of experience in the fitness industry. She specialises in general health and wellbeing, with a particular focus on runners and HYROX/CrossFit athletes. Lucy also brings expertise in injury management and prevention, helping clients train effectively while staying injury-free.

  • Andreas Sergides

    STRENGTH & CONDITIONING COACH

    Andreas is the team’s Strength and Conditioning Coach. He studied Sport & Exercise Science at Manchester Metropolitan University before completing a postgraduate course in Strength and Conditioning, gaining early coaching experience with Manchester Met's Men's Rugby Union club and Manchester City FC Academy. He brings a wealth of elite-level experience, currently working with Sale Rugby, and works closely within multi-disciplinary sport environments to help athletes build the strength, power, and conditioning needed to perform at the highest level.

  • Alice Whitehead

    SPORT REHABILITATION PRACTITIONER (PLACEMENT)

    Alice is a third-year sport rehabilitation student with a strong interest in sports injury management. She has experience working across a range of sports, with a particular interest in basketball and football. She enjoys supporting athletes from injury through to full return to activity. Alice favours a team-based approach, working extensively pitch and court-side, and is passionate about helping athletes recover, perform, and feel their best.

— Our Story —

The NAMe behind the mission

DT Sports Medicine is named after Demaryius Thomas - DT to those who knew him. He played wide receiver in the NFL for thirteen seasons, winning the Super Bowl with the Denver Broncos in 2016.

Following a car crash, Demaryius developed epilepsy. Two years later, he passed away at his home in Roswell, Georgia after a seizure. He was just 31 years old. He was later diagnosed with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) — one of a growing number of former NFL players.

"I began to fear seeing the names of my former athletes in the headlines. After realising no treatments were being developed, I decided I wanted to be part of the solution."

Rachael Hearn-Connolly, Founder

That fear inspired Rachael's work on CTE interventions, shaping her PhD and ultimately bringing her from Atlanta, Georgia to Manchester. DT Sports Medicine carries his name in tribute, and in recognition of every research participant and client whose story shapes the work. This is the standard we hold ourselves to — for every client who walks through our door.