Integrated Health and Performance Support for FAST Athletes
FAST Running is proud to partner with EmPower Better Health, bringing our athletes and coaches greater access to physiotherapy, exercise physiology, rehabilitation, athletic performance training and evidence-based testing across Canberra.
With clinics in Dickson, Belconnen and Gungahlin, EmPower Better Health provides personalised support for athletes managing an injury, returning to training or looking to become stronger, more resilient and better prepared for competition.
This partnership strengthens the connection between FAST Running’s coaching and performance systems and the clinical expertise needed to keep athletes healthy, progressing and performing at their best.
A Partnership Built Around the Athlete
No two athletes have exactly the same body, training history or performance goals.
EmPower Better Health takes an individual approach to assessment, treatment and exercise prescription. Its physiotherapists and accredited exercise physiologists work with each athlete to understand what is limiting them and develop a practical pathway forward.
Depending on the athlete’s needs, this may include:
- Injury assessment and diagnosis
- Physiotherapy treatment
- Exercise physiology assessment
- Individual rehabilitation
- Strength and conditioning
- Return-to-running and return-to-sport planning
- Athletic performance development
- Individual or group-based training
- Objective strength and performance testing
The shared goal is not simply to remove pain. It is to help athletes remain involved in training wherever appropriate, manage risk intelligently and build the capacity required for long-term performance.
Exclusive Benefits for FAST Members
FAST Running athletes and coaches receive a 10% discount on appointments with EmPower Better Health physiotherapists and exercise physiologists.
Appointment options may include:
- Quick 15-minute physiotherapy reviews
- Standard 30-minute appointments
- Extended 45-minute or 60-minute sessions
- Individual exercise physiology assessments
- Ongoing rehabilitation and performance appointments
- Small-group sessions for three to five athletes
- Larger group sessions for six to twelve athletes
This flexibility allows athletes to access the level of support that best matches their circumstances, whether they need an urgent clinical review, structured rehabilitation or ongoing physical preparation.
Responsive Support When Injuries Occur
Injuries do not always happen at convenient times.
EmPower Better Health offers FAST athletes highly flexible access when an urgent assessment is required. Its responsive client-support team communicates directly with practitioners and will work to identify the earliest appropriate appointment.
Athletes or parents can contact the EmPower Better Health administration team directly or make a booking through the EmPower Better Health website.
When contacting the clinic, advise the team that you are a FAST Running athlete or coach so the partnership benefit can be applied.
Physiotherapy
EmPower Better Health’s physiotherapists assess and manage musculoskeletal pain and injuries across the full rehabilitation journey.
Support may include:
- Initial injury assessment and diagnosis
- Guidance on training modifications
- Treatment of acute and persistent injuries
- Progressive rehabilitation
- Return-to-running preparation
- Return-to-competition planning
- Strategies to reduce the likelihood of reinjury
Where appropriate, FAST coaches and EmPower practitioners can communicate about the athlete’s progress so that clinical advice and training decisions remain aligned.
Exercise Physiology
Accredited exercise physiologists use targeted, evidence-based exercise to help athletes rebuild physical capacity and improve performance.
Programs may focus on:
- Strength and conditioning
- Movement quality
- Muscular strength and endurance
- Lower-limb capacity
- Rehabilitation following injury
- Training tolerance
- Athletic development
- Long-term injury-risk management
Exercise physiology can provide an important bridge between early clinical rehabilitation and the demands of full sprint, hurdle, jump or sports training.
Athletic Performance Group Training
FAST Running and EmPower Better Health are also working together to develop regular athletic-performance gym sessions.
These sessions may be delivered in small or larger groups and can be structured around:
- Strength development
- Movement competency
- Athletic power
- Injury resilience
- Adolescent physical development
- Return-to-performance preparation
- Sport-specific physical capacity
EmPower currently has Tuesday and Thursday afternoon availability at its Dickson clinic for an adolescent athletic-performance program, subject to athlete interest and final scheduling.
Additional morning or afternoon sessions may also be developed across Dickson and CISAC as the partnership grows.
Objective Testing with VALD Technology
EmPower Better Health uses VALD performance technology to support objective assessment and decision-making.
Testing can help practitioners and coaches better understand qualities such as:
- Strength
- Side-to-side differences
- Force production
- Rehabilitation progress
- Readiness to increase training demands
- Comparison with relevant normative data
Athletes can receive access to their testing results through their own VALD profile and the MoveHealth app.
Where appropriate and with the necessary permissions in place, FAST coaches may also be provided with restricted access to the results of athletes they coach. This creates a clearer connection between clinical assessment, rehabilitation, strength and conditioning, and track-based programming.
Testing does not replace coaching or clinical judgement. It provides another layer of useful information to support better decisions.
Clear Communication Between Athlete, Practitioner and Coach
Communication is central to this partnership.
Following a physiotherapy appointment or exercise physiology assessment, athletes can receive a written summary of the session. This helps the athlete and their family understand:
- What was identified
- What actions are recommended
- Which exercises should be completed
- Whether training needs to be adjusted
- What the next stage of progression involves
With the athlete’s or parent’s consent, relevant information can also be shared with FAST Running so that training can be modified promptly and appropriately.
This collaborative approach helps reduce mixed messages and gives the athlete a more connected support team.
Three Convenient Canberra Locations
EmPower Better Health provides services from:
Dickson
Access to physiotherapy, exercise physiology, rehabilitation and athletic-performance facilities.
CISAC Belconnen
A convenient option for athletes and families based in Belconnen and surrounding areas.
Gungahlin
Supporting athletes and families across Canberra’s northern region.
Available services and practitioner schedules may differ between locations. Athletes should check the EmPower Better Health booking system when making an appointment.
Shared Values. Better Athlete Support.
FAST Running and EmPower Better Health share a commitment to personalised care, evidence-informed practice and long-term athlete development.
The partnership gives FAST athletes access to a broader support network without separating rehabilitation from performance. Coaches, practitioners, athletes and families can work together to make sensible decisions about training, recovery and progression.
Whether an athlete needs a quick injury assessment, an individual rehabilitation plan, objective performance testing or structured gym-based development, EmPower Better Health provides another trusted pathway within the FAST athlete-support ecosystem.
Because Running Excellence is not only about training harder. It is about accessing the right support, making better decisions and building a body capable of performing consistently.
Book with EmPower Better Health
FAST Running athletes and coaches can access a 10% partnership discount on physiotherapy and exercise physiology appointments.
Book online or contact the EmPower Better Health client-support team and identify yourself as a FAST Running athlete or coach.
