The Athlete's Guild

6 years in the game.

Today marks six years of The Athlete’s Guild.

Six years of supporting men’s health, recovery and sporting performance on the Mid North Coast.

From helping you move better, manage pain, recover from training, prepare for events, and get back to doing what you love, it has been a privilege to be part of your health and performance journey.

This year brought some changes to the routine, and I’m grateful for everyone who has continued to support the clinic, book in, refer friends and family, and trust me with their care.

Whether you’re chasing sporting goals, managing a long-term condition, or simply trying to feel and function better, thank you for letting The Athlete’s Guild be part of that process.

Today is Global MND Awareness Day.

The date is no accident. It falls on the solstice, when one half of the world experiences its longest day and the other its shortest.

It is a reminder that motor neurone disease affects people everywhere.

For those living with MND, and the families who love them, the days can feel far too short.

MND is a progressive neurological disease that affects the nerve cells controlling movement, sp*ech, swallowing and breathing. It can affect adults at any age, with around half of people diagnosed before age 60. It is more common in men than women, male mortality is higher, and research suggests it may occur slightly earlier in men.

The blue cornflower is the global symbol of hope for MND. Fragile in appearance, yet hardy in nature, it reflects the remarkable strength shown by people living with this devastating disease.

MND Australia is the national peak body supporting people impacted by motor neurone disease. Through its national and international networks, MND Australia works to improve the lives of Australians living with MND.

At The Athlete’s Guild, Trent Renshaw is MND Aware trained and understands that care for people living with MND needs to be person-centred, coordinated and responsive to changing needs.

Trent provides MND-aware supportive care with a focus on comfort, positioning, pain, mobility and quality of life as part of a broader care team.

Massage does not treat MND, but it may help with some of the physical effects that come with weakness, stiffness, immobility, aching muscles, pain, fatigue and changes in movement.

For MND-aware supportive care, book with Trent Renshaw at Hoys Allied Health & Wellness via the link in bio.

For HS Awareness Week, it’s important to recognise that hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is more than a skin condition.

HS is a chronic inflammatory disease that can cause painful nodules, abscesses, sinus tracts and progressive scarring, most commonly affecting the armpits, groin, buttocks and perineum.

While HS is more common in women, men are more likely to develop severe disease involving the gluteal, perineal and anoge***al regions. In long-standing cases, repeated inflammation and scarring in these areas can impair lymphatic drainage and contribute to lymphoedema.

This may lead to persistent ge***al or groin swelling, skin thickening, recurrent infection, pain, reduced mobility and impacts on urinary or s*xual function.

HS-related ge***al lymphoedema is a recognised and potentially life-altering complication. Early assessment and multidisciplinary management matter.

Supportive care may include lymphoedema assessment and management, skin care strategies, mobility support, scar and soft tissue management, and referral pathways to dermatology, GP and surgical teams where appropriate.

If you are living with HS and noticing ongoing swelling, heaviness or skin changes around the groin or ge***al region, don’t ignore it.

For lymphoedema and men’s health support, book with Australasian Lymphology Association accredited practitioner Trent Renshaw at Hoys Allied Health & Wellness via the website or by calling 02 6652 7355.

Pelvic pain affects men too.

Pelvic pain is often discussed through a women’s health lens. That conversation matters, but it is not the whole story.

Australian data suggests around 1 in 12 men experience uroge***al pain, with broader estimates suggesting up to almost 1 in 6 men experience some form of uroge***al pain over 12 months.

Not all of this is persistent pelvic pain, but it shows pelvic and uroge***al pain in men is not rare.

For men, pelvic pain may involve the abdomen, groin, perineum, p***s, testicles, re**um, bladder, bowel, pelvic floor or nervous system.

Common presentations include chronic prostatitis / CPPS, scrotal or testicular pain, bladder pain syndrome, pelvic floor overactivity, pudendal, pe**le, re**al or groin pain, and pain associated with sitting, cycling, lifting, s*x or urinary symptoms.

Many men delay seeking help because symptoms feel private, scans are normal, or they are told it is “just prostatitis”.

Pelvic pain is not a single diagnosis. It may involve the prostate, bladder, bowel, pelvic floor, nerves, muscles, joints and broader pain system.

If pelvic pain affects movement, training, work, sitting, urinary symptoms, s*xual function or confidence in your body, it deserves proper assessment.

As a Pelvic Pain Foundation of Australia member, Trent Renshaw provides men’s pelvic health support at Hoys Allied Health & Wellness.

Book with Trent via our website or call 02 6652 7355.

🎗️ May is Bladder Cancer Awareness Month, an important opportunity to raise awareness of bladder cancer and its impact on those affected.

Bladder cancer commonly affects older Australians, particularly men, who are around 3–4 times more likely to develop the disease than women. Visible blood in the urine (haematuria) is the hallmark symptom.

While treatment can be lifesaving, recovery may also involve ongoing challenges including:
• urinary urgency and frequency
• pelvic pain and pelvic floor dysfunction
• erectile dysfunction and s*xual health changes
• lower-limb or ge***al lymphoedema
• chemotherapy-related neuropathy

Trent Renshaw, an oncology, men’s health and lymphoedema practitioner at Hoys Allied Health & Wellness, provides supportive care for people navigating the side effects of cancer treatment and the challenges of returning to everyday life, work, exercise and confidence in their body.

Supportive care may include:
• oncology massage
• lymphoedema management
• scar therapy
• pelvic and men’s health-focused treatment
• rehabilitation for treatment-related pain, tightness and deconditioning

Appointments with Trent are available via the website or by calling Hoys on (02) 6652 7355.

Early detection matters.

Blood in your p*e? See your GP.

Today is World Lupus Day 🦋

Lupus is a chronic autoimmune condition that can affect the skin, joints, muscles, nervous system and internal organs. One of the more recognised signs is a butterfly-shaped rash across the cheeks and bridge of the nose, although symptoms can vary widely.

Lupus is often thought of as a women’s health condition, but men get lupus too. Around 1 in 10 people living with lupus are male, and symptoms in men may be overlooked or recognised later.

Common symptoms can include fatigue, joint pain, muscle aches, skin rashes, sun sensitivity, fever, and periods of flare and remission.

For men living with lupus, remedial massage may help with muscle tension, joint-related discomfort, stress, sleep disruption and recovery between flare periods, supporting comfort, movement and quality of life.

Not every rash is just a rash. Men get lupus too.

For care that supports comfort, movement and recovery, book with Trent Renshaw at Hoys Allied Health & Wellness online via our website or by calling 02 6652 7355.

📣2ND OF MAY 2026📣
⚡️ITS THE CLASH OF THE VALLEYS⚡️

BELLO VS ORARA
NOT A GAME YOU WANT TO MISS!!

🤍 BELLO CATERING WILL BE SERVING YUMMY PIZZAS 🍕
🖤 POPPYS COFFEE WILL BE PULLING UP AND SERVING HOT DRINKS
💚ATHLETES GUILD WILLBE ON SITE
( if you have any questions for Trent around recovery and muscles and what could work for you he will have an answer)

BAR WILL BE OPEN
$5 ENTRY AT THE GATE.

230PM KICK OFF

🤟🏽ABSUSE TOWARDS PLAYERS, REFS AND OFFICIALS WILL NOT BE TOLERATED
🤟🏽SMOKING CAN BE DONE OUTSIDE THE GATES OR AWAY FROM THE CROWD, NO ONE WANTS YOUR FRUITLOOP SMOKE.

Not all recovery is equal.

Ice baths can ease soreness — and for many athletes, that’s where recovery starts.

But soreness isn’t the whole picture.

After training, fluid can accumulate through the tissues — contributing to that heavy, flat, or “not quite recovered” feeling, especially with higher training loads or in the heat.

That’s where approach matters.

Manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) works differently.
Rather than just settling symptoms, it supports the movement and clearance of fluid through the lymphatic system.

Less build-up.
Better recovery between sessions.

If recovery has felt incomplete despite doing the “right things”, it may be worth looking beyond just reducing soreness.

🔗 Book MLD with Trent via website or call Hoys Allied Health & Wellness on 02 6652 7355.

Nookal - Online Bookings Nookal - Online Bookings

Don’t just hold them — check them.

Midway through Testicular Cancer Awareness Month is a good time for a reminder:
Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in young men — and it often shows up quietly.

No pain.
No obvious warning.
Just something that feels... different.

What to look for:
- A lump or change in texture
- A sense of heaviness or fullness
- Anything that doesn’t feel like your normal

If you’ve got them in your hands... give them a quick roll.
It takes less than a minute.

If something’s not quite right — get it checked.

Not sure what you’re noticing?
Recently diagnosed or navigating recovery?

Support is available.

Book a men’s health consult with Trent Renshaw via the website or call Hoys Allied Health & Wellness on (02) 6652 7355.