Injuries

What is the Meniscus? The meniscus (plural Menisci) are two pieces of “C” shaped rubbery cartilage in your knee joints. Each knee has a Lateral (outer) and a Medial (inner) meniscus. They provide cushioning between the thigh bone and the shin bone and act as shock absorbers during high impact activities such as running and […]

Inflammation is the body’s natural response to tissue damage. This could be from physical trauma, surgery, intense heat, infection or irritating chemicals. It is the way in which our natural defence cells leave the blood stream and enter the injury site. These cells can then prevent the spread of damage, dispose of cell debris, and […]

When pain strikes, particularly in the LOWER BACK, it is all too easy to reach for some tablets and visit the doctor. However, there are a number of tried and tested alternative treatments to deal with this problem once your G.P. has diagnosed a muscular issue: 1. Release some Endorphins – these are hormones produced […]

Realistic goal setting is vital when recovering from an injury. So often we rush back to activity far too soon and undo all the good work that we, our therapists and coaches have put in. This usually leads to further injury and months of frustration. The biggest risk of injury is a previous injury in […]

In Osgood Schlatter’s disease (or syndrome), patients suffer from tenderness and swelling at the top of the shin bone around the attachment site of the patellar tendon. Pain is usually worse after activity involving running, kicking or jumping and often goes away with rest. The most likely people to be affected by Osgood Schlatter’s disease […]

The Achilles Tendon is the largest tendon in your body and connects both of your calf muscles to your heel bone. It enables you to point your toes and stand on tip-toes. It also provides the spring to push off from each step when running or walking. Injuries to this tendon are fairly common, either […]

Boots and training shoes that have studs or spikes on the bottom are used in a number of sports in which maintaining grip and control on the ground is crucial. The most common of these sports are football, rugby and athletics. In professional sports the officials take great care to regulate the type and size […]

Golf is a low impact sport that is associated with several common injuries. These include problems with lower back, elbows, wrists and shoulders. Golf Courses are popular all year round but many people play more often during the summer months. After a winter of limited playing, how can you avoid injury as well as improving […]

The Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) is one of four ligaments that keep your knee joint stable. It can become damaged during sports that involve twisting at speed such as Skiing, Football, Netball and Ultimate Frisbee. (One of my clients tore hers’ playing this!) Sometimes the injured athlete is able to stabilize their knee without the […]

Whilst it is well known that childhood participation in sports promotes physical and emotional wellbeing and can encourage a lifelong habit of exercise, too much activity at any age can lead to overuse injuries. Because young athletes are still growing, they are at greater risk of injury than adults and the consequences of overdoing their […]

The most common footballing injuries, not surprisingly, tend to affect your lower limbs. From hips to feet, injuries from running, twisting, tackling and jumping are affecting athletes week in, week out, across the country. So how can you avoid the most common injuries and manage to play the whole season? Here are some ideas, if […]

Just as Runners are prone to knee and foot overuse injuries, Swimmers often experience pain in the shoulders. “Swimmers Shoulder” is an umbrella term that can be attributed to any pain in the shoulder area that is not caused by direct trauma. Swimming puts your shoulder joint through a huge range of motion. This has […]

A strain in the Adductor muscles of the inner thigh is often called a “Groin Strain”. This type of injury is most common in sports that involve sharp increases in speed or change in direction such as Football, Ice Hockey, Gymnastics and Figure Skating. The main symptom of a groin strain is sudden, sharp pain […]

Although swimming is non-load bearing, considered low risk for injury and an excellent sport for all round fitness, overuse injuries can occur due to the repetitive nature of the strokes. Elite swimmers may train for five miles per day and even club swimmers and triathletes will often cover two miles in a session – a […]

Do your joints click, crack or pop? Are you worried that this may be a sign of future problems? It’s very normal for your joints to make noises and most of the time it’s absolutely nothing to worry about. It is often caused by a change in pressure in the joint cavity fluids and gasses. […]

Impact injuries Crashes are an unfortunate part of cycling. Potholes, careless drivers and mis-communication amongst group members can all result in you ending up on the road or in the hedge. If you have fallen heavily, seek medical attention in order to rule out any broken bones or concussion. A helmet could save your life […]

Frozen shoulder (Adhesive Capsulitis) is a condition where pain and stiffness develop in the joint to such an extent that the patient finds it difficult to move their arm. This pain and stiffness usually starts gradually, worsens over time and often resolves itself. However, this can take many months. The bones, ligaments and tendons that […]

Tennis elbow or lateral epicondylitis is a condition that produces pain on the outside of the elbow and upper forearm. It is particularly noticeable when bending your arm, gripping small objects or twisting your wrist. It is an overuse injury caused by straining the muscles and tendons of your forearm. As the name suggests, Tennis […]

Sports injuries are usually caused in two ways – Impact and Overuse.Impact injuries would come from a fall or tackle whereas Overuse injuries are due to repetitive strain. Overuse injuries are by far the most common in sports people so this article will cover some of the ways that you can help to prevent them. […]

Developed in Japan in the 1970s, Kinesiology taping (KTape) has now become a common sight at all major sporting events and is gaining popularity amongst non-elite athletes and the general public. It is commonly used to support joints and muscles when athletes are returning from injury or need some added reassurance to compete in an […]

When injury strikes or everyday aches and pains need a little attention, it can be hard to decide what action to take. Most people know that Heat and Ice can help but are unsure as to what benefits they will get from each. This summary gives a simple explanation about when to use a cool […]

Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITBS) is one of the most common causes of ‘Runners Knee’ and accounts for up to a quarter of overuse injuries in runners. The ITB is a thick fibrous band of fascia which originates from the Tensor Fascia Latae (front of hip) and Gluteus Maximus (buttock) muscles of the pelvis, travels over […]

The Piriformis muscle is located in the buttocks, beneath the Gluteus Maximus . It runs diagonally from the Sacrum (base of spine) to the top of the Femur (thigh bone) and rotates the hip outwards. It is used to stabilise the hip during walking, running, cycling and climbing so is a very important muscle to […]

Also known as Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome (M.T.T.S), “Shin Splints” is a catch – all term for pain felt in the lower leg along the Tibia or shin bone. This injury is common in Runners, Tennis players and Dancers and is classed as an overuse injury. Common causes of shin splints: There can be a […]

A stress fracture is a series of microscopic fissures or severe bruising within the bone. It causes localised pain at the fracture site which may increase during exercise and subside during rest periods. Other symptoms may include swelling, tenderness to touch and visible bruising. In healthy adults, stress fractures usually result from repeated strenuous activity […]

The plantar fascia is a thick strap of connective tissue that runs from the ball of the foot to the heel. It supports the foot arch and gives us the spring in our step. Plantar Fasciitis is an over use injury of this tissue and causes pain in the heel which sometimes radiates out along […]

Ligaments are a connective tissue made from collagen fibres and they attach bone to bone at joints. Ligaments help to stabilise the joint and can become damaged if the joint is forced beyond its’ usual range of motion. An example of a commonly damaged ligament is the Anterior Cruciate Ligament of the knee. Sprains of […]

Muscles work by shortening or “contracting”. They cannot lengthen by themselves. In this way our skeletal muscles can pull on our bones to enable movement. Muscles are “told” to contract by our brain, via our nerves. They contract when they receive an impulse from a motor nerve. These nerve impulses only stimulate a limited number […]

During the acute inflammation stage of a soft tissue injury (24 to 48 hours), I would recommend the P.R.I.C.E. or P.OL.I.C.E. procedures: After that, the injury can be managed with a combination of Gentle movement, Soft Tissue Therapy and Rehabilitation exercises. Please get in touch if you would like to discuss. Protect – The damaged […]