What do we treat? - Info Graphic

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Recovering from a race: 3 Essentials (5km, 10km, 10miles, Half Marathon, Marathon)

Yesterday I completed the 2011 Bupa Great South run, along with a friend Rob, my girlfriend Gemma and 23,997 other runners.

The course is a flat, supposedly fast, 10 mile road race. I personally didn't put in a quick time but I'm aware the conditions were great for the elite runners on the day.

At about 15.7 stone I have to say I'm not one of the greatest runners out there, needless to say I'm suffering a fair bit for it today.

My knees have taken a bit of a pounding and my quads are feeling a little sore. Gemma, I know, is feeling stiff in her hips today. For those of you who have completed a race and pushed yourself harder than normal you will be familiar with these type of aches and pains.

With this in mind I though it would be useful for me to put down a few of my thoughts on recovering down wind of a race. I'll include a few of the things I've personally done following this race.

1) Ice 'hot' joints and tissue.

During a race you will cause, varying degrees of, damage to your joints and tissue. For example, the muscles will under go many small micro tears. This is normal, however it will cause inflammation within the muscles. This inflammation must be dealt with. The quicker you can reduce this inflammation the better.

Once you've finished the race and had a shower use your hand, ideally the back of your hand (it's more sensitive) to feel the heat around your muscles and joints. If your muscles, normally at the attachments, or joints are hot you must ice them.

Use an ice pack and try icing for 10 minutes at a time. This can be repeated as many times as required, just let your tissue come back to normal temperature between each application.

I didn't do this right away and left it to the next day (today) to do it. This isn't ideal but I didn't have an ice pack at home and had to wait until getting to the clinic to do this. Tut, tut.

2) Stretch and Mobilise

I know you'll be feeling pretty tired after a race but you must spend some time doing some stretching and mobilising after a race. As explained in the icing part of this post, your muscles will under go lots of micro tears. Early stretching and mobilising will help your muscle recover more effectively. These micro tears can cause your muscles to heal in a slightly shortened position. Stretching will help to avoid this.

For me I spent about 20 minutes on the ground last night (after finishing the race), mobilising my lower back and stretching my hips, hamstrings and quadriceps. If I'm being honest more time doing this would have been better. I'll get some more done this evening!

3) Hydrate

This one is very simple but makes a huge difference to your recovery. Make sure you get plenty of water back through your system down wind of the race. As already stated one of the major issues following a race will be your inflamed muscles and joints. Being well hydrated will allow your body to efficiently deal with the inflammation.

The earlier you can start to replace these lost fluids the better.

The Ringwood Clinic Facebook page - Please 'Like'

I've recently set up the clinic facebook page and stared to add some interesting post on the wall.

I'm now looking for some 'friends' and 'likes' on my page.

So here are 3 good reason to join the page:

1) I check the page daily so if you have any question about your injury you can ask them their and get a quick response. Just remember it's a public page, so if you have any private questions email me separately.

2) I'll put offers up on the page. For example if I have a quite morning / afternoon I occasionally offer FREE 30 min assessment slots for new injuries. Being part of the group will help you keep up to date on those offers (and be able to share them with friends / family who many benefit).

3) I share tips, articles and my blog posts on the page all designed to keep you pain free.

Go here => www.facebook.com/theringwoodclinic and click 'like' on the top right hand side of the page.

See you there.

Raising Money for Children with Cancer

I'm raising money for CHILDREN with CANCER UK, formerly CHILDREN with LEUKAEMIA by taking part in Bupa Great South Run. Please sponsor me at www.virginmoneygiving.com/RobGemmaAlex

For those of you who have been in to see me over the last few weeks it's likely I will have mentioned that I'm running the Great South Run this weekend.

It's a 10 miler so not a huge distance but I'm running it for Children with cancer (Formerly known as Children with Leukemia).

I'll be running it with Rob a friend and Gemma (my girlfriend).

It's looking likely that I'll be beaten by both of them, so some encouragement in the way of sponsorship would be very welcome ;-)

I'll make sure I get the 10 miles 'done' - I promise.

Have I got true shin splints?

The term 'Shin Splints' is a cover all term for pain found around the shin bone (Tibia).

Shin Splints actually refers to three separate problems:

• Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome (MTSS).


• A stress fracture of the shin bone (Tibia).


• Compartment Syndrome.

True Shin Splints refer to Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome (MTSS). In the case of MTSS the bone lining of the shin becomes inflamed where the muscles attach to it, this causes the pain. With out the correct treatment MTSS can be difficult to get over.

The symptoms of MTSS will include some/all of the following:

• Pain / discomfort at the front of the shin bone (mainly on the inside).


• Discomfort at the start of activity, which may reduce when 'warmed up'.


• Morning soreness, which may reduce with movement.


• Lumps and bumps along the inside edge of the shin bone.


• Occasionally visible swelling / redness.

Shin Splints (MTSS) are often set off by a sudden increase in training, a change of training surface or a change of footwear.

The classic example I see of this every year is right after the football 'off season' when pre-season training begins. The ground is hard after the summer, the footballer has done little training between the end of season and the start of the new pre-season. This combination of the footballer being out of 'condition' and the ground being hard is a recipe for overloading the musculature in the shin leading to the development of MTSS.

In terms of treatment it is important to establish what type of issue is occurring at the shin as this will determine the course of treatment.

With all three type of Shin Splints it will be important to assess the individuals biomechanics, joint mobility, muscle length and training habits.

Factors such as overpronation/underpronation, increasing training too rapidly, reduced joint mobility, tight muscles and poor footwear can cause problems. It's important to have a full assessment of all of these components.

With MTSS treatment will initially focus on reducing the local inflammation, improving the tissue quality around the shin.

It is important to find out what type of Shin Splints you've got before you start any treatment MTSS, stress fractures and compartment syndrome all have to be dealt with differently.

As always this post just covers the basics so if you have any extra questions call me on 01425 480030 or email office@theringwoodclinic.co.uk

Printable foam roller exercise sheet

9 Foam Roller Exercises - Printable PDF

After publishing my original foam roller post at the beginning of the year I've had a number of my clients ask me if I could put together a printable sheet of foam roller exercises for them.

After doing this separately 4-5 times I thought it would be best to put a sheet of exercises here on the blog, so everyone can benefit.

If you are interested in using the foam roller for your own 'self massage' click here for my first post on how to use the foam roller, there is a useful video on the basics there.

Once you've done that click here and print off a program sheet of exercises.

Finally read this...

3 top mistakes when using the foam roller

1) You're rolling too fast - most people I see roll up and down the foam far to fast. Slow down. As you're rolling you should be 'scanning' your muscles for trigger points, knots and scar tissue. To make it easier if you are rolling a large muscle group like your thigh (quads) then roll them in two halves. The top half, then the bottom half separately. As a rule it's better to roll too slowly then too fast!

2) You're not stopping on the trigger points - When you're rolling you should be 'scanning' for the knots and trigger points. You'll know you're on them as the area will be pretty uncomfortable once you've got pressure on them. Unfortunately these are the areas that need the work, much like if you were having a sports massage the focus will be on the problem areas. The same goes for when you're foam rolling, when you find these areas spend some time going SLOWLY backwards and forwards over them.

3) You're not doing it for long enough - Everyone asks me how long you should foam roll for. This is a 'how long's a piece of string' type question. The time required will differ hugely between individuals. However here is a good rule for effective use of the foam roller: Roll your trigger points long enough for your discomfort (some times pain) levels to drop by 50%. Depending on where you're rolling this may take as little as 30 seconds all the way up to 5 mins. However long it takes your aim is to reduce your discomfort level 50% - Simple!

The better back, neck and shoulders stretching challenge

Below are a list of 5 great morning stretches that I've specifically picked out to address areas of tension and immobility that cause pain and discomfort.

These stretches are ones I prescribe on a regular basis (daily) to clients with neck, lower back and shoulder pain.

This post is an effort to get my clients (and blog readers) to become more 'mobile' in their spine and in turn end up 'pain free'.

My challenge to you...

For the next 28 days (4 weeks) complete these stretches EVERY morning.

Once the 4 week period is up you can then chose if you want to keep doing them or leave them out.

I'm pretty certain that if you do manage to complete the 4 week period you will not want to leave them out of your morning routine.

My aim is to convert as many of my clients (and blog readers) to put this stretching program into their daily routine.

I've just been going over these stretches as I've been writing this post and my neck, shoulders and lower back feel 10x better already - give them a try yourself now.

I'll be completing the challenge myself, alongside everyone else for the next 28 days.

Click this link if you would like a printable pdf version of the stretching program.

***N.B. This program is for individuals who presently have no acute pain, the program is designed as a general starting place for a healthier back, shoulders and neck. If you have acute pain you will need a detailed consultation and specific advice***

The Stretches

You will need 10 minutes set a side for this routine.

Make sure you've been up and moving for about 10 minutes before you do these.

Complete each stretch twice and hold for 30 seconds each time (any less will be in-effective).

1. Spinal rotation

Lie on your back with your knees bent, your hands together and arms out straight.

Rotate your knees one way and your hands the other way.

You should feel a 'rotational stretch' in your spine.

Move slowly and repeat 20 times.

2. Knee to chest

Bring both knees in to your chest and gently pull in with your hands to increase the stretch.

Hold for 30 seconds.

3. Door stretch

Face the door frame and place your forearms on the frame.

Push your body through the door frame to feel a stretch in your chest and shoulder area.

Hold for 30 seconds.

4. Neck 'extensor' stretch

Drop your head towards your shoulder and down towards the floor, in a diagonal direction.

You will feel a stretch in your neck / upper shoulder.

Hold for 30 seconds.

5. Thoracic extension

Stand (or sit) straight with your hands behind your head.

Extend back pushing your chest upwards and squeeze your shoulder blades together.

Hold for 30 seconds.

Knee pain in children 10 - 16yrs (Osgood-Schlatters?)

This is a post for any parents who have children that are complaining of knee pain... Their pain may be Osgood-Schlatters Disease (OSD).

OSD is a problem seen in active children between the age of 10-16yrs.

The reason I'm writing about this injury now is that I've had 3 different sets of parents bring in their children who have been complaining of symptoms of OSD over the last 6 weeks.

They were ALL aged 14yrs (2 girls / 1 boy) and had varying degrees of knee pain.

The main symptom of OSD is pain which will be felt at the front of the knee just below the knee cap (where the quadriceps attach to the bone).

Symptoms are most commonly found after a 'growth spurt' - though not always. The pain is caused by the muscle pulling on the site where it attaches to the bone (the Tibial Tuberosity). This pulling causes inflammation at the attachment site.

The reason this problem occurs in children aged between around 10 - 16yrs is because at this stage their bones are still developing and yet to fully harden. This leaves the boney attachment vulnerable to heavy loading.

In severe cases the bone can start to be pulled away causing a calcification at the knee. The picture above (taken from the British Medical Journal) shows what can occur in a severe case of OSD - note the 'bump' on the child's knee.

In most cases your child will eventually 'grow-out' of OSD, however it must be managed carefully in the interim.

It is a relatively common issue, my sister had it on and off for about 18 months as a child - unfortunately for her it wasn't managed very well at the time!

Treatment for OSD will involve:

1. Rest (or relative rest) - by 'relative rest' I mean that ALL activity must be pain free. If an activity causes pain then rest must be enforced.
2. Soft tissue techniques (massage) to free up the tight muscular tissue.
3. Bio-mechanical screening - to make sure no unnecessary force is being generated at the knee
4. Light stretching - only when appropriate.
5. Ice / cold treatment - to help manage the inflammation.

Two things you must not allow your child to do if they have OSD:

1. Train / play through pain.
2. Stretch heavily if it causes pain.

N.B. As always this is a very brief overview of this type of injury, there are many other problems that can occur at the knee that will need to be ruled out in an assessment.

11 pictures taken on my iPhone

It's been a busy 6 months since opening up in the new clinic location. So over the last few days I've been having a catch up on all of my admin - bookkeeping, paperwork etc.

A couple of nights ago I was going through the 312 photos stored on my iPhone - deleting a few on the way through (I've managed to use much of my available phone memory - luckily I'm not too far away from an upgrade).

Anyway although I try and keep most of my posts on this blog related to the clinic and sports injuries I occasionally put up some 'personal' posts here too.

For that reason I thought it would be fun to share some of the photos on my iPhone.

1. Gemma (my Girlfriend) at Go Ape - Moors Valley.

2 + 3. Visiting my sister in the UAE - In the desert.

4. Ready to go out for Dinner - UAE.

5. Donkeys in the New Forest (Nr Moyels Court).

6. BBQ at Durdle Door.

7. Working from my Dad's 'office' while up visiting my parents in Scotland.

8. The Urban Beach (Boscombe) - one of my favourite spots on a summers evening.

9. After finishing 'the great south run' 10miles - don't ask my time, it wasn't good.

10. The wood burner at my parents house - great on a winters day.

11. Visiting the Lime Wood (Lyndhurst) for my Birthday lunch - others arrived in helicopters. It's all right for some!

Have you got IT Band Syndrome (ITBS)?

ITBS is more commonly known as 'Runners Knee'.

The Iliotibial band is a thick, very strong section of connective tissue that runs from the top of the hip down the outside aspect of the leg. It connects to the bottom of the knee at the fibula bone, with some of it's fibres running into the patella.

In the case of IT band syndrome rubbing takes place at a bony point called the lateral epicondyle. If the IT band is tight it will rub over this bony point when walking, running or jogging.

If you have ITBS you will find pain on the outside aspect of the knee, which is caused by the band rubbing on the bone. If left for a long period scar tissue will develop in this area.

Downhill running and high impact activities will typically cause the most problems.

As with many injuries you will most often find that there is some underlying bio-mechanical issue or inefficiency in the body. An example of this is that there may be a specific weakness in the hip musculature. This weakness is likely to cause tension to build up in the IT band. If this is the case then the treatment must focus on addressing both the painful knee area AND the issue in the hip too.

If the painful knee area is treated without 'fixing' the underlying weakness (or bio-mechanical problem) elsewhere then this injury will re-occur almost straight away on returning to training.

My National 3 Peaks Challenge Story

(Picture: Piper - The Highlands)

The 3 tallest mountains in the UK.

21 hours 50 minutes, 57214 steps, 25 miles and 11170 feet.

The three peaks challenge completed!

To those of you who haven't come across the

National 3 Peaks Challenge the aim is to climb Ben Nevis (Scotland), Scafell Pike (England) and Snowdon (Wales) in 24 hrs - including driving time.

This is a short post on how Matt (who talked me into doing the challenge) and I got on completing the 3 Peaks.

We started in Scotland at Ben Nevis on Friday 17th June and finished in Wales at Snowdon 21h50 later.

BEN NEVIS - The Start

(Picture: The Start - Ben Nevis visitor centre car park)

(Picture: Summit Ben Nevis)

Summit time: 2h05

Total time: 3h24

Height: 4409 ft

Steps (Pedometer): 21858

We were planning to start the challenge at 7pm (Friday), with the aim of getting up and down the Mountain before dark at around 10.30pm. However due to poor weather and less evening light we changed our plans and started early at 6.40pm.

The climb was in fairly poor weather; rain and cold, with thick cloud at the top. This made things fairly hard going, visibility at the top was down to about 15 feet.

We could easily see how people get in trouble on Ben Nevis, the cloud cover was fairly disorientating.

We managed to get up and down in fairly good time (3h24), with much of the descent done

running. By the time we reached the bottom I wasn't sure if we had gone off too fast and should have left 'more in the tank' for the next two mountains.

On getting down we managed to leave the Ben Nevis visitor centre car park fairly quickly. We got in the car for a 6 hour journey down to Scafell Pike (Lake district). At this point Matt and I did our best to get some sleep as we were being driven by my Mum and Gemma (my girlfriend).

SCAFELL PIKE

(Pictures: Top of Scafell Pike)

Summit time: ???

Total time: 3h58

Height: 3210 ft

Steps (Pedometer): 20356

After traveling to Scafell Pike overnight we arrived at about 4am. We were not sure how our legs were going to be functioning after 6 hours sitting still in the car. As it turns out the legs were actually OK, however this was the least of our worries.

After quickly getting out of the car at just after 4am we headed off on what we thought was the right track. We quickly caught up with 4 other walkers doing the 3 Peaks and checked with them that we were on the correct route. They confidently said "yes" so we got our heads down and got cracking - big mistake. To cut a long story short we had headed off on the wrong track. We had been 'at it' for 40 minutes before we realised that we had gone the wrong way! What was more soul destroying was that we realised that the quickest way to get back on track was to run right back to the start and begin again, there was no other obvious 'short cut' to get back on the correct trail from where we were.

By the time we had reached the bottom again we had wasted exactly 58 minutes, but more importantly we had sapped valuable energy out of our legs. Disaster. There was no other choice but to get started again. Although Scafell Pike is the smallest mountain in terms of height it seemed to be the toughest of the three mountains. There is a boulder field about mid way up and the top section is covered in scree which makes things hard work.

As with Ben Nevis the weather was poor so we reached the top in almost zero visibility and ice cold driving rain. We made a quick stop to take the photos and headed back down. Due to our mistake at the start we took almost 4 hrs on a mountain we were planning to complete in under 3 hrs. In low spirits we quickly got changed into dry gear and got in the car for the 5 hour journey to Snowdon.

SNOWDON

(Picture: Snowdon - at the peak)

Summit time: 1h35

Total time: 2h56

Height: 3560 ft

Steps (Pedometer): 1500 - approx

Although we wasted an hour on Scafell Pike we were still on to complete the challenge in the allotted 24 hrs - all was left to play for.

Our aim was to finish strong. That meant we had to complete Snowdon in under 3 hours. We knew it was going to be painful.

For the first time we set off without any rain, which was a great change.

We were most confident about completing Snowdon as it was the only mountain we had climbed prior to the challenge. In fact we had climbed it twice in one day while we were doing our training.

We managed a very fast time to the top, by our standards, making the peak in 1h35. The top was packed with other walkers so we quickly got our photos and began back down. By this time our legs were like jelly and are knees were sore but we had to get down quickly to make sure we made it in under 3 hours.

After what seem like an age we rounded the final corner, the visitor centre car park was in sight. We knew we were going to complete Snowdon in under 3 hrs! With 4 minutes to spare we jogged into the car park and had completed the National 3 Peaks Challenge in a total of 21h50.

Tired, beaten up but very proud we had managed to do all three of the highest mountains in the UK under 24 hours.

A great achievement.

21 hours 50 minutes, 57214 steps, 25 miles and 11170 feet.

What is a trigger point (or Knot)?

I get asked what a trigger point is on almost a daily basis.

For that reason I thought it would be best to write a short post with some basic information on trigger points.

What is a trigger point?

In the most simple terms a 'trigger point' is a section of muscle that has gone into a localised spasm. This spasm causes the muscle fibres in that area to become contracted.

Why do trigger points develop?

Trigger points can develop for a number of reasons but the most common cause are prolonged poor posture, acute injury or poor biomechanics.

Where do triggers points most commonly occur?

Trigger points can occur all over the body, however the most common area I personally treat is in the neck and shoulders. The calves or gluteus are another area I see on a regular basis.

Why do trigger points cause pain?

Triggers points cause pain in two ways.

The first is due to mechanical pressure that is caused by the tension in the trigger points.

The second is due to chemical irritation, due to the build up of lactic acid (and other waste products) in the muscles.

How can trigger point be treated?

Firstly the underlying reason for the trigger points development must be addressed. For example poor posture must be corrected.

Secondly trigger points respond well to (relatively) deep pressure. Trigger point therapy is very effective as the 'mechanical' pressure will be released. Alongside this extra lactic acid can be removed using varying soft tissue techniques.

Neck and Shoulder Pain? Read this!

***See below for a free printable exercise sheet to reduce pain and improve posture***

General neck and shoulder pain is one of the most common complaints I see in the clinic.

A significant percentage of this neck pain is related to poor posture.

The type of posture I'm specifically talking about is the 'hunched over the computer' type posture we all have a tendency to fall into.

The upper body is hunched, the shoulders are rounded and the head is forward (see the 'evolution of man' picture below).

Unfortunately we ALL spend far to much time in postures similar to this.

We are most at risk of this type of postural pain when we are driving, working at our desk and sitting on the sofa reading.

With many people this type of posture has become habitual.

It can become 'difficult' or 'hard work' to sit with correct posture.

This is because the body has adapted over time; poor posture has become the 'default' option for the body.

Poor posture has now become the 'easy' option to adopt.

The problem with this type of posture is that over time it causes huge imbalances in the muscular tissue around the neck and shoulders.

The chest muscles become tight and shorted, the muscles between the shoulder blades become weak and lengthen.

The knock on effect of these changes can lead to several problems.

These problems can range from the build up of trigger points in the muscles, nerve compression around the neck and shoulder, altered respiration, impinged blood supply as well as extra stress on the discs and joints in the neck.

The list of potential problems goes on and on.

The good news is that in many cases pain around the neck and shoulders can be resolved

successfully by simply focusing on improving your posture.

There are a number of practical steps that can be taken to gain some balance back in the shoulders and neck.

As a start I have included a sheet below of exercises specifically selected to reduce pain and improve posture in the upper body.

There are 4 exercises on the sheet, which includes both stretching and strengthening exercises.

These exercise are great if you have general neck and shoulder stiffness, if you have acute pain

they may not be suitable for you.

The complete exercise plan should take no longer than 15 minutes in total and should be performed every day (ideally in the evening).

Please print a copy off and put it up somewhere in your office or home where it will remind you to perform them daily.

Warning: DO NOT complete these exercises if your pain is high (or very acute).

Click here for a printable pdf sheet with 4 simple exercises that you can perform daily to improve your posture and reduce your neck and shoulder pain.

NB. This is a general program, more specific exercises and treatment methods may need to be used for differing issues however this is a good starting place for most postural based problems.

As always if you have any questions about your neck and shoulder pain or more specific questions about the exercise plan please do email.

(Evolution of man poster - are we going backwards?)

ACL Rupture? What is it & what should you do?

The ACL is the Anterior Cruciate Ligament, which is one of the four major stabilising ligaments in the knee.

The ACL prevents the lower leg bone (the tibia) translating forward on the femur (the upper leg bone). A complete rupture of the ACL will mean the ligament has completely separated, leaving the knee in a very unstable state.

A complete rupture can be diagnosed by a Physiotherapist or Sports Therapist in the clinic - this is done through a physical examination. However this diagnosis will often be confirmed with additional imaging (scan).

The injury typically occurs when the foot is in contact with the ground and there is a twisting force at the knee.

***Here Micheal Owen ruptures his left ACL in the 2006 World Cup match against Sweden. Watch the youtube clip here.

Symptoms of the injury include:

• A loud pop / crack at the time of the injury
• Immediate swelling at the knee
• A feeling of instability in the knee
• The knee giving way
• Problems fully straightening the knee
• Tenderness on palpation of the front and inside aspect of the knee

If there has been a complete rupture of the ACL, surgery will be required in most cases. The elderly and the less active may avoid surgery, however most reasonably active people will be advised to have surgery. The recovery time following an ACL rupture, will vary but can be any where from 6 months to as long as 12 months.

The recovery time will be dependent upon the surgeons approach and whether any other structures such as the knee cartilage or other ligaments were also damaged in the injury.

Rehabilitation following surgery will focus on reducing the swelling, increasing the range of motion and restoring full strength around the knee.

Marathon Runners - Good luck!

Good luck to all the marathon runners I've treated over the last few months.

The Paris and London marathons take place over the next couple of weekends so I have had quite a few 'last minute' emergencies with people coming in with knee / foot / ankle pain.

Lets hope everyone gets through their races and in good time!

I haven't run a marathon myself (yet) so I can't fully empathise with the level of training required to be prepared for the event. However I've certainly been inspired by many of the people I've treated.

Once again good luck...

I'm sure I'll see many of you in the week after, for your much needed post marathon massage!

Alex

25 Random facts about me...

I'm the sort of person who always looks on the 'about' page of a website.

I always like to know a little bit about the people behind a business, this is especially true when I'm buying into a personal service.

I'm guessing many other people are the same.

For this reason I thought it would be good idea to let both my 'old' clients and any new ones know a little bit about me.

So, with out further ado here are 25 random facts about me:

1) I was born in Poole, Dorset on the 16 May 1985 meaning that I'm now 25.

2) I lived in Australia for just under 2 years, when my Dad was posted there with the Armed Forces, unfortunately I don't remember any of it as I was still a baby.

3) I worked on the 'road works' for 6 months when saving to go away travelling.

4) Up until about the age of 20 I only read about one book a year (through choice), I now read 2-3 a month.

5) My full name is Alexander John George Taylorson, my middle names are both of my grandfathers' first names.

6) I passed my driving test first time (must have been lucky).

7) I was a qualified lifeguard for 6 years while studying, worryingly I don't regard myself as a great swimmer.

8) After living with a 'best mate' who's from Somerset at University for 3 years, I much prefer cider to lager or ale.

9) During a 'gap year' I was lucky enough to travel in South America visiting Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Chile and Bolivia.

10) I'm terrible at spelling, which I blame on being dyslexic - to prove the point I took 3 goes at spelling dyslexic correctly while writing this ;-)

11) My mum is now retired, but was a primary school teacher

12) I currently have no points on my driving licence (touch wood it says that way).

13) I live with my wife Gemma in Ringwood, making my morning commute less than 5 mins.

14) I went to The University of Chichester to study Sports Therapy, Gemma my wife was on my course.

15) Some things on my 'to-do list' include running a marathon, skydiving, owning my own home, speaking in front of over 500 people, owning a super car (even if it's only for a short period)...

16) I'm as happy being on my own as I am being with a big group of people - I enjoy both.

17) I've climbed Jebel Toubkal (Morocco), the highest mountain in North Aftrica at 4,167m.

18) I love learning about how the body works.

19) One of my favourite pass times is having a meal with close friends or family, either at home or at a nice restaurant.

20) I have 1 sister, who's 3 years older than me.

21) I visited Nepal when I was 14 on a school trip which was a real eye opener.

22) I'm terrible at endurance sports, although I'm working on this. I'm much better at team sports where there are regular 'rest periods'.

23) I own a second company called Rehab Software Pro which is designed to help Physiotherapists and Sports Therapist create exercise handouts for their patients.

24) I've set off dynamite in the desert, while travelling in Bolivia (this was very good fun)

25) I love getting outdoors and going hill walking or mountain biking.

Perfect Squat Technique (video)

I see many injuries at the clinic due to poor squatting technique.

Learning the basics of squatting is crucial to all sports people whether you use the squat movement in your training or not.

Learning the basics of the squatting technique is important due to the fact that the movement pattern carries over into nearly all other actions, from getting up off the sofa to performing a high jump.

If you can squat correctly you'll improve your performance in nearly all weight bearing sports AND reduce your risk of injury.

Below I've posted a video recorded by Alex Poole a strength and conditioning coach based Bristol.

The video goes over the basics of the back squat, the same principals will apply even if you are doing a body weight squat.

Tennis Elbow... Not just for tennis players!

Tennis Elbow also know as lateral epicondylitis, is often associated with tennis players. However there are varying causes of tennis elbow. Some examples I've seen in the clinic include; a plasterer in his 40's who was struggling to work because of the pain, a lady in her early 30's who had been gardening all weekend as well as my own dad who had been doing lots of DIY jobs around the house (I'll blame my mum for that!).

Tennis elbow is set off by 'overloading' the extensor muscles of the forearm, in particular a muscle called the extensor carpi radalis brevis. Any action that is repetitive involving lots of gripping or extension of the wrist can cause the onset of tennis elbow. This is why activities such as plastering, gardening and DIY cause tennis elbow.

If you are suffering from tennis elbow your symptoms may include some of the following:

1. Pain around the outside aspect of your forearm
2. Discomfort on gripping (sometimes even just picking up a cup of tea)
3. Weakness on gripping or picking up items
4. Pain on extending the wrist against resistance
5. Pain on extending your middle finger against resistance (this is a test we use to diagnose tennis elbow)

Tennis elbow is seen most commonly in individuals over the age 30, however it is sometimes found in individuals below the age of 30. Diagnosis is normally fairly simple and generally no other imaging is needed (E.g. MRI / Ultrasound).

Recovery will most often be around 4 - 6 weeks however if the symptoms have been around for a long period then this is likely to significantly extend the recovery period. If you do have any of the above symptoms get seen as early as possible, it will make it much easier to treat.

If you come in to see me for this problem, treatment may include any of the following:

1. Advice on reducing forces around the forearm
2. Massage to the extensor muscles to reduce tension
3. Ultrasound to promote the inflammatory process
4. Prescription of a tennis elbow brace to off load the muscles
5. Progressive (eccentric) strengthening exercise for the forearm

As always if you have any questions please email me directly, my email address can be found here.

7 Stretches for a Stiff Lower Back

Below is a series of stretches that will help you if you suffer from a stiff and/or immobile lower back.

The 7 stretches in this blog post are great exercises for individuals that spend more than 3 hrs per day sitting (yes, that will cover over 90% of the population).

We all spend far to much time sitting (myself included). When you add up the activities that involve sitting it is not hard to see why lower back complaints are so common: Sitting in the car, at work, on the computer, on the sofa in the evening etc.

Sitting for extended periods causes the muscles, ligaments and joints of the spine to stiffen. In addition to that the nervous system that innervates the muscles can be come idle (or inhibited) leading to additional problems.

The good news is regular stretching can reduce much of this stiffness and reduce your pain.

Start with the stretches below aim to do them all once in the morning and once in the evening.

Perform each stretch once and hold it for 30 seconds (time the 30secs period as most people who don't use a timer vastly underestimate how long 30secs is!).

IMPORTANT: the stretches below are for individuals who are NOT suffering from acute pain. If your pain and discomfort is high please consult myself or another practitioner before starting them.

1. Cross Over

Lie on you back and keep one leg straight, bend the opposite knee to 90 degrees across your body.

Keep the opposite shoulder in contact with the ground.

You should feel a stretch in your lower back.

Perform the stretch with the opposite leg.

2. Cat Stretch

Start on all fours with your hips, knees and shoulders at 90 degrees.

Carefully arch through your lower and mid back.

Hold and repeat.

3. Heal Sit

With feet hip width apart, kneel back on to your heels with your arms outstretched.

You should feel a stretch in your lower back.

4. Knees to Chest

Bring both knees in to your chest and gently pull in with your hands to increase the stretch.

Your buttocks should lift off the ground slightly.

5. McKenzie Extension

Lie on your front carefully supporting your upper body through your arms.

Allow the lower back, buttocks and stomach to relax – hold.

6. Standing Side Bend

Stand up straight and cross your stretching leg over the other leg.

Lean the opposite way with your hands on your hips; you will feel a stretch in the side of your hip and stomach.

7. Standing Extension

Stand up straight and place your hands into your lower back.

Carefully push your hips forwards and extend through your lower back.

Plantar Fasciitis (Heel Pain)

The Plantar Fascia is a thick band of fibrous tissue which helps provide support to the arch of your foot. If it becomes injured it can cause pain, most commonly found around the under side of your heel.

Plantar fasciitis is generally caused by 'overuse' of the fascia, 'itis' means inflammation, so a diagnosis of Plantar Fasciitis simply indicates that the fascia has become inflamed.

When the condition is at it's worst, it can be painful to walk even small distances.

The underlying cause of the condition will often come down to poor biomechanics of the lower limb and/or tight or shortened muscles (often the calves).

Treatment for Plantar Fasciitis has to be specific to the individual, however treatments may include:

• Specific stretches for shortened muscle groups
• Home exercises to correct poor biomechanics
• Massage to reduce the tension in the Fascia (and tight muscles)
• Mobilisations at home to 'stretch' the Fascia

As always for the purpose of these blog posts, I'm keeping the information fairly basic. There are other issues that can occur around the foot. If you do have any additional questions please do email me at alex(at)theringwoodclinic.co.uk

Here is an additional resource with some more information on plantar fasciitis.

Promo Video

This is a fun promo video I had made for the clinic.

It is called a stop motion video.

Nutritional Consultant: Weight Management, Intolerance Testing and Health Issues

Fiona Lennon is a very experienced Nutritional Consultant and will be working at the clinic on Tuesdays.

Fiona works with a range of different clients and can help you with the following areas:

1. Weight management
2. Irritable Bowel Syndrome
3. Allergies
4. Improving your energy
5. Dealing with stressful periods

If you are interested in chatting to Fiona about any aspect of your nutritional health then please email her at info@fionalennon.co.uk or visit her website by clicking here.

Fiona is a fully registered Nutritional Therapist and also works from her Bouremouth address on Mondays and Wednesdays

www.FionaLennon.co.uk

***On a personal note I'm really please to have Fiona working at the clinic. I've already learnt huge amounts from her and I really believe a large number of health issues can be improved (significantly) by making good nutritional choices. If you do have any health or weight issues that you want to discuss with Fiona please make sure you email her to see how she can help***

Video: A White Blood Cell Protecting the Body... Amazing

Take a look at this video taken under a microscope.

It shows a white blood cell chasing down bacteria in the body. Then engulfing it.

It really is brilliant seeing how the body works on a cellular level.

When to use ice vs when to use heat?

I get asked this question most days, so I thought it would be best to write a short blog post on this area.

Ice

In the most basics terms you generally want to use ice on an acute injury when there is swelling and inflammation present. The main aim at this point is to reduce the inflammatory process. This will most likely be within the first 48 hrs of an injury occurring (although it may be a bit longer!)

Heat

Heat will most often be used on chronic problems or injuries where there is muscle spasm occurring. Never apply heat to an injury where there is still swelling and 'puffiness'.

There are occasions when heat will be used to treat chronic complaints, however its best to seek advice on this first. As always if in doubt please email me or call me first to discuss what the best action is.

A word of warning

When using ice be careful to cover your ice pack (or pack of peas) with a cloth. This will make sure you avoid ice burn or even worse, frostbite. Ice burn can occur fairly easily especially when icing areas such as the hands, feet or skin around the face.

I've see a couple of cases of ice burn first hand and it can leave some nasty blisters. When icing make sure you lift the ice pack every 2-3mins to check the skin is not reddening too much and avoid applying ice for longer then 15mins at a time.

For more information on when to use heat vs when to use ice click here.

Additionally click here for extra information on the dangers of over icing.

Ultrasound Treatment at Home?

Swelling? inflammation?

Hire a home use Ultrasound unit - £42 per week.

Ultrasound has traditionally been used in a 'clinical' setting by Physiotherapists (and other health professionals) to speed up the rate of healing and improve the long term quality of tissue repair.

Up until recently it has only been practical to use in a clinic, this has mainly been due to the fact clinical ultrasound units are expensive to purchase, bulky and have required specialist knowledge use.

However, recently an Australian based company have manufactured a small 'home use' ultrasound device, that has been designed to be used by the 'general public'.

*** The picture above shows on the right my clinic based ultrasound unit (pretty large!), with the home use ultrasound device on the left. The home based device has all of the electrics built into the head***

I often use ultrasound within my treatments, however the greatest benefits of using ultrasound can found in using it on a regular basis (up to twice a day). Obviously having daily ultrasound treatments are not practical unless you are a professional footballer (or athlete) with access to professional care.

The good news is that I've now purchased two 'home use' ultrasound devices. These units can be used to speed up the treatment of injuries or complaints including:

• Sprains / strains (with swelling present)
• Muscle spasms
• Tennis and golfers elbow
• Knee and ankle problems
• Back pain
• Heel spurs and achilles problems
• Joint pain
• Tendonitis
• Shin pain
• As well as a number of sports related injuires

If you have just sustained an injury or have a chronic complaint please do email me to ask if Ultrasound therapy can help you.

Treatment Room for Hire (Ringwood)

There is a treatment room available for hire / lease at the clinic.

The room would be suitable for any of the following professionals:

• Physiotherapist
• Chiropractor
• Osteopath
• Massage therapist
• Nutritionist
• Counsellor
• Podiatrist / Chiropodist
• Any similar professional

Please email Alex at office@theringwoodclinic.co.uk if you (or anyone you may know) are intersted in hiring out the treatment room.

Sport massage, injury treatment & rehabilitation

Covering Ringwood, Bournemouth, Verwood, Fordingbridge, West Moors, Ferndown and New Forest

Why are foam roller exercises becoming so popular?

I'm often talking about using a foam roller to help perform 'self massage' in between treatments at the clinic.

Increasingly I've seen more and more gyms adding 'foam rollers' to their equipment list. You will normally find them in the gym by the matted area used for core and stretching work.

Foam rollers are hugely popular as they are a great way to improve your mobility and 'tissue quality' at home.

Below is a very clear video, by Alex Poole a strength and conditioning coach based in Bristol demonstarting how to use the foam roller.

The video shows him rolling the following areas:

1. IT Band
2. Quadriceps (front of thigh)
3. Adductor (groin)
4. Gluteal
5. Upper back (thoracic region)

There are additional area's that will benefit from foam rolling, but these 5 are a good place to start.

You can buy foam rollers direct from http://www.physiosupplies.com. Get the Blue 15cm by 90cm size.

If you have any questions email me at office@theringwoodclinic.co.uk.

Sport massage, injury treatment & rehabilitation

Covering Ringwood, Bournemouth, Verwood, Fordingbridge, West Moors, Ferndown and New Forest

Knee Pain? Grinding, clicking or clunking

Increasingly more and more people have been coming to see me at the clinic with Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (or pain at the front of the knee).

The pain is often associated with grinding, clicking and clunking in the knee which is made worse by squating type movements and walking up/downstairs.

This grinding, clicking and clunking is NOT normal and will most likely indicate that your patella (or knee cap) is tracking poorly. If your patella is not tracking correctly at the front of the knee then it will 'rub' against the edge of the femur, which will in turn cause it to grind, click or clunk.

Alongside the grinding, clicking and clunking some people also report a 'giving way' in the knee or a general feeling of being unstable.

Again this is NOT normal.

The good news is that with the correct treatment this pain (as well as the associated grinding, click and clunking) can normally be resolved successful with out the need for any surgical intervention.

The cause of this 'poor tracking' in the knee is often due to muscle imbalances in the thigh muscles (quadriceps) and weakness in the hip muscles.

With the correct exercises and treatment most often these imbalances can be addressed.

For a more detailed explanation of Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome click here.

Additionally if you have any questions you would like answered about you own knee pain please do email me.

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Treatments that I use to resolve Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome, may include some / all of the following:

1. Mobilisations to the patella to 'free up' tight structures.
2. Massage to the IT-Band, to help address the muscle imbalances.
3. Home exercises specifically designed to even out the muscle imbalances.
4. Ultrasound to help improve the inflammatory process.
5. Taping to help re-position the knee cap.
6. Referral to a podiatrist if your imbalances are associated with poor bio-mechanics at your feet.