Katie-Geroge is visually impaired and suffers from retinitus pigmentosa. As she is half Irish (her father was born in Donegal) she cycles for Paracycling Ireland. She takes part in both track and road events, where she is known as the ‘stoker’. Blind and visually impaired athletes compete against each other riding tandem bicycles, where they have a fully sighted captain who sits up front. The blind or partially sighted athlete sits up back, and is known as a stoker.

Although Katie-George has been sporty her whole life, and is an accomplished rower (she won Gold representing GB in both the the 2004 & 2005 World Champs), her journey as a paracyclist has been quite rapid.

“In April 2011 I was on an Irish Paralympic rowing camp and during that I was asked by the cycling team to try out for the squad. Three weeks later I was representing Ireland at the World Road Championships in Denmark. Since then I have competed in Los Angeles in the World Track Championships. Based on my performances I am hoping to be selected as part of the squad going to the Paralympic Games in London 2012.”

You can read more about Katie-George’s journey on our website shortly, including whether she is successful in qualifying for the Paralympics.

Katie-George was born in Crawley, West Sussex, but has lived in Maidenhead for the last 6 years. She has been coming to the Drummond Clinic for about a year, to get a regular sports massage and to work on a few niggles she has had. We have also done a Cycle Assessment for Katie on her solo bike.

Paralympic Cycling was originally developed as a sport for blind athletes, who first competed using tandem bicycles. Technological advancements have since opened up the sport to a wider range of athletes; as a result, it is now the third largest sport on the Paralympic programme.

Poor technique associated through physical dysfunction is common and leads to injury. To avoid rowing injuries you should ensure you undertake mobility, flexibility, core and strength training that will provide you with the physical balance to cope with the demands of the sport.

Common Rowing Injuries

Low Back Pain

One of the main contributors of low back pain (LBP) comes from the physical limitation of the pelvis. If this area cannot move properly, then the load is spread to the low back region, increasing the load upon the musculature.

The rowing stroke puts extraordinary pressures on the low back. The back begins the stroke flexed, and during the middle of the stroke the back opens up, but remains flexed, in a motion similar to an incomplete dead lift or mid-range squat. Loading the back in flexion places large forces on both the back muscles and the disks. Taking this movement into account, we have found that many rowers who suffer with LBP do not have a great ability to squat or dead lift well – so no wonder that at some point, pain develops.

Treatment for LBP in rowers is often frustrating, and many rowing careers have ended because of persistent low-back symptoms. Working with a movement specialist to address these issues has a carry over to both the pain generated and as a medium to improving performance. A typical treatment program of low-back strengthening, range-of-motion exercise, rest as appropriate, and modalities such as ice.

Knee Pain

The rowing stroke puts the knee through its full range of motion, with a significant load exerted to the fully flexed knee at the start of the stroke. There is, therefore, a fairly high incidence of patellofemoral knee pain in rowers. Like patellofemoral pain in other sports, this is more common in women, whose anatomy predisposes them to patellar tracking problems that are further exacerbated by the fixed position of the shoes in the rowing shell. If the shoes are spaced or twisted incorrectly for the individual’s anatomy, knee pain may persist and worsen despite appropriate treatment. Knee pain may also be caused or exacerbated by other activities used for cross training, such as running and weight training.

Patellofemoral pain can be treated with specific mobilisation of the pelvis, strengthening of the muscles that surround the knee, especially the vastus medialis muscle to improve patellar tracking, and by use of modalities, such as ice, in the acute phase. Modifying the position of the shoes in the boat can have a significant impact by encouraging better positioning of the knee during the rowing stroke. By having a camera analysis of your rowing stroke, we are able to ascertain any movement faults and physical restrictions that may be present.

Lateral knee pain may also be a common injury due to friction of the iliotibial band passing over the outside of the knee, that is exacerbated by the repeated flexing and extension required for the rowing stroke. Individuals with varus knees (a deformity of the knee) are at increased risk for this problem. Again, changing the position of the shoes in the boat can help alleviate symptoms. Other treatments consist of ice, stretching, and other modalities as appropriate.

Rib Stress Fracture

Stress fractures of the ribs were quite rare in rowing prior to the introduction of a more efficient oar design, back in the early 90′s, which was rapidly and widely adopted. This new oar holds its position in the water with less slippage, and thus transmits greater forces to the muscles of the arm and chest wall. Since then, stress fractures of the ribs have been seen at all levels, and are regarded by the rowing community as common.

It is suggested that an over activation of a muscle called serratus anterior leads to bending forces at the ribs, leading to the stress fracture, this usually occurs toward the back and side of the 5th-9th ribs.  With this over activation comes a fixing of the ribs where they attach on to the spine.  By embarking upon a specialist mobility programme to release the spine and ribs, great gains can be made to reduce the incidence of this type of injury. Don’t leave this one until it is too late, as it will lead to a lot of time away from rowing.

Forearm Tendinitis

Maintaining the tight hand grip required to hold on to the oar(s) for extended periods of time puts the forearms at risk for overuse injuries. Each rowing stroke also involves twisting the oar parallel to the water when feathering the oar in the recovery phase. This motion is carried out by extension at the wrist, further stressing the forearm.

Rowers with forearm tendinitis typically experience pain, tenderness, and even crepitus of the top of the wrist. It is also common to have pain and swelling in the region of the top of the forearm. As with other overuse injuries, this problem is more common early in the outdoor rowing season when feathering the oar is still an unaccustomed activity.

Treatment of forearm tendinitis involves appropriate rest and technique modification. Looser grip on the oar(s) is also very important. Medical treatment involves ice, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.  We have had great results treating tendinitis with the use of K-Tape, a relatively modern form of proprioceptive taping. This usually resolves fairly quickly with appropriate management.

Minimise Risk

Most injuries that are caused from rowing can be minimised through specially designed mobility, flexibility and strength programmes.  This type of programme, should be carried out to supplement general technical and performance sessions.  Resistance training (various applications depending on the age) is vital to develop strength , but we must remember this:

Strength that is put on an unstable base will create a short term gain, but mid and long term issues.

Get your gremlins sorted early or you will suffer!

Walking is something that we pretty much take for granted, with the average individual typically suggested to cover around 3000-4000 steps per day. That said, it’s equally suggested that if we can aim to walk around 10,000 steps per day, significant health benefits can be noted. Read more about The 10,000 Steps Challenge.

These benefits typically include improvements in stamina, cardio-vascular health and the burning of excess calories.

Walking also helps to keep the skeletal muscles long and strong and, as walking is classed as an impact activity (albeit relatively lightly compared to more dynamic activities such as running), it can contribute to bone strengthening and regeneration as the skeletal muscles tug on their relative boney attachments stimulate the skeletal structures.

Of course at the moment, with the rising cost of fuel, walking is also a great way of saving yourself some petrol, not to mention saving the effort of trying and locate a suitable parking spot and the cost of a parking spot itself! So more pennies saved all round

The other nice thing about walking is that you only need very basic equipment. As long as you are dressed appropriately for the relative weather conditions and have enough food/drink to last you the duration of your intended walk, your pretty much good to go.

That said of course, it is important that you choose footwear that is appropriate for the relative conditions, distances and terrain that your intending to cover. Otherwise you could fall foul of getting sore feet, blisters or a more serious injury if the footwear causes you issues with your gait (how you walk).

It wouldn’t be advisable to walk for sustained periods in high heels, or wear a mesh type trainer for walking off road (or indeed when its raining heavily).

If your shoes are new, make sure they are gradually broken in prior to taking any long walks.

If you suffer from any movement issues, aches or pains when you walk, speak to us about a gait analysis to help identify any biomechanical issues that may warrant further investigation.

We will also be able to advise you on suitable footwear.

Other than that, happy walking

There are many different factors that could affect your choice of trainer:

• Purpose: will you use it for cross training, road running, trail running, football training, tennis, skating, walking, etc.
• Brand
• Styling and colour
• Size
• Cost
• Your movement and biomechanics – this affects the prescription of the shoe, be it stability, neutral, cushioned, motion control, etc.
• Availability: the internet removes many barriers to availability, but it is recommended that you try on trainers before you buy.
• Recommendations: personal recommendations, internet reviews, retailer advice as well as your friendly biomechanical expert!

If you do manage to take into consideration all of these factors, it would be easy to be overwhelmed by the choice. It’s more likely the most critical elements (purpose, prescription and size) are disregarded and the decision is based on cost and availability. This could leave you choosing footwear that is incorrectly fitted, of the wrong prescription or not suitable for what you intend to use them for.

The situation can be further complicated by shop staff lacking the knowledge, understanding or training on either shoe fitting or correct choice of footwear prescription.

For example, I attempted to purchase some trainers for my wife last weekend from a typical high street store. Having already done an assessment of my wife’s gait and determined the appropriate shoe, we asked for a specific make, model and size. The sales person advised us that they did not have that specific size in stock, but they could offer me a similar shoe. No issues with that, except that what I was then handed was a shoe that was a completely different (and therefore inappropriate) trainer prescription to the one that I had requested.

Unfortunately we do see people wearing unsuitable trainers, putting themselves at risk of new injury or exacerbating existing symptoms. Sometimes this is because they have chosen incorrectly, perhaps after some research on the internet (or worse, no research at all). Sometimes it is because they have been incorrectly advised by shoe shop sales staff.

Add to this the more recent shoe innovations such as rocker soles (like MBTs) or pod-type components in the underside of the shoe. These claim to promote increased instability in the foot and ankle in an attempt to encourage increased muscle activation and recruitment throughout the leg, buttocks and body.  In the clinic we have seen that these shoes tend to either transfer one problem for another, or again exacerbate already existing conditions. We don’t recommend them.

In support of this, it would appear that one such brand of footwear has already been ordered to pay $40 million dollars for misleading consumers regarding the reported benefits: Skechers must pay $40 million for lying to consumers about benefits of Shape-Ups ‘toning’ shoes.

Another footwear brand, Vibram FiveFingers, is currently in the headlines for a similar lawsuit. These shoes have previously been advocated for both their health promoting benefits and to promote a more natural running technique. Vibram FiveFingers shoes named in lawsuit. Actually we are generally advocates of this footwear, but there are a host of factors to consider before choosing them and running in them is not recommend until your running style has been assessed!

What can we draw from these experiences? Probably that while one product may be great for one person, that doesn’t necessary imply they will be suitable for you – one shoe does not fit all!

Ultimately the best way that you can be certain that you are in the correct trainers is to have a biomechanical assessment, ideally by a biomechanical expert who is also familiar with the range of footwear out there and can make informed recommendations.

Our advice would of course be to start your search with a gait analysis at the Drummond Clinic. Failing that, chose a reputable, specialist training shoe retailer (you can find some on our Links page) and ask them to conduct a gait assessment for you. The shops we work with should offer you the most suitable shoes, and if they see anything ‘scary’ in your gait, will refer you over to us.

If you are suffering from an existing injury, ache or pain, it really is worth getting it checked out before buying new trainers. As well as identifying the cause of the issue, you can get a trainer recommendation at the same time and save yourself time and effort researching the best options. By addressing the true cause of a problem, often the symptoms will start to subside on their own, and you’ll also be less likely to develop secondary problems in the future.

If you are happy with your existing trainers and just want to replace ‘like for like’ it is worth speaking to a knowledgeable retailer to check that the manufacturer hasn’t changed the prescription of your model. Don’t assume that Brand Model 12 is the same as Brand Model 11 but a different colour. If it’s ‘new’, ‘improved’ or ‘better’ chances are there have been structural changes made to the show that could affect you.

When you have your new shoes, make sure you check them thoroughly before you take to the roads/trails/track/pitch. As a mass produced item, errors can occur in their production that could affect your comfort and their performance.

For complete peace of mind, If you visit the Drummond Clinic for a gait analysis, we offer you a free return visit to get your new trainers checked before you use them outside, so you can be sure you are in the right prescription.

For more information on gait analysis, or to discuss any aches or pains you may be experiencing, please call the Drummond Clinic.

Swimming wetsuits are designed with stroke efficiency and buoyancy in mind. The thickness of materials used varies depending on the requirements of the body/stroke needs.  The arm and shoulder area needs good mobility so is therefore thinner than the torso and legs that require more buoyancy. But this added help may come at a price.

There are key areas that we need to concern ourselves with.  Lets take a look at them and explore what the implications may be and how we can take some measures to limit some of these potential issues.

Our Shoulders

Even though the material of the wetsuit is thinner at this point, it still may exert a significant amount of resistance to this area.  For someone not used to wearing a wetsuit, the first few swims will be like doing a resistance training session, so don’t worry if the great gains that you have made in the pool, do not show in this transition period.  Once the body gets used to this added resistance the fluency of the stroke will return and perceived workload will reduce.

Our Breathing

With the increased thickness of the wetsuit around the chest, we get a greater float, however this can also create a feeling of restriction around the chest.  To be able breath against this restriction requires muscular effort from your respiratory muscles.  This extra effort can lead to our respiratory rate to go up creating a loss of breath, with the colder water at this time of year.  Trying to stabilise your breathing by relaxing into the stroke will help to overcome this.  The more you swim, the stronger the breathing muscles will become.  Much like the resistance experienced with the shoulders, the resistance created around the chest is the same.  The added benefit here is that we may get a direct conditioning effect to the lungs that carries over to other activities (cycling/running).

Our Legs

For many of us, the increased buoyancy of the legs gives us an advantage, by raising them in the water and reducing the significant amount of drag that may be created.  With the increased lift now of both the torso and legs, if we are not strong enough in our core, we can increase the stress in the low back.  It is not uncommon for this area to become achy, with a result that may effect our cycling and running.

The core area of the body must be strong and functional in order for the legs and arms to work effectively and efficiently.  By doing core training we can prevent a lot of the issues that we have addressed in this article.  This may involve working your abdominals and back muscles. Activities like, Pilates and yoga as well as sport specific conditioning programmes are an excellent supplementation to your training week and will enhance your overall performance.

The fit of your wetsuit is vital, so make sure that you have your suit fitted by someone who is in the know. Have a wetsuit that is too big and you increase the amount of drag and water inside the suit, and conversely if the suit is too tight (maybe the winter calories have not been shifted!) this may result in the shoulders being too restricted resulting in poor performance or even injury.

Finally, never be tempted to wear a wetsuit that has not been designed for swimming in. They are have completely different attributes and will NOT enhance your swim in any way.

Looking in the mirror I see a fairly well ‘balanced‘ and ‘even’, almost ‘straight’ person staring back at me, but is this what the camera will see?

To begin with, I needed to complete the medical questionnaire which details my current sporting activity and any current and or historical injuries.

Next, the active part.

I was a little reluctant at first as I’d not been for a run in a number of weeks due to my knee niggle, but this had now gone. The actual running time during the FGA is fairly short, so I knew I could cope with a couple of minutes.

I am asked to walk on the treadmill adorned with my standard running trainers (which I confess are now five years old….shhh). I then crank it up to my normal running pace, and a speed resembling my normal run. All good so far. Then we repeat the walk and run but this time in bare foot; however, I’m now starting to feel a little less co-ordinated and unsupported without the safety of my shoes. All the while the video analysis equipment is taking footage of my running style.

Force Plate Analysis

Just when you think it’s over, the focus is then turned to the force plate… a fancy bit of kit that you can stand on, walk or run over, and which captures images of your footprint and any notable instabilities. The great part about this is you can see what your foot is doing whilst you are running, and perhaps more specifically, what if any differences are occurring between the left and right foot during the time your foot is in contact with the ground (or in this case, the pressure plate).

So what’s the verdict?

We have a look at the footage and it is surprising what can be seen, especially when the video is slowed to a frame-by-frame shot. There I was thinking I had a pretty good running style and that I was beautifully even and level, but alas not!! Under closer inspection I could clearly see that my torso has an interesting rotation to the left… perhaps linked to many years of rowing in the past. It also appears that my left knee had an interesting waver during my stride; which in turn was affecting how my left foot was striking the ground. Given it was my right ankle that I broke many years ago, if anything, I was expecting the right side of my body to show anomalies, not the left. Hmmm…could I have been compensating for this right ankle problem, and if so… how long have I been doing this unbeknown to myself???

Linking the video footage with the force plate readings only reinforced that my left foot and leg were in fact doing very different things to that of my right; again an interesting waver during my gait. But what next?

Using the visual information that had been gleaned from the video and force plate assessments we then moved to the treatment room to check my muscle flexibility and joint mobility, to see how this may correlate with my biomechanical and functional movement patterns.

Through a few simple flexibility and stability tests, it became apparent that my left gluteal muscle was not engaging as well as my right (but surely a softer backside is all part of the aging process!?). Well maybe, but the implications were that my pelvis showed a weakness on the left, which then appears to be manifesting itself in my ‘wavering’ knee and thereafter how my foot was possibly reacting when loading my body weight (and multiples there off) onto it. The right side of my body was looking, dare I say, ‘normal’.

Recommendations

At the end of the assessment, a series of recommendations were discussed, including, unsurprisingly, that my current training shoe was long overdue for renewal. The assessment has highlighted the fact that if I were to take up some form of regular running without improving my current gluteal and core stability, there is a potential that I could develop an injury to the joints and muscles to the lower back or left knee, or even cause a ‘compensation’ related injury to occur elsewhere, due to my body needing to work harder to compensate for my current asymmetries.

It was also suggested that, following a period of re-training and consolidation, that I review my gait again, to check whether my efforts have helped to correct my foot stability, or whether I will need to consider the inclusion of a custom orthotic within my footwear to achieve this final goal and piece of the puzzle.

In summary then, I learnt a lot about how and why my body is moving the way it is, and what areas I need to work on. Indeed, something that might appear relatively insignificant (or unapparent) now, may become an issue if left unresolved and a blocker to any training and event aspirations that I may have for the future!

It is not just serious athletes or those requiring orthotics that can benefit from having a FGA – a truly interesting insight that I would recommend to anyone!

Read more about our Gait Analysis.

Having mentioned that there is ‘a multitude of different reflexes relating to different muscles in the body’ in the last article, the inevitable question has been asked…”well, what else is there?”. So let’s expose some of the other techniques that will help you Get Activated!

With the incidence of back pain on the rise and people spending longer hours at their desks or commuting, correct posture, flexibility and strength is a necessity in order to stay injury free when we do participate in any activity or sport.

The problems associated with poor posture are regularly documented and can include a combination of back, neck and shoulder pain along with possible headaches and other ailments.

No matter how hard we try to adopt the ‘perfect posture’, you are always likely to catch yourself sitting poorly in the car, or front of the computer or television. The common ‘slouched’ position usually involves rounding the shoulders, slumping through your back, and compressing your neck as you attempt to keep your head lifted. The more time we spend in this type of posture, the more restricted we become. Read more about Mobility As You Age.

When it comes to activity, this has a huge effect on the functionality of the torso and shoulders especially in sports such as swimming, tennis, squash and golf, to name but a few.

By slumping, we compress the tissues at the front of the body around the sternum and close down the spaces between the ribs. In turn, this stretches and de-activate the musculature of the back, making it even harder to extend the spine when we need to. This has a knock-on affect into shoulder function, limiting our mobility (particularly in overhead movements) and predisposing us to injuries.

In a similar vain to the previous muscle activations, there are points on the front of the body that we can stimulate in order to improve the function and strength of our torso and shoulders.

Try It Yourself

To evaluate your movement, start in a sitting or laying position and reach overhead with a straight arm. Take a few seconds and have a think about how the movement feels. Make a mental note of what is stopping you from going further, is it pain or just a little tight?

Time to Activate

Find the bottom point of your sternum (breastbone). Massage the area with your fingertips (this may be a little sore) and then gradually work upwards along the length of your sternum to the bottom of your neck.

Go back to the starting point at the bottom of the sternum.

This time, massage downwards along the edge of your ribs.

Location 3 is positioned under your armpit. Cross one arm across your chest, laying your fingers on the muscles in between the ribs 2-3 inches below your armpit. Give this area a good rub, following the lines of the ribs back and forward.

The final area is on the edge of your pectoral muscles. Again, cross one arm across your chest. Lay your fingertips in a line between your collar bone and armpit. Similar to before, give this area a good firm massage, hooking your fingertips into the muscle slightly.

Muscle Activations

Now that you are activated, repeat the initial test and see what feels different!

Applying these techniques regularly, can help to keep the tissues supple and maintain mobility through the Thoracic spine and shoulders.

It can also be beneficial using these techniques directly before activity as a preparatory exercise.

You may or may not be aware that this week is in fact National Walk to Work Week!

It is usually a marker for the time of year when it is warm, light and dry enough to making make walking to work feasible. Possibly not quite so true this year!!

Whether you are participating in the ‘official’ Walk To Work Week or not, commuting by foot is a great chance to don your trainers or walking shoes and get out for some regular exercise that you may not normally complete.  Who knows, if you really enjoy it, it might become a habit?

When completing an activity that you are not used, you will always run the risk of stressing the body in a way that it can’t handle.  Walking long distances is no different, but there are a few areas you can address in order to limit the risk of injuries, aches and pains.

The Effect of Work on the Walk, and the Walk to Work

With the majority of office based jobs we are required to sit at a desk for long hours. We then sit down to eat lunch and return to sitting at our desks in the afternoon. If you also usually drive to work then you are adding more sitting to your day.

All of this sitting gradually accumulates and eventually takes its toll on the mobility of the muscles through your body. In relation to walking, we are particularly interested in the effect on the hip flexors, hamstrings and calf muscles.

The problem with our typical sitting position is that our joints are being held in a state of flexion, or bend.  Over time we become stiffer through these muscles, making it more difficult to extend, or straighten fully. In ladies, ankle movement is further limited when wearing high heels.

These limitations in turn will start to alter the way we move, with the hamstrings limiting the forward reach of the leg and the hip flexors and calves stopping us from extending the hip properly.

In the same vain, if we complete our walk and do not stretch afterwards, we can exaggerate the effects of the stiffness.

When we exercise, we create small amounts of damage, or micro-trauma within the muscle tissue.  If anyone has experienced stiff muscles a day or two after exercise, you will know what I mean!  This is natural and the body knows how to repair this, however if we do not keep the new fibres supple as they are produced, they can become stiff.  If we walk to work, go straight into the office and immediately sit down for the day, these new fibres will grow and already be accustomed to the ‘sitting’ position. Limiting your flexibility immediately.

Why does any of this really matter?

If the body can’t get the movements from the joints it is supposed, it will find the path of least resistance and use that instead.  This usually leads to pronation, or collapsing in, of the feet and can create issues such as plantarfasciitis, achilles problems and even tingling or burning sensations into the toes.

Initially, it would be worth trying some gentle stretching of the calf and hip flexor muscles in order to mobilise the body against it’s ‘sitting’ limitations.  Watch demonstrations of the stretching techniques by following the links.  The techniques do not take long, and could save you a lot of time, hassle and, not to mention, money in physiotherapy treatment.

If the symptoms do not subside, it may be beneficial to seek the advice of a qualified professional to assess your walking patterns, or gait.  This will identify whether any other areas need to be addressed throughout the body, and whether an insole to control motion at the feet would help ease the symptoms. Read about our Gait Analysis and Custom Orthotics.

By understanding your needs, our massage therapists will be able to tailor your sessions to target those areas that require attention. These sessions can be organised to fit in with your training programme or competition schedule.

Benefits of Sports Massage

• Minimising the risk of injury or re-injury: By having regular Sports Massage it is possible to prevent injury or re-injury. Applied skilfully, massage is the most effective therapy for releasing muscle tension and restoring balance to the musculo-skeletal system. It may help athletes prevent injuries, which might otherwise be caused by overuse. A constant build-up of tension in the muscles from regular activity may lead to stresses on joints, ligaments, tendons, as well as the muscles and connective tissue themselves.
• Speeds Up Recovery and Improves Quality of Training: Recognition of adverse muscular and neural tension are important during the demanding times of training. By increasing the blood flow through the body, especially the muscle tissue, we can improve the recovery process allowing you to train more effectively and safely. The massage much like a good cool-down significantly assists with the removal of waste products (lactic acid etc) and helps supply the tissues with essential nutrients to aid recovery. The more the therapist can understand your body the more advice they can give on stretching and training.
• Improves Performance: Much like massages aids recovery and increases the quality of training, it may also be used to assist in increasing your performance.
• Induces a Post Exercise Relaxed State: Sports massage is a deep tissue massage designed to manipulate muscle tissue and the feeling of relaxation and freedom post massage is greatly reported.

Our Massage therapist is Ruth

Our sports injury clinic has a formidable reputation. Our aim is to get you back to your chosen sport – fit and healthy – as quickly as possible, armed with a repotoire of exercises to continue to strengthen your injury and prevent reoccurence. We only enforce rest where absolutely necessary.

Our sports physiotherapists and rehabilitation specialists are all active and current in the world of sport and exercise. Between them they have over 30 years of clinical experience, so they understand what is needed to be 100% and will help you to fast track back your sport/activity as quickly as possible.

Sports injuries have their own unique characteristics and rehab is best undertaken by therapists who understand how the body moves during the specific sporting activity. All our therapists are passionate about sport and fitness and are experts in biomechanics (how your body moves) and sports injury rehab.

Your injury rehab programme will start with a one hour consultation. Our rehab specialists will take your full history and undertake a series of tests to diagnose the injury. It is important to your recovery that you understand why the injury likely occurred, the best way to rehabilitate it and how to prevent it happening again, so we will keep you fully appraised of what we are doing and why we are doing it.

Depending on what your therapist will then build a rehabilitation programme for you, and advise you on how many follow up sessions would be beneficial.

Call us now to get your consultation booked and start your journey to injury recovery.