Sports Massage – Not just for Athletes!

Sports massage is regularly advertised as a treatment modality for only highly skilled athletic performers. The fact is, sports massage can be beneficial to ANYONE regardless of sporting ability or exercise participation.

What is Sports Massage?

Sports massage refers to a range of massage techniques that are applied in a rhythmic, deep and manipulative fashion. Yes, sports massage can be used to prepare athletes prior to an event or to reduce the effects of delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS) following an event. BUT sports massage can also be used on a weekly basis to maintain muscular health, reduce pain and muscular tension and improve flexibility and range of movement.

Is massage right for me?

If you are an office worker and suffer from regular tension type headaches or pain in your neck, shoulders or back, then sports massage can benefit you just as much as an athlete. Sitting at an office desk for 8+ hours can place great strain on your muscles, similar to the strain experienced by an athlete when training for an hour. During such circumstances, a gradual build up in muscular tension occurs which includes an increase in the presence of scar tissue and active trigger points.

The science behind a massage…

Massage generates heat, allowing tissues to become more pliable. As a result, there is an increase in circulation, improving the exchange of fluids to tissues. Different massage techniques stretch muscles transversely as well as lengthways, which allows scar tissue, adhesions and fascia surrounding muscles to loosen or break down – this can both help in muscle repair as well as releasing muscle tension. Massage can also be beneficial as a natural remedy to pain by reducing nerve compression.

What are the benefits?

• 

  Reduced pain

• Relieved muscular tension
• Increased flexibility
• Increased range of movement
• Reduced stress
• Improved posture
• Reduced tension type headaches
• Relaxation
• Soothe mental anxieties and depression
• Improve your sleep
• Relieve headaches
• Improve sporting performance

50% off!

We are offering 50% off Sports Massage and Initial Assessments throughout September & October 2019 at our Hemel Hempstead Clinic, so book today! Come along to our lovely Hemel Hemstead practice to see how we can help. Don’t forget… Sports Massage is not just for Athletes!

Bye for now 😉
India
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Blog Post by India
Sports Therapist at Emma James Physio

Falling off a horse – my road to recovery (Part 2)

In my last post I spoke about my Injuries but today I want to share with you my road to recovery.

I tried many techniques to help speed up my healing process and strengthen my body for example:

The Bowen technique

• Bowen is a holistic remedial body technique that works on the soft connective tissue (fascia) of the body. Bowen therapy can be used to treat musculoskeletal or related neurological problems including acute sports injuries and chronic or organic conditions. Bowen therapy is performed on the superficial and deep fascia.
• Bowen Therapy may offer relief from pain, long-term injuries and illnesses, improved health and flexibility, improved sporting performance, relaxation, and emotional and mental well-being

Magnet therapy

• Magnets have been used in alternative medicine for conditions ranging from systemic illnesses to joint pain. Some have proposed using magnets to help heal bone fractures. The idea is that magnets might improve circulation and increase blood flow, and thus the delivery of nutrients, to the fractured bone.
• General rule to follow is black side of magnet on injury and red on the kidney

 

Floatation Therapy at Emma James Physio

The floatation tank is like a giant Epsom bath, heated to body temperature. It creates an environment similar to the Dead Sea. The are many benefits to a float, here are just a few:

• Improve heart and circulatory health
• Stimulate Lymphatic Draining – easing muscle pain
• Lower blood pressure
• Relieve stress

 

Physiotherapy

• Relieving and manipulating the muscles in my back.
• Stretching exercise specifically for my lower back/lumbar region and my quads and hamstrings which have become very tight due to the tension in my back.

 

Strength and Conditioning

• Pilates work – building up the muscles in my back and core
• Lots of body weight exercises and using resistance bands.

It has now been 4 months since my injury and pretty much back to full health. I still focus heavily on building up more core by doing Pilates work and I also stretch loads as I still get stiff down the right side of body and through my lower back. On the positive side I have learnt so much about my body and what I am capable of, I have also learnt my limitations and sometimes it’s ok not to push yourself to 100% max!

The human body is amazing.

Pippa
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Blog Post by Pippa
FCO Gym Manager & Personal Trainer
Emma James Physio

 

>>> Useful Info:

• Sports Specific Rehab
• Sports Injuries
• Sports Massage
• Pilates
• Floatation Tank

Falling off a horse – from injury to recovery (part 1)

In October 2018 I was involved in a horse related accident, I was un-taking the horse, the horse pulled back and I got my right hand stuck in the reins and was dragged across the yard. Fortunately, with the force of me falling, my hand came free, but I got trampled on in the process, resulting with me being left in a heap on the floor in pain and winded.

Thankfully being at neighbours they were around to rescue me walk me slowly back to the house give me paracetamol and ibuprofen and to feed me. I was very insistent I wanted to go home and have a shower.

My dad came and collected me and took me home, at this point I was in a lot of pain, but I think my body was in shock, so I had no idea the injuries I had incurred.

By the time I had got out the shower my mum had got home and I had no option I was going to hospital. We went straight to Hemel urgent care, and got seen pretty quickly by a doctor.

 

After a quick examination she was convinced I had broken my hand and ribs and was also concerned about my abdomen as I was very tender on the right hand side below my ribs. I was blue lighted in an ambulance across to Watford General were I received a further examination followed by a CT scan and X- Ray. After waiting for a couple of hours I finally got my results. No broken hand but 3 displace fractures of the right transverse process L2, L3 and L4 (lower lumbar), a liver laceration and a displace fracture of my right 9th rib on my back. I spent 2 nights in hospital with my blood pressure and heart rate constantly being monitored and regular blood tests to make sure there was no further internal bleeding from my liver.

I was discharged on the 1st November in the evening after getting my bloods finally checked; making sure I had my pain managed and that I could cough and take a deep breath! As anyone who knows who has broken a rib this is very painful but a necessity to stop fluid build in the lungs. My amazing supportive sister who had sat with me all that day drove me home. I spent 1 week pretty much bed bound, had to change simple things like which side of the bed I got in, I had to use my parents shower as I could not step over the bath in my bathroom, constant baggy clothes, no bra and I had to get help putting on my socks!

The main thing to focus on was pain management, I was incredibly lucky with my injuries as we all know horses are a lot stronger than humans and can be unpredictable and no it has not put me off riding!

After 2 weeks of limited movement I started to become more mobile, I was walking more upright and managing to get through the day with only one or two naps and I was sleeping though the night and stopped taking morphine!

By week 3 I was more mobile still, I started cutting back on my painkillers still taking paracetamol, ibuprofen and cut back on the tramadol, to 2 a day as it made me incredibly sleepy. I would take more depending on what I was doing. This included taking walks; I was very pleased to be able to get out walking as I felt as I was a. being more active b. I could get fresh air and clear my mind.
I try to walk at least once a day, making sure it is flat ground and not too far.

In my next post I’ll share with you my techniques for recovery.

Pippa
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Blog Post by Pippa
FCO Gym Manager & Personal Trainer
Emma James Physio

 

>>> Useful Info:

• Sports Specific Rehab
• Sports Injuries
• Sports Massage
• Pilates
• Floatation Tank

A look at sports injuries – Football – Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Tear

The ACL is one of four main ligaments in the knee and the most common to be injured of the four. The ACL gives stability during motion preventing the Tibia (shin bone) moving too far forward on the Femur (thigh bone). Most ACL tears occur during athletic activity. Activities which make fast cut movements such as planting the foot and twisting the body above, changing direction, or straight knee landing such as in football, gymnastics or basketball are common.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Symptoms following an injury can include pain along the joint line, swelling, loss of movement and pain on weight bearing. A tear to the ACL primarily results in an unstable knee, and a common complaint is of the knee giving way. Damage can also occur to the two menisci cartilages which act as shock absorbers between the Femur and Tibia, or on the smooth articular cartilage lining the bones in the joint. Luckily an ACL injury is not necessarily career threatening. Rehabilitation is dependent on the extent of the injury, whether there is a partial or complete tear and does not require always require surgery.

 

Five top ways to promote quicker healing (including services at Champneys)

By creating an optimal psychological, nutritional and physiological environment, the body is able to focus purely on the job in hand – healing the particular injury/ailment.

The services provided through the Regenerate programme at Champneys Tring in Hertfordshire can help to create this ideal environment in the following ways:

 

• Decrease emotional stress and distractions and ensure you are having the correct amount of rest and sleep
• Decrease environmental stress
• Ensure best and optimal circulation (acupuncture, kriotherapy)
• Optimal and appropriate nutrition (nutritionist)
• Exercising within the pain-free range and at an appropriate level for maximising healing potential (hydrotherapy, physiotherapy)

Regenerate is the UK’s leading residential medical centre based within the world class Champneys Tring Health Resort in Hertfordshire. Offering a bespoke professional service for injury rehabilitation, Regenerate provides the ultimate medical expertise and treatments required to recover physically, mentally and emotionally from all aspects of injury. Clients also benefit from using Champneys many services, as well as their luxury spa facilities and treatments.

Regenerate provides the highest standards and employs leading professionals in the medical fields under the Directorate of Champneys Medical Director, Dr Michael Curtin MB ChB Dip Med Ac. MF HOM. Regenerates multidisciplinary team includes: Doctor, Acupuncturists, Physiotherapists, Exercise Physiologists, Movement Therapists, Nutritionists, Personal Trainers, and Motivational and Mental Skills Coaches. They will conduct comprehensive examinations and diagnostic testing, and provide appropriate treatment which may include physiotherapy, acupuncture, clinical pilates, kriotherapy, nutritional therapy, exercise and rehabilitation programmes, sports massage, vibrogym therapy and altitude training, amongst others.

More Information

• How to book your place
• Sports Injuries
• Sports Massage
• Sports Specific Rehabilitation

Blog Post by Emma James Feb 2016