Injuries


Injuries come in many forms and can affect any part of the body:

Chronic or Overuse injuries tend to have subtle or vague symptoms that develop slowly often due to continual use of the same joints or muscle groups. They begin as a small, nagging ache or pain, and can grow into a debilitating injury if they aren't treated early (such as tennis elbow, wrist tendonitis, impingement syndrome).

Chronic sports injuries can occur due to poor technique and biomechanical imbalances or as the result of repetitive training (such as running, overhand throwing, or serving a ball in tennis).

Acute Injuries such as a sprained ankle, strained back, or fractured hand, occur suddenly during activity. 

Sports injuries

There are hundreds of different types of sports injuries, but certain body parts tend to be more prone to damage than others. Some of the more common sports injuries include:

  • Ankle Sprain                            

  • Achilles Tendonitis

  • Calf pain

  • Groin injuries

  • Hamstring tears

  • Knee pain

  • Runner’s Knee

  • Shin Splints

  • Rotator cuff and Impingement Syndrome

  • Tennis/Golf Elbow

  • Plantar Fasciitis

Sprains & strains


Two of the most common causes of pain and reduced function are joint sprains and muscle strains. These often occur through sport, but also within normal daily activities at home and the workplace.

Strains refer to an injury of a muscle. In this case muscle fibres are pulled apart/torn; again the number of fibres affected will determine the extent of the injury. As a result, bleeding can occur into the muscle, which may or may not be visible at the surface by the presence of bruising. 

Back and shoulder pain


Back pain is the principal reason why people in the developed world take time off work. It is possible to strain your back or neck by overdoing it e.g. by heavy lifting or by an unaccustomed amount of exercise. The muscles will often spasm as a result, causing quite a lot of pain. Despite this, it is important to keep relatively active. Lying on your back for extended periods will actually stiffen up your spine and is likely to make the pain last for longer.

Frozen shoulder, or adhesive capsulitis, is a condition that causes restriction of motion in the shoulder joint. Most often, a frozen shoulder occurs with no associated injury or discernible cause. There are patients who develop a frozen shoulder after a traumatic injury to the shoulder, but this is not usually the case. The cause of a frozen shoulder is not well understood, but when a patient develops a frozen shoulder, the capsule that surrounds the shoulder joint becomes contracted. Adhesions then develop, the shoulder joint becomes stiff and movement becomes painful.

Neck pain                                                

Torticollis (wry neck)

 Acute torticollis is a condition sometimes called wry neck. Most commonly people just wake up one day and feel their neck is stiff and hard to move without feeling pain. A sudden turn of the head might 'lock' it so it becomes unbearable to move at all. Sometimes it can occur having spent the previous day outdoors in the wind or having slept with an open window that brought a cool draft into the bedroom The muscle locks up, becomes stiff and inflexible. The head gets fixed in an odd sideways position which is incredibly uncomfortable.

Whiplash 

Massage Therapy is a very effective treatment for whiplash or related neck injuries such as neck sprain or neck strain.

If you have ever been in a car accident, particularly a rear-end collision, one of the most common injuries you could sustain is whiplash. When the neck and head are forcibly whipped forward on impact, and then forcibly whipped back, there is a possibility of damage to the soft tissues, including the muscles, tendons, and ligaments.

Whiplash is treatable and most symptoms will resolve over time; however, early intervention is key to a speedy recovery. If left untreated, pain and discomfort may become chronic and could affect the quality of your life.

The good news is that something can be done. The vast majority of people suffering from back, neck and shoulder pain respond positively to an appropriate regime of manual therapy followed by an exercise programme. This is the most effective way to alleviate back, neck and shoulder pain in both the short and long term.


RSI

Work related injuries are a common problem. The most well known is probably Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI). It can be caused by repetitive or forceful activities or by poor posture. 

The following complaints are typical in patients that might receive a diagnosis of RSI:

  • Pain in the arm (typically diffuse—i.e. spread over many areas).

  • The pain is worse with activity.

  • Weakness, lack of endurance.

Our working and ergonomic environment is an important consideration in relation to RSI. There are many things you can do to improve your workspace without needing to buy expensive equipment. One of the first things to check is if your workstation is symmetrical e.g. is the monitor or place that your type and write straight in front of you? Are the files or equipment you access most frequently close to you and balanced on both the left and right sides? If you are sitting for long periods, you will need a supportive and adjustable chair and your feet should be flat on the floor - or on a footstall if they don’t reach the floor. Finally, it is essentially to take regular breaks.

100% guaranteed to reduce your pain and leave you feeling relaxed but energised – getting you back to your sport or workplace, faster.

Call me on 07710 531 622 to book an appointment.