Back at work!

I am now back at work, albeit on a reduced timetable whilst I build up strength in my leg again and the knee continues to stabilise; it is great to be back.

I have had some lovely support from my clients whilst I have been off and it has been much appreciated!

A short (hopefully) break from work

As some clients will already know I am at present off work and recovering from surgery. 

Back in 2016 I experienced a meniscal tear which I was able to manage successfully for a while with physio and exercises. However, the combination of too strong an exercise last autumn followed by a nasty virus that reduced my activity levels for several months resulted in the knee getting beyond my management this year. Turns out that both menisci in my left knee were torn; one has now been repaired and the other tidied up.

When I first tore the meniscus I was still able to manage work. This time it coincided with a trapped nerve in my back that made work impossible.

I am really disappointed to not be at work at present as I love what I do. I hope to be back by the beginning of September.

Vitamin D

I imagine that most people reading this will already have read up on the importance of Vitamin D for bone health and to support the immune system (in particular the respiratory system and urinary tract) but the problem continues: how to get enough of it at a time when many people in the UK are deficient? There is diet: dairy products, eggs, red meat, liver, oily fish and fortified cereals all contain some but it is still difficult to absorb enough through diet alone, we need to also expose ourselves to sun. The recommended effective time to do this is between 11am and 3pm between April and September as this is when the wavelength is optimal. However, if you have a skin type like mine this is exactly when you will be trying to avoid skin damage from the sun so what to do? The standard advice is to expose a small amount, for instance the hands and/or lower legs, for about fifteen minutes daily before putting on sunscreen and covering up. If you are dark skinned you may need to stay exposed for longer, or for less time if you burn easily; the important thing is not to allow yourself to burn. There are also supplements you can take but be aware that it is possible to consume too much Vitamin D and this can have serious health consequences so never exceed the dose that has been recommended to you.

http://www.running-physio.com/vit-d/

https://www.bda.uk.com/foodfacts/VitaminD.pdf

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-d/

GDPR: your privacy and the right to be informed.

The law is changing from the 25th May 2018 and in response I have updated the information on my website and will be adding a section to my consultation sheet.

These are the key points:

All your information is confidential and kept securely. All my records are paper ones and are not stored on a computer. The information that we collect is used to ensure that you have a safe and effective treatment.

I will not share your information with anyone else except at your request, for instance if you have decided to see a physiotherapist and wish me to brief them on the treatment you have received from me. I will not share your contact details with anyone else.

I will not contact you without your permission. If I do contact you after receiving your permission it will be with regard to your appointment booking, for instance if we need to change or confirm the time, or to give you information that you have requested such as exercises or contact details for other practitioners or organisations.

You have the right to request to view and alter your information.

I have a responsibility to keep your information for seven years after your last treatment. After that it will either be destroyed or archived.

Balancing training with recovery

I keep coming back to this because I think it is something we often find difficult: how much is too much? Should I rest or keep going? Here are some key questions to ask yourself, courtesy of The Running Physio website:

- Are you often feeling tired during the day?
- Are you noticing mood changes, low concentration levels or feeling stressed frequently?
- Are you sleeping for at least 6-8 hours; do you feel rested when you get up?
- Do you have a weekly rest day?
- Do you schedule in extra rest days, maybe even a rest week, after events or when increasing your training? 

It is fine to feel tired as long as you are recovering; for instance after a heavy session you should be recovered after a few days, longer if it was a major challenge such as your first marathon! If you are always feeling tired then this needs to be addressed.

It is worth keeping a training diary together with space to note how you are feeling and how long it took you to recover from your session. You can also note factors such as a bad night's sleep, feeling under the weather, stress at work or home, a heavy meal or big changes in weather conditions. You could even note down what you eat and drink each day. This may help you to notice any factors affecting your performance and recovery so you can make adjustments. If you are unfortunate enough to develop an injury this diary may help you to identify possible causes such as a rapid increase in training intensity and so help with both appropriate treatment and avoiding a repeat occurrence.

Likewise when we have a niggling injury: how much is it bothering you as you exercise - mild discomfort that eases quickly with with no negative after effects, or pain you have to work hard to ignore and hits you again later that day or even a day or two later? Is it a niggle that you feel is improving as you continue training, or is it staying the same or even getting worse? The general advice is to find a level to train at that is comfortable for your body.

Training within the context of your life and well being

It has been a while since my last post but here is a link on the same theme: allowing for the effect of work, stress, illness, lack of sleep etc etc when training. People often download a training schedule then place themselves under pressure to keep to it rigidly despite the nagging hip or Achilles pain that keeps getting that little bit worse, or feeling absolutely exhausted. This has been the subject of a number of blogs fromThe Running Physio  website together with helpful strategies to give you the best chance of successfully training and avoiding injury. Here is a link to one of their recent blogs which also contains some further useful links and references:

http://www.running-physio.com/athlete-monitoring/

I am still affected by what seems to have been a meniscus tear in my knee but I have found a great yoga class, Scaravelli yoga with Inkeri at the Movement Studio on Abbey Lane, Woodseats S8. This yoga focuses a great deal on proprioception and efficient, connected movement which helps with the sensory feedback that my knee injury otherwise compromises. It is also profoundly relaxing and enjoyable! I am also doing a Clinical Pilates class with Sally Smith at the same venue and this together with the yoga resolved my steadily increasing hip pain within a month and it has not returned since. So glad I found these two classes!