I rarely follow my own advice; this means that I often have first hand experience of what my injured clients are going through.... I've had achilles tendinopathy through changing my training too rapidly and then ignoring the warning signs (pain that continues after rest and on activities other than running); sciatica through failing to keep up my hip abductor and calf strength, and I'm currently nursing forefoot pain caused by failing to notice that my footwear had worn out. A lovely mix of extrinsic and intrinsic factors! Extrinsic factors - for instance when and where you run, your footwear, your training schedule - are often easier to fix than intrinsic ones that relate to your body itself; this is where seeing a health professional, remedial personal trainer or running coach can be of great help in identifying issues and offering advice and exercises.
When I was 10 my mother took me to a podiatrist to discuss my pronounced ankle pronation that was breaking my shoes within a few months of wear. He recommended expensive shoe alterations to support my ankle; I asked if I could do that myself using the muscles and he agreed that I probably could. I figured out some exercises for myself and 32 years later I now wear out the soles of my shoes long before the heel keels over. Of course I had to take care in the initial years whilst building up my ankle strength, giving it suitable support during activities that put a lot of strain through it, and I was helped by starting young and having strong intrinsic foot muscles from wandering around barefoot. I do still have that over pronation, just in a milder form; I should therefore still be stretching the resulting tight muscles and continuing with my strength and balance training regime. Yes, indeed I should.....
As I've mentioned before, I find The Running Physio's site full of useful advice. He links to other helpful sites, and includes articles by other specialists. Here are two useful articles from his archive:
How to decide whether you should run:
http://www.running-physio.com/runornot/
Helpful tips to avoid injury:
http://www.running-physio.com/trainerror/
Many of these tips will apply to sports other than running!
Tom also points out that these are generic tips; if your problem continues, then do seek specific advice for you.
I also found this site:
http://thewalledcitymarathon.com/injury-clinic/prevention-of-running-injuries
which has some useful information on running related injuries.
Monday, 21 July 2014
Thursday, 19 June 2014
July discount
It's summertime, and to celebrate I'm offering a 15% discount on one hour treatments during July this year; that brings the price down to £30. To book an appointment, contact the 919 Clinic on 0114 250 1164
Please note that the discount only applies to appointments attended during July, and does not apply to the 30 and 45 minute appointments.
Please note that the discount only applies to appointments attended during July, and does not apply to the 30 and 45 minute appointments.
Saturday, 14 June 2014
Dandelion Days....
This is a great time of year for making herbal remedies. I am collecting and drying the calendula flowers from my garden to use in my popular ointment, and the elderflowers from the local woods (following the wild gathering rules of only taking a small amount from different areas) to make a tincture and cordial with. There are many other useful plants coming up for harvest, and where better to learn about them then on a weekend break with experienced herbalists!
Many of the Sheffield herbalists will be participating in Dandelion Days:
http://www.dandeliondays.co.uk/
8th-10th August at Unstone Grange.
There will be workshops, talks and walks to help you identify useful plants and learn about their uses, and much more besides - including a workshop on barefoot running style followed by a short run! Tickets are on sale now. The event is child friendly, with many fun activities for them to participate in.
Many of the Sheffield herbalists will be participating in Dandelion Days:
http://www.dandeliondays.co.uk/
8th-10th August at Unstone Grange.
There will be workshops, talks and walks to help you identify useful plants and learn about their uses, and much more besides - including a workshop on barefoot running style followed by a short run! Tickets are on sale now. The event is child friendly, with many fun activities for them to participate in.
Wednesday, 7 May 2014
Clinic dates
I will be away from the 919 Clinic from 26th-30th May. I will be back at work again in June as normal.
Please note that I am no longer working at the Greenhill Physio Clinic.
Please note that I am no longer working at the Greenhill Physio Clinic.
Monday, 28 April 2014
My website
....has still not been updated....
I am not the most IT minded of people and I am being very slow in passing on the website content to the person who is going to update it. I will make a supreme effort to remedy this before the end of 2014.
The changes will prioritise my role as a Clinical Sport and Remedial Soft Tissue Therapist. I am a qualified Medical Herbalist but now see this as an adjunct to my massage work - whereas a decade ago it was the other way round. This change reflects the professional training I have been doing and also the path my work has taken me along. I was a massage therapist before I became a medical herbalist, but I was always interested in herbs. Now I have gone back to calling myself a Massage Therapist but this time I have the herbal knowledge too, as well as the far deeper understanding of anatomy and physiology that a BSc honours degree provides. It has been a wonderful journey so far, and there is still so much more to learn!
I am not the most IT minded of people and I am being very slow in passing on the website content to the person who is going to update it. I will make a supreme effort to remedy this before the end of 2014.
The changes will prioritise my role as a Clinical Sport and Remedial Soft Tissue Therapist. I am a qualified Medical Herbalist but now see this as an adjunct to my massage work - whereas a decade ago it was the other way round. This change reflects the professional training I have been doing and also the path my work has taken me along. I was a massage therapist before I became a medical herbalist, but I was always interested in herbs. Now I have gone back to calling myself a Massage Therapist but this time I have the herbal knowledge too, as well as the far deeper understanding of anatomy and physiology that a BSc honours degree provides. It has been a wonderful journey so far, and there is still so much more to learn!
A beautiful day in late spring....
My favourite time of year - well, one of them :-)
The bluebells are out early this year in the local woods, along with the wood sorrel, lesser celandine, wood anemones and wood spurge, whilst the ramsons, garlic mustard, wood forget-me-nots and fool's parsley are gracing the sides of the footpath. The aroma is marvellous! Seen from a distance, the woodland is becoming a patchwork of new green leaves and blossom; I love the stained glass brightness of the early beech leaves following on from the golden waterfall of hazel catkins against the backdrop of dark green holly and the greys and browns of the tree bark. The temperature is perfect for running and the mud dries up quickly once it's stopped raining; even the rock has been drying out nicely for the local gritstone climbers!
For the foragers amongst you, this is now well into the green tonic season when traditionally people would have been seeking to boost their vitamin C levels after the scarcity of winter months. Young nettles used in tea, soups and stews (the sting is destroyed by heat); cleavers steeped overnight in drinking water then strained and the liquid consumed cold; young hawthorn and linden blossom leaves; garlic mustard, dandelion leaves, rocket, chickweed, fat hen, wild garlic (ramson) leaves and flowers and calendula (pot marigold) flowers in salads or broths. Always take a high quality plant identification book with you, and don't consume a plant if you are in any doubt about what you have picked.... Especially if it is an umberliferae, amongst whose numbers hemlock is to be found! I have been bringing back wild garlic leaves which are delicious in stir fries or wrapped around salmon or chicken pieces before baking them. I like them raw in salads too, although the garlic taste is a little overwhelming for some.
The bluebells are out early this year in the local woods, along with the wood sorrel, lesser celandine, wood anemones and wood spurge, whilst the ramsons, garlic mustard, wood forget-me-nots and fool's parsley are gracing the sides of the footpath. The aroma is marvellous! Seen from a distance, the woodland is becoming a patchwork of new green leaves and blossom; I love the stained glass brightness of the early beech leaves following on from the golden waterfall of hazel catkins against the backdrop of dark green holly and the greys and browns of the tree bark. The temperature is perfect for running and the mud dries up quickly once it's stopped raining; even the rock has been drying out nicely for the local gritstone climbers!
For the foragers amongst you, this is now well into the green tonic season when traditionally people would have been seeking to boost their vitamin C levels after the scarcity of winter months. Young nettles used in tea, soups and stews (the sting is destroyed by heat); cleavers steeped overnight in drinking water then strained and the liquid consumed cold; young hawthorn and linden blossom leaves; garlic mustard, dandelion leaves, rocket, chickweed, fat hen, wild garlic (ramson) leaves and flowers and calendula (pot marigold) flowers in salads or broths. Always take a high quality plant identification book with you, and don't consume a plant if you are in any doubt about what you have picked.... Especially if it is an umberliferae, amongst whose numbers hemlock is to be found! I have been bringing back wild garlic leaves which are delicious in stir fries or wrapped around salmon or chicken pieces before baking them. I like them raw in salads too, although the garlic taste is a little overwhelming for some.
Tuesday, 22 April 2014
Running goals!
My running goal at present is to extend my distance without objections from my achilles tendons. These have been grumbling over the last year, and after much thought I believe there are at least three factors involved:
- changing to running over steeper terrain but keeping the same distance
- only climbing once or twice in the last two years.
- too much knitting!
The first most likely stressed my Achilles tendons; the second and third have probably led to a gradual loss of strength in my calves (not enough standing on my toes!) and hip muscles, and a decrease in my flexibility.
I have therefore introduced heel raises and eccentic stretches into the daily dog walks, often balancing on tree routes to increase the challenge. I also do one leg balances and squats whilst cleaning my teeth and waiting for the kettle to boil, and try to remember to do side lying leg raises whilst listening to the radio. I have yet to combine any of these with knitting, but am being more disciplined with regard to my daily stretches and have decided to resume climbing. I am also allowing two rest days between runs to ensure there is no delayed onset tendon aching; if there is, I rest another day. I am being extremely cautious as tendons are notoriously slow to heal and I want to avoid permanent degenerative damage as much as is possible.
I do hope all these strategies work, as I have entered the 2014 Nine Edges Race, Saturday September 13th. Whilst I have opted for the walkers category I, like many other 'walkers', am hoping to run a fair amount of it (the race is over 20 miles long, and the fastest walker last year finished in around 4 hours!) It's a wonderful course taking in the best views along the gritstone edges from Derwent to Birchen via Stanage, Burbage, Froggatt, Curbar and Baslow and raises money for the Edale Mountain Rescue.
- changing to running over steeper terrain but keeping the same distance
- only climbing once or twice in the last two years.
- too much knitting!
The first most likely stressed my Achilles tendons; the second and third have probably led to a gradual loss of strength in my calves (not enough standing on my toes!) and hip muscles, and a decrease in my flexibility.
I have therefore introduced heel raises and eccentic stretches into the daily dog walks, often balancing on tree routes to increase the challenge. I also do one leg balances and squats whilst cleaning my teeth and waiting for the kettle to boil, and try to remember to do side lying leg raises whilst listening to the radio. I have yet to combine any of these with knitting, but am being more disciplined with regard to my daily stretches and have decided to resume climbing. I am also allowing two rest days between runs to ensure there is no delayed onset tendon aching; if there is, I rest another day. I am being extremely cautious as tendons are notoriously slow to heal and I want to avoid permanent degenerative damage as much as is possible.
I do hope all these strategies work, as I have entered the 2014 Nine Edges Race, Saturday September 13th. Whilst I have opted for the walkers category I, like many other 'walkers', am hoping to run a fair amount of it (the race is over 20 miles long, and the fastest walker last year finished in around 4 hours!) It's a wonderful course taking in the best views along the gritstone edges from Derwent to Birchen via Stanage, Burbage, Froggatt, Curbar and Baslow and raises money for the Edale Mountain Rescue.
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