Safety when training outside

This is more of an observation and a personal advisory note rather than a hard and fast rule!

I have noticed over the past few months an increase in the number of people walking or running with noise cancelling headphones in. Now I do like to listen to music when out running BUT I make sure that I can also hear the road.

I believe it is important for your own personal safety to hear what is going on around you so that you can react to different situations.

I have nearly come off my bike trying to avoid someone or run over a number of people on my bike because they don't hear my bell or my shout to tell them that I am coming up on them (and I always tell them which side) and they just suddenly veer into a multiuse path!  

It's not only that but think if you are alone in a fairly isolated spot you are making yourself more vulnerable to attack. I'm sorry to say it but we have to think about it.

So do yourselves a favour and just turn it down a notch and keep your eyes and ears open.

Happy New 2022!

Okay, okay so I know I'm a little slow off the mark but things here are a little busy!

Anyway; Happy New 2022 to you all.

Let us hope we all remain fit and healthy.

But don't forget prevention is better than cure; be it a covid jab or a sports massage to keep those aches pains and strains at bay!

Keep smiling and exercising

Nina

Cyclist with Knee Pain - Easily Fixed!?

It's been a little while since my last blog as I have been fully booked since starting back to work...Yay!...but today I found myself with a little time to write something so here goes....

I cycle to work and whilst I was a little sluggish on my commute today I was overtaken by a man on his road bike and I couldn't help noticing how his knee stuck out when he pedaled. Okay, so he was going faster than me but I bet that he could (1) go faster and be more efficient and (2) have a lower injury risk if he made some small adjustments.  It got me thinking of how many cyclist and gym spinners I had seen with knee problems over the years and most of the time it came down to how their feet or cleats were aligned when on the bike.

You see; if you cycle with your toes and knees pointing slightly out you are not putting force directly in a straight line through your joints and pedals. You are less efficient and you are more prone to muscle imbalance and joint stress. Different parts of your quads and glutes will be working through your hips and knees.In fact, now I come to think of it, a lot of triathletes how claim they have a tight IT band actually have a tight glute medius and vastus lateralis which produce similar problems and internet searches diagnose ITB syndrome!

So what can you do if you are a cyclist experiencing knee pain?

1) Check your pedal/cleat alignment and check to see if your knees track in/out/straight when you pedal; if not then endeavour to correct it.

2) Make sure you stretch your glutes and all parts of your quads after a cycle session (ankle on knee and hell to bum/pocket/other butt cheek) for a good 30seconds. 

 

 3 Way Quad Stretch

           

 

 

  Lying Glutes Stretch

 

 

3) Get your injury professionally diagnosed and treated before it gets worse! Feel free to contact me to point you in the right direction.

So there you have it; Happy Cycling!

COVID Questions

Hi All,

Please don't forget to read through the COVID questionnaire page before coming for treatment. If you can't see the page on your mobile device then please switch to web version and a menu bar will appear!

Thanks, Nina

New Reopening Date...YAY!

Well Hello Again!

If all goes according to plan I shall be open for business again from Monday 19th April.

Initially I will be doing just Wednesdays unless I get busy; in which case Mondays will be reinstated.

This will give me a chance to get back into the physicality of work without injuring myself as I am sure you are all aware; giving massages all day is a little strenuous!

Please contact the clinic on 01332 553332 or me direct on my mobile, Facebook or Linkedin to book an appointment.

Tier 4 Temporary Closure

Following the Government's announcement that Derbyshire will be in Tier 4, and after consultation with my professional organisation (The Federation of Holistic Therapists), I shall temporarily be unable to offer Sports Massage Services.

Until such time as I have a physical restart date I shall be offering telephone and online consultations. Please contact me through Facebook, Linkedin, the contact form at the bottom right of this page or, if you have my number call me direct.

The Osteopaths at About Backs and Bones are still able to do consultations and treatments if necessary so if you feel that you are in dire need of hands on treatment then please contact the clinic direct on 01332 553332.

 

Thanks and hopefully see you sooner rather than later!

Nina

Stuck for a gift idea?

 We do gift Vouchers!

Just DM me 

or

drop by the clinic to pick one up!

The New Normal

It has been nearly a month back at work now and we are all adapting to 'the new normal' and to changing guidelines regarding PPE and best practice.

Those of you that have visited for treatment during this time have found that some of the 'frills' have been removed from treatment rooms and communual areas.  It is very much a 'no frills' approach in order to keep us all safe.

Whilst appointment times and prices have remained the same; actual treatment times are a little shorter to allow for more enhanced cleaning processes but the more we do these the more efficient we become and the less time it takes.  You will notice staff wearing face masks throughout your visit and during your treatment I will be wearing an additional face shield, nitrile gloves and plastic apron; all of which are replaced for the following treatment. 

In return I ask that all clients wear a face mask and sanitise their hands when entering the clinic in order to protect yourselves and others.  We will also take your temperature when you enter as an enhanced precaution, as we do to ourselves.

Treatment is still very much the same and processes have been adapted where necessary for the benefit of the treatment.  Those of you who have visited have been pleased with the new procedures and happy with the treatment, particularly after going so long without.  For those of you that may still be concerned about coming for treatment then please feel free to call the clinic on 01332 553332 or contact me on my mobile or through facebook or linkedin to discuss your concerns. Please don't put up with your pain; at the very least please seek advice.  We are here to help.

I SHALL BE BACK!

Just to let you all know that I shall be returning to work from Monday 7th September 2020....YAY!

At present I shall be taking bookings for the clinic at About Backs and Bones in Allestree, Derby only on Mondays and Wednesdays between 09:45 and 14:45.

 

Please call the clinic on 01332 553332 or contact me on my mobile or through facebook or linkedin to book an appointment.

 

I would encourage you to book a full length treatment as I have to allow time for cleaning and note taking. As such appointments will be slightly shorter than usual until I get into a routine!

Myself and the clinic have carried out a full risk assessment and adhere to COVID-19 guidelines produced by the government and the FHT.

Please DO NOT book an appointment if you.....

• have COVID-19 or symptoms of COVID-19
• are clinically extremely vulnerable and shielding
• anyone in your household has COVID-19 or symptoms of COVID-19
  
• you have been in close contact with someone who has symptoms of COVID-19 in the past 14 days
• you have been contacted by the NHS Test and Trace Service and told to self isolate.
  

I will...

• Check that I am in good health before you arrive for treatment.

• Wash my hands or use hand sanitiser before treatment.

• Follow guidelines on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE).

• Disinfect non-porous materials, e.g. massage couch and equipment.

• Wash porous materials e.g. pillowcases, sheets and towels.

• Replace couch roll and other disposable materials.

• Ventilate the treatment room and reception area.

• Change my tunic/top/apron if needed.

• Maintain social distancing before and after the treatment.
  

You will be asked to...

Prior to your treatment:

• Contact your therapist and re-schedule if you have any symptoms of COVID-19, or if any person in your household is self-isolating.

At your treatment:

• Bring a bottle of water for your refreshment.

• Arrive at the agreed time; not early and ensure social distancing before and after the treatment.

• Wash your hands or use hand sanitiser upon arrival.

• Wear a face mask unless you are exempt.

• Pay by card or other cashless method, where possible.

   

  
  
   

Back to Work Update

With industries starting to go back to work; what does it hold for us?

Current guidance remains the same: Video consultation only for massage therapy and for exercise therapy 1 to 1 in open space with a 2m distance between.

So what does that mean for me?

Well; I am happy as always to take telephone and video calls, email and social media chat questions.  I will give advice and self help exercises where possible.

Unfortunately I do not perceive myself returning to work in practice until September at the earliest.  I have a husband working full time and 2 children not able to return to school so they have become my priority.

I am sure that many of you are in similar situations.

Be assured that I am there for you and please do not hesitate to contact me via whichever means you feel more comfortable with should you need help and advice.

Stay safe and sane.

Nina

COVID 19 update

Following the Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s announcement on Friday 20 March I have been advised by my professional body to suspend any treatments that involve face-to-face contact with clients as soon as possible. 

As treatments involve direct physical contact and limiting the impact of the virus is of paramount importance, I consider it sound advice. We have now reached a time where everyone needs to take the next vital step to help prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).

I care deeply about the wellbeing of my clients and as such will be available to contact directly through Facebook Messenger, Linkedin or the contact form on my web page. I will then call you back to offer advice on self treatment massage or exercise techniques. 

If you are in dire need of physical treatment I will consider the best course of action which may involve direct treatment if deemed absolutely necessary. 
Please do contact me as soon as you show any muscle injury signs and symptoms because the sooner you can self treat the more likely you are to have a speedy recovery.

Please stay well and continue to be compassionate to yourselves and others at this difficult time. As always, I thank you for your patience and understanding.

Nina Flint

Achilles Heel?

Following on from my Feelgood February post; I am going to look at possible reasons why your Achilles tendon may be feeling a little tender...but first let's look into what it is!

The Achilles tendon is the thick elastic tissue which joins the big calf muscles to the heel bone.  Tendons are not as elastic as the muscle itself put provide some 'give' in terms of shock and power absorption.  If put under too much stress by overuse, sudden changes in exercise intensity or lack of care and attention to stretching it can become inflamed or tear.

More often than not Achilles tendonitis can be avoided but correct training techniques and care of the calf muscles in terms of stretching.  We tend to neglect our calves as they are used daily.  I cycle to work and because it is not 'dedicated exercise training' I am as guilty as the next person in not stretching them!  As a result I got a calf strain at my Thai boxing class in the summer but it could as easily have been the Achilles!  Fortunately a combination of massage, exercise rehabilitation and stretching and I was back to class within 2 weeks but if left to heal without help it could have been a lot longer.

For more information on Achilles tendonitis take a look at my achilles fact sheet.

Feelgood February?

So we are into February now and I have started to get bookings to treat the 'New Year New You' injuries.  A lot of people start out on their new fitness, sport and healthy living regimes with enthusiasm and passion and come to a grinding halt in February as injury strikes!

Often injuries can be prevented by using appropriate equipment such as correct shoes for running and appropriate training methods such as a regime that includes rest days, warm ups, cool downs, stretching and a gradual progression.

Unfortunately, a balanced exercise program is not always followed and injury strikes so instead of a Feelgood February many experience a Flat February 😞.  

At this time of year the most common injuries I treat tend to be of the lower limb; hamstrings, knees, shins, calves and ankles.  Most can be resolved quickly if treatment is sought quickly and not ignored 😁.

Looking after yourself is the most important thing you can do so seeking treatment and advice is essential.  Most often than not a single sports massage treatment combined with stretching and exercise advice can put you back on track in no time at all.

So don't delay; book in today.
Call for an appointment with Nina at About Backs and Bones, Derby on 01332 553332

To find more information on some of the injuries mentioned then have a look through the blog archive on the right!

I Dare You to Care this December....about yourself!

With Christmas fast approaching one cannot help but notice an increase in people and vehicular traffic out on the streets.  Stress levels increase as people frantically search for the perfect gift and struggle to fit in Christmas plays, Christmas fairs and Christmas parties into their already busy lives.

Christmas is a time of giving and caring not just about others but ourselves.  What good are we to our loved ones if we are tired, tetchy and irritable.  We need to take care of ourselves in order to take care of those close to us.  So that is why I am daring you to take care of yourself this December!  Relieve some stress and tension and revitalise yourself with a Sports Massage.

Treat yourself to an hour Sports Massage with me at About Backs and Bones in Derby, bring a copy of this post along, and receive a Gift Voucher for a 30 minute Sports Massage with me at the same clinic to be used during January or February 2020 by either yourself or a friend.

Call me direct on 07887 744819 or the About Backs and Bones on 01332 553332 and ask for an appointment with Nina.

Unravelling the types of muscular contraction.

When a muscle contracts it generates a force.
In injury prevention we typically begin with isometric contractions; but what are they?

• Isometric contractions generate force without changing the length of the muscle.  (a)  An example is when the muscles of the hand and forearm grip an object; the joints of the hand do not move, but muscles generate sufficient force to prevent the object from being dropped.

• Isotonic contractions generate force by changing the length of the muscle and can be concentric contractions or eccentric contractions.  (b and c)

b) Concentric contractions cause muscles to shorten, thereby generating force and changing the angle of the joint. For instance, a concentric contraction of the biceps would cause the arm to bend at the elbow as the hand moves from near to the leg to close to the shoulder (a biceps curl)

c) Eccentric contractions cause muscles to elongate in response to a greater opposing force. Rather than working to pull a joint in the direction of the muscle contraction, the muscle acts to decelerate the joint at the end of a movement or otherwise control the re-positioning of a load.

Preventing Knee Injuries

Knee injuries are a common problem for the non-sportsperson and sportsperson alike but can be prevented by maintaining correct form when lifting and carrying out daily tasks or athletic exercises and ensuring strong musculature through the legs and core.

I believe that the advice given below is sound for prevention of all types of knee injury prevention programmes and even rehabilitation after injury. Of course everything below is just some examples and you should seek professional advice to tailor it specifically to your needs!

Further into this article we will be focusing on the anterior cruciate ligament (acl) injury of the knee as it is most commonly injured in sports where participants land from a jump, suddenly stop, change directions or pivot in sports like football, basketball, hockey, rugby, or skiing. (Brukner and Kahn, 2012).

So where do you start?

Strength Training

It is important to strengthen the muscles surrounding the knee such as the quadriceps, hamstrings and calves as well as important functional muscles like the core stabilisers and
glutes.
I tend to start people off with isometic (static) or small range muscle activation exercises focused around the simple squat and lunge and calf raise and lower for around the knee joint.  For the core and glutes we can go right back to basics with pelvic tilts, bridges and clams before progressing to more commonly known plank variations or stability ball exercises.

Practising Proper Stepping, Jumping, Landing and Multi-directional Movement Technique

This should be specific to the lifestyle and sport that the person undertakes.
As with the strength training exercises; movements should be executed with the correct biomechanics. When landing, the knee should follow the toes, ideally remaining in a straight line above the middle toe or slightly pointed outwards towards the little toe. The knees should never travel inwards towards each other as this puts stress through the ACL (valgus stress). The athlete should have a slight bend in the knee’s and the hips when landing and try to land in a controlled manner with more weight placed through the forefoot rather than the heel (Voskanian, 2013).

Plyometric training

Plyometric training involves high intensity agility drills which work to improve footwork by developing power and speed. This can involve agility drills like quick sprints, stops and starts, cutting, lateral movements and jumping, ladder drills or even dance mat work. These activities should mimic the quick motor responses that an athlete would perform in a game situation (Voskanian, 2013). 

When Should I Start And How Often Do I Need To Perform The Exercises?
For general conditioning a 15-30 minute training session between 1 (minimum) and 3 (optimal) times a week is effective. 
For the athlete Voskanian 2013 as found that an ACL prevention program would be most effective in preventing injury if it is initiated 6 weeks prior to engaging in high-intensity sporting activity. Sessions should be 3 times a week and the program should be completed through the competitive season and can be used as a warm up prior to engaging in sporting activity.

As a Coach...Where Can I Find ACL Prevention Programmes?
The FIFA 11+ injury prevention program already has a proven track record in reducing knee injuries in youth and adult footballers. You can find the whole programme here

What's Blood got to do with it?

There are four main blood groups. Each type can be either RhD positive or RhD negative, which means that in total there are eight main blood types. 

Blood is made up of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets in a liquid called plasma.

Your blood group is identified by antibodies and antigens in the blood.

Antibodies are proteins found in plasma. They're part of your body's natural defences. They recognise foreign substances, such as germs, and alert your immune system, which destroys them.

Antigens are protein molecules found on the surface of red blood cells.

Blood type A is the most ancient, and it existed before the human species evolved from its hominid ancestors. It has A antigens on the red blood cells with anti-B antibodies in the plasma

Type B is thought to have originated some 3.5 million years ago, from a genetic mutation that modified one of the antigens that sit on the surface of red blood cells. It has B antigens with anti-A antibodies in the plasma

Starting about 2.5 million years ago, mutations occurred that rendered that antigen gene inactive, creating type O, which has neither the A or B version of the antigen. It has no antigens, but both anti-A and anti-B antibodies in the plasma

And then there is AB, which is covered with both A and B antigens.

Red blood cells sometimes have another antigen, a protein known as the RhD antigen. If this is present, your blood group is RhD positive. If it's absent, your blood group is RhD negative.

This means you can be one of eight blood groups:

• A RhD positive (A+)
• A RhD negative (A-)
• B RhD positive (B+)
• B RhD negative (B-)
• O RhD positive (O+)
• O RhD negative (O-)
• AB RhD positive (AB+)
• AB RhD negative (AB-)

The antigens are what makes some blood types incompatible: 

If blood from a type-A donor were given to a person with type-B, the recipient's immune system would recognise the foreign proteins as an invader and cue an attack. The resulting immune reaction can kill. 

Type O-negative blood is known as the "universal donor" because it lacks the molecules that would provoke that reaction (the "negative" means it lacks another type of surface molecule, known as the Rh antigen).

Ligaments vs Tendons; Sprains vs Strains; unravelled!

People often interchange the terms sprains and strains when talking about injuries but there is a difference.  Read on and I hope I can clear it up...

Ligaments and tendons are both made up of fibrous connective tissue but they have different roles and functions.

• Ligaments attach bones to bones
• Ligaments help stabilise joint
• Ligaments are not very elastic
• Imagine a belt or strap connecting, for example, your shin and thigh bones

• Tendons attach muscles to bones
• Tendons help to move the joint and absorb some impact on the muscles
• Tendons are more elastic than ligaments but not as elastic as muscles
• Imagine tough bungee cords or straps, for example, your achilles tendon

Bearing the above in mind then the terms Sprains and Strains are used to differentiate between injuries:

• A Sprain is an overstretch or tear to a ligament
• Sprains commonly occur at the ankle, knee or wrist

• A Strain is an overstretch or tear to a muscle
• Strains commonly occur in the leg, arm or back

Sports Massage can aid recovery from both sprains and strains. Please get in contact to see how I can help.

Should you change to forefoot running?

I recently posted a link on my facebook page to an article investigating the pros and cons of forefoot vs barefoot running as there is a lot of hype and confusion about the two.

As a little add-on I thought that I would give my personal experience of changing to forefoot running in normal trainers.

A few years ago now I injured my knee playing hockey and despite all rehab have been left with internal damage and I had to retire from playing due to the pain from constant foot strike and rotational movements.  I found running uncomfortable and also had trouble in my basic karate stances.

I made the conscious decision to give up hockey as it was the sport that I had least control over body action.  I was however determined not to give up karate or other activities.  

Although I had a neutral running style I was a heavy heel striker, and so I decided to change to forefoot running.  I chose to change because our bodies were designed in such a way that our joints are able to absorb and dissipate impact energy when we strike through the balls of our feet.  Fundamentally this would deliver less impact through my knee.

I do have barefoot shoes for general walking and other activities I chose to keep my running trainers to give my joints more cushioning as my knee already has more than average 'wear and tear'.  I started gradually; jogging back the 3/4 mile from school drop off very slowly ensuring that it was all forefoot striking.  Oh boy did my calves ache, but not my knee, and a good stretch sorted them out!  After a few weeks I gradually increased the distance and found that not only did I have no knee pain; I was actually running faster.  Moreover, I was able to do squats and lunges after the run.  Something that had been impossible before.

Currently I am able to run, cycle, do karate and Muay Thai boxing.  Yes there are days when the knee lets me know that I have done too much but, as with everything else in life, it is a balancing act.  So my experience has been positive.  I have taken in steady in my transition from a heel striker to a forefoot runner and have benefited from it.  However I changed my running style out of necessity.  I would always caution against changing something for no real reason other than you fancy trying it.  If your current running style is causing no injury then consider very carefully the pros and cons of changing.

I you need any help with assessing your needs then please contact me and I will be happy to help.

The Importance of QUALITY OVER QUANTITY

So many people ask me how long it will take to recover from their injury and in truth there is no definitive answer because each one of us is different both in our biological make up and our mental approach to things.

That being said I would always emphasise QUALITY OVER QUANTITY when it comes to exercise rehabilitation.  Something which can also be translated into the way we approach any exercise we do and indeed how we all approach life!

It is no good doing hundreds of repetitions of something if you have poor technique as it could just cause more pain.  Take for example; someone who boasts that they can hold a plank for 4 minutes.  My first question would be why would you want or need to do that? My second, what was their posture like throughout that 4 minutes? And finally; do they engage the correct muscles throughout? So many people can do a 4 minute plank...poorly and indeed quite often when someone comes to see me with back pain they can do these types of exercises but they cannot engage their deep stabilising muscles correctly and therefore exacerbate their problem.

I always recommend going back to basics after any injury. Check that those small but vital stabilising muscles are switching on correctly. Make sure they have the endurance to support the big global muscles in their action before building up full strength and power.

I have been practicing Kyokushin Karate for may years now and in the syllabus book that you get as a beginner there is the route to power in karate.  It is so fundamental, not just to karate, but all exercise/sporting disciplines and if more people paid credence to it then more people would suffer less injuries due to trying to advance too quickly.  So here it is:

Position - Balance - Coordination - Form - Speed - Power - Reflex

As I mentioned above; we can also take the ethos of QUALITY OVER QUANTITY into anything we do.  My Daughter took up piano last year and it is recommended that they practice for 20 mins each day.  But what if that practice was poor in quality because she was tired.  She would just make mistakes and practice those mistakes over and over again.  Surely it is better to do a good quality practice for a shorter duration.  Even top Olympic athletes have to listen to their bodies and if they are 'not feeling the love' then give themselves an easier training session/rest period.  

There is such a fine line with pushing too hard and achieving you goals.  If you need advise with your injury prevention, treatment or rehabilitation needs then please contact me.