Sports Massage for injury prevention

Wow; why is it that the working week after a Bank Holiday is always soo hectic!  Glad we have a few days to recover before the next event (Derby Tri).

This week we have seen a number of repeat clients, along with the odd new one who have all come to the same conclusion; a regular monthly sports massage will help keep those annoying injuries at bay.  It doesn't matter if you are a professional/amateur athlete, an exercise instructor or someone who just likes to keep fit and healthy; regular massage relieves both mental and physical stress and tension, identifies problems before they escalate and keeps your body in tip top condition.  That's why those professionals lucky enough to afford it have weekly or even daily massage (chance would be a fine thing :)

So this week our shop assistant with sore shoulders; spin instructor with sore calves and keen golfer with sore elbows all booked in for a repeat visit.  Why not follow their lead; book yourself in, put a smile on your face - free your body and soul.

Focus on Cycling

With recent news that cycling boosts the British Economy by about £3bn/year; we thought we would focus on it this week.

Cycling is a great starter activity if you are trying to lose weight.  It is non weight bearing so, provided that you have set up your bike properly, places minimal wear and tear on your joints and is less strenuous than running.  It is a great social/family activity and you require minimal specialist equipment.

Of course, some people get the bug and pursue cycling further in its many different forms; bmx, track, mountain, road racing or combine it with swimming and running in triathlons.  Once you start taking things a little bit more seriously and stacking up the weekly mileage then injury prevention should start to enter your mindset.  Common cycling musculoskeletal injuries that we have seen include; lower back pain, wrist pain, hamstring tears, hip flexor tendonitis and most commonly tight calves.

We believe there are 3 keys to preventing cycling injuries:

1. Get your bike set up properly
2. Do a suitable weight training programme alongside your cycling
3. Get regular massage to relieve aching muscles and prevent unnecessary tightnes

Remember: Prevention is better than cure

For more information on how any of the above can help you; contact us at nrgize.

cycling a family affair for these velo club members

Lower back injuries related to poor glutes function

The past couple of weeks have been busy at nrgize what with attending triathlons and doing home visits. We have noticed a trend recently though and that is a number of people coming in with overactive hamstrings and weak glutes; which pften leads to lower back pain.
If you sit at a desk all day you are more prone to shortened hamstrings and hipflexors which can pull your pelvis out of alignment. You don't have to be a desk jockey to suffer problems though and we have seen a number of triathletes and marathon runners with poor core strength, overactive hamstrings and weak glutes meaning that their muscle firing sequence is all out of kilter and lower back pain arises.
Contrary to popular belief; running lots is just not good enough strength work for your legs and being able to hold the plank doesn't mean that your deep core stabilising muscles are working properly!
Don't fret though; our tried and tested back care treatment and rehabilitation program will set you on the right path. Using a combination of massage and corrective exercise we can rectify most issues between 2 and 12 weeks; depending on the severity of the problem.
Contact us for more information.