Welcome again to my newsletter updating the public on the latest news within the industry. With the Olympics being held in Beijing this Summer, I thought of reporting the success of the games, not to mention the terrific display of the British athletes.
Federation of Holistic Therapists Update
Recent developments in the FHT institutions have worked on formalizing the National Occupational Standards (NOS) for sports therapists. Jennifer Wayte has been working hard to outline exactly what each massage discipline should be doing to meet regulations. She has already produce specific curricula for sports massage and remedial massage. As the largest therapist group, the FHT is trying to get a link with the Olympic Committee as this will aid the status of all FHT members, along with opening new opportunities for its members.
What Happens in an Injury? Part 1
Injuries are classed in 4 phases; The inflammatory/acute phase, the sub-acute/proliferation phase, the remodeling phase and the functional phase. The inflammatory phase is when the damaged blood vessels in the injured area bleed causing a natural and vital inflammatory reaction. Special cells called phagocytes are released into the injured area to aid the removal of waste products from the injury, such as dead cells. A short period of rest should follow the injury to allow this reaction to take place. Managing the swelling will assist the effectiveness of the repair. Following the PRICE regime is considered the most effective way. Protect the injured area from further injury and resting are the first things to do. Icing the injured area should follow. The ice slows down metabolism and blood flow (vasoconstriction), reducing the swelling and relieving pain. After the ice has been removed, the increase in blood flow (vasodilation) will help flush out the waste products and help reduce swelling. Compressing the injured area with a bandage will help disperse the fluid from the swelling and elevating the area above the heart will also help with the return of waste fluids towards areas where it can be excreted.¹ The inflammation phase usually lasts between 1 and 7 days, depending on the severity of the injury.
Groin Injuries
The groin is one of the most common area for sporting injuries, but also one of the most complicated to diagnose correctly. This is because of the amount of structures in the area. Muscles around the groin area include leg and back muscles, and in total there are over 10 prominent muscles that may get strained. The most common muscle to be injured is the adductor longus muscle on the inside of the leg. Other problems can be from the bones such as stress fractures and osteitis pubis (muscle tendons pulling the pubis area in the pelvis), but another common complaint could be hernia problems.² The most prominent symptom of hernias is pain in the groin area when coughing. If this is the case consult a doctor. Reasons for groin injuries may include unbalanced muscle pairings, age, sport, weak core muscles and overtraining, amongst other. Rehabilitation for groin injuries should concentrate on core strengthening and sport specific training.³
Quick Facts!!!
“Chris Hoy is Britain’s most successful athlete for 100 years in a single Olympics by winning 3 gold medals in Beijing.”
“Usain Bolt won 3 gold medals for Jamaica and in doing so he broke 3 World Records as well.”
“132 athletes managed to achieve more than 1 medals at the Beijing Olympics, Michael Phelps managed a record 8 golds for the USA.”
References
1. Dinsdale, N., A Competitive Cyclist With Extensive Soft Tissue Trauma of the Lower Limb, SportEx Dynamics, 2008, Issue 17 (Jul), pp. 8-10.
2. Peterson, L. & Renstrom, P., Sports Injuries, 3rd edition, Taylor & Francis, London.
3. Maffey, LL. & Emery, C., What are the Risk Factors for Groin Strain Injury in Sport? A systematic review of the literature, Sports Medicine, 2007, Vol. 37, pp. 881-894.