Tag Archives: Injury

January 10 – Issue 8

Into The New Decade We Go

2010 is here and I hope it brings a fresh start or happy continuation of the preceding year. With all the sales going on at the moment, I think it only right that I join the bandwagon!  So until Valentines Day (That’s the 14th February for those who may forget), you can get a 25% saving on your next visit if you recommend a friend and they visit for the first time. You can also get a 10% saving on any Aloe Vera product available from the Forever Living Product range. Please ask for a brochure if you are interested. The prices of an appointment will also remain the same despite VAT prices returning to 17.5%.

Cramps….What are they?

Cramps are a very annoying malfunction in the muscle and can occur at any time in the body, more commonly following a lot of vigorous and intensive exercise which concentrates on a specific muscle or muscle group¹.

The exact nature of a cramp is still unknown, but scientists have 3 main theories that it may be. The first is dehydration. As you exercise for prolonged durations, the body loses fluids through sweat and breathing amongst other things, meaning less fluids in the muscles to enable it to function correctly and cramp occurs as a result.

The second may be electrolyte depletion. This is the lack of minerals, such as potassium and sodium, needed for a contraction of muscle fibres. With no contraction (the shortening of a muscle) the fibres will stay in a fixed position, thus cramping.

The final theory is the one preferred by scientists and this is altered neuromusculature activity. This is probably caused as the activity is performed. Slight muscular ruptures and muscle bleeding as time goes by would contribute to how the muscle should function at its most efficient state. This will cause slight changes in neuromuscular responses and may lead to cramp.

Studies have suggested that to prevent cramps, sufficient fluids should be ingested, prior during and after exercise. It may also be beneficial to drink an electrolyte drink, such as lucozade or Gatorade, to prevent the depletion of potassium and sodium in the muscles as this is another theory of the cause of cramp.

The individual can also prevent the onset of cramp by not wearing clothing that is too tight and restricts blood circulation. Illness can also induce cramp as well as cold weather, extreme heat and an accumulation of lactic acid in a muscle².

A good warm-up will help prevent cramp and as previously mentioned, sufficient fluid intake during activity is important.

If cramp does occur in an individual, moving the cramping muscle to the opposite direction. For example, a common calf cramp will draw the foot downwards, so you would need to draw the foot upwards to reverse the cramp. It is easier if another individual can help, though in some muscles it may not be possible.

When do Injuries Happen?

As I play and coach football, I find It interesting to know when my players, my team-mates or even I would be more likely to get injured.

The principles still apply to all sports though the largest study conducted with professional football clubs (91 out of 92 for the period of study) showed that the most injuries happen at the beginning of the season.

This goes along with common belief that when there is a break it is very important to gradually increase work load on the body. The most common injuries were found to be muscular and not caused by an opponent but by the individual, when they run³.

From this information a lot can be applied to training at specific times of the season. This can include what intensity to work at, what duration to train for, what stretches to perform and when, and what levels need to be maintained through a sporting season.

The main problem with the study above is that it is focused on professional athletes. Though the principles are the same, recreational athletes and lower level athletes need to be aware of breaks such as the current winter break that may have caused postponements in a specific sport. Before going into competitive matches again, make sure you are back to a suitable fitness level as most injuries found are cause by the individual themselves.

The different stages of the season have been reviewed in previous issues of my newsletter.

Quick Facts

“Skin in the average human weighs around 9 pounds.”

“There are around 11 miles of blood vessels that connect the skin together.”

“The least sensitive area of skin in the body is found in heel of the foot”

References

1. Schwellnus, M.P., Causes of Exercise-associated muscle cramps (EASC) – altered neuromuscular control, dehydration or electrolyte depletion?, British Journal of Sports Medicine, 43, pp. 401-408.

2. Peterson, L. & Renstrom, P., Sports Injuries, 3rd edition, Taylor and Francis, London.

3. Hawkins, R.D., Hulse, M.A., et  al., The association football medical research programme: an audit of injuries in professional football, British Journal of Sports Mediceine, 2001, 35, pp. 43-47.

April 09 – Issue 5

Welcome once again to the next edition of my quarterly newsletter.

I hope the new year has started well for everyone and that those new years resolutions have not been broken yet! I would also like to say Happy

Mothers Day to all those mothers out there as we recently passed their special day!

A new facility that available in the clinic is a non invasive body fat moni- tor. If you’re interested in finding out your body fat percentage please ask for further information as there are certain body conditions that may show a false reading. It only costs £2 and may be a great tool for small targets in training or diet plans.

Massage alleviates DOMS

Firstly, what is DOMS? It stands for the Delay of Onset of Muscle Soreness. This occurs from the build up of waste products, such a s Lactic acid, in the muscles when exercising at higher in- tensities that the body is used to. These waste products reduce muscle func- tionality and cause pain and stiffness.

It has been suggested that a massage lasting 30 minutes following ex- ercise delays the onset of DOMS and also reduces the amount of pain experi- ence. There was also a suggestion that performances that followed a mas- sage were at a higher level than if a massage was not received.1

 

Aloe Vera and its Benefits


Aloe Vera has a history of being a good healer in many situations, whether it be for burns or stings, but its characteristics and attributes go far beyond that. The Aloe plant has around 200 varieties with the Aloe Vera or Aloe Barbadensis plant being the most potent and therefore the most widely used.

From the plant, the gel under the thick outer layer is where the benefits are found. The gel contains vitamins, minerals, amino acids (some of which the body needs that it can’t produce itself) and sugars amongst other things as well. With all this goodness in the plant, it has now been used for far more things including sports.

Healing gel, heat cream, supplementation are just some of the sporting benefits produced from the plant. There are also fantastic drinks that help maintain the bodies essential balance in nutrients and minerals, giving a great energy boost and improving nutrient uptake. The products you need to buy that have Aloe Vera in them need to compromise of Aloe Vera as the majority ingredient, otherwise there use is not as ef- fective.

So even if you would like to sample some of the products that may help with skin conditions such as exzema, or burns and rashes, please ask. There is a whole range of products, available from myself or online.

What is a ‘frozen shoulder’?

Frozen shoulder is the common term for the medical con- dition adhesive capsulitis. From the name, it is implied that there is a swelling in a capsule that has been joined or fixed by abnor- mal tissue adhesions.

It is believed that the onset of a frozen shoulder derives from an injury or incident that has previously involved the shoul- der. A chronic inflammation of the capsule, with adhesive fibres further reducing mobility are the main factors in the condition, along with the reduction of synovial fluid (which aids joint mobil- ity) due to the inflammation.2

The injury takes time 2 develop or “freeze”. Usually around 3-5 months and signs are a constant pain in the shoulder with a reduced range of motion in the shoulder, pain whilst sleeping and movement problems in colder weather.

The problem is most common in individuals over 40 and more common in women than men. Rehabilitation for this comdi- tion is a long and painful one and greatly depends on how long the individual waits prior to seeking medical help and the gen- eral condition of the individual. In healthy individuals full rehabili- tation may be around 5 months, but could last as long as 3 years if the individual is for example diabetic or has a history of heart problems.

Rehabilitation consists of physical therapy, massage ther- apy, medication and in severe cases surgery.

What Happens in an Injury? Part 3

The final two stages in the injury process are the remodeling phase and the functional sport-specific phase.

The remodeling phase is generally thought to occur in the 2-3 weeks following trauma. It is when the collagen laid down in the damaged area is replaced by stronger collagen. It is also the point in which full pain free range of motion should be achieved, allowing the following stage of functional sport-specific movements to be performed.

Whilst the new collagen is being laid down in the damaged area. This is the perfect time to perform full stretches to reinforce correct fibre alignment and elastic- ity. Massage is a very good aid to assist in this process as it would break up any unwanted left over scar tissue and encourage the progress to full range of motion. This is achieved by passive (therapist controlling movement) and active (client controlled movement) stretching. This is taken to the point where the new collagen is being stressed slightly more than it has been laid down and thus promoting full elasticity in the fibres.3

Once pain free range of motion along with muscu- lar strength and muscular balance have been achieved, the final stage of injury commences.

As discussed, the final stage is called the func- tional sport-specific phase. As the name implies this stage concentrates on the movements that the active individual needs to perform in the activity they perform.

As the individual has not been in maximal perform- ance it’s usually a good idea to get an initial base test re- sult. This allows targets to be set in this phase.

Depending on the activity depends on what ex- ercise what actions are to be performed. The princi- ples however, are all the same. Straight line move- ments are always performed first as they are less stressful on the muscles and joints as a whole than twisting and turning movements. These are to be en- corporated gradually into the exercise programme if necessary to the individual at hand.

Massage is still a vital part to this phase as it promotes removal of any waste products that the body would not normally have produced before injury such as dead cells and lactic acid. It also aids in the recovery of the muscle fibres for the following exercise ses- sion. To complete the phases a final test should be performed to show improvements required to return to maximal performance.

 

quires.”


January 09 – Issue 4

Happy New Year to everyone. I hope you all had a terrific festive season and the new year has started with good steps! To introduce the current issue I would like to mention my new webpage. You may find me online at www.carmselitetherapy.co.uk and I would be very greatful for any feedback on the page…….and if I’ve made a typing error!!!

Free Massage

As a new year has now commenced and we all have to get used to writing 2009, the tendency to give things to people as you do in December generally goes. I have decided to reward loyal clients that have been regularly coming to visit for treatment. When an individual visits 10 times the next visit will be free of charge! To find out how many sessions you have attended feel free to ask to find out when you are entitled to a free massage! The free massage will be for 30 minutes.

Deep Tissue Massage Affects Blood Pressure and Heart Rate

Deep tissue massage can be described as massage that passes superficial muscle tissues and manipulates underlying muscles and fibres. Sports massage uses deep tissue massage regularly and a recent study was performed to analyse its effectiveness in improving blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR). In the study over 250 individuals that reported muscle spasms and strain of moderate to severe pain were recruited. BP and resting HR were recorded prior to testing as a baseline reading. Massages lasted between 45 and 60 minutes. The results showed the systolic and diastolic readings were significantly reduced following massages and heart rate was reduced by over 10 beats per minute on average.¹ These results suggest great benefits with deep tissue massage not only in short term relief from pain and a relaxing feeling, but long term health benefits. Reduction in BP and HR reduces risks of future possible cardiovascular diseases associated with elevated levels in BP and HR.

Hamstring Injuries

The hamstrings are a group of 3 muscles located at the back of the leg, above the knee. The muscles are the biceps femoris, semitendonosus and semimembranosus. The biceps femoris is the largest of the 3 and is the most commonly injured, usually through a strain. A strain is classified by the number of fibres in the muscle that have been damaged. A grade 1 strain would damage 5-20% of fibres in the effected area and return to activity with suitable rehabilitation would be within a week or two. A grade 2 strain effects around 20-60% of muscle fibres and you may have around a month to fully recover, whereas a grade 3 strain is a rupture of the muscle and damages from 60-100% of muscle fibres. If this happens the extent of time off activity varies between individuals and the action they take². Rehabilitation may take up to 6 months if an operation has been performed. Hamstring strains may occur as a direct impact injury or as an overuse injury which happens over a long period of time.

What Happens in an Injury? Part 2

As discussed in the previous edition, there are 4 stages to a soft tissue muscle injury. In this edition the second phase is discussed.  The Sub acute or proliferation stage is when the tissue begins to repair itself. After all the swelling from damaged tissue has occurred, repair begins with the removal of waste products, thus reducing swelling and the remodeling of muscle tissue. The production of scar tissue through collagen repairs the tissue and is achieved via 2 processes. The first forms the collagen (fibroplasia) and the second forms new local blood vessels (angiogenesis)³. As inflammation has ceased it is essential for the damaged area to follow a rehabilitation programme, even this early in an injury to encourage maximal strength and flexibility in the tissue. This will allow greater stability and may reduce the likeliness of an injury developing in the same area at a later date.  As the scar tissue is being produce stretching and active range of motion exercises in the damaged area will minimize the recovery time through increased vascular pathways (blood vessels to carry more blood). The exercise needs to be controlled to avoid pushing the muscle tissues over their limits and damaging them instead of repairing them. Performing movements that replicate the everyday requirements of the area allows the muscles to begin forming bonds in the relevant directions for increased strength.  If weight bearing movements (putting full body weight on the ground) are not achievable as there is too much pain from lack of strength, then movements should still be performed in a non weight bearing way. This will increase the joints range of motion so that more efficient movements can be performed when the damaged area is ready. Manual therapy through massage has been shown to assist in the proliferation phase, as it pushes any remaining waste products from the area and helps align new forming collagen in the correct manor. Research has also suggested that ultrasound may play a part in the remodeling phase as it stimulates fibroblasts which assist in the formation of collagen to help lay down the scar tissue needed for repair4.  The next issue will look at the final 2 stages in a muscle injury. The remodeling phase and the functional specific phase. 

Quick Facts!!!

“Chris Hoy’s success in the Olympics by winning 3 gold medals has been further rewarded with the national sports personality of the year.”

“The Hamstring muscles bring your heel to you buttock (knee flexion) and bring your leg behind you when you walk (hip extension).”

“All 3 hamstring muscles originate at the ischial tuberosity, more commonly known as the bum bone!”

References

1. Kaye, A.D., Kaye, A.J., et al, The Effect of Deep-Tissue Massage Therapy on Blood Pressure and Heart Rate, Journal of Alternative Medicine; 2008; Vol. 14; pp. 125-128.

2. Peterson, L. & Renstrom, P., Sports Injuries, 3rd edition, Taylor and Francis, London.

3. Dinsdale, N., Case Study: A Competitive Cyclist with Extreme Soft Tissue Trauma of the Lower Limb, SportEx Dynamics; 2008; Issue 17 (July); pp. 11-17.

4. Watson, T., Electrotherapy and Tissue Repair, SportEx Medicine; 2006; 29; pp. 7-13

October 08 – Issue 3

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.