Avoiding Recurrent Hamtring Strains
Hamstring strains are common injuries where one of the muscles at the back of the thigh is torn. The extent of the injury can vary from just a few torn fibres (grade 1) up to a full rupture of the muscle (grade 3). Whilst they are a common injury and many are only minor, it is important to fully rehabilitate the injury to prevent the problem recurring as once a hamstring has torn once, repeat injuries are far more likely.
Following injury it is important to apply the RICE principle (rest, ice, compression and elevation) as soon as possible to reduce bleeding and swelling.
Once it is comfortable to do so, gentle stretching should begin as following injury a muscle tightens to protect itself. Stretching will help restore the muscle to it’s full length, helping to avoid future injuries.
Sports massage is extremely beneficial in treating hamstring strains. Not only will it help to improve muscle flexibility, but also break down scar tissue at the site of injury. Scar tissue is inflexible and weaker than muscle tissue. Breaking this down helps to strengthen the muscle and align the new fibres being laid down correctly.
Finally the muscle should be strengthened especially eccentrically (contracting whilst the muscle lengthens) as this is how most hamstring strains occur as it places greater stress on the musle.
When returning to sport, ensure the return is gradual and a full warm-up is always performed.
Following these steps will help to prevent future injuries.
25% Discount for London Marathon Entrants!
Carrefour Sports Injury Clinic will be offering a discount of 25% to all runners of this years London Marathon! The discount is available on pre or post event treatments for Carrefour members and non-members alike!
Simply make your appointment as usual and bring along some proof of your race place (i.e. race numbers or medal etc!).
NEW Saturday Clinic Added!
As of Saturday 22nd January 2011, I will be available for appointments on a saturday morning. Hopefully this will make it easier to get appointments at short notice for those who need evening or weekend appointments.
SportsInjuryNorwich Success!
I’m pleased to report the success of both sportsinjurynorwich.co.uk and the Carrefour Sports Injury Clinic itself. Business has been booming over the last few months as word of mouth and this website spread the word! I can honestly say I have never been busier with new and exsiting sports massage and injury rehabilitation clients. If this continues then I will have to think even harder about adding an extra day to the clinics opening hours!
Thanks for all your support!
Heidi Mills
Ferdinand’s Knee Injury Rules Him Out of England’s World Cup Bid
England captain Rio Ferdinand has been ruled out of representing his country at this months World Cup Finals. The England skipper suffered an Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) injury to his left knee during a training session.
The MCL runs down the inside of the joint, connecting the Femur (thigh bone) and the Tibia (shin bone). It functions to stabilise the joint against inward forces at the knee. However, if one of these forces is too great (as often occurs in tackles from the outside), the ligament can be damaged.
All ligament injuries are graded 1-3 depending on their severity. Grade 1 injuries are minor tears or stretching of the ligament. Grade 3 tears are full ruptures of the ligament, with grade 2 in the middle.
Treatment of an MCL injury depends on the severity, although generally they are treated with physical therapy including ultrasound, massage and exercise rehabilitation. The time out of action may be anywhere from 2-12 weeks.
Piriformis Syndrome
Piriformis syndrome is a condition which causes sciatic pain and is often overlooked in favour of blaming the lower back.
The Piriformis muscle is located deep in the centre of the buttocks. It is responsible for rotating the leg outwards. The sciatic nerve passes very close to this muscle, in fact, underneath it in most people. In around 10% of the population the nerve actually passes straight through the muscle.
If this muscle becomes overworked and tightens up, the nerve can become impinged, or pinched by the muscle. This results in pain passing down the back of the leg. Usually this is just to the hamstring muscles, although can extend into the calf and even the foot!
Treatment of this condition should involve massage, stretching and heatto ease muscle tightness. But the most important factor is to correct the cause of Piriformis overworking. A common issue is tight adductor (groin) muscles which affects the function of the gluteus medius and minimus muscles, meaning the piriformis must work harder to control hip rotation. This can be corrected with stretching the groin muscles and strengthening the hip abductors.
Postural problems the cause of many cases of upper back/neck pain
Many people suffer with pain and aching in the neck and upper back region. This may even result in pain or other sensations (such as pins and needles or numbness) radiating into the arms or hands. Usually this occurs over a period of time and gradually increases. If this is the case, then chances are it is related to your posture.
Sitting at a desk for long periods, driving long distances and carrying heavy bags on one shoulder are common contributors to postural issues. The most common pattern is called an upper crossed syndrome. Basically what this involves is tightness in the chest muscles (specifically pectoralis minor) and posterior neck muscles (such as trapezius), combined with weakness in the muscles around the shoulder blades (rhomboids and serratus anterior) and the front of the neck. This results in the typical round shouldered, chin forward posture.
In order to ease pain and discomfort, the cause of the problem must be detected. In many cases, deep tissue massage to the tight muscles, plus a stretching regime, as well as a strengthening programme for the weak muscles, combined with postural re-education will do the trick!
Rooney Must be Wary of Returning too Early
Manchester United announced on Friday that Wayne Rooney’s ankle injury was only ‘mild’ ligament damage and that they expected him to be out of action for around three weeks. My last post explained the importance of the thorough treatment and rehabilitation of ankle sprains and this applies even to Wayne Rooney!
Although Man Utd will be desperate to get their star striker back into action, they must be wary that rushing him back too soon could result in future injuries for the player. An ankle that is not fully rehabilitated is weaker and also has a reduced sense of position and balance. This increases the risk of turning the ankle over again. They must make sure that he has regained full strength, flexibility and balance before allowing him to return to full training.
2-3 weeks does seem like a very short period of rehabilitation, although we do not know the extent of the injury and perhaps the wearing of a walking boot following the injury was purely precautionary and did not signify the seriousness of the injury. The medical team at Manchester United are amongst the best in the world and would not want to take a risk with one of the club, and countries, greatest sporting assets!
Ankle Sprain Rehabilitation
An ankle sprain is one of the most common injuries sustained by both sport players and those uninvolved in any sport/exercise. Most people know that following an ankle sprain the immediate treatment should involve rest, ice, compression and elevation. But what’s next?
Once the ankle is feeling ok and they can walk comfortably, most people forget about it. However, neglecting a thorough rehabilitation programme can result in niggling problems and future re-injury.
Following an ankle sprain, flexibility in the ankle is often decreased, as the calf muscles tighten up to protect the joint. Full range of motion should be restored to the ankle as soon as possible, using stretching and sports massage techniques. Strength of these muscles, as well as the shin and peroneals (outer lower leg muscles) is also often affected. This can be corrected with simple strengthening exercises such as calf raises which can be performed in your own home.
Other common problems, include a decrease in ‘proprioception’ or the sense of positioning and balance. This is due to damage to the ligaments and the sensors found within these ligaments. This can be corrected using balance exercises and wobble boards.
Anterior Knee Pain
Anterior knee pain is an umbrella term for any pain at the front of the knee which is poorly localised and comes on gradually. This is sometimes also known as patellofemoral pain syndrome.
The condition is often thought to be due to mal-tracking of the knee cap (patella), which causes damage to the cartilage that lines the reverse of the patella. This mal-tracking is regularly caused by muscle imbalances around the knee and sometimes also biomechanical issues such as overpronation (where the foot flattens and rolls in as you walk).
Other symptoms include pain on walking down stairs and hills, a creaking feeling on bending or straightening the knee and movie-goers knee – where the knee is stiff and painful after sitting for long periods.
Treatmentof this condition involves correcting the problems which have contributed to its development. Commonly, the groin muscles and outer thigh muscle and ITB need stretching and the glutes and inner thigh muscles need strengthening. A rehabilitation programme can be devised to suit each individuals problems. Other treatments include the use of orthotics (insoles) and knee taping or bracing.