Hope Wakes Fell Race

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For the third year in a row we were invited, and went over to Hope for the Hope Wakes fell race to help out with post race massage for the runners. We have had a cracking time there every year, and this was no exception. I decided that running it was not going to be an option this year, courtesy of a slightly twisted ankle at the weekend, so settled down to watch. There was again a record turnout of well over 250 runners, so registration and the start line were crowded. Stuart Bond won the race again, and broke … Continue reading →

U is for University

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Well, that went rather quickly. I have now passed my first year of a Physiotherapy BSc. It wasn’t even 12 months ago that I decided that would be a course which I would take, and life has certainly been different – and a lot busier, than I expected it would be this time last year. I have learned a lot about research methods, evidence based practice and have come to look at various issues that I see from a slightly different perspective than I did before I started the course. My knowledge of skeletal anatomy has certainly come on a … Continue reading →

T is for Thrombosis

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Thrombosis is a blood clot that forms within a blood vessel and restricts blood flow. There are various causes and types of thrombosis, here we look at DVT – Deep Vein Thrombosis: What is DVT? This condition occurs when a vein is blocked by a blood clot. The risk factors leading to it can be many, including physical trauma, varicose veins, local infection, reduced circulation, immobility, pregnancy/childbirth, some types of cancer, surgery, certain contraceptive pills or other factors such as smoking or cardiovascular disease. Signs & Symptoms The most common things are pain, heat, redness, localised itchiness, swelling and the … Continue reading →

S is for Stretching

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We’re asked many times about stretching so here’s a summary of the most frequent questions we hear: Why do I need to stretch? First ask yourself what you want to achieve from stretching, then you’ll be closer to knowing why. Here’s a quick summary of the key benefits: Better range of movement Better force production throughout that range of movement (power) More efficient blood flow (and nutrient flow) to the muscles More efficient removal of metabolic waste – both of these mean more efficient muscular recovery from aerobic AND anaerobic activity Better proprioception – knowing exactly where your body is … Continue reading →

R is for Rest

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We have written about rest before (read previous articles on Rest Days and Overtraining), so why write about it again? Well, to be frank, the lack of rest is still a major factor in many issues we deal with – some people just do not rest enough. Here’s a few thoughts for you to ponder on when you are wanting to squeeze in that extra training session: Yes, it’s a gym environment/running track/*insert your sports arena. Yes you come here to train, to put yourself through a gruelling regime and come out the other side a hardened, forged athlete. This isn’t the … Continue reading →

Q is for Quadriceps

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As the name would imply, the quadriceps muscle group has four muscles: rectus femoris, vastus intermedius, vastus medialis and vastus lateralis. These muscles are what we commonly know as our thigh muscles, and are responsible for extending the knee (i.e. straightening the lower leg) – and also providing a braking force when running downhill or stopping suddenly. Rectus femoris also flexes the hip – as it attaches to the pelvis (at the anterior inferior iliac spine). Rectus femoris and vastus intermedius are situated down the central portion of your thigh and act on the knee centrally with power when extending … Continue reading →