Category Archives: physiotherapy

Is sponsorship detrimental to athletes health?

 
Comments Off on Is sponsorship detrimental to athletes health?

I’ll begin with a quote from a podcast I’ve just finished listening to: “Lets get a brand to put money behind the health of the athletes instead of behind the medals”. – that was a comment on a blog about RED-S by Trent Stellingwerff – (it was the Science of Sport podcast, if you’re interested). I don’t disagree with this sentiment, in fact I wholeheartedly encourage it, but I do see a couple of problems with it. In the world of elite sport, it would seem that one thing matters to sponsors. Medals. Medals bring fame, occasionally notoriety, but above … Continue reading →

Myth 3 – There is a perfect posture/leg length

 
Comments Off on Myth 3 – There is a perfect posture/leg length

Have you ever been told that your running/cycling/backpain etc is a result of leg length differences? Interesting. Have you ever met ANYONE with exactly the same length of legs? No? Quite. We are NOT symmetrical. In fact, if you can find me a person who is exactly symmetrical I’d love to meet them. The rest of us have to make do – and there are many many people out there with various leg length differences etc. who are running/cycling etc quite painlessly. No symptoms. Nothing. Does this mean that leg length is totally unhelpful in diagnosing problems? Not quite. I … Continue reading →

Myth 2 – you shouldn’t squat

  ,
Comments Off on Myth 2 – you shouldn’t squat

The number of times I have heard people say that they have been told they “shouldn’t squat”- or do anything with any kind of weight – is fairly high. I don’t know who gives this advice out, but I’d like to meet them and have a bit of a friendly word. My main problem with this is that the squat is a normal, regular human movement. In fact, every time you sit down, you do the down portion of a squat, and every time you stand up, you do the up portion of the squat. Why do I get a bee … Continue reading →

Thorsday 1

 
Comments Off on Thorsday 1

As ever, I’ve been wondering about how to get information out to people who need it, rather than wait for them to have an issue and see if they come for physio. This is in direct continuation of a previous post about “Inevitable decline?“- or trying not to become weaker as you get older.  Intervention is much better than reaction, and so I came up with the idea of Thorsday. A weekly focus on Strength work- handily on Thorsday (or, Thursday, if you prefer). The idea is that over the next few weeks and months I’ll post up a video … Continue reading →

Where do you tie your shoe laces?

 
Comments Off on Where do you tie your shoe laces?

Ok- I’m not looking for the trite answer of “on the top of my shoes”- I’m thinking specifically, and the reason I ask is because it can show a couple of interesting things, and also leads to some difficult to solve (if you havent been noticing) problems. Minor case study I had a fellrunner come in for ankle pain a while ago . It was just one ankle, on the lateral (outside) area. His training had not changed in the past few weeks- similar distance, ascent, training load etc, so none of the classic problems that precede something going “wrong”. … Continue reading →

Myth 1 – I shouldn’t lift weights

  , ,
Comments Off on Myth 1 – I shouldn’t lift weights

I saw a patient with back pain the other day. Formerly a strong guy, rugby player, used to go to the gym etc. He still does gardening, but because of a previous injury many years ago, he had been warned off any type of heavy lifting, running or significant activity. He came to see me after carrying a 2 year old grandchild around a museum for half a day. So here’s a thing. A formerly strong and fit person who got back pain from carrying a kid around a museum- and in his day to day life, he doesn’t really … Continue reading →