Tag Archives: Rehabilitation

Misconceptions – how many appointments do I need?

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Something that comes up when talking with people about physio and appointments is the number of treatments they might or might not need. I know that in the realms of the NHS, 3-4 and sometimes up to 6 appointments are often suggested and you continue to go until those appointments are done. There are other physios and other professions that also work on this kind of basis, suggesting, or sometimes insisting that you pay up front for a course of a number of sessions over the next few weeks or months so that you can come back whenever they deem … Continue reading →

P is for Pelvic Floor

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Your pelvic floor is a hammock or sling of muscles found in the base of your pelvis. Our pelvic floor supports the bowel, bladder and in women, the uterus, all the while, playing a role in supporting the spine. The combined forces of the pelvic floor muscles form a supporting mechanism for the pelvic viscera from below – imagine interlocked fingers cradling a bowl. This hammock of muscles also interacts with the diaphragm when the abdominal pressure inside changes – as happens when we breathe. Breathing can be affected by a weak pelvic floor, possibly contributing to dysfunctional breathing patterns. We … Continue reading →

Hydration

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We are bombarded by the media with messages to drink water. The volume quoted by many is 2 litres per day, but that’s irrelevant here. What we’re interested in is why. Why do we need to ensure our intake of water is sufficient? To explain that, a little physiology is called for. And a word of caution – figures quoted in different sources vary, what we have included here are estimates and averages, approximations if you like. But it is a good illustration of what the percentages are like. Human bodies are approximately 70% water. Just think about that for … Continue reading →

Have you gone mental yet? 

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This is the question that has been asked of me (Tim) a week after getting achillies tendonitis following a couple of back-to-back long runs, loaded with a rucksack. The implication being that if I don’t run then I’m basically going to go out of my head. Interesting. And to be fair, something that a lot of runners seem to think will happen, it’s like a self-fulfilling prophecy. You get injured, you announce to the world you can’t run, and wonder how long you’re going to cope before you drive yourself crazy because you can’t run. How odd. It’s been a week … Continue reading →

Coping with Injury

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Perhaps this is a good time to talk about injuries and coping with them, and maybe, how not to re-injure yourself through coming back too quickly. The reason for this is because I recently had my first DNF in a fell race, through an impact injury with a rock. A few days later, my knee was still pretty swollen, I couldn’t bend it so well… In fact I could barely walk up stairs. It was going to be a good couple of weeks, if not more, before I could actually get out to run, cycle, or even get on the rowing machine. … Continue reading →

Breathing, your diaphragm and strength training

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Is it your legs or lungs that give out first when you are running? It used to be a combination for me, but lately it’s swayed towards my lungs. I find that my legs feel as though they could run forever (obviously not if I’m sprinting) but my lungs just can’t suck enough air in. On a run the other day I recalled how Mo Farah’s face looked at the end of the Great North Run…mouth wide open, gulping in air as he pushed his body to the limit seeking that first place finish. You could see him desperately trying … Continue reading →