Tag Archives: Sports & Remedial Massage Therapy

I is for ITB

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Illiotibial bands – or ITBs have been mentioned a number of times before on this blog. However, it’s always good to revisit things as there is pretty much always something more to say. If you are a runner or a cyclist you may well have had some kind of issue with the Illiotibial Band, the connection of fascia from the hip area down to the knee area. If you have issues either in your hip or in your feet which make your gait somewhat less efficient than normal, the ITB can “tighten” and pain results in the knee area. It … Continue reading →

G is for Golgi Tendon Organ

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A golgi what? I hear you saying. We agree, it’s not the most enticing blog title, but bear with us. The golgi tendon organ (GTO) is an important neuro-physiological sensory receptor of the peripheral nervous system (which basically means it connects the brain to the outside world) which we, as soft tissue therapists, need to know about. So we thought we’d share some of that knowledge with you. These sensory receptors are found wrapped in the collagen fibres of tendons. They primarily detect increases in tension in the tendon, and therefore muscle tension. Their primary job is to protect muscle … Continue reading →

Hope Wakes Fell Race

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Well, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Fell race from this perspective. Standing around at the beginning, not in a vest or shorts, watching loads of runners that I know going in and registering, and standing by the start with an icecream and a camera watching them all speed off into the distance. Yes, we were back at Hope Wakes Fell Race yesterday. A year ago I ran around the course and then helped out with the post-race massage. Lynne was also there, massaging away but did not run the race. This year was only slightly different in that … Continue reading →

E is for Epicondylitis

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Introduction Epicondylitis is an overuse injury of the elbow. When the lateral (outside) structures are affected the condition is more commonly known as Tennis Elbow (or lateral epicondylitis) and when medial (inside) structures are affected it is known as Golfer’s Elbow (no prizes for guessing this is medial epicondylitis). What is Epicondylitis and why does it happen? The main difference between medial and lateral epicondylitis is which specific structures around the elbow suffer from overuse, injury or irritation. Lateral – the main area of concern are the extensors muscles of the hand which attach to the lateral epicondyle (a bony … Continue reading →

C is for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

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What is this condition? Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a condition where the median nerve (the one which innervates your thumb, first three fingers and half of the fourth finger) is compressed as it passes through the tunnel of bones and soft tissues at the wrist. Swelling around the wrist or flexor tendons can be contributing factors; pressure is placed on the nerve as it passes through the tunnel. Fluid retention during pregnancy or obesity can increase the risk of this condition because the size of the tunnel is reduced, again, putting pressure on the nerve. The other major contributing factor … Continue reading →

A is for Adductors

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An interesting muscle group that doesn’t really get the attention in a lot of massages – and they should. Found on the inside of your upper leg, they are involved mainly in 2 actions, adduction – pulling your leg toward the midline, and also extension – pulling your leg backwards. (not all of them do this, but bear with me as this isn’t meant to be a physiological tour de force, just an introduction). There are 5 adductors, Pectinius, Adductor Brevis, Adductor Longus, Adductor Magnus and Gracilis. They all start on the lower area of the pelvis and attach in … Continue reading →