If you are a seasoned cyclist or just someone who just enjoys cycling to work, it doesn’t matter, there will be something of value in this blog for you.

This article will outline what to do when you have an injury, it will explain when you need to seek help, and it will help you with injury prevention. There are potentially many different causes of injury.  It can be down to lack of experience or environmental hazards; it can also be down to rider errors, lack of self-care, overuse, or inadequate equipment.

Common Cycling Injuries

Typical injuries that happen during cycling include low-back pain, IT band syndrome and hip bursitis. Other injuries that often occur include patello-femoral pain, neck pain and wrist pain. There is also a possibility that you might suffer from one of the following; cyclist palsy, Achilles tendonitis or ilio-psoas tendonitis.

Immediate Care for Cycling Injuries: The PRICE method

Protection

It may be necessary to limit movement during the initial phases of injury to protect the tendons, ligaments and the affected joint. One way of protecting an injury is to use a splint or a support.

Rest

Often sporting individuals feel frustrated with an injury and during exercise, they try to “push through the pain”. Afterall, the old adage is “no pain, no gain”, right?!

Actually, that’s wrong in the majority of cases. Each case is individual and this aspect of “PRICE” must be discussed with a healthcare professional.

Reducing the amount of daily activity and use of the injured area and avoid training is often advisable during this initial stage of injury.

You need to leave a suitable amount of healing time for the affected tissues and joints. The “rest” aspect of care is often overlooked or isn’t followed for long enough.

Ice

Also known as cryotherapy, the use of ice is a widely recognised form of initial injury treatment. It is beneficial in the early stages of injury to help to:

• temporarily reduce blood flow to the area by a process known as vasoconstriction,
• reduce the temperature of the tissues,
• aid in the relaxation of muscle,
• reduce swelling and inflammation,
• reduce pain,
• and act as a temporary numbing agent.

Compression

Applying compression to the initial stages of the injury can aid in the reduction or prevention of excess swelling. You can use a compression bandage made from elasticated material.

Elevation

If a part of a limb is injured, elevation of the limb can help with recovery. This is due to the effect of gravity aiding drainage of the affected area, aiding the reduction of swelling and therefore decreasing pain.

When to get professional advice on cycling injuries

If you have:

• severe pain, especially whilst walking
• severe swelling
• altered sensation in your hands, arms, feet or legs.

If in doubt, get in contact with the NHS via the 111 service and they can direct you to the most appropriate care provider.

How to Prevent Injuries Associated with Cycling

There are many different ways in which you could help you prevent an injury from occurring:

• Efficient warm up
• Adequate cool down
• Regular sports massage or manual therapy
• Effective training
• Good hydration levels
• Appropriate nutrition
• Foam rolling techniques
• Booking a bike fit
• Kinesio-tape

We hope this information is useful for you. If you have any questions about our treatments, please contact us. You can find us  in Islington and in Mill Hill Broadway. If you like this blog, please share!

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The Achilles tendon is a thick bundle of collagen that runs from the strong muscles of the calves down to the ankle bone. The Achilles tendon is long and thick and is made to work incredibly hard. Unfortunately, it has relatively poor blood supply and is therefore hard to keep supple. It can take a long time to repair if damaged.

If you start to feel pain or discomfort in this area, it is a signal that you simply mustn’t ignore. Achilles tendonitis, and other damage to the Achilles can signal the start a long lay off from training, and could significantly hamper performance in the future if not managed properly.

Here we give a quick overview of how to look after the Achilles, and suggest how to treat.

Managing the Achilles tendon

The best way to manage Achilles tendon pain is to do everything you can to minimise injury risk in the first place.

The Achilles takes a hefty load and needs time to adapt and recover when workloads are increased. The general rule of thumb for increasing workload (especially with runners) is no more than a 10% increase a week. As with so many injuries, Achilles problems are often down to overuse. Look to err on the side of caution when increasing mileage, speed or intensity in training.

Cross-training is an often over-looked part of a training regime. Runners in particular have a tendency to pound the pavement without recourse to different modes of training. If you are involved with a high impact sport, experiment with exercises that involve less impact on the Achilles such as cycling or swimming. Think of it as a period of active recovery!

The Achilles is vulnerable to impact on hard or slippery surfaces. Look to vary the types of surfaces you train on to take some of the shock out of the Achilles. Also ensure you wear clothing that allows the Achilles to stay warm. The restricted blood flow that was mentioned earlier means that the Achilles is in danger of rupturing or tearing if it gets to cool.

Investigate the full range of stretches for the Achilles. These should include passive and active stretches as well as dynamic stretching if necessary. Always remember to include a bent knee calf stretch as well as a traditional calf stretch.

Treatment for Achilles injuries

There are some elements of treating an Achilles injury that fit in to the normal recommendations. Rest is an absolute must and icing can be used in the early stages if there is excess swelling in the area.

However, due to the fact that the Achilles is such a thick mass of collagen, stretching (even gentle stretching) can actually hamper your recovery. This is because a damaged Achilles tendon does not return to its smooth state once the healing process takes place. Excessive stretching in the early stages can be like tugging on a knotted rope and may be counter-productive.

For this reason, I’d strongly recommend regular massage to loosen tightness in the calves and to help regain proper range of motion in the ankle.

And as an advance mode of recovery look into incorporating eccentric heel drops into your rehabilitation. These can be complicated to perform properly, so invest in some expert supervision to make sure you execute them properly.

We hope this information is useful for you. If you have any questions about our treatments, please contact us. You can find us in Mill Hill Broadway and Islington. If you like this blog, please share!

We are always happy to help.

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You get out of bed in the morning and the first few steps cause a sharp pain. Be careful! You may have plantar fasciitis. It’s an overuse injury that affects the sole of the foot.

It often starts gradually and only as mild pain. And bizarrely, you’re more likely to feel it after exercise rather than during exercise. But if you do get that pain first thing in the morning, or after a period of sitting down, the alarm bells should start ringing.

So what is Plantar Fasciitis? And what measures should you take to look after yourself?

What is Plantar Fasciitis?

Understanding Plantar Fasciitis

Imagine pressing your foot down on the accelerator or brake of your car. The technical name for this movement is plantar flexion. It involves your calf muscles but also the muscles in the bottom of your feet. Plantar fasciitis is a condition that affects theses muscles in the bottom of the feet.

Obviously your feet have to work very hard. They take your full body weight, and when you run, the forces that are exerted through the feet are intensified. To help protect you from these forces there is a specific band of tissue that supports the arch of your foot. It’s known as the plantar fascia, and it’s a ligament that connects your heel bone to your toes.

Unfortunately however, if the fascia is overworked it can become inflamed. This condition is known as plantar fasciitis. Certain factors will put you at a higher risk of suffering the condition. These include being overweight, spending a lot of time walking or running on hard surfaces, having high or low heel arches, and having tight or inflexible calf muscles.

How to deal with Plantar Fasciitis

As with most injuries start with complete rest. In the early stages remember to regularly ice the heel. But as it is such a common injury there are a number of other potential solutions to the problem as well.

One of the most ingenious is the plantar fasciitis night splint. The idea of the splint is simply to keep your fascia ligament stretched while you sleep. This works by keeping the ankle bent throughout the night.

Many people have found that by wearing a splint it can help them walk more easily in the mornings. They start to notice less pain in the following weeks. But although the night splint can be very effective, many people find them inconvenient to use.

As I alluded to earlier, tight calf muscles often compound the problem of plantar fasciitis. To counter this regular calf stretching can help. Be sure to include a bent knee calf stretch as well as a straight knee calf stretch to make sure that both calf muscles are stretched thoroughly.

If you are still training, try putting an arch in your training shoe. This helps to take some of the stress off the fascia. This is particularly useful if you have a low arch in the foot.

And finally, don’t forget to book in for a massage. This can not only help with the immediately affected area, but can help to redress associated muscle imbalances as well, and will help guard against further injury.

We hope this information is useful for you. If you have any questions about our treatments, please contact us. You can find us in Mill Hill Broadway and Islington. If you like this blog, please share!

We are always happy to help.

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Shin splints – a kick in the shins to the recreational athlete!

That’s exactly how it can feel. Shin splints is an acute pain. It is however a general term that refers to a pain down the front of the lower leg or shins. It is a pain that is brought on by exercise, often in runners who run on hard surfaces, but it is also commonly found from participants in stop-start sports like tennis and basketball.

Let’s take a closer look at what to do for shin splints – the symptoms, the ways to prevent them and possible treatments.

What to do for shin splints

Recognising the symptoms of shin splints

If you are suffering discomfort in the lower leg, there are some common symptoms of shin splints that should throw up red flags for you.

In the early stages you may experience shin splints as a dull ache. However, upon further exercise the dull ache starts to turn to a sharp pain, often down the inner part of the lower leg. This can sometimes be accompanied by swelling in the lower leg and a numbness or weakness in the feet.

Shin splints can progress at an alarming rate. It is therefore important to get the problem checked out during the earliest signs of discomfort.

How to avoid shin splints

Many recreational athletes are so passionate about their chosen sport that they fail to condition the whole body. Rather than focusing on running to stay fit, or playing squash to stay fit; you should reverse the order. Stay fit and condition yourself to better enjoy the sport or activity you are involved in.

Like so many injuries shin splints is often an overuse injury. Investigate different workouts and routines that support your fitness so that you are nor overloading and fatiguing the body through repetitive movements. If there are any medical malpractice claims during injury treatments, then lawyers can be hired to solve the issues.

Also factor rest into your schedule. It is tempting to overdo it, but remember that a little discipline in the early stages can prevent a tonne of regret further down the line.

Other practical measures can include using shock absorbing insoles, reducing the workload on hard or uneven surfaces and increasing exercise intensity gradually. If you are feeling brave, you might even want to learn about barefoot running.

How to treat shin splints

As always rest first. Take a break from your normal activity. The pain may subside quite quickly once you start resting, but be disciplined enough to take at least a couple of weeks out.

If you have experienced any swelling icing is important, but so too is elevation. Elevation isn’t just about having your feet on the sofa. For good recovery you’ll want to lie down and elevate the leg higher than the heart. In addition, you may want to consider wearing elastic compression bandages. Athletes have been taking this muscle rub from Synchronicity Hemp Oil and reporting back some very strong relaxation effects. They say the product has also relieved their chronic pain, making them feel much better overall!

And how about massage? I have avoided getting too technical with the different types of shin splint. However, one very common kind of shin splint, anterior compartment syndrome, responds particularly well to the right kind of massage.

As a final word of warning, there are some situations where the pain is particularly severe and surgery may be necessary. Always seek a medical opinion before exercising through pain.

We hope this information is useful for you. If you have any questions about our treatments, please contact us. You can find us in Mill Hill Broadway and Islington. If you like this blog, please share!

We are always happy to help.

The post What to do for shin splints appeared first on Perea Clinic.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) has a nasty habit of creeping up on you very slowly. It often takes people by surprise and can not only be very frustrating, but in some cases, quite devastating.

But what is it? In this blog you will find what it is and how massage can help you to get rid of symptoms. Let´s start…

How is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Caused?

It is caused by the compression of the median nerve. The median nerve is partially responsible for controlling the sensations and movement in your hands.

The median nerve and several tendons run from your forearm to your hand through a small space in your wrist called the carpal tunnel (hence the name!).

The compression of the nerve comes from a cumulative effect of seemingly insignificant stresses that accumulate over time. At some point, often very suddenly, they cause intense nerve reactions. 

Is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome the same as Repetitive Stress Injury?

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is an injury that can result from Repetitive Stress Injuries(RSI). Loosely speaking, RSI is the cause of the problem and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is the effect.

The first signs that you have it when you get tingling, and sometimes numbness, in the hands and fingers. Sometimes it comes on more quickly and you start to feel pain straight away.

At other times it will manifest as dull ache in your forearm or hand, or an unpleasant feeling of pins and needles.

What should you do if you feel Carpal Tunnel Syndrome coming on?

The first advice is don’t ignore it. Don’t treat it as just an inconvenience. Even if the symptoms feel relatively mild, you must be aware that it can escalate very quickly. The sooner you start remedying it the better.

Stop the activities that are exacerbating it. Typically this will be either excessive typing or use of your worktop mouse. It is possible to use your non-dominant hand to control your mouse – it’s tricky at first – but you will get used to it sooner than you think. This will give your dominant hand a much needed rest.

As always, ice the inflamed area. If the symptoms are quite strong, consider icing your wrist for 10 to 15 minutes 1 or 2 times an hour. Also consider taking anti-inflammatories to relieve the pain and swelling.

Think about wearing a splint for your wrist at night. This may help  to take pressure off your median nerve. And of course, seek further medical advice if necessary.

Can massage help?

Yes of course. Massage helps by promoting circulation, relieving inflammation, helping to remove metabolic residues, and soothing the irritated muscles and tendons. It may not offer a complete cure, but it can be instrumental in the recovery process.

In addition to massage you should learn some basic stretches and also be sure to learn some relevant strengthening exercises.

…. And once your recovery is under way be sure to understand good posture and the correct techniques for using a mouse and keyboard, to prevent any further damage in the future.

We hope this information is useful for you. If you have any questions about our treatments, please contact us. You can find us in Islington and Mill Hill Broadway. If you like this blog, please share!

We are always happy to help.

The post How to Treat Carpal Tunnel Syndrome appeared first on Perea Clinic.

Rory McIlroy recently pulled out of this year’s Open Championship due to an uncommon golf injury.

But if you spend more time swinging at a little white ball than kicking at an inflated pig’s bladder, what injuries should you be wary of?

Here we take a look at some of the more common golf injuries. We look at how they can be treated and give a couple of tips on how to minimise them.

What are the most common injuries in golf?

The single most common injury is lower back pain. This, unsurprisingly, is followed by injuries to the elbow and shoulders. Amateur golfers tend to have more problems with their elbows, whilst the pros are vulnerable to wrist injuries.

Although the golf swing is a short duration and powerful movement, the majority of injuries are over-use injuries as opposed to acute injuries. In other words, it is the small mistakes that you make repeatedly that put you most at risk.

The low back problems often occur due to the unusual trajectory of a golf swing. The power is sent through the legs prior to the lower back simultaneously twisting and extending. This is a particularly unnatural movement.

Unfortunately, the lumbar region of the spine isn’t well designed for these combined forces. And the problem is exacerbated by the reduced flexibility that sitting at a desk most of the day induces.

The elbow and shoulder injuries tend to be a result of bad swing mechanics. Elbow injuries in particular are often the result of hitting the ground before the ball.

Looking after common golf injuries

Once you feel a back, elbow or shoulder injury coming on you should immediately stop your golf and undergo a period of rest. Even mild exertion at this stage can further inflame the muscle.

In most cases it is wise to ice the area concerned. This should be done in short repeated sessions to bring down any inflammation. It’s also advisable to take something like Ibuprofen to reduce any swelling to a minimum.

Check up with your physician or GP before you start playing again, just to make sure you haven’t done anything that has caused more lasting damage.

How to prevent common golf injuries

For the lower back the key is to increase mobility and flexibility in that area. This includes decreasing tension in the areas close to the lower back such as the hips, glutes and the upper back. Deep tissue massage is definitely a good way to loosen up these areas.

It also important to be thorough in your warm up when you get to the golf course. The warm up should last at least 10 minutes and should include some easy swings of a 7-iron on the practice range to gradually increase range of motion.

To help prevent shoulder injuries it is important to incorporate strengthening exercises into your preparations. Work at strengthening the large muscles of the back and chest (the lats and the pecs). But most importantly build strength in the often neglected muscles of the rotator cuff. Try some exercise with a resistance band to strengthen these muscles.

With regard to your elbow, definitely work at exercises that increase your grip strength. Pull ups and assisted pull ups will certainly help. But above all, invest in some more golf lessons to make sure your technique is not letting you down. A small investment in good technique could save hours of painful physiotherapy!

We hope this information is useful for you. If you have any questions about our treatments, please contact us. You can find us in Islington and Mill Hill . If you like this blog, please share!

We are always happy to help.

The post How to Deal with Common Golf Injuries appeared first on Perea Clinic.

A pulled hamstring really can be one of the most irritating injuries. Knowing how to fully recover is vital. It is one of those injuries that has a nasty habit of coming back if it is not properly seen to.

But what exactly are the hamstrings? And what is the best way to look after them?

Pulled Hamstring – What is it?

The hamstrings are a collection of three muscles that run down the back of the thigh. They mainly help you to bend the knee, but are also involved in extending the leg.

They are long muscles that, during sport, are called on to produce forceful and often rapid contractions. As such, they are incredibly vulnerable to injury. They are particularly vulnerable when you are fatigued or if they have been overused with inadequate rest.

A pulled hamstring is the layman’s  term to describe when one of these muscles has become over-stretched or torn. The seriousness of the hamstring injury has grades:

• First grade refers to when the fibres are over-stretched but not torn.
• Second grade refers to a partial tear of the muscle or some of the fibres.
• Third grade refers to a complete tear or rupture (which thankfully are quite rare!).

The following advice is for grade 1 and 2 hamstring injuries. For grade 3 injuries you should seek medical advice.

Pulled hamstring recovery – What to do

One of the most tempting things to do after you have felt your hamstring pull is to try and stretch it off. But if it is a grade 2 injury and the fibres are torn, stretching can actually increase the damage.

The safest option after pulling your hamstring is to give it complete rest. As a general rule of thumb, a minimum of 72 hours rest is a good guide.

The next thing you are going to want to do is to ice it. After the injury, you should ice it as soon as possible. It helps to reduce swelling. A popular option is to wrap a bag of frozen peas in a tea towel and hold that firmly against the skin.

You should use an ice-pack (or your frozen peas) for 20 minute at a time. In the first few days, you should try and apply the ice multiple times. The early stages after the injury are crucial to your recovery.

As part of your rehabilitation, after a while, you’ll want to do some strengthening exercises. Functional strengthening exercises  are recommended as they more closely reflect the movements used during activity.

When you are further down the road  of recovery,  it’s good to incorporate light calisthenics in your warm up routines.

Pulled hamstring recovery – What not to do

In the first 72 hours immediately after the hamstring injury there are two things you must avoid.

• The first is heat. Stay away from hot baths or saunas.
• The second is alcohol. Alcohol will almost certainly increase the bleeding and swelling and slow down your recovery.
• Finally, after recovering, be sure to take a lot longer over your warm ups!

We hope this information is useful for you. If you have any questions about our treatments, please contact us. You can find us in Islington and  Mill Hill Broadway. If you like this blog, please share!

We are always happy to help.

The post How to Recover from a Pulled Hamstring appeared first on Perea Clinic.

Sporting injuries – The Secrets to Injury Prevention

How can you stop sports injuries, especially recurring injuries, from happening?

Let’s face it, whether you are a recreational or serious athlete, injuries are frustrating.

You are probably aware of the basics of how to keep yourself in shape – but it’s possible there are some simple errors you are making that increase your chances of injury.

Let’s run through a quick check and see how well prepared you are …

How to Stop Recurring Injuries

Unless you have been extremely lucky or are very young, you are likely to have had at least one or two injuries in your sporting life.

Whether it a be something minor like a mild hamstring strain, or something more serious like knee ligament damage, these are often the areas that end up being most vulnerable moving forward.

It stands to reason then, that one of the best ways to prevent injury is to stop old injuries recurring.

Sporting Injuries – The problem of scar tissue

If you have over-stretched, torn, strained or sprained a muscle, there is a better than average chance your body has created scar tissue as part of the healing process.

Regardless of how the soft-tissue injury occurred, the healing process is pretty much the same.  The injuries usually happen because the muscle has been forced to stretch and contract at the same time. This damages and weakens the site of the injury.

When scar tissue forms after injury, your body has produced excess collagen. The initial collagen production is there to add strength to the site of the injury, but any excess production can make the site more rigid and inflexible.

To use an analogy, the muscle becomes a bit like a paint brush that you haven’t cleaned properly after use. It becomes more rigid and inflexible the next time you try and use it. This creates extra tension in that area which  increasing the risk of repeat injury.

The two best ways to treat scar tissue are with ultra-sound (which will help but can’t do the whole job). And through deep tissue massage, which will definitely help to give a more thorough breakdown of the offending scar tissue.

Other causes of injury

There are of course many other causes of injury. But here are 3 more things you are possibly doing wrong that you can rectify right away.

The wrong kind of warm up.

A warm up should be progressive and gradual. In other words it should be like going through the gears in a car. For many, a warm up is a slow gentle jog that proceeds a full sprint. It’s like going from first to top gear – it just doesn’t make sense. Allow time in your warm up for the body to get properly prepared.

Lack of recovery time

What ever your sport you need time to rest and recuperate. Many injuries are overuse injuries. You should plan and stick to rest days in the same way you plan and stick to training days.

Lack of cool down

Collapsing on the sofa at the end of a long run doesn’t constitute a cool down. The body has to re-adapt to any stresses you put on it. Whatever your sport, be sure to stretch and allow the body time to gradually cool down at the end of your training.

We hope this information is useful for you. If you have any questions about our treatments, please contact us. You can find us in Islington and Mill Hill Broadway. If you like this blog, please share!

We are always happy to help!

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