First 4 Therapy

25/01/2022

Continuing with my series of posts on injury prevention in runners.

Achilles Tendinopathy

Achilles tendinopathy presents as pain, stiffness or swelling in the tendon that runs down the back of the leg to your heel. It usually occurs in stages and if the early warning signs such as pain during or after a run are ignored, can progress to swelling and daily tendon pain whist going up and down stairs. Squeezing the tendon will also be painful.
Tibialis posterior tendinopathy presents as pain and swelling on the inside of the ankle, close to the Achilles tendon.
Peroneal tendinopathy is not as common and presents as pain and swelling on the outside of the ankle, mainly occurring after ankle sprains.

Training errors account for as much as 60-80% of runners with tendon problems.
Rapid increases in distance or speed, change of running terrain and not enough rest between training are quite often the cause.

How can you prevent these injuries?

Watch how much and how often you load the tendon. Increase your weekly running mileage by 10%.

Work on either speed or distance but not both together.

Make sure to have rest days between runs.

Your calf muscles give you the push-off needed when running.
The Soleus muscle which runs from your calf to your heel is important for endurance running and the Gastrocnemius for sprinting and speed.

Strengthening the calf muscles with these exercises is a good way to prepare your tendons for running

To target the soleus muscle
Seated heel raises with both legs
Seated single heel raise. You can progress this by doing it with a weight on the knee.

For calf muscle strength
Isometric calf raise.
1. Start by going up on your toes and then holding at the top position
2. You can hold at the top for 45 seconds then take a 2 minute break and repeat up to 5 reps 2x daily
Short hold of

18/01/2022

Plantar fasciitis
Planta - Fash-ee-ahy-tis) usually presents as heel pain sometimes radiating to the arch of the foot. Studies have found that reduced calf flexibility as well as foot muscle weakness correlates with plantar fasciitis.

To avoid this all too common pain - first, make sure you have the correct footwear when you go exercising. This doesn’t mean going to buy the most expensive trainers on the market, but make sure they are light, comfortable, the right size and done up correctly to support your feet (not too tight though!). Flat feet/ high arched feet are more predisposed to Plantar Fasciitis. Runner’s World shops do a slow motion video assessment of your feet whilst running, assess abnormalities and suggest footwear.

Find out more about this here: http://www.runnersworld.ltd.uk/acatalog/Gait-Analysis

Alternatively it may be a good idea to see a musculoskeletal podiatrist and have your feet assessed for insoles. This is a great way to make sure that you can keep up a sustainable exercise regime which will provide the long term benefits you are looking for.

Here is a video of some simple and fun exercises you can do to strengthen the small muscles of the foot .

1. Begin by sitting and progress to standing scrunches with both feet, then to scrunches standing on one foot.

2. Pick up a small object – for example a cotton ball - with one foot and place it into a small cup on the floor.

Begin in sitting and progress to standing - sets of 10 reps of each exercise.

Aim to do these exercises x 3 times per week, this will mean you stand a much better chance of avoiding Plantar Fasciitis.

I will show calf stretches in my next post on the Ankle

11/01/2022

Getting fit and losing weight are usually high on the list of New Year’s resolutions.

While exercising to get fit is fantastic, it should not be a cause for injury!

As a Physiotherapist I think an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. I wouldn't want anyone to find themselves in pain when they could have simply avoided it.

Avoiding common Sports Injuries

Different sports make different demands on the body so there is no one size fits all when it comes to prevention. A key factor to consider is the part of the body which is being used and what role proper preparation for exercise can have on your ability to do it for long periods without experiencing discomfort.

Warming up muscles before exercise can seem time consuming but the role of proper warm ups cannot be overstated, especially in cold weather or if you have had previous muscle injuries. There are many benefits including increasing circulation around the body and ensuring that the muscles themselves are not under as much strain when you do start exercising.

If you are looking to discuss what specific exercises and warm-ups would be good to do in order to avoid injuries in different sports, you can always email me at admin@first4therapy.com and I will be happy to help.

Running is usually a popular choice in January – there is nothing better than putting on a pair of trainers and hitting the road on a crisp winter’s morning. It is also a leading cause of small-scale aches and pains for this very reason.
I'm going to do a series of posts on how to avoid injuries whilst running 'from the ground up" so look out for my next post on Plantar Fasciitis

03/01/2022

Happy New Year !!
Most of us begin the new year with lots of good resolutions about being active and fit. But I thought it might also be a good time to celebrate today _ The Festival of Sleep day.
Sleep is one of the most important human activities. Our bodies rest, heal and develop during sleep. It also helps to process and preserve memory.
Poor sleep and lack of sleep can have multiple adverse effects on our mind and bodies.
So how do we celebrate today? That's easy _ Get into your favourite PJ's and crawl into bed.
Having an uncluttered, calm and temperature controlled environment helps good sleep As does a warm drink and half an hour of no-screen time before bed.
Sweet Dreams!!

10/11/2021

For a good recovery after a total knee replacement, it's really important to have early physiotherapy input to restore strength and mobility. Here at First4Therapy I use soft tissue release, scar management, strengthening exercises, gait training and mobilisation of the joint to get good results. This gentleman was very motivated and keen to get back to golf_ so 7 weeks after surgery, this is how he's doing. We work together to make it better!

02/11/2021

In order to treat shoulder pain effectively, a good clinical assessment is essential. MRI scans and ultrasound scans back up clinical diagnosis. What is the best treatment?
Usually a combination of manual therapy, ultrasound and laser therapy, soft tissue release, acupuncture and exercise.

03/04/2021

So pleased to be recognised again by our organisation Physio First for providing good,quality care to my patients. An independent audit of how well patients do after coming for physiotherapy to First4Therapy

08/01/2021

First4Therapy remains open during this trying time
to provide relief from pain, improve your mobility and function and the quality of your life
we are open for Virtual as well as Face to face consultations.
In order to keep everyone safe
we are following a strict cleaning protocol
Every treatment surface is wiped with virucidal spray and wipes
The treatment room is aired between patients
PPE is worn by the therapist
All patients are required to wear masks &
complete a Covid 19 risk assessment
Temperature is taken on arrival and sanitising hand gel provided in reception
Treatment is by prior appointment only
Please either call 01277 841118 or email admin@first4Therapy.com
Stay safe everyone

11/11/2020

It's great to see a fellow physio get the recognition she deserves!

Across a race weekend, physiotherapist Angela Cullen is a near-constant presence at the side of her charge Lewis Hamilton – a fact which has earned her cult status among some F1 fans. And standing on the brink of his seventh championship, Hamilton has hailed the relationship the pair enjoy as “t...