Hampstead Osteopathy

28/03/2026

The Ultimate Spring Marathon Countdown 🥇

That "post-marathon" feeling... there is truly nothing like it. Whether you are prepping for London, Brighton, Manchester, or any of the other Spring Marathons, you’ve done the hard work. The long Sunday runs are in the bank.

Now, we enter the most "nervous" part of the cycle: The Taper.

It’s tempting to try and squeeze in one last "test" run, but now is the time to let your body repair, store energy, and prepare for the 26.2-mile challenge ahead. To help you navigate the final countdown, I’ve put together two essential guides covering everything from your final runs to your recovery.

Step 1: The Taper (Weeks 3 to 1)
Tapering isn’t just "running less"—it’s a strategic recovery phase. In this guide, I break down:

Mileage Reduction: How to scale back without losing your "edge."

The Carb-Loading Phase: Why the "massive pasta meal" the night before is a myth (and what to do instead).

The "Taper Blues": Why feeling sluggish right now is actually a sign that your body is recovering correctly.

📖 Read the Tapering Guide here: https://hampsteadosteopathy.com/marathon-tapering-the-final-countdown-nutrition-performance/

Step 2: Race Day & Recovery
Once you’ve mastered the taper, you need a plan for the day itself. This guide covers:

The "Wall": How to manage your pace to avoid the 20-mile crash.

Post-Race Protocol: What to do in the first 48 hours after the finish line to speed up your muscle recovery.

Injury Prevention: How to listen to your body when the adrenaline is high.

📖 Read the Race Day Strategy here: https://hampsteadosteopathy.com/marathon-day-race-strategy-and-recovery/

Trust your training, respect the rest, and I look forward to seeing all those finisher medals on my feed soon!



Queen's Park Harriers TCS London Marathon

29/09/2025

⚠️ Calling all runners! New research highlights a major factor in preventing overuse injuries. 🏃‍♀️💨

A comprehensive new study of over 5,200 runners, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, sheds light on injury risk, suggesting that the distance of your single runs may be more critical than traditional weekly mileage increases.

The study found a significantly increased risk of an overuse injury when the distance of a single running session exceeds 10% of the longest run you completed in the past 30 days.

This suggests that rapidly increasing the length of one run (a "single-session spike") is a high-risk factor.

The practical tip? Focus on consistency and avoid large, sudden jumps. Check your training logs! If your longest run last month was 8 miles, keep your next long run under 8.8 miles.
Run smarter: Prioritize a gradual, session-by-session progression to help keep you healthy and on the road!

You can read my blog post about the research here: https://hampsteadosteopathy.com/the-new-10-percent-rule-to-avoid-running-injuries/

or Read the full study abstract here: https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/59/17/1203

Unlock the secret to how to avoid running injuries! New research reveals the single-session 10% rule is more critical than weekly mileage

25/08/2025

This is good research about Achilles tendinopathy treatment protocols

What are the latest guidelines for Achilles Tendinopathy?

Chimenti et al. (2024) published an extensive update of the Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG) for Achilles Tendinopathy. It’s open access so I’d recommend reading it in full (reference below).

Exercise should be a first line treatment and should be combined with education about tendinopathy, pain and load management.

Rehab should be progressive and can include all contraction types - eccentric, heavy slow resistance, isometric and plyometrics where tolerated.

Those with irritable symptoms and low load tolerance may benefit from lower-level exercises initially with education and interventions to help reduce pain.

Patient’s with high load tolerance and low irritability may be able to start with higher levels of load, for example progressing from 15RM to 6RM over approximately 12 weeks (see Beyer et al. 2015).

It should be noted that in many areas there was minimal evidence or contradictory findings. In some areas, such as stretching, no evidence update was provided so previous recommendations from the 2018 CPG were retained.

Shockwave therapy was not included in this review as it was considered outside of typical scope of practice. However, Iontophoresis was included and recommended with moderate evidence (grade B) despite it not being used widely in practice.

🗣️What do you think? Anything you’d add or change?

Reference:
Chimenti RL, Neville C, Houck J, Cuddeford T, Carreira D, Martin RL. Achilles Pain, Stiffness, and Muscle Power Deficits: Midportion Achilles Tendinopathy Revision - 2024. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2024 Dec;54(12):CPG1-CPG32. doi: 10.2519/jospt.2024.0302. PMID: 39611662.

07/04/2025

Marathon season is here! 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️ Are you ready for the final countdown? In my latest blog post, I dive into the crucial 3 weeks before the big race: tapering, nutrition, and performance. Learn how to optimize your rest, nail your carb-loading, and hit the starting line feeling strong! Check it out here:

https://hampsteadosteopathy.com/marathon-tapering-the-final-countdown-nutrition-performance/

Master the Marathon Taper: This guide outlines a 3-week tapering strategy, including mileage reduction, quality training, and essential nutrition tips. Learn how to optimize your body and mind for peak performance on race day.

04/12/2024

Suffering from sciatica pain? Learn about the causes, symptoms, and treatment options for this common condition. Read my latest guide for expert advice and tips. https://shorturl.at/ZNSOs

nerve

28/11/2024

What's the Difference Between an Osteopath, Chiropractor, and Physio?

As an osteopath with 16 years of experience, this is one of the most common questions I get asked. While these professions share similarities, they each have unique approaches to treating the body.
To help clarify, I’ve finally put my thoughts into words! In my latest blog post, I break down the key differences and explain how each discipline works to support your health and recovery.

I’d love to hear your thoughts! If you’ve had treatment from one (or all!) of these practitioners, what’s been your experience?

Check it out here: https://hampsteadosteopathy.com/whats-the-difference-betweeen-an-osteopath-chiropractor-and-physiotherapist/

I often get asked what the difference are between osteopaths, chiropractors, and physiotherapists? These three healthcare professions share a common goal of improving your well-being through manual therapy but differ in their approaches, techniques, and areas of focus. This guide breaks down their u...

30/07/2023

After several months in temporary accommodation I am delighted to say that the Hampstead Osteopathy clinic is back in West Hampstead one minute from West Hampstead Station on Broadhurst Gardens. You can book appointments online at www.hampsteadosteopathy.com

08/07/2022

I am very happy to introduce my new programme rehab2run, aimed at runners who want to get over injuries faster and prevent injuries in the future.

There are three different packages to chose from depending on your needs. Each one involves a comprehensive set of assessments and diagnosis using osteopathy, running analysis, strength capacity testing, flexibility and fundamental movement testing. At the end of this extended 90-minute appointment you will receive a personalised action plan booklet to help you become a better, stronger and more resilient runner.

Depending on which package you chose you will also have the opportunity to work 1:1 with coaches in running, strength and conditioning or reformer Pilates. You will also receive ongoing osteopathic follow up treatment sessions and phone support.

To celebrate the launch of rehab2run I am giving 20% off to the first 20 people who sign up at rehab2run.com. Just use the code R2R-launch20

03/10/2019

Interesting and practical research into returning to sport from knee injury.

Following an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, athletes typically undergo a battery of testing to help inform their readiness to return to sport. This battery...

20/07/2019

A helpful guide to different causes of calf pain.

Infografica su come differenziare fra 3 tipologie di dolore al polpaccio:

💪🏻 Muscolare
⚡️ Neurologico
💉 Vascolare

Che dire sulla diagnosi differenziale per quanto riguarda il tendine d'Achille❓

Dr. Peter Malliaras, esperto dell'arto inferiore, risponde al
quesito in questo eccellente post 👉 https://www.physio-network.com/achilles-tendon-differential-diagnosis-by-peter-malliaras-carly-johnson/?fbclid=IwAR0f6c7X63NvxROKyTucUKPfAGhuh5b9391clvNMzRNEKMIPBs4kZorauKA

Crediti immagine: Clinical Edge

22/05/2019

Exercise helps to prevent the degradation of cartilage caused by osteoarthritis, according to a new study from Queen Mary University of London.

19/04/2019

Here is an interesting animation explaining why our muscles get tired. Got to love TED-Ed