Susan Martin Soft Tissue Therapy

15/11/2025

A stitch is a pain in the abdomen (usually on the side) that's brought on by exercise. It is medically known as Exercise-related transient abdominal pain (ETAP) and the effects can range from sharp, stabbing pain to mild cramping, aching or pulling. At some point in their lives, most athletes will suffer from this debilitating, if short lived, condition so what causes it and how can we prevent it?
The exact cause of a stitch is unknown, but the leading theories are a lack of blood supply to the intestines (because it has been sent to the muscles) or irritation of the membrane lining the abdominal cavity (caused by repetitive movement of the exercise).
Prevention techniques include:
• Avoid eating large meals, fatty foods or dairy products 1-2 hours before exercise (Morton et al 2005).
• Belly breathing (rather than chest breathing) may help.
• Warming up prior to exercise with some movements designed to improve flexibility in the mid-back (Morton et al 2004).
• Get fitter - stitches are less common (but not unknown) in more experienced athletes. Their occurrence also usually decreases as we age.
• Strong trunk muscles, especially the deeper abdominal muscles, the transverse abdominus, may help by offering more support to abdominal organs and improving your posture.
• Decrease the length of your workout and up the intensity instead.
If you do get a stitch whilst exercising, try the following. They usually calm down pretty quickly and you can carry on:
• If you’re running, take a break or slow down to a walk.
• Breathe deeply and exhale slowly.
• Stretch your abdominal muscles by reaching one hand overhead.
• Stop moving and try pressing your fingers gently into the affected area while you bend your torso slightly forward.
• Stay hydrated while exercising, but avoid sugary sports drinks if they irritate your stomach.

12/11/2025

As part of my Continuous Professional Development, in early 2020, I completed a six - month course on how to adapt my massage techniques in order to help people who are either living with, having treatment for or who have recently finished treatment for Cancer.

This style of treatment is called Oncology Massage and the extra training helps me to understand the implications of the disease and treatment on my clients. This may be because of surgery, the side effects of the drug treatments, low immunity or skin problems from Radiotherapy.

Numerous studies have shown that massage can help to reduce common symptoms such as stress, nausea, pain, fatigue and depression that can be caused by living with this disease and the medical treatments involved. If you have had surgery, Scarwork™ therapy can improve the health of your scar tissue, increase range of movement at joints and have a positive impact on your body image.

MASSAGE CANNOT CURE CANCER. IT SHOULD ONLY BE USED AS A COMPLIMENTARY THERAPY.

If you are currently having treatment and your immunity is compromised, I would advise you to discuss with your medical team the pros and cons of seeing a therapist at this time due to the heightened risk from winter viruses. You may be able to access massage within a clinical setting. However, if you have finished treatment, feel relatively well and would like to find out more then please get in touch for a confidential chat.

10/11/2025

The football season is progressing nicely and many adults and children are playing regularly. This article on my website discusses common injuries and how to avoid them. Regular sports massage can also help to keep you in good shape throughout the season. As ever, if you have any questions or comments, please get in touch.

The most common footballing injuries, not surprisingly, tend to affect your lower limbs. From hips to feet, injuries from running, twisting, tackling and jumping are affecting athletes week in, week out, across the country. So how can you avoid the most common injuries and manage to play the whole s...

08/11/2025

With many of us still working from home, it’s really important to regularly review your workspace and make sure that you use your laptop in a way that is not going to put stress upon your back, neck and shoulders.
Here are some tips to make working on your laptop more ergonomic:
1. Take the laptop off your lap
This position is too low and makes it difficult to see the screen without putting strain on your neck muscles and eyes.
2. Raise the screen higher
Your eyes should naturally hit the top third of your screen when you look straight ahead.
You may need to use a separate keyboard and mouse to position your screen at eye level or invest in a separate screen so you can use the keyboard on the laptop.
3. Upgrade screen size
A smaller screen may cause you to strain to see text and objects. If you find yourself hunching forward to read from your screen, you can also increase the font size.
4. Put your feet up
If you have to raise your chair to position your arms and wrists comfortably, check to see how your legs are angled. Your feet should be flat on the floor, and your knees should be at an even height with your hips.
5. Find an ergonomic chair
Any office chair that is fully adjustable and has lumbar support should work, but you need to be sure to set it up correctly. Remember to sit all the way back in the chair so when you rest against it, the lumbar support is helping to maintain the natural curve in your lower back. As for your neck and head position, your ears should always be above your shoulders, not in front. If you need to use a dining chair, add a folded cushion to give support to your lower back.
6. Take breaks
Set a reminder on your phone to take a micro break every half hour or so. Get your eyes off the screen and let them rest on something in the distance. You can do simple stretches at your desk, such as stretching your neck, shoulders, arms, and legs. Every hour, leave your desk to walk around to get your blood flowing and muscles loose.
7. Stand up to work
For people who spend long hours working at a desk, try to spend an hour or two each day standing. One way to do this is to walk around whilst on the phone. A standing desk is very rare in the home office, but you could try using your ironing board!
This my office set up, separate screen, keyboard and mouse.
If you need any help or advice, please get in touch or comment below.

05/11/2025

Today is our National Stress Awareness Day. We all have to deal with stress during our lives and one way to help us manage it is through a self care programme. But what is Self Care and how can it help?
Self-care is a broad term that means being as kind to yourself as you would to others. It’s about realising when your mental and physical resources are running low and stepping back to replenish them. It can help prevent burnout and reduces the risk of being tempted by un-healthy coping mechanism such as drugs, alcohol or over-eating.
There are many benefits to self-care, the most obvious relate to mood and energy levels. However, research shows a wide range of benefits including:
1. Better productivity – When you learn to say “no” to unimportant things it brings your goals into focus and you can concentrate more.
2. Improved resistance to disease – Most self-care activities stimulate the Parasympathetic nervous system that controls rest and rejuvenation. This helps to strengthen the immune system.
3. Enhanced self-esteem – Treating yourself like you matter goes a long way towards discouraging your inner critic. This enables you to work towards your dreams with a renewed vigour.
4. You have more to give others – You may think that being good to yourself is Selfish, but self-care gives you the resources to help others more.

03/11/2025

Charcot Marie Tooth disease (CMT) is a group of genetic conditions that affect the peripheral nervous system. These nerves connect the Central nervous system to the rest of the body. There are two main types (1 and 2) and many sub-types. In Type 1 CMT, the Myelin sheath of the nerves is damaged, in Type 2, it’s the nerve axon itself.
This disease is slowly progressive but not usually life limiting.
The peripheral nerves carry messages to and from the brain and spinal cord to our muscles. These messages tell muscles to contract for movement and return information to the brain about external stimuli such as touch and pain. CMT causes these nerves to become damaged, leading to weakness of the muscles, numbness and difficulty with moving the affected body parts. The lower legs and feet are most commonly affected but problems in the hands and forearms can also occur.
In the more common types of CMT, symptoms usually appear in the first ten years of life. Parents may notice difficulties with their child’s walking. Many people with CMT have high arched feet which may be obvious from an early age. Symptoms in the hands often develop later in life. The severity of symptoms varies wildly, even amongst affected family members and 10-20% of people with this condition have no symptoms at all.
CMT is caused by a mutation of one of more than 80 genes. It can be inherited from either or both parents. These gene mutations cause a particular protein in the body to be faulty or absent which affects the nerves and their protective sheath. Over time the nerves become damaged and die causing the symptoms of this condition.
Diagnosis is by careful examination, family history, electrical tests and genetic study of your blood. Your G.P. is likely to refer you to a neurologist, if you show symptoms of CMT, who will determine the type and suggest ways of managing the condition. There is currently no specific treatment for CMT although research is ongoing. Managing your symptoms will improve your quality of life and may slow down progression of the disease.
Studies have shown that regular exercise will keep the non-affected muscles strong and improve stamina. Balance practise and core stability exercises will reduce falls and give confidence when walking.
For those with high arches, orthotic insoles for your shoes will help and if you have severe weakness in the lower leg muscles, splints can support the ankles. These aids should reduce the tendency for the foot to drop and prevent tripping and falls.
Regular appointments with a Chiropodist will enable you to take extra care of your feet and avoid any unseen (or unfelt) damage from becoming a more serious problem. Always wash and dry your feet carefully and inspect for sore or damaged areas that you haven’t noticed before.
I have had experience of treating a client with CMT. Their symptoms resulted in having no feeling in their lower legs and feet. Regular Pilates and Golf maintained their fitness, balance and mental well-being. We found that regular massage of the legs helped them to maintain these activities, released some of the tension in the muscles that were over stimulated by the damaged nerves and enabled me to give them an overview of their skin health.

01/11/2025

The Triathlon and open water swim seasons have finished now and most of us are back in the pool to try to improve our technique over the Winter. Here are some simple stretches to help you warm up before and cool down after training. Stretching helps to improve range of motion and prevent injuries.
Any questions? Please get in touch.

Strength and aerobic capacity decline with age. We know that if we continue to exercise (and swim) we can slow the decline.

29/10/2025

Knots and Adhesions –

Under the surface, internal scar tissue can have far reaching consequences. Adhesions (sticky, lumpy and tight bits of tissue) that form between layers of the body or between the healed wounds and other structures can be incredibly strong and stop you from being able to move freely. This means that your body is having to work harder to perform some movements.
Studies have shown that 1:4 patients are likely to suffer from complications with adhesions following open surgery in their abdomen or pelvic area. This is reduced to 1:6 following keyhole surgery. This affects a lot of people when we consider how much surgery is done in this area.
Scar tissue does not work in the same way as the tissue that it replaces and that means that the remaining, functional muscles, ligaments and tendons get tired, irritated and painful.
I will always ask you about any previous surgeries or scars as part of my consultation as they may have a bearing on your current wellbeing. Don’t dismiss them, even if they seem small and neat, they could be having a big impact on your body.

27/10/2025

With the nights drawing in now and Autumn well and truly upon us, Halloween this week and Bonfire night just around the corner. Why not "treat" yourself to a bit of relaxing me-time before the mayhem of the Christmas period?
A deep-tissue or sports massage can release muscle tensions and help the body to produce pain-relieving endorphins. It improves sleep and relaxes you. This gives an all-round feeling of well-being to most people. Very useful at this busy and tiring time of the year. Help yourself to be in the best position to help the others in your life.
Self care is NOT selfish.
Please get in contact if you have any questions about how I can help you.

25/10/2025

Boots that have studs or spikes on the bottom are used in a number of sports in which maintaining grip and control on the ground is crucial. The most common of these sports are football, rugby and athletics. In professional sports the officials take great care to regulate the type of studs allowed which serves to limit the danger somewhat, but the same strictness does not always apply to grass roots or casual sport. e.g. A kick about at the park.
There are two main mechanisms that result in boot stud injuries:
The first is when an athlete comes into contact with a fellow competitor's studs. This type of injury is most commonly sustained during tackling or a fall on the pitch/track. These injuries are typically restricted to minor cuts and bruising but the speed and ferocity of the tackle/fall will be a major factor in the outcome. Some deep cuts may need stitching and can scar. General first aid will be necessary and referral to a doctor if more treatment is required.
The second injury arises when a person's studs/spikes become stuck in the playing surface while they are still moving. This results in the athlete continuing to move forward as the boot tries to anchor them in place. The body is forced to twist or contort in unpredictable ways and this can cause serious injuries. Damage to muscles, tendons and ligaments is common and bone fractures are possible. These will all need the attention of a doctor and may put the athlete out of action for some time. The treatment required will depend on the seriousness of the injury but a regime of rehabilitation exercises, Soft Tissue Therapy and a nutritious diet will be necessary to regain full range of movement and sufficient strength to return to sport.

22/10/2025

Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, is one of the most important vitamins for immune health, aiding in the prevention of colds and other infections. It also helps with the absorption of Iron which transports oxygen and nutrients around the body in the blood.
Vitamin C is also needed by the body in order to make Collagen. This protein is the main component of connective tissues that provided support at your joints. Collagen also plays a part in wound healing and is a major component of scar tissue so Vitamin C helps to speed recovery.
Vitamin C deficiency is rare in UK but initial symptoms are fatigue, skin problems and decreased resistance to infections.
Vitamin C is found in a wide variety of fruit and vegetables:
• oranges and orange juice
• red and green peppers
• strawberries
• blackcurrants
• broccoli
• brussels sprouts
• potatoes
It is also added to some Breakfast cereals and many people take an oral supplement.
The body is unable to store this vitamin so it needs to be eaten every day. Excess is usually excreted and causes little or no harm.

20/10/2025

Sports and Deep Tissue massage has somehow gained a reputation for being painful. I have had clients come to me with stories of gritting their teeth at other massage sessions (not mine) or being warned by friends to expect pain if they want to get a beneficial therapy. This attitude goes along side the “No pain, no gain” mentality of some athletes and coaches but neither need to be true.
It is sometimes assumed that if you want effective relief from muscle tension then the therapist needs to apply a lot of pressure. This is not good for the client or the therapist.
Changes in muscle tension are caused by changes in the nervous system. This system allows the muscles to relax under a caring and sympathetic touch. Too much pressure makes the body react and “kick out” the therapist so no relaxation can take place. Any adhesions or knots that cause points of pain should be eased out, not beaten out.
Once the top layers of muscles are softened, the therapist’s hands can sink deeper into the under-lying muscles.
An effective, therapeutic massage depends more on the communication between client and therapist, the therapist’s knowledge of anatomy and the client’s understanding that they can’t be fixed by another person. It is a joint effort. Many therapists will have learned other techniques that can be blended with the massage including stretching and rehabilitation exercises. Any pain felt during your massage should be communicated to the therapist so that techniques or positioning can be modified. In this way you can both learn what works best for your body.