RUNNING INJURIES
Question:
WHO TAUGHT YOU TO RUN?
Answer:
YOU LEARNED THROUGH TRIAL & ERROR, WATCHING OTHERS
PROBLEM:
- Running is free!
- It uses large muscle groups over 200 muscles...
- Anyone can do it, however it doesn't mean you are doing it efficiently.
It is easy to train the body to complete a movement badly.
Bodies are intricate machines that respond to stress & exercise but like water, they follow the path of least resistance to complete a task.
Unfortunately this will present as:
- Poor lazy technique
- Injury
- Recruitment of the wrong muscles.
In a sport like running, the margins of victory & injury are small. Maintenance of your body's tissues & having the ability to DEVELOP correct technique are essential.
It does confuse me how even though we know all of this we still don't invest in our only mode of transport...our bodies
I know a lot of recreational runners, who don't seek regular
treatment hopefully the following will make you have a think....
FACTS
- Running injuries account for 37-56% of annual injuries in sport
- Approx 3.6 to 5.5 injuries per 1000 hours (of all runners not per individual)
- Runners also take part in other sports which contribute to overuse injuries
- Body weight at mid stance (when you are loading a single leg) is magnified by 3-5 times through limbs, other factor such as;
- Muscle strength,
- How spongy or springy your gait is
Will play a part...
MATHS
- Take a man/woman with an avg stride length of 1.6m
- They will take approx 1175 steps per mile
- Consider the runner is 60kg with a 2.5 (me being nice) x body weight at impact.
- Total ground forces are 220 TONNES, 110 TONNES PER LEG!!
- At a pace of 7 min per mile with 0.2 secs in the stance phase you will strike the floor over 5100 times in an hour of running.
Huge amounts of stress and load on the tissues, if you already have poor bio- mechanics/ technique, you will get hurt eventually. So a foam roller and some stretching isn't going to be enough....
The body will respond by laying down new baby tissue (scar tissue) to adapt and become stronger, however this tissue needs to be aligned correctly to ensure it is as functional & flexible as possible. Deep tissue massage will ensure that the effort you make pays dividends....
As always please continue to share the page.
Saturday 7 February 2015
Monday 2 February 2015
TRIGGER POINT PAIN EXPLAINED... BLOG
TRIGGER POINT (TP) PAIN BLOG
I hear people say 'I have a trigger point in my shoulder' all the time, most don't understand what it actually is or know how to treat it effectively. In truth you can get them anywhere there is muscle tissue.
SYMPTOMS
You are likely to be suffering from a TP if you present with any of the following symptoms in your muscles for no apparent reason;
- Sore
- Achy
- Deep
- Throbs
- Tender to touch
- Uncomfortable but can't quite get to it
DEFINITION
Janet Travell stated that a 'Trigger Point' is an "irritable locus within an excitable band of taught tissue".
Put simply a TP is a build up of tight fascia (connective tissue). Usually the size of a pea (more commonly known as a 'Knot' in most cases.
SO WHAT?
Something so small will have a massive impact on the ability for tiny bundles of muscle fibres (some 1/1000 the width of a human hair) to function correctly.
TPs act like little roadblocks (SEE RIGHT 'TP COMPLEX) sat within the belly of a muscle & will cause you to move differently or adapt your posture to 'cheat' a basic movement such as a squat per say. This eventually becomes permanent to the way the brain determines normal movement patterns & breaking the cycle is a hard fight as the problem compounds further.
I hear people say 'I have a trigger point in my shoulder' all the time, most don't understand what it actually is or know how to treat it effectively. In truth you can get them anywhere there is muscle tissue.
SYMPTOMS
You are likely to be suffering from a TP if you present with any of the following symptoms in your muscles for no apparent reason;
- Sore
- Achy
- Deep
- Throbs
- Tender to touch
- Uncomfortable but can't quite get to it
DEFINITION
Janet Travell stated that a 'Trigger Point' is an "irritable locus within an excitable band of taught tissue".
Put simply a TP is a build up of tight fascia (connective tissue). Usually the size of a pea (more commonly known as a 'Knot' in most cases.
SO WHAT?
 |
| TPs ACT LIKE ROADBLOCKS |
Something so small will have a massive impact on the ability for tiny bundles of muscle fibres (some 1/1000 the width of a human hair) to function correctly.
TPs act like little roadblocks (SEE RIGHT 'TP COMPLEX) sat within the belly of a muscle & will cause you to move differently or adapt your posture to 'cheat' a basic movement such as a squat per say. This eventually becomes permanent to the way the brain determines normal movement patterns & breaking the cycle is a hard fight as the problem compounds further.
HOW LONG TO DEVELOP A 'TP'
It only actually takes about 7 minutes of poor posture for a TP to develop
EXAMPLE OF A TYPICAL / COMMON TP PATTERN
I meet many people who spend hours behind a desk or have a rounded upper back & forward head posture. This forces the shoulder blades to naturally tip forward putting huge strain on the Trapezius muscle to try & regain normal shoulder blade function.
It is these individuals who tend to suffer bouts of mysterious shoulder muscle pain or strangely start to have headaches or jaw pain. But why?
TWO TYPES OF 'TP'
You can have either a:
- Reflex point
- Trigger point
REFLEX POINT
EXAMPLE OF A TYPICAL / COMMON TP PATTERN
I meet many people who spend hours behind a desk or have a rounded upper back & forward head posture. This forces the shoulder blades to naturally tip forward putting huge strain on the Trapezius muscle to try & regain normal shoulder blade function.
It is these individuals who tend to suffer bouts of mysterious shoulder muscle pain or strangely start to have headaches or jaw pain. But why?
TWO TYPES OF 'TP'
You can have either a:
- Reflex point
- Trigger point
 |
| REFLEX POINT |
The red 'Dots' illustrates a Reflex point.
It is tender to touch with no referral pattern to other extremities of the body.
TRIGGER POINT
PICTURE 3, if you have a 'True TP, when the area of the Red 'Dot' (or pea sized taut tissue) is pressed the symptoms typically refer away, causing pain to the 'Red shaded area', the upper traps presenting as head aches or migraines....
MAPPING
All muscles are different but TPs over the years have been mapped through studies of cadavers, so a good 'Level 5 Remedial Massage Therapist' will know where to look to locate them
HOW CAN I HELP
The only way to reduce symptoms is through application of a Neuro-Muscular Technique (NMT) (again only an experienced Level 5 Remedial Masseur is insured/ experienced to deal with this).
NMT
If you refer back to the definition, TPs are caused by 'Excitable' bands of tissue, suggesting that the neural system plays a huge part in this phenomenon.
An NMT works to:
1- reduce the blood flow to an area to essentially 'Starving the tissue of a blood supply' for a very short period (approximately 60 secs).
2- The pressure outside of the tissue sees blood pool around it.
3- When the therapist releases the hold, it allows oxygenated blood to flow at high pressure in into the tissue essentially 'resetting' the muscle tissue.
Following application of an NMT general massage & light stretching (to maximise new length of tissue) is applied to encourage blood flow & remove any waste products through the lymphatic system.
PAINFUL
Not a pleasant technique but still very effective, In all cases perceived pain of the client should not go above 8/10 when treated & direct pressure must be maintained until the perceived pain reduces down to a 3/10 (or no longer than 60 secs, the same area can be treated 3 times).
The pain will slowly subside due to the lack of oxygen being delivered to the tissue (part of the resetting process)
If you suffer these symptoms, have impaired movements & terrible Posture feel free to either ask for advice or book in.
It is tender to touch with no referral pattern to other extremities of the body.
TRIGGER POINT
PICTURE 3, if you have a 'True TP, when the area of the Red 'Dot' (or pea sized taut tissue) is pressed the symptoms typically refer away, causing pain to the 'Red shaded area', the upper traps presenting as head aches or migraines....
 |
| TRUE TRIGGER POINT PATTERN |
All muscles are different but TPs over the years have been mapped through studies of cadavers, so a good 'Level 5 Remedial Massage Therapist' will know where to look to locate them
 |
| MAPPING OF COMMON TPs |
HOW CAN I HELP
The only way to reduce symptoms is through application of a Neuro-Muscular Technique (NMT) (again only an experienced Level 5 Remedial Masseur is insured/ experienced to deal with this).
NMT
If you refer back to the definition, TPs are caused by 'Excitable' bands of tissue, suggesting that the neural system plays a huge part in this phenomenon.
An NMT works to:
1- reduce the blood flow to an area to essentially 'Starving the tissue of a blood supply' for a very short period (approximately 60 secs).
2- The pressure outside of the tissue sees blood pool around it.
3- When the therapist releases the hold, it allows oxygenated blood to flow at high pressure in into the tissue essentially 'resetting' the muscle tissue.
Following application of an NMT general massage & light stretching (to maximise new length of tissue) is applied to encourage blood flow & remove any waste products through the lymphatic system.
PAINFUL
Not a pleasant technique but still very effective, In all cases perceived pain of the client should not go above 8/10 when treated & direct pressure must be maintained until the perceived pain reduces down to a 3/10 (or no longer than 60 secs, the same area can be treated 3 times).
The pain will slowly subside due to the lack of oxygen being delivered to the tissue (part of the resetting process)
If you suffer these symptoms, have impaired movements & terrible Posture feel free to either ask for advice or book in.
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