Don’t let yourself get dragged into other people’s goals. I know what you’re thinking, what the heck are you talking about Sara? I’m talking about reaching your own goals and seeking the things you desire, not someone else’s.

Some people like challenges, I think we all do, but some people REALLY like challenges. And it’s important that you find a challenge you’ll enjoy and be proud of.

In this day and age, the challenges are getting longer, harder and crazier. There is a market for these things as many people like to push themselves to the absolute limit.

Finding a running style and distance is a personal thing. I think the natural assumption is that if you run you must at some point do a marathon. But this isn’t true. Some people like 5k’s, 10k’s or half’s and have no desire to run a marathon. Good for them!

Some people like to run really fast, and others just want to plod along merrily.

As athletes, we like to push each other, which is excellent, but we need to know when to stop pushing someone. I see it a lot on the internet, someone get’s super excited about their new challenge and try to get others to join in. This is not a bad thing, but when someone says ‘no’ we need to listen. Just because you want to run a marathon backwards doesn’t mean everyone else wants to join you.

If you’re new to running I highly recommend joining a friendly couch to 5k running club (I hear the Beginners to Runners is nice) and finding like-minded people. If you already know you like a challenge joining an athletics club might be more appropriate. If you like being alone, run alone, just be safe about it and keep phone and ID on you for emergencies.

If you’re already a seasoned athlete, then please just respect everyone’s choices. We are all individuals and all run for various reasons so let’s keep it pleasant and support everyone.

How can I reduce fatigue?

Fatigue is both a physiological and psychological response to exercise, so how can we help prevent it? Fatigue comes in two forms central and peripheral. Central starts in the central nervous system and works to reduce bodily harm and peripheral is the failure to maintain output such as a depletion in glycogen and occurs in the muscle itself. However, the exact chain of events leading to both is not determined. For most athletes’ fatigue is fatigue no matter where it originates and will affect performance if not managed properly.

How to we prevent fatigue?

First, having a good training program with appropriate periodization is a good start. Factoring in the individual, prep phase, specific prep, competition, travel, injury and personal beliefs. If you are an athlete who has a “season” this is fairly simple. If you’re an athlete with various events throughout the year, it’s a little more complicated. My advice with training is to seek the advice of a coach. This doesn’t always have to be in person, there are many coaches online (especially running ones) who can put together training plans and help you reach your goals.

Second, make the most of your post exercise routine. This is where things can get complicated. With regards to fatigue there are a variety of ways to help from active recovery, massage, cryotherapy, compression garments etc. In this systematic review it was found that all of those reduced perceived fatigue. Inflammation was best combat with massage and cold exposure.  Note, please, that there have also been studies stating the opposite. For instance in this study it notes that cryotherapy is no better than active recovery for reducing inflammation, this could save you a few quid in the long run.

As a note, it has been found that active recovery at a moderate intensity is likely better than just resting. This is due to better blood flow and lactate distribution.

In my opinion, active recovery is the best place to start, for instance, after a long run or hard session have a brisk walk or brisk bike ride. No pressure, no clocks, nothing. Just you and the open air. This also works after a difficult event as well, I find if I walk after a marathon I’m not as sore as I am when I don’t. If that doesn’t help, sit in a cool tub (10C) for ten minutes, another cheap option to try.

If you still feel sore or tired book in for a massage. Obviously, prices range on location and experience, but booking in for a one-hour session will at least help you decide if it’s for you. Compression garments may also be a good investment. I won’t lie, I use mine after long runs and after marathons. Yes, this is likely only reducing perceived fatigue and therefor may not work for everyone.

Fatigue can also stem from stress or a lack of sleep, so if you’re not sleeping properly, you’re not going to recover from training properly. If you are having trouble sleeping you can try a variety of  methods to see if they help. If not, speak to your GP and get appropriate advice. 

And don't forget the importance of nutrition. If you are not eating enough to eat you will not have the energy to compete. This has been a focus recently in the news, so make sure you are eating appropriately and if you are not sure, seek the advice of a dietician.

Recovery can be a very personal thing for each athlete and it is important to find what works for you.

Strength training is for more than just weightlifters!

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I’m amazed at how many runners still do not have strength training included in their training plan. I’ve written about strength training before, but maybe the benefits have not been advertised enough.

I embarked on a strength training program in June after I completed Dorchester Marathon. I started with doing HIIT training and strength training throughout the week. At first it was hard, bloody hard! But after four weeks I already felt stronger. After the initial four weeks I began running again. I used a simple training plan that included two strength training sessions a week and three runs (3 miles easy, 3 miles tempo and a long run starting at four miles). I started out at a 10:49 minute mile and four weeks later I was running a 9:58 minute mile.

Taking out the slightly faster 5k time what I did notice was how much easier it felt when I was out running. This is where many of the benefits lie. Yes, performance will get better (especially the longer you do it for) and this is often due to the perception of an easier run. More strength in your legs will help you feel better while running.

So, what exercises are best for runners?

This is the question I am most asked. My advice is to choose posterior strength exercises like deadlifts, Bulgarian squats, calf raises, lat pulls and superman’s. Hip strength and mobility exercises such as monster squats, x-walks and side-lying abduction. And finally, glute strengthening like hip bridges, hip hitches and step ups.

If you’re unsure where to start you can also seek the help of a personal trainer who specialises in running. If you live in the Maidstone area Bjorn Fitness is PT who specialises in running and is well worth it if you’re looking to up your game and keep injuries at bay.

That gets to my second point. Injury prevention. Strength training may not stop all injuries, but it will help to prevent overuse and underuse injuries. If you progress your strength training as you would your running, then there will be no negative effect on your running. Strength training will help your muscles cope with the demand place upon them when running and thus reduce the likelihood of injury.

Lastly, two strength training sessions a week will help you see the benefits during your running. Ideally don’t do a heavy session the day before a long run and if you must do both running and strength on the same day, do the running in the morning and strength in the evening.

If you need any advice on sports injuries, injury prevention and rehabilitation please email sara@prestoigesportinjury.co.uk

Are you ready to start your marathon training?

It’s that time of the year again where many of you are waiting to hear if your London Marathon Ballot has been accepted. If you’re one of the lucky ones and it’s your first marathon, or if you’re ready to tackle your first marathon regardless of the ballot, below is some advice to help you along.

Running coach: It is advantageous if you have a specific time as a goal to have a running coach. There are many available in person, online and with a running club. In fact, joining a running club can be very helpful to learn more efficient and economic running styles.

Equipment: You don’t need all the fancy gadgets. A running watch with GPS that can give you distance, speed and pace is great for training. Shoes that fit and are comfortable. Go see a specialist like Runners Need or Podplus in Ashford, Kent. They will not only do gait analysis with a specially trained individual to get you in the right shoe. Always buy socks made from synthetic material, DO NOT USE COTTON! All other clothing should be appropriate for running and comfortable.

Training: You don’t get better running if you don’t run. So, expect to be out there a lot, normally 3-4 times a week. And it’s not just doing the same thing over and over again. Be sure to vary your running from tempo runs, interval runs and long slow runs – this is where a running coach can be helpful. Also, don’t just run. Include strength training to your regime. If you’ve never done any strength training, get a good base going during your early training while the running mileage is lower.

Recovery: Probably the most important thing here. Get a good night’s sleep as much as possible. Sleeping is when a lot of our muscle recovery happens. Get a good diet, don’t eat crap all the time and wonder why your runs all suck. Try and get your five a day, avoid too much alcohol and drink plenty of fluids. All other things like recovery tights, sports massage and foam rolling are less important and helpful than sleep and food.

Have fun: Even if the training plan goes down the toilet, if you don’t have a tight time limit on your marathon, your best plan is to finish and have fun doing it. All of us have bad races, it’s okay and not the end of the world.

If you have any questions about sports injuries and rehabilitation, please email me sara@prestigesportinjury.co.uk

Are you under-recovering?

We've all been there. Focused on a goal, whether it be a weight, distance or time. So we push ourselves, sometimes too hard.

Symptoms of overtraining/under-recovering can seem mild at first, but they become more prevalent as time goes on. If we ignore the signs, we're heading into a downward spiral. Symptoms often start as an increase of muscle soreness, elevated heart rate, an increase in colds due to reduced immunity, increase occurrence of injuries, irritability, depression, loss of motivation, insomnia, decreased appetited and eventually weight loss. 

If you've ever had this happen then you know all too well that not recovering properly can leave us feeling pretty low. But, there are ways to ensure that you don't put yourself into this position.

Rest, yes, rest is the key. If we don't allow the body time to recover we will suffer. Make sure you take a break after a hard training day, don't force yourself to train 6-7 days a week without rest. You can also reduce the volume and intensity of the exercise. For instance, a runner can reduce effort or distance, a weight lifter can reduce reps or weight.

It is also important to make sure you are eating properly. Often, in search of weight loss, we don't eat enough for the amount of energy we are exerting. Having a balanced diet of carbs, good fats and protein is essential for a good recovery. Avoid fad diets. If you're unsure of where to start with nutrition, seek the advice of a registered dietician. 

A great way to make sure you stay on track is to use the help of a personal trainer to help you make a training plan. There are plenty of folk that can help you produce a running plan that will keep you on track, just make sure you take advantage of rest days!

Always remember that it's okay to take an unscheduled rest day. If you are feeling under the weather or sore from the training from the day before, one day won't hurt you. And if you think you're suffering from a lack of recovery, take a short time off and let your body recover with other types of exercise like swimming, stationary bike or cross training.

If you have any questions about sports injuries and rehabilitation please contact me at sara@prestigesportinjury.co.uk

My issues with the 'Hate exercise, Love activity' campaign

Some of you might have seen the mew Public Health campaign “Hate exercise, Love activity!”. Unsurprisingly, many physios are not happy with it, and neither am I.

First off, the ‘Hate exercise’ part. Talk about giving people negative presumptions of exercise itself. Instead of hating exercise how about we help people find an exercise they enjoy. Not everyone is a runner, however, cycling and swimming are good alternatives. Maybe you don’t like the gym, exercise outside. MAube you don’t like the outdoors, go to a gym. To me they would have done better to help people find exercise they enjoy instead of giving it a negative connotation.

Second, ‘Love activity’. Activity does not equal exercise. Walking, while great, is not the same as high intensity cardio. Playing with the kids is good, but it’s unlikely you’re reaching heart rate targets to help burn fat. A poodle around a swimming pool is not the same as swimming laps!And the term ‘activity’ does not even say what kind. Is it high intensity like running around with the kids or is it low intensity like darts.  No one knows!

And finally, I think what PH are trying to do is a good idea in premise, but they’ve missed the mark here. We need to get people exercises, not just bimbling around. We need to get GP’s to prescribe exercise to patients that need to lose weight and not shy away from the truth. A lot of patients won’t like this but tuff! We as an industry need to get people out there and not be afraid of working hard to save their own lives.

As a Sports Therapist I get my clients to take an active role in their recovery, I don’t do passive treatments for injuries, it’s a waste both their and my time. Instead, I focus on the importance of doing the exercises and keeping up with cardio while they’re injured. If more GP’s did this with overweight and unhealthy patients we could start to reverse the tide of obesity.

If you would like more information on sports injuries or rehabilitation, please contact sara@prestigesportinjury.co.uk

Getting your family active

Summer break, a time when your kids are home all day bored and driving you nuts. You have less time for your own health and wellness and you’ve been turned into an entertainer for little ones.

But, what if there was a way to stay active and get your kids active as well?

First, you can make a mini boot camp for your kids, get them running for 20 seconds, a minute’s rest then do some squats, rest and finish with some star jumps. Before you know it all of you have had an intense 20-minute workout and they’ll be ready to rest.

Second, a simple family walk can help wear them out. Try and get them to find and identify wildlife or plant life. Get them interested in geography and maps as well by finding a local trail to follow. This will help expand their appreciation for the outdoors and nature.

Third, if it’s raining just have a dance-off in your house. Put on their (and your) favourite music and see who can dance the best!

There are also other exercises such as jump rope, hide & seek and more structured classes such as karate or judo which will help burn all that excess energy.

So, just because the kids are home during the summer, doesn’t mean you can’t stay fit and keep them healthy as well.

Stay strong while on holiday

Two words you don’t want to see together, eh.  You’re on holiday, right? And who wants to spend all day in the gym when you can spend it at the beach or by a pool?

You’re right. You shouldn’t spend a whole holiday exercising if you’re meant to be relaxing. So, the best option is to choose short high intensity workouts (HIIT).  They can be done in a hotel room with little space, require no equipment and should take less than twenty minutes. There are a variety of HIIT programs on the internet, so you’re spoilt for choice. You can alternate running in place, squat jumps and push ups to get a whole-body workout in your hotel room.

You can also include normal holiday activities such as swimming and cycling. Instead of taking a taxi or car somewhere, why not ride a bike (if it’s safe, of course). Or have a brisk swim in the morning at the pool, or in the sea?

There’s no need to spend all morning in a gym or on a long run (unless you want to) when you can incorporate fitness into your holiday with little to no disruption.

Obviously, on holiday you may be eating more than normal, and you shouldn’t feel guilty if you splurge a little.

Keeping your fitness up during a holiday means you’ll have more energy and feel better during and afterwards. You don’t need to do it every day, only a few times in the week to reap the benefits.

If you would like to know more about sports injuries or injury prevention please email me at sara@prestigesportinjury.co.uk

Moderation is the key

We’ve all heard the term. But what does it really mean for every person?

Well, let’s start with exercise. According to Public Health England every adult should get 150 minutes of moderate activity a week in sessions of 10 minutes or more. This includes brisk walking and cycling. If you prefer a higher intensity exercise such as running 7 5minutes spread across the week is also suitable. They also suggest strength training at least 2 days a week. This is the bare minimum we, as adults, should be doing to stay healthy.

Many of us don’t hit those guidelines and some of us will go well over them. Moderation is key. If you don’t do enough you’re not reaping the benefits and if you do too much, without working up slowly, you can over train and make yourself fatigued and unwell.

Next is food. Now anyone who knows me knows I love food. However, even I know I can’t eat donuts every day. Yes, I can indulge a little (not go crazy and over eat) on the weekends or at some point during the week. But, I shouldn’t be indulging every night. Nutrition is individual and if you are seeking help finding exactly what you should be eating I advise to find a qualified dietician to help you. Public health diet guidelines are not specialised per the individual and I highly doubt I could get away with eating 2000 calories a day and not put on a substantial amount of weight.

Aps such as My fitness Pal can help you track what you eat and how much you burn exercising. It’s not perfect but it is an easy way to start tracking your diet, be honest! It is important to see what you’re eating so you can make positive changes without feeling starved or denied your favourite foods. You shouldn’t feel guilty if you spurge occasionally.

Finally, recovery. Many people training for events don’t focus enough on their recovery. They train and train and train until they make themselves ill. Sleep is an important factor is recovery. But once again, in moderation. Sleeping less than 6 hours and more than 10 hours of days can have negative health implications. And if you’re training for a difficult event, you can always add a short 30-minute nap during the day, after a training session.

In summary, there is such thing as too little or too much of a good thing! Keep going in moderation and keep up the healthy living!

Run in a new place and put a smile on your face

I blogged before about losing your running mojo. This usually happens after a period of training cumulating in an event, such as a half marathon, marathon or ultramarathon. Often, we can feel deflated and unsure of what to do next. In times like these I like to suggest running tourism. I see may Park runners on Twitter going out and doing Parkrun tourism, even if it’s still relatively local.

Running tourism provides you with a new route, new people and new adventures. It doesn’t matter if it’s a Parkrun, or a self-planned running route, it is important to just try and seek new adventures.

Some words of warning, if you are going to plan your own route and don’t have any outdoor navigation training, I advise you to stick to well-published trails.  If you want to know more about outdoor navigation there are many running coaches who provide that kind of training, such as the National Navigation Award Scheme.

Some well-published trails include the North Downs Way here in Kent. I have run this trail in different locations and have been able to navigate it easily. Along with well-published trails, you’ll want to make sure you bring a phone with GPS, your ID, and a compass. If you think you might get lost, get some training first. Don’t risk it.

Running tourism is a lot more fun, and safe, if you bring a friend or two along. As always there is safety in numbers, especially if you are unsure of the area you are going to be in.

Research. This is so important. Make sure you research the area you want to run in. Use ONS maps to check the terrain and pack appropriately. Check the weather before you head off and be prepared to cancel if it is going to be poor.

Resources: For parkrun, they have a list of all their events on the website. If you’re looking farther out it is worth doing your research (see above).

So, enjoy the outdoors while the weather is nicer, and get out running in new and exciting areas of your own backyard.  

Couch 2 5K resources

Now that the weather is starting to turn warmer, many people will get the inclination to start running. I started running in May of 2013, mainly for health reasons. Ans I know many others that started running in May/June, so I though I would publish some helpful Couch to 5K resources for those of you ready to become a runner.

Obviously my first stop is the NHS Couch to 5K program. It’s a 9-week program and has helpful hints on progressions. It also has an App you can follow to keep you going.

There is also the Couch25K website itself. It is also a 9-week program and has plenty of articles on running with your pet, running for beginners and a list of books to help you with your running.

BBC has a Couch 25K running challenge, if that’s the kind of thing that motivates you. Many of us do well when we’re challenging ourselves. This too is a 9-week program.

And, finally, there are many Personal Trainers who provide Couch 25K programs. Bjorn of Bjornfit has an online Couch 25K forum on Facebook and provides gym clients help with running specific training and injury prevention.

My advice as a Sports Therapist is that you progress slowly. Don’t go out too quickly, let your body adapt to the training. Often, I treat people who have started or recently started running again, who don’t let their body adapt. This can lead to shin splints (MTSS), Achilles tendinopathies, plantar fasciitis and many other injuries. So, progress no more than 10% mileage per week, and be sure to eat enough food and sleep enough in the evening to recover properly.

If you’re interested in sports injuries and injury prevention and have any questions, please email me sara@prestigesportinjury.co.uk

Ditch the watch and just enjoy running again

When we’re running we tend to have a look at a lot of numbers as we go along: distance, pace, heart rate, time. But, are we focussing too much on the numbers rather than enjoying the exercise for its own sake?

Many of us who are training for an event need to keep track of our distance, time and pace to ensure we’re on track for a successful event. However, after the event sometimes we lose focus and aren’t’ sure what to do next.

My advice is to turn off the numbers. Go out running without a watch and use your own rate of perceived exertion and don’t rely on pace numbers. It’s a good way to just get down to the bare bones of running. Try and enjoy being in the outdoors and use mindfulness techniques to check in with how your body feels from your head to your feet.

Running without fear of being slow or fast can be a freeing experience. And once you’ve found your love of running again and decide on your next event you can move back to using your watch. But, don’t let it dictate your entire life.

Bored with your routine, include your furry friend!

Have you ever thought about exercising with your dog? It’s a great way to help grow the bond between you and your dog and keep you both fit. Having a furry friend who helps keep you going even on rainy days is a huge benefit to your health and wellbeing.

But what are the best ways to exercise with your dog?

Obviously running is a good choice. Like with people make sure you progress your pet slowly and if it’s too hot bring plenty of water for them to drink or if it’s ridiculously hot skip the run.

Stand up Paddle Boarding. Probably best for smaller breeds. Be sure to start slowly to let you dog get comfortable on the board. Regardless, you’ll both likely end up in the water but that’s part of the fun!

Cycling. Once again make sure you’re not dragging your dog and start slowly until they get the hang of it. Same rules apply as with running about the heat.

Dog yoga. Okay this is more of a fun one that an actual fitness one for your dog. But it’s a great way to strengthen your bond and help check them for lumps during the massage.

If you don’t have a dog, don’t fret! There are many local dog shelters looking for dog walkers and other volunteers.

I've lost my running mojo!

It’s happened to all of us, we lose our running mojo. Maybe it’s post-marathon and you find yourself lacking motivation or we lose the passion for running. Whatever the reason it’s very common and you shouldn’e beat yourself up about it.

If you’ve lost your running mojo and need some inspiration to get it back why not try these ideas:

·         Read running books for motivation. Some good ones are Born to Run by Christopher McDougall, Running for My Life: How I built a better me one step at a time by Rachel Cullen, The Terrible and Wonderful Reasons Why I Run by Matthew Inman (this one is hilarious!)

·         Check out some running blogs: Here are a few, but there are tons out there! http://www.lazygirlrunning.com/blog, http://eatprayrundc.com/, http://www.dreamingoffootpaths.co.uk/

·         Try some different types of exercises such as swimming, triathlons, cycling and weightlifting. Having some variety can help you find your love of running again.

·         Find a new path or trail to run. Sometimes a change of scenery is all you need to get the mojo back.

·         Forget about training or racing, ditch the watch and just go run for fun. Often we put ourselves under too much pressure to perform and we forget why we love running.

·         Try some Parkrun tourism. Running in different places can help chase the boredom of the same old route away.

·         Run with a friend or friends, make a morning of it and end it all with a yummy breakfast or lunch!

Don’t be ashamed if you’ve lost your mojo, we all do. It’s just part of running and is often a short phase which passes.

Keeping hydrated, a guide.

We all know the importance of hydration during exercise, but do we really know how to measure it? As most people know, sweating leads to fluid and electrolyte loss. If we don’t replace the lost fluids or electrolytes we become dehydrated, leading to muscle fatigue, confusion, lack of coordination, inability to regulate heat and heat exhaustion.

It is important to know how to measure your water loss as it varies person to person, you can do this by weighing yourself before and after exercise and checking the colour of your urine. and ensure you are hydrated prior to exercise. The darker the colour the more dehydrated you are. The ACSM guidelines for dehydration and weight loss  are as follows:

Well hydrated: -1 to +1% (body weight (bw) change), Minimal dehydration: -1 to -3% (bw change), Significantly dehydrated: -3 to -5% (bw change), Severely dehydrated: -5% (bw change)

As stated above, prior to exercise you should check the colour of your urine and weigh yourself. If your urine is dark to very dark, be sure to hydrate as follows at least four hours prior to exercise: 16-20 fluid oz (450 - 570 ml) water or carbohydrate (5-8%) sports drink. Then 10-15 minutes prior to exercise take on 8-12 fluid oz (230-340 ml) of water.

During exercise for under 60 minutes you should take 3-8 fluid oz (85-230 ml) water. For over 60 minutes exercise you should ingest a carbohydrate/electrolyte sports drink 3-8 fluid oz (85-230 ml) every 15-20 minutes. DO NOT CONSUME more than 1 lt per hour of fluids!

When you have completed your exercise, be sure to weigh yourself to determine how much fluids you should ingest within 2 hours. ACSM guidelines suggest 20- 24 fluid oz (570-680ml) for every pound lost.

Be careful not to overhydrate as this can lead to a potentially lethal condition so do not ingest more than 1 litre per hour of fluids. If you suspect you have over-hydrated contact your GP to begin tests.

I hope this helps to keep you hydrated this spring and summer.

If you have any questions about sports injuries and rehabilitation, please contact me at sara@prestigesportinjury.co.uk

The easy answer isn't always the answer

So a wee while ago I read a blog post by Adam Meakins the Sports Physio about the devolving of self-efficacy. Basically we're becoming a society  of people who cannot take care of themselves and healthcare professionals who complicate the process.

Adam is 100% correct. And I felt I needed to write a post expanding upon this with my view.

We are humans and as humans we want to do things in the easiest way possible. We're always looking for the easy answer, the fastest results and what requires the least amount of effort. In one way this makes us very innovative, but on the opposite side of the coin it makes us very lazy. 

When it comes to sports injuries and rehab it is important that the client is on board with their own rehab. If they don't buy into it or aren't ready to help themselves then the whole process is a mute point. Many sports injuries require us as sports therapists or physios to use the biopsychosocial model, which in short means looking at the biology, psychology and social factors of the client. This means it's not just prescribing exercises to help a client, but the client needs help to reduce their stress and ensure their social circle and lifestyle doesn't impede the process. All this equals a lot of work from the client.

Because we're creatures who want the easy answer, most people will see many different professions before realising that most of them are not actually helping. Most seek those who perform manual therapy, which is the most passive of treatments, and means the least amount of work from the individual. However, passive usually doesn't work. So they see a variety of people and then get to a point where they realise they're tired of "treatments" and want to get better. Until a person is ready to make a change efforts to help using exercise and stress relief techniques are futile.

Reliance on passive treatments makes us, well, passive in our own health. Adam points as professionals we need to make sure we're not part of the problem and reassure our clients and not confuse or frighten them. Sometimes a client doesn't need a steroid shot or surgery or even complicated exercises, often simple is best. Obviously, we need to be aware of any red flags when assessing clients, so in the absence of red flags we can proceed as needed.

I'm sure some of my clients have left thinking "Well, that doesn't seem like much." But, I choose the best exercise for what we're trying to accomplish, not the most complicated and cool looking exercises. This may only be 4-5 exercises, maybe less, but less can be more. If a client sees the rehab as a burden that's going to take too much time, they won't do any of the exercises. Short and simple can be the best remedy. I'm not in the business of performing treatments that aren't necessary or try and make something simple sound complicated just to get more work. My clinic is a  no BS zone!

So, if you've been "treated" by a variety of professions and still aren't any better it might be time to seek the help of a professional who won't complicate the problem. If you are suffering from chronic pain there are physios out there who specialise in using the biopsychosocial model to help you help yourself.

If you have any questions about sports injuries or rehab please email me at sara@prestigesportinjury.co.uk

Being outdoors is just the bees knees.

I know these currently cold days might want to keep you indoors, but don’t forgo the outdoors altogether! Whether you run, cycle or just go out for a walk the benefits of being outdoors are numerous and ones that you won’t want to miss.

If you’re looking to boost your creativity get yourself outside. I often use my outdoor run to think about business decisions, blog posts and even what craft project I’m going to work on next. A fair few years ago Stanford University noted the increase in creativity of 60% while walking outside. Some of this clarity may come from the alone time your brain gets when outdoors. Even when you’re out with other people there will be moments of peace away from conversation. When we’re inside there are many distractions such as the TV, internet and chores! This time alone gives us the ability to increase our concentration on tasks when we return from the outdoors.

A huge benefit of the outdoors in the decrease in stress when we’re out there. It has been noted by scientists that we, as a species, do not go outside enough. This could be contributing to our high stress lifestyles. By not taking time away from our household and work responsibilities we are impacting our mental health.  What better way of being in the present moment than walking, cycling or running outside? We don’t have to worry about the what if’s, what next or what has happened in our lives.

Self esteem can also be improved from just 5 minutes of outdoor exercise, being near a green space or near water can enhance this effect. The best activities for this is walking, running, cycling, horse back riding, fishing and gardening.

Going outdoors is also relatively low cost. For short in-town excursions to a local park all you need is a pair of walking shoes and proper outer wear for the weather. Many cities also have rental bike schemes if you want to try cycling without the commitment of purchasing a bike.

So, if you want to have improved mood, better self-esteem, less stress and better creativity get yourself outside and enjoy what nature has to offer us!

Mo' mobility, less problems

We’ve all been told that mobility training is good for us, but do we know why?

To start off mobility itself is the ability to control a joint in full range of motion. It is a consistent effort to increase the amount of range of motion in a joint through specialised strength training.

The first reason it is important is if you use the full range of motion from a joint you can execute more power and efficiency in your exercise. This is good news if you’re trying to increase reps or weight during training. It is also good if you’re a rugby player, football player or any other sport that requires explosive powerful movements.

The second reason is injury prevention. If you’re not using a joint in full range, there is the likelihood that you’re compensating both other muscles and joints for the lack of mobility. For instance, lack of mobility in the ankle can lead to stress to the knee, hips and lumbar. Similarly, if you don’t have full range of motion in the shoulder and your humerus is not in the optimal position in the glenoid labrum you can put your rotator cuff muscle at risk of injury.

Finally, mobility is a good way to warm up the joint prior to exercise or events. Warming up the joint is created by movement and the shifting and warming of synovial fluid in the joint. This also works out any restrictions from tight muscles from affecting your event.

The great news is that you don’t need that much time for mobility, 10-15 minutes a day is enough to start reaping its benefits. When you start doing it you may also notice where your weaknesses are in each joint and can make specific changes to your strength training routine to remedy it.

A good way to get started is to choose some full mobility exercises such as: overhead squats (with a lightweight pole or bar), a prayer stretch on a bench and knee-to-elbow bird dogs. There are examples of these on you tube from a variety of practitioners.

If you have any questions about strength, mobility and sports injuries please email me at sara@prestigesportinjry.co.uk

Is whole body cryotherapy worth the hype?

Short answer, Not really. I’ll explain further.

Cryotherapy is a method of recovery which is done by lowering the skin temperature of the body. Some of the most common modalities are ice packs, ice massages, gels and cooling creams. Recently whole-body cryotherapy (WBC) chambers have been introduced to high level foot ball and rugby teams. But is this new, and costly, method really the best way to enhance recovery through cryotherapy?

I hit the research hard. One of the first studies I found from Hausswirth, el al (2011) claims the benefits of WBC on highly trained runners. One large flaw in this study is that the other modalities involved were far-infrared (not a highly reliable modality) and basically sitting in a chair for ten minutes. These two “sham” modalities would, of course, show that WBC is a reliable way to recover after running.  It’s studies like this that make me angry. They manipulate the data by introducing two modalities they know won’t work to “prove” that WBC is reliable.

Other research I won’t even mention here were studies paid for and sponsored by companies that make WBC chambers. I don’t give research like this the time of day. Many involve manipulated data to sell a product to teams that can afford it.

A more recent study by Viera, et al (2015) studied the effect of WBC on a vertical jump after high intensity training by placing participants in a chamber at the suggested -110 degrees for 3 minutes and a control temperature of 21 degrees for the same time. In this study there was no significant difference between the WBC and control group. Thus, suggesting that some of the “benefits” of WBC are possibly due to the placebo effect. 

One of the better studies from Holmes & Willoughby (2016) looked at previous studies and compared WBC to cold water immersion on recovery and skin temperature. One of the claims of WBC is that the extremely cold temperature is more effective at lowering the skin temperature than other modalities. In this study participants used a WBC chamber at -110 to -120 degrees for 2-4 minutes and cold-water immersion at 8-14 degrees for 5-10 minutes. The results showed that using cold water immersion lowers the skin, muscle and core temperature more effectively than WBC. The study suggests that further high-level studies on WBC be performed to confirm their claims.

My personal opinion is that WBC is very expensive and some of the membership rates are well over £100 a month. Most people would not use the WBC more than once or twice a week, making it a very expensive means of recovery. Plus, it means coming home from your run or workout, getting in the car, driving to a centre, going in a chamber for 3 whole minutes then driving back home. A lot of effort when you can simply fill your tub with cool water once you get home and sit and chill in it. Studies are not conclusive of its claims, and with that kind of cost, you may be better off buying a gym membership or hiring a personal trainer.

However,  saying that, its definitely worth trying. I will admit though getting a snapshot of yourself in the mittens, slippers and headband in a chamber is pretty cool, but unless it works for you, it’s just a lot of money for cold air.

If you have any questions about sports therapy, sports injuries and cryotherapy please feel free to email me sara@prestigesportinjury.co.uk

Don't let Resolutions get you down

I’m not the biggest fan of New Year’s Resolutions. Most people make themselves ridiculous goals that they have no chance of keeping like never eating chocolate or to stop drinking alcohol entirely. It’s all too easy to get caught up in the Resolution Mayhem and not actually sit and think about what goals you would like to achieve in the next year.

I like to break my goals down into sections: professional, personal and running. Obviously, my professional goals include things I want to learn in the upcoming year, clinic ideas and marketing of the clinic. Personal goals include things I want to learn independently, books I want to read and travel goals. The running goals I keep separate as I see them as different challenges. It may be a desired distance, race or number of races I want to complete in the next year.

Breaking your goals down into sections is a good way to start without overwhelming yourself. Also, write them down or put them in a spread sheet, this is a good way to chart what you need to do to meet your goals. For instance, I try to read a specific number of journal articles in a year for my professional goals. So, I keep a list in my spreadsheet of which one I read and what knowledge I obtained from it. I also like to list my book list for personal goals and check them off once read, truthfully, I do the same with my race list for running.

Once you’ve sectioned off your goals, you can break them down further. For instance, if your goal is to lose weight first, decide how much you may need to lose (you should see your GP for an idea of your ideal weight, don’t just guess it as it may be too low). Once you know what you need to lose break it down by week or month. Then make your exercise plan, a personal trainer will be able to help you with this part as it is often difficult to decide what exercises to do when. Plus, we often choose not to put the things we really don’t like on the list. Once you have your exercise plan, think about your diet. What can you eat less of? What should you eat more of? If you’re a chocoholic like myself, it is hard to give it up, however, you can decide to eat less of it or eat dark chocolate in small doses. If you’re not sure of what you need to eat find a good nutritionist either in person or online and they can help you plan and determine what you need to eat based on your activity level and goals.

By putting your small goals into a checklist of the bigger goal you can see your results much easier. This may be in the form of a spreadsheet or an app on your phone. Either way it is important to track your progress and don’t be disheartened if you have a bad week occasionally, just get yourself back on track as soon as you can. This is especially important for anyone who has had a sports injury, nothing is worse than the setback, however if you get appropriate rehab and advice you can be back in a healthier state.

So, if you have already set your goals or if you’re not sure just remember to break them down and track them. If you have any questions about sports injuries or rehabilitation, please email me: sara@prestigesportinjury.co.uk