Sports Therapy/Rehabilitation is an aspect of healthcare that is specifically concerned with the prevention of injury and the rehabilitation of the patient back to optimum levels of functional, occupational and sports specific fitness, regardless of age and ability. However it can be used for individuals with conditions/injuries who do not engage in any sporting activity. Sports therapist/rehabilitators can help anyone suffering from pain, injury or illness involving the musculoskeletal system. They help people of all ages to maintain their personal level of health and fitness, recover from and prevent injury and reduce pain using exercise, movement and manual based therapeutic interventions

Deep tissue massage therapy is similar to Swedish massage, but the deeper pressure is beneficial in releasing chronic muscle tension. The focus is on the deepest layers of muscle tissue, tendons and fascia (the protective layer surrounding muscles, bones and joints).

Sports massage is a form of massage involving the manipulation of soft tissue to benefit a person engaged in regular physical activity. Soft tissue is connective tissue that has not hardened into bone and cartilage; it includes skin, muscles, tendons, ligaments and fascia (a form of connective tissue that lines and ensheathes the other soft tissues). Sports massage is designed to assist in correcting problems and imbalances in soft tissue that are caused from repetitive and strenuous physical activity and trauma. The application of sports massage, prior to and after exercise, may enhance performance, aid recovery and prevent injury.

Manual lymphatic drainage is a type of gentle massage which is intended to encourage the natural drainage of the lymph, which carries waste products away from the tissues back toward the heart. The lymph system depends on intrinsic contractions of the smooth muscle cells in the walls of lymph vessels (peristalsis) and the movement of skeletal muscles to propel lymph through the vessels to lymph nodes and then to the lymph ducts which return lymph to the cardiovascular system. Manual lymph drainage uses a specific amount of pressure (less than 9 ounces per square inch or about 4 kPa) and rhythmic circular movements to stimulate lymph flow.

ART is actually a blend of examination and treatment. The therapist will use his or her hands to assess the texture, tightness and movement of muscles, fascia, tendons, and ligaments. Tissues which highlight some abnormalities throughout this process, such as scarring, or tightness, are treated by combining precise direct tension with some very specific patient movements.

AMR is a revelation in the understanding and treatment of back and body pain. The source of pain so often attributed to joints and discs is actually caused by muscles; we just haven't been treating them correctly. Consider your muscles a patch of grass: you can go over it with a steam roller, lean on it, ice it, heat it, electrocute it, cut it, stretch it, fertilize it, pet it, talk to it, shine a white light on it, can we all agree they have a different effect on the grass than if we simply took a leaf rake to it? Thus, many forms of therapy claim to treat your muscles but they do not have the same effect. They may have the same intention, but they do not have the same effect, and this is why they don’t work on tough cases. The world of spine medicine is over flowing with experts, gurus and opinions. Why? Because everything works some of the time. But what do you do when nothing works? What do you do when surgery is thought to be the only remaining option? This is the basis of AMR - fixing when all else has failed. The tough cases, when cortisone, chiropractic, physical therapy, acupuncture, stretching, strengthening and all manner of muscle therapy had come up short, when surgery was thought to be the only remaining option, when surgery had failed.’ Reference: Brian Bronk DC, Advanced Muscle Reconditioning.

Myofascial Release is a safe and very effective hands-on technique that involves applying gentle sustained pressure into the Myofascial connective tissue restrictions to eliminate pain and restore motion.

A trigger point is a tight area within muscle tissue that causes pain in other parts of the body. A trigger point in the back, for example, may produce referral pain in the neck. The neck, now acting as a satellite trigger point, may then cause pain in the head. The pain may be sharp and intense or a dull ache.

Kinesiology tape is a thin, stretchy, elastic cotton strip with an acrylic adhesive. Therapeutic kinesiology tape that can benefit a wide variety of musculoskeletal and sports injuries, plus inflammatory conditions. Kinesiology tape is almost identical to human skin in both thickness and elasticity, which allows kinesio tape to be worn without binding, constricting or restriction of your movement. Kinesiology tape is an that is used for treating athletic injuries and a variety of physical disorders. For the first decade after its introduction practitioners in Japan were the main users of the therapeutic kinesiology tape. By 1988 the tape had been adopted by Japanese Olympic and professional athletes before spreading across the world. You would have noticed that more an more professional athletes use kinesiology taping improve their sporting performance, prevent injury and allow them to return to sport quicker.

“Flossing” is the practice of using an elasticated therapeutic band on extremities and joints. The intention behind flossing is to create a brief and partial interruption of venous outflow (while maintaining arterial flow) to the tissues by tightening the band around the area of focus (at a tension of no more than 50 percent stretch) while performing low to no-load movements such as flexion and extension, adduction, abduction and tri-planar. The restriction, compression and blood flow changes whilst using flossing causes a number of effects on the area being treated, such as mechanical, neurological and chemical which aids in recovery of an injury. More details regarding this can be found on my blog page. Flossing can be done both around the actual muscle bellies, such as biceps/triceps, quadriceps/hamstrings and lower leg. Additionally, it can be applied directly to the joints such as the knee, shoulder, ankle, wrist, or elbows.

IASTM is a form of manual therapy that uses instruments to massage/scrape the skin gently. The goals of the therapy are to reduce pain and increase function in an area through a combination of breaking down any scar tissue and releasing the surrounding fascia which are usually a result of some form of trauma to the soft tissue. Where there is chronic scar tissue it helps manage pain and restrictions associated with this. It also aims to reduce restricted range of movement by stretching connective tissue in an attempt to rearrange the structure of the soft tissue being treated and jumpstart the body’s natural inflammatory response to encourage healing . It is clinically proven to achieve faster and better results for conditions including Achilles Tendonitis, Carpal Tunnel, Adhesive Capsulitis, IT Band Syndrome, Lumbar Strain and Plantar Fasciitis. IASTM usually involves a patient completing a short session of cardiovascular type training prior to the treatment to aid in blood flow and heat in the area that is to be treated.

Perussion/Vibration Therapy is used a number of different ways, the percussion gun used for approximately 15 minutes prior to a work-out or sport has been proven to reduce the symptoms of DOMS (Delayed Onset of Muscle Soreness) by introducing blood into the area prior to completing intense exercise. It is also an ideal device to aid in a patient’s muscle recovery. In order to provide deep muscle treatment, most devices and therapies cause a great deal of pain, limiting their effectiveness and causing discomfort. The percussion gun uses a strong percussive force on the muscle that creates intense blood flow to help the muscle recover without the pain normally associated with deep muscle treatment. So may be a great option for those with a lower pain threshold or who do not like the feeling of deep tissue work. The instrument uses a unique combination of frequency and amplitude that inhibits the brain from sensing pain signals from the muscle, allowing deeper and longer muscle treatment. The increased muscular blood flow caused by the percussion gun produces numerous benefits for patients, such as increased mobility, stretching of the muscle and removing muscle knots and cramps. Used as part of a sports injury treatment; it is a vital tool to speed up the recovery process. It drives blood flow and oxygen to the injured or recovering area, which drives lactic acid away, resulting in a looser joint. That allows the physical therapist to truly work with the patient to accelerate their recovery.

A Myofascial Cupping treatment uses a combination of massage strokes and negative pressure to lift, separate, and stretch underlying soft tissues and fascia. Cupping is typically applied on the neck, shoulders, back, sacrum, hip, abdomen, thigh, calves, and upper arms. Areas of musculoskeletal tension or congestion are located using massage techniques, and cups may be applied on an affected area and moved over the surface in a gliding motion, or possibly put on a fascial adhesion or trigger point for a short time to reduce or eliminate it. Myofascial Cupping can help treat soft tissue conditions and musculoskeletal tension, pain, and common sporting injuries. It can also create relaxation through stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system.

A Biomechanics assessment is an investigation into your lower limb function – looking closely for abnormalities and compensations. We can look closely into the underlying possible causes of heel pain, knee pain and even back pain.

Rehabilitation is the process to regain full function following injury and involves restoring strength, flexibility, endurance and power. It is achieved through various exercises and drills. Rehabilitation is as important as treatment following an injury but unfortunately is often overlooked. A personalised exercise programme can be developed in order to aid in injury rehabilitation.