BODYCARE Sports Injury Specialist | Sports Injury Specialist Essex

As stated by the Society of Sports Therapists

Sports Therapy 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.

It utilities the principles of sport and exercise sciences incorporating physiological and pathological processes to prepare the participant for training, competition and where applicable, work.

What is Sports Massage?

A mechanical manipulation of body tissues with rhythmical pressure and stroking for purpose of promoting health and well-being.

Massage has many benefits on the human body:

1. Mechanical effects

Stimulates blood flow
Increases tissue temperature
Improves metabolism
Increase lymphatic flow
Removes waste products
Mobilises tissue
Breaks down adhesion

2. Reflex effects

Sedative effects
Invigorating effects
Relieves pain
Pain gate
Descending Pain Suppression System
Reduces spasm

3. Chemical effects

Vasodilation
Increased blood flow

4. Psychological effects

Feeling of well-being
Reassure patients that any painful or damaged areas can be touched and moved

When is Sports Massage effective?

Pre-competition
Post-competition
Psychological involvement
Treatment of injuries
Training and conditioning

I am a specialist in sports injuries. I have worked and have been involved in semi professional rugby and am still currently playing in the ladies premiership south. Therefore I have the ability to understand what it takes to become a successful sports person.

I regularly review the following injuries:

Ankle Sprains
Plantar Fasciitis
Achilles Tendonitis
Shin Splints
Stress Fractures
Knee Injuries
Hamstring Strain
Muscle Strain
Back and Neck Pain
Shoulder Injuries
Tennis Elbow and Golfers Elbow
Wrist Sprains

Your first visit:

No matter whether you are in pain with an injury or want to try and keep a healthy well-oiled body each patient will undergo a subjective examination and assessment. This is too find a cause for the problem, highlight any predisposing factors, design a course of treatment different from what you may be doing at the time and to allow a baseline for reassessment in order to monitor improvement. The full body reassessment acts like a M.O.T, it can highlight when structures have changed, if nothing has changed and help prevent the risk of injury with constant monitoring.

Prevention

There are many predisposing factors to increase the risk of injury. Within the initial consultation the full assessment will be used to highlight anything that could cause an increase in injury. During the assessment you will be notified and recommended a couple of exercises to get you going and if needed treatment at the time. Once your consultation is over the overall findings will be used in order to create a specific pre-habilitation program in the event to reduce the risk of injury. It should be noted that the programs are only to help reduce the risk of injury and can not prevent injury all together.

Phases of healing

Inflammation Stage
It has been proven that during this stage the inflammatory process is speed up to bring around proliferation.

Proliferation stage
Ultrasound appears to encourage alignment of collagen and results in increased strength and elasticity of the scar.

Remodelling
Thought to also improve strength and elasticity of a scar.

Ultrasound can be effective on human tissues via thermal and non-thermal methods. The application of an external energy – in this case the ultrasound – to tissues can create an environment of enhanced physiological activity.

Thermal Effects

Ultrasound’s mechanical energy is absorbed in the tissue allowing oscillation (converted into heat energy),
providing the heat generated is greater than the rate of dissipation, tissue temperature will rise.

Non-Thermal Effects

Pulsed ultrasound creates acoustic micro streaming which gently stimulates cell activity at the boundary between the cell membrane and surrounding tissue fluid.

Thermal and non-thermal contraindications?

Non-Thermal Contraindications
Pregnancy
Bleeding tissue
Non-Thermal Local Contraindications
Malignancy
Eyes
Testis
Active Implants (pacemakers)
Active Epiphysis
Non-Thermal Precautions
Local Circulatory Insufficiency
Devitalised Tissue (Radiotherapy)
Thermal Contraindications
Pregnancy
Metal Implants
Local Circulatory Insufficiency
Bleeding Tissue
Thermal Local Contraindications
Malignancy
Eyes
Testis
Active Implants (Pace Maker)
Active Epiphysis
Thermal Precaution
Devitalised Tissue (Radiotherapy)

It is the management of exercise to get the athlete back to a playing state without the hinderance of an injury. What is my role? To assist the athlete in any area to make sure they are capable physically and mentally to perform. My aim is to effectively devise a plan that is beneficial to the athlete to get them back in the quickest time but in the safest way, to prevent deconditioning and to set short and long term goals to maintain and good psychological climate.

Throughout the rehab stage five parameters will be taken into consideration to assist with the overall goal.
These are:

Type of activity
Duration of the activity and rest
Frequency of the activity and rest
The intensity of the activity
Complexity of activity

Along with the rehab parameters your rehab program will take you from the early stage to the Pre-discharge stage ensuring your targets have been met at each stage before you are progressed.

At BodyCare Sport Injury Specialists, Medical Acupuncture (also known as Dry Needling) is practised. This is the process by which needles are inserted following Western approved anatomy and physiology which differs from Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Medical acupuncture does not claim to treat every condition as each treatment is personalised to the specific requirements of the patients and the treatment strategy.

How does it work?

Inserting a needle into the body is thought to create a cascade of reactions which intern helps the relief of pain previously felt around the injection site. It has been thought that the local tissue stimulation caused by the injection may have an effect on healing whereas before this may have been delayed because of the delayed tissue response.

Myofascial Trigger Point

The trigger point technique (localised areas of muscle that are highly irritable) is used to sedate these points and the pain they cause. Trigger points are palpated and classed as tender nodules within a localised, taut band of muscle where range of motion may be somewhat restricted. Palpation over a trigger point may make the patient flinch or elicit a jump sign due to the pressure.

What can be treated?

Back Pain (Thoracic/Lumbar)
Shoulder Pain
Headaches (Cervical Pain)
Golfers Elbow
Tennis Elbow
Gluteal Pain
Hip Pain
Knee Pain
Hamstring Pain
Anterior/Lateral Lower Leg Pain
Calf Pain

Treatment areas do not have to be treated separately; combinations of areas can be treated as long as they are exposed.

Possible Side Effects

Tiredness and relaxation
Pain within first 24-48 hours
Hematoma
Nausea and dizziness
Fainting

Throughout the whole treatment you will be asked how you feel. If at any point you experience any unpleasant feeling no matter how little, the needles will be removed.