Introduce regular Sports Massage, strengthening, conditioning & stability techniques to your exercise routine.
Prehab..It’s the new Rehab!
Rehabilitation has been a key part of recovery following any injury for decades. In recent years it has developed into a huge industry and almost everyone has had tales of ‘physio’ following sprains, strains and even surgery.
But why should we wait until an injury has occurred? There are plenty of people out there to help you once injury has struck you down, and of course I am one of those people, but more importantly than assisting you once you’re injured, is the importance of assisting you to keep injury at bay!
Naturally, injury is sometimes inevitable but there are so many things that can be done to minimise this risk.
Muscle strength, condition, balance, agility & co-ordination are all crucial to reduce the probability of damaging your body’s musculo-skeletal structures.
Muscle strength – Any structure must be strong to withstand external forces. In the body, the knees, hips and neck are all areas that can be susceptible to impact blows, repetitive shock impact, repetitive strains and overexertion. By keeping the muscle groups around these structures strong, it in turn reinforces the strength of the structure and reduces possible injury. Incorporating this aspect into your fitness regimen alongside cardiovascular work will quickly build a protective barrier for more vulnerable structures such as the knee.
Muscle Condition – Strong muscles alone won’t guarantee an injury free lifestyle. Overworked and tired muscles are full of tension and micro-tears that can lead to bigger problems. Muscle strain is the primary issue that arises through tight, stressed out muscles. This is where massage is a vital part of exercise and strength. Stripping the muscles, re-aligning the fibers, flushing out toxins and manipulating the ligaments and tendons will drastically improve the condition of your muscles, especially if is performed regularly. Alongside this, regular stretching techniques such as static (the classic stretching approach), dynamic (stretching with movement) and ballistic (stretching with multiple bouncing movements) will elongate the fibers of the muscle and prevent a build-up of tension. Don’t forget that rest is also an important part of exercise; letting your body recover will enhance your ability to resist injury.
Agility, Balance & Co-ordination (A, B, C’s)
An example of poor A, B, C’s is when an individual lands in basketball, netball or football and rolls on their ankle causing a ‘classic’ ankle sprain. When insufficient spatial awareness is coupled with the inability to stabilise the body on landing, injury occurs. One exercise to improve this is balancing on one leg for as long as possible, progressing to balancing on an uneven surface, closing your eyes and drawing the arms in for less stability. As balance improves, these tasks will become easier.
Agility is also important. Being able to change direction quickly and in a fluid motion limits the risk of ligaments and tendons rupturing and muscles being torn. A way of improving this is to sprint whilst someone shouts changes of direction to you, or to weave round cones as quickly as you can.
Finally, hydration and nutrition
Hydration and nutrition are vital to sustain a healthy body for exercise. To find out more about the nutrition you need for healthy muscles, head over to Sam Downton via the Celebrate website.
Everything discussed so far is simply an overview to give a good idea of ways to reduce potential injury. All of these important aspects can be explained further and the appropriate programmes can be created to tackle any weaknesses or imbalances you can see within your training or exercise routine.
To find out more information or to apply for a tailor-made programme, please feel free to contact me.
Viki Drury - BSC (Hons)
Deep Tissue Massage Therapist
Celebrate Health & Fitness
