It is well documented that sport is an excellent way to maintain or improve your overall physical and mental health and wellbeing. So anyone involved in sport, at whatever level, does not want to be ‘out of action’ due to injury, which is where Osteopathy can be so beneficial. Injuries can be:

• due to a single traumatic event
• classified as ‘overuse’
• because of an unresolved previous injury or accident
• as a result of the body being unable to balance a sedentary job with short bursts of intense activity

Whatever the cause of the injury Osteopathy can help ensure your joints, muscles and ligaments, and the way they interact with one another, function at an individual’s optimum level, which of course will vary from person to person. Not only will this usually speed up the recovery time of the current injury it can also protect your body from further damage.

Alternatively, if you are getting involved in sport for the first time or getting back into it after a break, a visit to the Osteopath can help ensure that your body is free as possible from any underlying problems, thus minimising the risk of injury, but it can also protect your body from further damage.

Sporting injuries or problems do, of course, happen to any age group, not just adults and seniors. Young people involved in sport can be prone to injury due to imbalances in the growing body and the physical demands put upon them. See ‘Kids and Teens’ for further information.

Massage is very beneficial for anyone, but particularly for those involved in sports at a high-level or on a frequent basis. It can release muscle tension, aid circulation and speed up the repair of any minor injuries thus improving performance as well as limiting potential injuries. Massage can also help pre- and post-event if you are training for a specific challenge and is often used as part of an osteopathic treatment, as can medical acupuncture.

Osteopathy, Medical Acupuncture and Massage can help with the following injuries:

• Achilles tendonitis
• joint imbalances
• ligament sprains – eg feet, ankles, knees, back, wrists
• muscle strains – eg neck, back, groin, hamstrings, calves
• plantar fasciitis (pain on the sole of your foot)
• rehabilitation post fracture – needless to say we cannot repair a fracture but can help with rehabilitation once the bone has mended
• shoulder girdle pain
• shin splints – usually as a result of tight muscles
• tennis elbow
• nerve pain

Don’t let injury stop you exercising!

CASE HISTORY

Patient: 42-year-old female

Condition: been hit in the left side of her head by a hockey ball 3½ weeks ago; no concussion; x-ray showed no fracture and a diagnosis of soft tissue damage was given, which resulted in a very swollen black eye

Previous History: no similar injuries

Presenting symptoms: a decrease in jaw movement and opening; pain on opening and clicking in the right jaw

Treatment: 4 treatments over a four-week period. Treatment included soft tissue (massage), manipulation, acupuncture and cranial-sacral osteopathy. Patient reported after the 4 treatments that movement had improved and she was able to open her mouth wider. There was still some pain in the temporal region but the patient was happy that this would continue to improve and resolve of its own accord.

Please feel free to contact us if you wish to discuss further whether we can help you