Blog
Practical physiotherapy tips, wellbeing insights and news to help you build resilience, prevent setbacks and stay active.
Top 5 Prehab Exercises For Footballers In The Off Season
Football season may be over, but staying on top of strength and mobility in the off-season will pay dividends next year.
Can running technique affect injury risk?
Running is a natural human movement — but not everyone does it well. It’s a repetitive activity that varies widely between individuals of all levels. Whether you’re an elite marathon runner or a weekend jogger, the way you move matters. For most people, small tweaks in running technique can have a big impact on reducing injury risk and improving performance. In this post, we’ll break down: Does It Matter? In short — yes. If you break down the movement of running, forces of approximately 2–3 times your body weight are transferred through your joints every time your foot contacts the ground. Multiply that by the thousands of steps you take, and even subtle differences in technique can significantly increase the risk of overuse injuries. These include, but aren’t limited to: 3 Common Technique Issues That Can Lead to Injury 1. Over striding Over striding occurs when your foot makes contact too far in front of your body. This often results in a heel strike with an extended knee at the moment of impact. The result? Increased stress on the shins, knees, and hips. Fix: Shorten your stride and aim to land with your foot directly underneath your body. This improves shock absorption
Ankle Sprain Survival Guide: What to Do
What Is an Ankle Sprain? Most of us have ‘rolled’ an ankle at some point! Whether it’s from a sudden twist, an awkward landing on uneven…
Running pain: Should I run through it?
Running pain is a hot topic in physio appointments! Whether you’re a casual weekend warrior or a seasoned marathoner, at some point, you’ll find yourself asking: “Should I run through this pain?” Is it as simple as the old saying, “No pain, no gain”—or is it smarter to take a break and put your feet up? In this blog, we’ll break down how to recognise different types of running pain and help you decide what to do next. AKA, to run, or not to run? ✅ Green Zone: The “Good” Kind of Pain This is the safe zone—discomfort that comes from your body adapting to training. Running is demanding, and it’s perfectly normal to feel some soreness afterwards. What this pain looks like: If this sounds like you, there’s no need to slow down—your body is adapting, and you’re building resilience. Keep running! ⚠️ Yellow Zone: Proceed With Caution This is the warning zone. You’re not injured yet, but your body is under stress. The key here is to listen, adjust, and act early to prevent things from escalating. What this pain looks like: What to do: 🛑 Red Zone: Stop and Reassess This is the danger zone. Pain here
Do you experience vertigo, dizziness, imbalance, or nausea?
Did you know that the symptoms of vertigo, dizziness and imbalance can be caused by issues in your inner ear? Vertigo is a very common condition, affecting about 1 in 5 adults each year. In roughly 25% of cases, vertigo stems from problems within the inner ear—these are called vestibular disorders. Women are nearly twice as likely as men to experience vestibular vertigo, and the risk increases with age. The most common type of vestibular vertigo is Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). What is Vertigo? Our ears aren’t just for hearing—they also help us understand the position of our head and maintain our balance. Inside the inner ear are tiny structures that send signals to the brain about how our head is moving. This allows us to detect the direction and extent of head movements, even with our eyes closed—thanks to the movement of fluid inside these structures. Two of these inner ear structures contain microscopic calcium crystals that help the brain detect gravity. When these crystals become dislodged—which happens for various reasons—they end up in one of three semicircular canals. If this happens, head movements can confuse the brain, triggering a sudden, spinning sensation known as vertigo. How is
Why daily exercise is a must!
What is the WHO? The World Health Organisation (WHO) is a global team of medical experts from the United Nations dedicated to improving the health and well-being of people all over the world. How Much Exercise Do We Need? The WHO recommends the following for adults: Why Is That Much Exercise Needed? Because your body—and your mind—will thank you for it! Regular physical activity: How Can I Start? Your starting point for daily exercise depends on your current fitness level. Some people can jump right in, while others need to ease into a routine to avoid injury. Here are a few tips to get going: Need help? Our physiotherapy team is here to guide your return to exercise – especially if you’re working around injuries. Our team can create tailored exercise program/s to ensure you are getting the most from your exercise and most importantly, safely! We also offer Clinical Pilates classes and supervised gym and strengthening sessions at both our clinics. Contact our friendly reception team or book online when you’re ready to take the next step.
Scar tissue management
If you would like to improve the appearance and function of your scars, scar tissue management techniques like massaging, silicone patches and (potentially) surgery are some of the options available to you, with the ultimate goal of softening, flattening and reducing sensitivity. Myofascial cupping Myofascial cupping, a technique using suction cups to create negative pressure, can be beneficial for scar tissue management by promoting better tissue mobility and reducing tightness, particularly after injuries or surgeries. Myofascial cupping Dry needling (“Surrounding the Dragon”) Dry Needling Dry needling involves inserting thin needles into the scar tissue to stimulate localised healing, promote collagen remodelling, and potentially reduce pain and improve mobility. This dry needling technique is called “surrounding the dragon”. Is it too late for scar tissue therapy? It is never too late to start treating a scar. Scar tissue forms as part of the body’s natural healing process after surgery, with collagen fibers creating denser tissue that can adhere to surrounding tissues, bones, and organs. This scarring can affect multiple layers of tissue or internal structures, potentially leading to long-term issues such as visceral pain, chronic back pain from past surgeries, or lasting effects from childhood injuries. Scar tissue can disrupt normal
Hamstrings: The Behind-the-Scenes Heroes of Your Legs (and the Reason You Can’t Touch Your Toes)
What is the Hamstring? The hamstrings are a group of three muscles located at the back of your thigh. They start at the sit bone (ischial tuberosity) and extend to the back of the knee, either on the inside or the outside. These muscles play a key role in bending the knee and pushing the hip backward. You might often see someone grab their hamstring when running fast or sprinting, as they feel a sudden pain in the back of their thigh. Why Do the Hamstring Muscles Have Different Names? Each of the three hamstring muscles has a unique name, reflecting their specific structure: How Are Hamstring Injuries Caused? When you run, the hamstrings stretch out and lengthen, but they don’t simply stretch – they control this movement. During this phase, the muscle undergoes what’s called eccentric loading, where a significant load is placed on the muscle. While this is typically fine, it can become problematic if: In these cases, your hamstring might not be accustomed to the added stress, making it more vulnerable to injury. The muscle may become overstretched, leading to a tear. Overuse or poor flexibility can also contribute to a hamstring injury. What Does It Mean If You Injure Your Hamstring? If you suspect a hamstring injury, it’s important to differentiate it from other
Don’t let tennis elbow serve you a painful lesson
Tennis elbow (or lateral epicondylitis) is an overuse injury that results in inflammation and pain in the outermost tendon of the elbow. Although named due it’s common occurrence in tennis players, this injury can develop from any activity that involves repetitive gripping, lifting or rotation of the wrist. It can be things as simple and day-to-day as cleaning or high volumes of computer mouse use that cause this injury. Understanding your load is key Your physio will start by getting a detailed understanding of your recent and typical weekly activities. This will allow us to recognise what may have exacerbated your pain and what things we need to decrease in volume. Knowing the contributing factors is essential for developing targeted and successful treatment plans. Your treatment can also include: Manual Therapy: Hands-on techniques such as soft tissue massage and joint mobilizations can help reduce pain, improve tissue mobility and restore normal joint mechanics. Therapeutic Exercise: Prescription of specific exercises to strengthen the muscles of the forearm, wrist, and shoulder, improve flexibility and address any muscle imbalance that may be present. Bracing or Taping: Advice on braces or application of tape to support the affected area and offload stress on the injured tendon. Biomechanical