Treatments and therapies

Here are a selection of the treatments and therapies available at the Back to Action Sports Clinic. Please feel free to contact us for more information.

Injury & Rehabilitation

Injuries

Many people are unsure of the actual effects of Sports Massage Therapy and Sports Therapy, and believe that it is solely for those involved in sport. However, the movements involved in sports are no different from those used in everyday life at home or at work. They all use the same repetitive movements, which can lead to repetitive strain, over-use injuries and postural problems. The results of a combination of any of these can be pain, poor function and restricted movement.

Sports Therapy, Sports Massage Therapy and Advanced Bodywork (including Myofascial Release) aim to restore function and reduce pain, by combining deep-tissue and sports massage, with a variety of stretching techniques. In addition, Sports Therapy and Sports Massage Therapy offer rehabilitation or rebalancing exercises not only to treat the injury, but also to prevent it happening again and to promote a pain-free level of functional activity. Sports Therapy also includes gentle mobilisation of the spine, to assist with the loosening of the restricted movement found in the surrounding muscles or ligaments, which helps facilitate long-term improvement of the condition. See Jenny, Steph and Ian on our team page.

Our Advanced Bodywork Therapist, who specialises in the treatment of pain, adds a fantastic element to our services, by helping to locate and treat the conditions that require a more gentle whole-body approach, using cutting-edge techniques from the USA. This approach incorporates Myofascial Release, and can help many chronic ailments which do not respond to more conventional treatment programmes. See Kipp on our team page.

Sports Massage

Massage, applied skilfully, is the most effective therapy for releasing muscle tension and restoring balance to the musculo-skeletal system. Received regularly this may help clients prevent injuries, which might otherwise be caused by over-use. A constant build-up of tension in the muscles from regular activity may lead to stresses on joints, ligaments, tendons, as well as the muscles themselves. These muscle imbalances may develop and often go undiagnosed, until they are serious enough to cause the client discomfort or impede performance or movement.

The skilled massage therapist will be able to detect variations in the soft tissues and, by using the correct techniques, help maintain a much healthier physical state. The basic movements in Sports Massage are used to warm the tissues, increase the blood flow to stimulate nerves, mobilise fluids, stretch muscle fibres to breaking down lesions and scar tissue.

It may therefore be reasonably claimed that one of the greatest benefits of Sports Massage is in helping prevent injury. See Jenny, Steph and Ian on our team page.

Rehabilitation

The aim of rehabilitation is to limit the amount of scarring and to preserve strength, elasticity and contractility of the muscles, tendons and ligaments. The role of a specifically designed rehabilitation/rebalancing programme is therefore of great importance; a poorly functioning muscle may not only be injured but may be weak, tight or imbalanced. The wrong exercises can cause an aggravation of the condition and prolong the recovery time of an injury.

At the Back to Action Sports Clinic we endorse the requirement for patient-specific rehabilitation and a return to full pre-injury functional activity, as well as prehabilitation programmes for injury prevention, no matter what level you participate at.

The types of rehabilitation offered include:

• Post-Injury
• Post-Operative
• Postural
• Range of Movement and Flexibility
• Strength and Power Training
• Core Stability Retraining and Advanced Core Stability
• Back Care Classes
• Shoulder and Upper Extremities
• Hip and Pelvis
• Knee and Ankle
• Sports-Specific

The specific prehabilitation programmes focus on core stability, proprioception (balance) and multi-limb co-ordination, enabling you to move correctly while still being able to recruit good core stability.

See Jenny, Steph and Ian on our team page.

We can also offer prehabilitation and rehabilitation in cases where surgery is required, for example it is essential for meniscus patients to exercise their thigh muscles, as they are responsible for stabilising the knee and if trained beforehand, rehabilitation can be accelerated.

Nutritional advice may be required to speed up the recovery period and prevent recurrence.

To find out more information on Nutritional advice please click on the icon on the side of the page.

Mobilisation

Following a full examination and assessment by one of our sports therapists, your treatment plan may include mobilisations, which can be performed to help treat either the spine or the peripheral joints.

Mobilisations are one of the most effective procedures for treating spinal disorders. They can be used to treat a range of problems, for instance to free a trapped nerve, restore a slipped disc or simply mobilise a stiff spine. Gently applying pressure and oscillating the affected and surrounding spinal joints aims to increase the passive mobility of the spine and reduce pain.

This treatment can be applied to all areas of the neck and back. This often shows good results, with the patient feeling an increased mobility and a huge reduction in pain. The techniques can vary in amplitude and grades, depending on each patient's requirements. Mobilisations most often show good results, with the patient feeling an increased mobility and a huge reduction in pain.

This treatment will usually be combined with mobility and strengthening exercises, to prevent a recurrence of the problem.

See Steph and Ian on our team page.

Advanced Massage and Bodywork

This form of treatment draws from a wide range of disciplines, including:

• Sports and remedial massage,
• Trigger-point therapy,
• Osteopathic techniques,
• Eastern techniques,
• Advanced stretching,
• Cranio-sacral therapy,
• Deep-tissue work,
• Structural integration
• Medical massage therapy.

See Kipp on our team page.

By combining cutting-edge Western techniques with ancient Eastern techniques, fast, lasting results can be achieved when treating muscular pain, joint pain/dysfunction, back pain, headaches, arthritis, injuries and postural problems.

Myofascial Release

Myofascial Release is a gentle yet extremely powerful mind-body healing therapy used effectively to treat the fascia of the body.

The fascia is the tough connective tissue that covers every muscle, muscle fibre, nerve, joint and organ in the body. This ‘web’ of fascia can become dehydrated, tight, inflexible and restricted. This causes pain, dysfunction, makes movement more tiring and inhibits circulation and tissue function.

As fascial ‘restrictions’ do not show up on any conventional medical tests, they are thought to be responsible for a very large percentage of undiagnosed pain, and other health problems.

Massage, acupuncture and manipulation do not release fascial restrictions, only Myofascial Release does! Myofascial Release has proved very effective in helping individuals recover from chronic pain, scarring and post-operative problems, old injuries, menstrual/fertility problems and fibromyalgia. It can also help people to ‘move on’ from past emotional trauma and can facilitate the natural self-healing process of ‘unwinding’.

See Kipp on our team page.

Full MOT Course

This course provides a holistic approach to your body. It is advised as a starter package for an individual who wants to take a serious approach to caring for their body. It is a ten-hour package, which includes an assessment with measurements, a nutritional consultation, a postural consultation and a combination of Sports Massages, treatment or rehabilitation.

Conditions which can be treated by our therapists:

• New and Old Injuries
• Rehabilitation and Prehabilitation
• Post and Pre operative
• Postural Imbalances
• Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI)
• Whiplash/Neck Injuries
• Back injuries, slipped discs and trapped nerves
• Sciatica/Nerve Impingement
• Chronic pain
• Knee and Ankle Injuries
• Core Stability Retraining
• Elbow and Shoulder Injuries
• Deep Muscular Tension
• Arthritis
• Headaches
• Pre- and Post-Event Massages

The benefits of the treatments are:

• Improved flexability
• Pain and Fatigue Relief
• Improved Speed of Recovery
• Breakdown Scar/Fibrous Tissue
• Injury Prevention
• Recognition and Evaluation of Injury
• Management, Treatment and Referral
• Education and Counselling

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