Anyone for tennis?

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Hopefully the sun will start to shine soon and then the tennis season will move into full swing, and amateur players will start to dust off their rackets.  After nearly 9 months off from playing tennis, overuse injuries are a common problem for the amateur tennis player who plays just during the summer season.

Tennis elbow or lateral epicondylitis is a common injury in tennis causing pain on the outside of the elbow.  At Return2fitness.co.uk we want to give you some insights into this common injury.

Do you have any Tennis Elbow Symptoms below:

Pain about 1-2cm down from bony area at the outside of the elbow  (lateral epicondyle)

Weakness in wrist with difficulty doing simple tasks such as opening a door handle or shaking hands with someone.

Pain on the outside of the elbow when the hand is bent back at the wrist against resistance.

Pain on the outside of the elbow when trying to straighten the fingers against resistance.

Pain when pressing (palpating) just below the lateral epicondyle on the outside of the elbow.

Causes of tennis elbow:

Overuse or repetitive strain caused by repeated extension of the wrist against resistance.  This may be from activities such as tennis but also day to day activities.

A poor backhand technique in tennis.

A racket grip that is too small.

Strings that are too tight.

Repetitive activities such as using a screwdriver, painting or typing.

Tennis Elbow Treatment:

A combination of the treatments below are known to resolve tennis elbow over time. Each individual will react differently to different treatments.

Aims of Rehabilitation:

Reduce pain and inflammation

Identify possible causes of injury

Stretching and strengthening

Gradual return to activity

A number of treatment methods are available in the rehabilitation of tennis elbow. In order to maximize the chance of a successful rehabilitation, it is important to apply as many as you can and continue use throughout the return to activity phase and beyond.

It is also important throughout the rehabilitation process to maintain fitness in ways that do not stress the elbow, for example cycling or running so long as it is not painful.

Reducing Pain and Inflammation

Rest from activity that causes pain. If you are a tennis player then stop playing. It is not just tennis that causes this injury or may aggravate it. Gripping anything tightly or for long periods may make it worse, even opening heavy doors.

Cold therapy such as instant ice packs or freeze sprays should be applied in the early stages – first couple of days. This can ease the pain, reduce swelling, reduce bleeding (initially) and encourage blood flow (later). Do not apply ice directly to the skin as this may cause ice burns – wrap in a wet tea towel.

Wear a tennis elbow brace, support or heat retainer. This will give support and help prevent further injury. Increasing heat after the initial acute stage will stimulate blood flow and aid healing.

If you are a tennis player ensure you have the correct technique. Wearing a tennis elbow brace can help take the strain off the elbow during the return to full fitness.

Throughout this phase it is essential that stretching and strengthening routines are maintained. When you can comfortably manage the strengthening exercises without any discomfort then it may be possible to return to activity.

Remember a tennis elbow support can help by putting pressure on the muscle that inserts into the painful bit of the elbow at the top of the forearm taking some of the stress off the tendon and relieving pain.  It can help absorb some of the shock and impact that comes from hitting a tennis ball.

So whether you feel inspired to play tennis before, during or after the French Open (starting 27 May), AEGON Championships at Queens Club (starting 11 June), Wimbledon Championships (starting 25 June) or the London Olympic tennis event (starting 28th July), now you know what to look out for in case tennis elbow hits you and it will be “game, set and match” over before you know it.

 

A secret weapon – blue smurf tape

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It is inspirational to see what people actually do to push the limit and raise money for charity or a good cause.  Let’s take the legendary John Bishop who cycled, rowed and ran 290 miles from Paris to London in just 5 days, otherwise known as his week of hell!

John raised an incredible £1.6 million for Sport Relief and if anyone listened to John during his interviews or watched the BBC Sport Relief programme you would have heard and seen the pain John had to go through.

Along the journey John received non-stop physio and massage treatment.  You would have seen John have energy gels to provide him with instant energy.   John was also using kinesiology sports tape to relieve the pain on his Achilles tendon.  Kinesiology tape is designed to help increase the natural blood flow around your muscles and the adhesive design helps lift the skin to maintain the flexibility, improve circulation and relieve pain.  John Bishop’s physio team used this tape to allow him to continue and ultimately complete his week of hell.

Return2fitness.co.uk stock the Mueller Kinesiology tape which is used by professional athletes and Olympians and you can choose from black, pink and of course blue.  John Bishop said about the blue tape on twitter, ‘the daft thing is, this is professional stuff that all sports people use but they must manufacture it for Smurfs – it’s blue.’

So if you are preparing for a marathon, half marathon or a 5km run and you want to try some of this kinesiology tape then visit www.return2fitness.co.uk

It’s a marathon and not a sprint

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Whether you are running a marathon or a Sport Relief Mile in 2012 then make sure you are prepared before, during and after your running sessions.  It is also good to be aware of any possible running injuries that may occur.

Before training for any running event and even throughout your training (especially if you feel a niggly injury building), you should consider the following:

Running shoes

Do I have the right running shoes, have they worn out? Are they the correct type? Do you pronate (foot turning inwards) and have you stable trainers?  If you have rigid foot then you need a pair of trainers with good cushioning.

 

Training

Make sure you perform a warm-up prior to training and don’t increase your training too quickly.  Are you running on a different surface than normal? Pavements and roads offer very little shock absorption, so you may want some extra foot insoles or heel pads.  You may consider a foot insole, footbed or heel pad that will help with extra shock absorption and cushioning.  For example the Sorbothane Full Strike which is a popular mid weight flat insole for injury prevention.

Are you doing a hillier route than usual? It’s a good idea to keep a training diary so you can look back and see what may have changed in your training.

Warm-up

A warm-up should ideally consist of a gentle pulse raiser, such as fast walking, cycling or skipping. After 5-10 minutes of this, you should commence your stretches. The most important areas to stretch for runners are the calf, hamstrings, groin, quadriceps and buttocks. Hold your stretches for 20-30 seconds each.

More recently, active stretches have been introduced as the warm-up technique of choice. These involve stretching the muscles through movement, rather than holding a static position. For example walking lunges can be used.

Core strength

If the central part of the body is not strong then you will be more susceptible to injuries especially when you become tired at the end of a run. Make sure you do some abdominal exercises and glute strengthening. Perform a circuit session; include all the basic exercises like squats, lunges and calf raises.  A wobble balance board is also great for strengthening your core.

Nutrition

Eat a balanced diet with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables and plenty of carbohydrates following training and protein to repair muscle. It is also vitally important to stay hydrated before and after training. Try an electrolyte drink after to replace lost salts, or an energy gel to provide instant energy.

Motivation

Set yourself a long term goal (for example to run a 5k event), then set yourself short term goals (one lap, run for 5 minutes, run one mile).  Perhaps run with a partner, listen to your iPod, or run a different route.

Be prepared

Running injuries are nearly always overuse injuries which develop over a period of time.  Here is a list of common running injuries with suggested injury products:

Runners Knee – The Mueller ITB strap will help relieve the pain on the outer side of the knee.

Shin splints – Cho Pat (Mueller) Shin Splint Compression sleeve designed by medical professionals to support and press lower leg muscles and soft tissue.

Anterior compartment syndrome – treat the sharp pain in the muscle on the outside of the lower leg with cold therapy.

Patellofemoral pain syndrome – The McDavid multi-action knee support will help control the alignment and movement of the patella.

Achilles tendinitis – Sorbothane heel pads help relieve the strain on the Achilles tendon

Plantar fasciitis – Pro-Tec Arch supports help alleviate arch pain and discomfort of the plantar fascia.

Ankle Sprains – The Neo-G ankle support with a wrap around design is an ideal ankle support for an ankle sprain.

Overuse injuries are common and did you know The American Journal of Sports Medicine* reported that 22% of the 10,997 injuries during the 2008 Summer Olympic Games were overuse injuries with the main injury being ankle sprains.

So be prepared this spring, achieve your goal and keep on running.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Sport injuries during the summer Olympic games 2008 Am J Sports Med November 2009 vol. 37 no. 11 2165-2172 http://ajs.sagepub.com/content/37/11/2165.abstract

 

What time is it? Super Bowl time

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It’s that time of year again, yes it is Super Bowl time.  This Sunday the New England Patriots will play against the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis.

The Super Bowl is a massive worldwide event, will you be watching on Sunday night from 10.55pm on the BBC?  Who is going to win?  I think this will be a close but very entertaining game.  So let me give you a quick overview – the game, the Super Bowl and of course at Return2Fitness we need to look at some of the injuries during the NFL season.

The easy to understand rules:

Some of  you may not know the basic rules of American Football? Well here you go, here is a simple introduction;

It is played by two teams, over four quarters of 15 minutes each. The clock does not run continuously, so be prepared for a long game on Sunday night..  The purpose of the game is to gain yards across the 100-yard long playing field, and to score points – mainly by moving the ball into the opponents’ end zone, called a touchdown, or by kicking the ball through two elevated goal posts, which is a field goal.

Offense and Defense:

Each team has an Offense and Defense team.  One team is the offense. It has possession of the ball and is allowed four attempts (downs), to move the ball 10 yards closer to the opponents’ end zone.  If the offense succeeds, it is given another four downs. If it fails, the opposition offense is given the ball.

When the offense reaches fourth down, it usually decides to kick the ball deep into the opponents’ half of the field rather than fail to make 10 yards and give the ball up in a poor position.

A touchdown is worth six points and is awarded when a team manages to move the ball into the opponents end zone and still has it under its control. The offense then can score an extra point by kicking a conversion, or two extra points by running or passing the ball into the end zone from the two-yard line.

The other main scoring play is a field goal, which is worth three points.

The other team is playing defense and must try to prevent the other team from gaining yards and scoring.

Quarterback:

The quarterback is at the heart of the offense and is the player everyone looks for. The plays are usually called by coaches on the sidelines, but the quarterback relays them to the other players and frequently makes last-second changes.Depending on the action of the defense, the quarterback will then pass the ball to the offensive player in the most promising position, or give the ball to a running back to carry up the field.  You can find more at http://www.nfl.com/rulebook/beginnersguidetofootball

The Super Bowl:

The NFL involves 32 teams divided into two conference’s – NFC and AFC.  Now we are down to the final two teams – the Giants and Patriots.  Both teams played each other in Super Bowl XLII, with the Giants winning, the Patriots want revenge.

How can we also not forget the Super Bowl half time show, which is the most watched musical event of the year and this year Madonna headlines the half time show.  Watch to see the NFL best celebrity NFL fans

The 46th Super Bowl is being played at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.  I watched my first NFL game at the Indianapolis Colts previous home, the RCA Dome, and I can tell you that Indiana is a great city for football, so the Super Bowl atmosphere will be off the planet.

The injuries:

There have been some key injuries during the NFL season, lets have a look at a few;

Week one began with a wrist injury to Cincinnati Bengals quarterback, Andy Dalton.  The Houston Texans lost two key players in week 4 and 5, Wide receiver Andre Johnson with a hamstring injury and Mario Williams with a torn pectoral muscle.  Week 5 also see’s another hamstring injury to Green Bay Packers Chad Clifton.  Broken Collarbones and concussions occurred during the season along with toe injuries and in Week 10 Baltimore Ravens Linebacker Ray Lewis went down with a toe injury.  The Quarterbacks did not get away with any injuries and the Pittsburgh Steelers Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger received an ankle sprain in the second quarter in his teams victory over the Browns.

The good news is that neither the Giants or Patriots do not have any major injury concerns before the Super Bowl on Sunday night.

Don’t forget if any of you American Football players have any injuries such as a sprain/strain, hamstring injury, or ACL injury, then make sure you prevent any further injury with the right treatment and rehabilitation.  At Return2fitness we provide thigh and ankle supports, wrist supports, knee pads and cold therapy to aid your recovery.

So will it be the Giants or Patriots?  Will you be able to watch the entire game?  What will you think about the half time show?  Will you be inspired to play American Football?  Have a great Super Bowl.

 

 

 

Avoid skiing injuries this year

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Welcome to Return2fitness.co.uk first blog for 2012, we thought we would have a quick look at skiing.  As we move towards the peak of the skiing season, we have had an increase in the number of enquiries from customers wanting advice on skiing knee braces, and Chemmy Alcott, Britain’s top ranked alpine skier, is appearing on this year’s ITV’s Dancing on Ice, it is that time of year!.  Therefore this is perfect timing for us to briefly look at how you can best prepare for skiing this year.

Have you got the right kit and equipment?  Are you in the right shape for the ski season? Have you got ‘safe tips’ on how to protect yourself and keep safe on the slopes?  Do you have F.I.S rules of what you should and should not be doing on the slopes?

Skiing injuries have reduced greatly over the last few years but how many of you hear a story from your friends or colleagues saying they have a minor injury or slightly hurt themselves after a fall on the slopes?

This brings us nicely to mention Chemmy Alcott.  Chemmy, who finished 11th in the 2006 Winter Olympics, has made an amazing recovery since breaking her leg on the slopes in 2010.  Chemmy had to have nine screws and a large metal plate inserted into her lower leg after she fractured her right leg during downhill training in December 2010.  After a gruelling rehabilitation programme Chemmy is now competing in Dancing on Ice and wants to be a 100% before she ski’s competitively.

Despite her long ordeal, Chemmy refused to feel sorry for herself. ‘To be the best in the world you have to be prepared to go to the limit,’ she said.  ‘Injury comes with the territory. It’s one of the risks you take.’ (source Daily Mail) Chemmy has reported she spends 10 hours in the gym twice a week, and has physio, pilates and aerobics when not in the gym.  That is dedication and she is doing everything she can to return to fitness on the slopes.

Why don’t you look at some key exercises before you go on the slopes this year? The air squat and jump squats are a perfect way to get into shape and resemble skiing moves.  Having good core stability will also give you good balance and upper body strength for the slopes.  A wobble board would be a great piece of equipment to improve you balance and stability.

The most frequent skiing injury is to the knee ligaments, because of the landing from jumps, widening your stance, and twisting and turning on the slopes which can result in injuring your ACL or MCL knee ligaments.  Many of our previous customers who have had an ACL or MCL injury from skiing or a previous sport, decide to be prepared and have a knee brace before their next trip.  If you need a knee support then Return2Fitness has a range of knee supports with varying levels of protection in stock, for example hinged knee braces provide the highest level of protection and allow a full range of smooth movement.

So there you go, be inspired by Chemmy Alcott, keep fit, be prepared, have the right equipment and enjoy your skiing holiday in 2012.

Festive injuries and a merry Christmas

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We were listening to Radio One last week when Fearne Cotton suddenly talked about injuries from wrapping Christmas presents, well this got me thinking.

So here is a light hearted approach to the festive season from Return2fitness.co.uk.

For those of you wrapping up all those presents before the big day, do you need finger supports to provide support and compression for injured finger joints.  Oh, ok it is not just your fingers that hurt from all the wrapping but your shoulder is a little sore, do you need a LP shoulder support for protection and heat protection?

Are you a last minute Christmas shopper?  Are you ready to face the crowds in the shops and at the checkouts?  Return2fitness.co.uk have compeed blister plasters which will relieve the pain of foot blisters, by cushioning and protecting the blister whilst healing.  Perhaps you also need a extra energy boost with an Energy Gel?

Ok so you have finished all the Christmas shopping, you have wrapped all the presents and now it is Christmas Day, and you receive some kind of computer console to play those brilliant sport games such as tennis and golf.  Protect your wrists with a LP wrist support; this will help relieve any wrist pain by giving mild pressure and firm support to a weak or injured wrist joint.  Also did you know that Osteopaths have reported an increase number of patients with back injuries after Christmas; must be those over excited and over competitive players really pushing the limit on those computer games who have not exercised or used certain muscles all year and have overdid it. A McDavid Universal back support helps relieve that lower back pain.

Finally, as the weather turns colder and to prepare you for a white Christmas and those snow ball fights, keep warm and wear a Precision training base layer; a long sleeve compression top to enhance performance during cold weather sports.

Be safe this Christmas, wishing you all a Merry Christmas from Return2fitness.co.uk

A footballers achilles heel?

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Premier League Clubs are preparing to face the congested Christmas and New Year football fixture list, and many managers will need to consider all their options if they have a treatment room full of injured football players.  This got me thinking how many footballers may miss the Christmas and New Year schedule with an injury.

Steven Taylor, Newcastle United’s centre half is facing having to miss the rest of the season with an Achilles tendinopathy injury, he has also however had to wear a nose protection mask in his last few games due to a nose injury.  I wonder if this is the reason why Return2fitness.co.uk nearly sold out of the Mueller nose guards last week?

Tottenham’s Michael Dawson is also recovering from surgery to his right Achilles tendon and will not be back until the New Year.  Dawson was expected to be out for around two months in August, but had suffered a relapse.  Dawson had commented on wearing a protective boot for a couple of weeks to strengthen the Achilles tendon.  Here at Return2Fitness.co.uk, we do stock a variety of products to support the rehabilitation of Achilles tendon injuries such as the Aircast Airheel, specifically designed to treat Plantar Fasciitis, Achilles tendinitis, and heel pain.  We also have the Plantar Fasciitis splint; the splint is equally as effective at stretching the Achilles tendon making it an ideal part of Achilles tendinitis treatment.

Liverpool midfielder, Lucas, will now miss the rest of the season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury to his left knee.  What type of knee support could Lucas wear for his rehabilitation?   Perhaps he may wear the LP hinged knee support with pin-stop, a specialist brace often used following knee surgery for example an anterior cruciate ligament injury. Or perhaps Lucas may wear a prefer the McDavid 429 hinged knee brace which provides strong lateral support to the sides of the knee, suitable for ACL and MCL injuries.

Will Sir Alex Ferguson have to dip into the January transfer window as his Manchester United team face a full treatment room?  Striker Chicharito could be out for a few weeks with torn ligaments, Dimitiar Berbatov has an ankle injury, Michael Owen and Tom Cleverley and midfielder Anderson are also sidelined through injury.  I wonder what rehabilitation programmes these players will have?

Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere is expecting to give Arsenal and England a major fitness boost from a long injury.  Wilshere is making quicker than expected progress in his rehabilitation after surgery on a stress fracture to his right ankle, and could return to training in the next few weeks.

Aston Villa’s Shay Given picked up a hamstring injury, during Aston Villa’s Premier League clash against Manchester United at Villa Park at the weekend.  “Shay tweaked a hamstring there. Hopefully it’s a grade one injury and it heals very quickly,” said Villa boss Alex McLeish after the game.  It is now reported that Shay will be out for a month.  There are a variety of thigh products which can help the recovery of a hamstring injury, like the Skins Half tights, or the 810 McDavid Mens deluxe compression shorts

As you can see there are some big name players with injuries before the Christmas fixture list even begins.  A warning to you footballers though, you don’t have to be playing football to get injured, just ask man of the moment Robbie Savage.  Unlike Steven Taylor, Robbie did get a broken nose but on Strictly Come Dancing by sliding on the floor into a camera, Robbie at the time tweeted: ‘This was commitment for you!! ’20 years as a footballer,1 broken leg, 1 broken neck 7 knee ops, 3 hernias, as a dancer 5 weeks a broken nose.’

You footballers better be careful at those Christmas parties.

Discover how to keep your balance over Christmas

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Welcome to our first blog! At Return2Fitness.co.uk we have decided it is about time that we provide you with some topical blogs that will provide you with some exercise and fitness ideas and insights. We know how you everyday sports and fitness people like to have some new ideas and insights to be one step ahead of the rest!

Maintaining your fitness and rehabilitation over the festive period will provide you with a massive benefit and an advantage over your team mates and colleagues. I know money is tight, the weather is starting to get colder, and the days are darker, so how do we keep up our fitness and rehabilitation at this time? What if you could use an exercise and fitness product indoors without the need for too much space? A wobble board is an ideal piece of exercise equipment.

Originally produced for skiers and then surfers to practice their skills in the off season and at night, a wobble board is a device that has come to be used for training in all sports, for physical fitness and for non-athletic purposes.  A wobble board will develop balance, motor coordination skills, weight distribution and core strength and will help to prevent sports injuries, especially to the ankle and knee.

Almost all athletes and non-athletes will benefit from regular use of a wobble board.  Runners, surfers, dancers, rugby, footballers, skiers, skateboarders, netballers will all be able to improve their athletic skills by improving their balance, developing their proprioceptive senses and by strengthening the muscles and joints in the legs.

What are your proprioceptive senses you may ask? In a nutshell this is our sense and awareness of the position of our body parts. Having good proprioception helps reduce the risk of injury. Wobble boards are most commonly used in the rehabilitation of ankle injuries such as ankle sprains.

Many footballers suffer from ankle injuries and so their rehabilitation may involve a wobble board. For example it would be interesting to see if Manchester United’s Tom Cleverley or Tottenham’s Michael Dawson who have had recent ankle injuries use a wobble board to maintain their balance and strengthen their ankle?

I have never used a wobble board before, so I decided to use a wobble board at home in preparation for our first blog. I was up for the challenge.  For example standing on the wobble board, feet shoulder width apart and holding on to a chair for support and rocking the board forwards and backwards, then side to side for 2 to 3 minute repetitions.

I was like Bambi on ice to start with but then I progressed through a variety of exercises, happy days!  As a competitive person, I wanted to achieve more, so I then balanced on the board with both feet, performed small knee bends and then I moved into squats, time for celebration, and then experiencing the feeling of what is was like to feel muscles not used for a while.

As a footballer who has suffered from various ankle sprains in the past I wished I had access to a wobble board and my recovery would have been faster.

So there you have it, a simple product which is also fun to use,with a few simple exercises. What do you think? Be good to read your thoughts.