What I love most about my job is how rewarding it is when I can share in the happiness of someone able to return to pain free running or other sport after treatment has helped them recovery from injury.  As a runner myself, when someone gets a PB or achieves their challenge because treatment and exercises have helped improve their strength, range of movement and allowed them to stay injury free, I understand how much this means to them.

I am a BTEC Level 5 Soft Tissue Therapist*, trained at one of the UK’s most prestigious schools (LSSM) and also a UKA Running Coach. This combination helps me to understand how technique, training, stability and movement pattern impacts on the body. So as well as good hands-on treatment which works well, feels good and can produce instantly noticeable improvements, I can offer rehab, exercises and even training advice that really will help you get better. Like trying to reduce wasted movement (but understanding what movement is necessary to help you run better) and on the other hand, improving range of movement (stretching out tight hip flexors through hands on treatment).  I  am constantly reading, learning and trying new stuff so I can improve the service I offer my clients and offer the most current advice.  For instance, we have all learned that icing is part of the ‘first aid’ for injuries (RICE = Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation) but recent research indicates that this actually can hinder the body’s healing process. However, icing also provides pain relief, so can we ice injuries just enough to provide this, WITHOUT, interfering with healing?

I also believe in practicing what I preach too, so I go for regular massage therapy myself (and have been for many years). I can honestly say that the most times my injuries have occurred when I’ve felt to busy to go for a while, or have been feeling fine, running well, and so started to pick up the pace, endurance or type of training, not feeling  that massage therapy is really needed (until it clearly is).

I’m also qualified as a kinesiology taper (Rockdoc Level 2), adding this to my range of treatments for clients suffering from injuries and have seen some good results in how much this can help alleviate symptoms and promote healing.  However, the underlying cause still needs to be dealt with (see technique, training, stability and movement patterns earlier).

So if you’re training for a spring 10k, half marathon, marathon and picking up the training miles or pace, got a niggle, then its a good idea to get it checked out, get some good advice and book an appointment.

*Soft tissue therapy (STT) is the assessment, treatment and management of soft tissue injury, pain and dysfunction primarily of the neuromusculoskeletal system.