How Much Training Should I Do With An Injury?

Do you have an injury? Or perhaps you've been injured before?

We often get the question from people that are injured: "How much training should I do with an injury? Am I causing more damage to my pain or my problem or am I just doing too little to gain any benefit?"

You've asked that question before, right?

To answer the question: Am I doing too much training that could be causing damage to my problem, or actually not doing enough to benefit...

What type of pain are you getting?

There are lots of different types of pains that we have in our bodies. What we call them in neurology is actually note receptors. Those are pain receptors. The different types of pain receptors send different signals to the brain. And depending on the type of pain you get will determine if it's beneficial or if it's damaging to your system.

As a general rule of thumb, if you're getting pain that is more than 7 out of 10, and it's really winding up, we'll normally say you should probably not continue with your exercise. Because you're doing something that's stimulating the nerves that's telling the brain "Oh I really don't like this" and the more you do it, the more you're going to keep sending the pain signal to the brain. And as pain increases, it's telling the brain: "Hey I really don't like this, you better stop because it's really going to start winding things up and making things worse".

If your pain is 7-10 out of 10 then we really need to make sure that you stop and allow your system to recover because you'll probably do more damage than good if you try to exercise. If your pain is really low down - 1,2,3 or 4, continue to exercise but if the pain starts creeping up then you need to be alert and assess how much worse it is getting.

So the first thing to remember is how bad is your pain? Grade yourself so just do a 1-10 scale. If out of 10, it is less than 7 out of 10 pain then you can do something. We're not saying you can do a lot but you can do something.

The Type Of Pain

The second thing we need to look at if someone has pain is the type of pain. Because we have all different types of pain.

We have sharp pains, aches, dull, throbbing. We have all these different types of pain and it really depends on what pain you are actually experiencing.

The ones that we would always be worried about are those that are sharp, stabbing and shooting pains.

Because these pains are really irritating a nerve somewhere and it could be irritating a structure somewhere. And your brain's saying, "I really don't like that". It's going coincide with a high degree of pain. So on that pain scale, you'll probably be a 7, 8, 9 or 10.

If you experience any type of those pains then we'd say you need to stop and really look after yourself because you are essentially damaging something or really winding something up.

But if you get something that's more of a really low level ache or a really low level, dull symptom then it's okay. Because with those, your system should be able to adapt.

But the big but is, we don't want you to throw yourself in a deep end and suddenly really push yourself because you're only in a 'little' bit of pain.

Because remember, the person that knows your body the best is you. And what we do as practitioners is listen to your story and then we assess it to find out what could be the problem and then we determine the best course of action. We don't know your body as well as you do but we do assessments to prove a hypothesis. To find out what could be causing the problem.

The Training

The next thing you need to be very careful with is when we look at different types of trainings. You may find certain positions that may be better for you, and also positions that are worse for you.

We get this question a lot! For example, a lot of people ask us whether yoga or Pilates is good for them. As a general rule of thumb, yes! It's great to do exercise. Exercise is a good thing, exercise is medicine. Exercise will help your systems adapt to the loads that need to be put onto it.

But a big however, and the big disclaimer that we put onto it is remember yoga and Pilates are umbrella terms. Not every exercise is going to be specific to you. Not every exercise is going to be beneficial for you. So when you do these classes, if it brings on your pain, it goes to 7 out of 10, put your hand up and ask for an alternative exercise. If you just continue through a lot of pain and you're winding things up, that might bring you a few steps backwards and we don't want that, we want to make sure you are going forward and getting out of pain as soon as possible.

So this is why it's so important to find out what is irritating you. If you find a certain position that's really sore, let your practitioner know. As soon as you let us know, we

can test the systems and structures in that position, particularly the neurology. And then we can treat it so it doesn't bother you again. So as soon as we make you robust in that position, great you can go back to that class and go and do those exercises and then it shouldn't bother you at all.

So if you have any sort of pain it's about how much exercise and how much training we can do to benefit you so that we can actually get you back to your best.

If you've found this blog post helpful but you're just not quite sure about your specific pain, we would love to reach out to you and help you answer your specific questions to that problem, whatever you may be having. Because everyone has different pains and different problems on that and it should be specific. Receive advice from our sports injury specialists on 01143 211852.

If you know anyone that has an injury and they could benefit from this answer, share this post with them and we will be more than happy to help them with their questions.

The Story Behind Sheffield Sports Medicine

Did you know that Sheffield Sports Medicine serves patients from all around the world?

One reason why Dr. Lee founded Sheffield Sports Medicine was to branch out and actually change the whole status quo and how people perceive health.

And of course, it goes without saying that he wanted help people to the best of his ability too!

Why Did It All Start?

People look at Dr. Lee's profile and say 'Oh my goodness Michael! You have spent a lot of time studying!'. For those who don't know, Dr Lee has completed seven degrees not to boast but it just shows how interested he is in the human body! The reason why he studied so much was that, perhaps just like you reading this blog, you recognise that there are all these different things around that could help but where do I start?!

Dr. Lee was exactly the same so he went to investigate! He was curious to find out exactly how the human brain and the body work together so people can live healthier and happier lives.

Sheffield Sports Medicine was founded back in 2010 because Dr Lee was treating so many patients, so much that he wasn't even seeing his wife! So he quickly realised that that wasn't working!

It was then that he realised that the purpose of his life isn't to just be at work helping treating people. Don't get us wrong, he loves treating patients! But he was only helping one person for every session that he was delivering and he wanted to help more people!

So Dr Lee realised that, to help more people, he needed to teach his philosophy, in terms of how the whole body works together and how to get people out of pain for good. And he wanted to reach more people around the world so that they could have an opportunity. Because a lot of people that come to us have been suffering for years - 5, 10, 15, 20, even 30 years. Whether it's a physical pain or an emotional pain that they just haven't been able to get rid of.

When The Idea Was First Formed

Dr Lee realised all this whilst he was studying his first degree at Loughborough University. He actually had a scholarship there to play rugby at national level. He loved his rugby but the real problem was that he suffered an ACL injury to his knee. He had surgery and of course he was told it would be fine, he would be back to rugby.

But the truth is, that that didn't happen.

He was still on crutches two years after that minor surgery. He was in so much pain that he couldn't walk, he couldn't even look after himself. He was completely dependent on the people that loved him.

He felt useless, he felt a failure, he felt depressed.

Because this wasn't how it was meant to be.

The surgeon said he'd be back in six months, yet 2 years down the line, he was no better. The surgeon wanted to go in and operate again but Dr Lee refused this time.

Whether You Break A Ligament, A Tendon, A Bone, A Muscle, It Heals In Eight Weeks

Dr Lee’s understanding was that whether you break a ligament, a tendon, a bone, a muscle, it heals in eight weeks. And 2 years is a lot longer than eight weeks! And if something's healed in eight weeks and he was still getting pain, it couldn't have been a structural problem, this had to be a neurological problem.

So Dr Lee wanted to learn about the body and how the brain causes this type of reaction, how does the brain actually create the pain as a protective mechanism?

He travelled around the world, learning from the best clinicians that he could find.

He learned a lot and ended up healing himself. Now, if you see him in clinic or on any videos, you'll see that he's standing, running, jumping.

He's stronger than he's ever been.

70% Of What He Learned Was Rubbish

But actually, from the seven degrees and all the people that Dr Lee has learned from around the world, over 70% of what he learned was rubbish.

It didn't make sense.

It didn't truly make all of the body work together.

We get so many specialists. They either focus on the shoulder, the knee, the ankle, the hip, the back. But they don't see how the whole body actually functions together and they miss out how the brain connects to the body.

Here at Sheffield Sports Medicine, we're real believers that the body is a reflection of our minds. So this is one of the reasons that we love doing what we do.

So now Dr Lee has learned all that, he is now out there teaching his philosophy, that everything has a massive neurological component to it.

If you're reading this and you've been in pain for more than eight weeks, this is a neurological problem. This is how your brain has actually created this dysfunction to protect something bigger.

Dr Lee loves treating patients but he wants to get the word out there. That there is a better way.

Yes, Dr Lee has lots of pieces of paper but do they mean much? No!

It's actually the results that matter, and that's why Dr Lee teaches around the world.

And you may/may not know that Dr Lee was the first clinician in the world to break a patient out of locked-in syndrome, and got her running in eight months.

This of course is incredible in itself because people in locked-in syndrome, 80% die and 20% stay paralyzed for the rest of their lives.

To get someone running again, was what propelled Dr Lee to the world stage. Not because of his qualifications, but because of his results.

There's no doubt about it, we're in weird and wonderful times at the moment. And we don't want people to suffer when they don't need to.

If you have found this blog interesting and you want to learn more about it, get in touch or comment below and ask us a question. Dr Lee will reply back personally to you to see how we can help you.

And of course, if you know someone that has been suffering for more than eight weeks. Share this blog with them.

This is Dr Lee's personal story. We're not saying what's right or what's wrong it's just his story. And all of us here at Sheffield Sports Medicine would love to help as many people as possible.

Stretches Before Bed To Ease The Body And Mind

Do you ever find you're going to be feeling anxious?

Your head is whirring?

You just can't switch off?

Doing some stretches before bed can be highly beneficial in helping relax both your mind and body before settling in for sleep!

It's really important after a long day at work that you're relaxing your body and de-stressing and stretching can help with this so you get a good night's rest ready for the next day.

Here are some of our favourite stretches to do before bed. With all of these stretches, you can enjoy them for as long as you want. We would recommend that you hold each stretch for a minimum of 30 seconds and do them 3 times. Enjoy relaxing into these stretches with nice deep breaths. If it hurts though, you must stop!

Stretches Before Sleep

Child’s Pose

1. Get onto onto your knees and sit down on to your feet

2. Reach as far as you can forwards

3. Relax into that position. Allow your lower back to open up.

Knee Hugs

1. Lie onto your back

2. Bring your knee to your chest

3. Then repeat with the other leg

You can also do this with both knees up towards your chest at the same time!

Butterfly Pose

1. Sit on your sit bones with your back straight

2. Bend your knees and bring your feet together in front of your body with your toes, and heels pressed against each other

3. Keep your hands on your feet

4. If you'd like to increase the stretch, keep your feet together and bring your heels as close to the groin area as comfortable

5. Or another way to stretch your abductors further is to push your legs down slightly with your elbows

Lunge Stretch

1. Get yourself into a lunge position and just lean forwards to stretch your hip flexors

2. Relax your hips making sure that you're not leaning too far backwards but your back is nice and neutral

Bear Hug

The bear hug is a lovely stretch for your mid back, you can sit or stand for this one.

1. Begin with your arms straight out to your side at shoulder height

2. Cross both arms across the opposite side of your body as if you were trying to give yourself a big hug

3. Try and grab on to the back of your shoulders and squeeze, rounding your shoulders and holding.

Let us know how you get on with these stretches and of course, if you have any questions then get in touch.

Adrenal Fatigue - What Is It?

Do you ever get tired, sleepy or have low energy levels?

Today, we're going help you discover, if you have these symptoms, why do they even happen?

It could be due to something called adrenal fatigue.

But of course adrenal fatigue isn't a medical term.

It's actually an umbrella term for all these different symptoms.

And if you've been struggling with adrenal fatigue or with any of these symptoms.

The real question is why?

What Do The Adrenal Glands Do?

Of course a lot of people ask us, what are the adrenal glands? What do they even do?

The adrenal gland basically creates a lot of different hormones.

The number one hormone it makes is adrenaline. You've probably heard of adrenaline. Adrenaline is essentially a survival hormone.

And we call it fight or flight.

Fight or Flight

Here's an example: if a a lion came into our clinic, we're either going to fight it, or going to run. And we'll be sweating before we even move anywhere because we're fearing for our lives.

And the thing is, if that's constantly working for no apparent reason, the adrenal glands are going to burn out.

And of course these are the reasons why people actually get poor night's sleep. When they wake up they actually don't feel rested.

So when when we see patients like this, it's really important to find out what happens.

What Happened?

So the first thing is to figure out if you have any of these symptoms is when did it start?

Because the truth is that you weren't born with it. It started at a specific time.

And it's usually a trauma.

So once you can find that trauma, the next thing you need to do is need to find an expert.

Find An Expert

Find an expert that knows how to unpack the brain and unpack the adrenal glands.

And find out why are you suffering with these symptoms.

So here at Sheffield Sports Medicine you know that we specifically look at the causes of problems. And that actually comes down to the neurology and how the brain creates these problems and usually it's a faulty protective mechanism.

Am I willing to live this way for the rest of my life?

The third thing you need to do if you have any of these symptoms is you need to ask yourself this question.

Am I willing to live this way for the rest of my life?

Because we're real believers that no one should be suffering in life. Their body used to operate perfectly at some point in their life. And it's about finding out what caused what so that we can optimise their system again.

So we hope that these questions have helped you unpack what adrenal fatigue is. Ask the question, why is this happening? And if you have any other questions we really want to help out and reach out to you guys. Just put your questions in the comments below and we're more than happy to respond to them.

If you know someone that does have tiredness, low energy, they can't sleep, they've got insomnia or when they wake up they just feel even more exhausted, share this post with them and we're sure they'll love you for it because you're doing something to help them with their life which ultimately could make them happy too.

Manipulation - what is it and how does it work?

Today we're talking about manipulation.

You may have gone to a physio or a chiropractor for neck pain, back pain, sciatica or a whole other myriad of reasons. And they may have put you into a funny position. Then, they've moved you at a rapid rate, moving you really quickly into another position.

And then you might hear a popping sound.

This popping sound is called a cavitation and this is where oxygen actually leaves the joint or the disc especially if they're manipulating your spine.

This form of treatment is a really common form of treatment in the physio and chiropractor world and it's used every single day, maybe once a week, twice a week they get you in for these types of manipulations.

Generally, afterwards you feel really relaxed, almost like you've been to a spa.

What actually causes this relaxation?

It’s the rapid action. That rapid movement that actually flips a switch in the brain. The brain suddenly recognises it as ‘it's dangerous, this is damaged. Why is the body moving so rapidly?’ So your brain looks to what it can actually do to shut things down to make you weak.

So if you were to have a manipulation with a chiropractor or a physio, then do your workout or go for a run, you're actually going to be at an increased risk of injury. Because we don't know how long you'll be weak for because your brain shuts your nervous system down as it recognises the rapid movement as a threat.

What do you get out of it?

So we often ask patients that go and see chiropractors, why are you going to see them? What do you get out of it?

They often say to us that they’ve just been told that it's really good for them, and it makes them feel good. Their feelings of relaxation tend to last for 10-12 hours. And unfortunately, we have heard some horror stories where they've had their neck and upper spine manipulated and it's actually made the pain worse. Because, just like any other trauma any physical trauma it shuts your nervous system down or makes you brace up and makes you compensate more.

Get to the root cause

Manipulation can be great if you want temporary pain relief and relaxation. But have you addressed why you’re in pain?

We would recommend that if you are in pain and you are struggling with pain every single day, seek something that actually gets the root cause of your problem rather than just covering up your pain.

Here at Sheffield Sports Medicine, we are firm believers in getting to the root of your problem to not only get you out of pain quickly but for good too.

If you would like to know more about how our therapists do this then give us a call on 01143 211852 and we’d love to chat with you!

All you need to know about overtraining...

Overtraining

Do you ever get stiffness in your muscles or your joints or in your tendons after training?

As part of our Workout Wednesday series, we want to help you understand what happens to our bodies when we over train and how to deal with it. 

One of the common problems people don't understand about over training, especially when you get the symptoms after training whether it's stiffness or achiness in your muscles or tendons, is that when you ignore it, the problem just gets:

bigger and

bigger and 

bigger.

Until eventually something completely breaks down then you have to stop your exercise. 

We can tell you now, not many people like stopping something they love doing!

So, these are the few things that you need to look out for when it comes to over training. 

1. Your technique

When you're doing your sport, whatever it may be swimming, tennis, cycling, running, golf, after the sport, if you are really struggling, there will be an overload principle somewhere in your body. Something in your body is basically working too hard. 

 The truth is, that our entire system should be balanced. And not one area should be overloading.

We want the whole body to be doing its job properly so the force is distributed evenly over the system. 

So if you're overloading, the first question we’re going to be asking is, is your technique correct? If not, see an expert for a video analysis. Can your technique be improved?

2. What muscles aren’t working?

The second thing that will be really important when it comes to overloading is we need to find out is what muscles are not working.

When something overloads, it's essentially doing the job of something else in the system that isn't working enough. 

Once you know what's not working you can then get it working and improve your movement with it. 

3. Allow your joints to move

The third thing: allow your joints to move.

Because remember, we have all these joints in our body. And the truth is, that the joints themselves are designed to move. Because if they weren't designed to move they wouldn't be a joint, it would just be a bone. And every single joint needs to move.  

And this is what we always recommend to people, whatever sport you do, move every joint in your body too. So do an activity such as Pilates or yoga. Or some stretching protocol. Just to get all of these joints moving. Because remember, if you don't use it you will lose it and especially this probably applies to people who have office jobs if you spend a lot of time sat down all day your body will adapt to that position and you will become chair shaped.  

So we can't stress enough, use your bodies as much as possible and just go and use them outside if you can. Breathe in the fresh air and allow these joints to move so you can gain strength, build up your cardiovascular fitness but also build up your flexibility too. 

In summary

So remember the causes of over training is overload. An area is overloading, but you need to find out what is not working.

But the key thing is actually if you if you're okay managing yourself then of course keep your system moving strength stability and stretching work on those three things.

• Strength - lunging, going to the gym, going to do squatting put some load on the system.

• Stretching - yoga, Pilates, or even just a stretching program. Those are great exercises to do.

• And the third one, stability. You need to make sure your body is stable, especially when you need to  push your body forwards. Because remember, if you've got no stability you're just going to fall over anyway and things may get injured too.

We hope these tips have been helpful for you. If you've got any questions please leave them in the comments below. If this has been helpful,  share this to someone that will benefit. Because they will love you for it 😍

Neck Pain from Sitting at a Desk

Here at Sheffield Sports Medicine, we get a lot of people coming in to clinic with neck pain. One of the common culprits of neck pain is spending many hours working at a computer at a desk. Sound familiar?

Today we’re sharing our tips and tricks for people who spend a lot of time at a desk and often experience neck, back or shoulder pain.

Our Top Tips for Neck Pain When Working

1.       Keep your computer at eye level.

By neither looking down or looking up, you won’t be straining the muscles in your neck. Having your monitor at eye level, you will be looking directly ahead, keeping your spine nice and neutral.

2.       Get a good chair

You want a chair that is comfortable and that promotes the natural curve in your spine. When you’re sitting on your chair, keep your feet flat on the floor.

3.       Keep everything in arms reach.

By keeping everything a reachable distance away, you won’t be straining too far over, exerting extra pressure on your spine and putting your muscles in compromising positions.

4.       Move!

Every 30 minutes to an hour, get up and move around. Stretch and keep active. Make sure you're not sitting for too long. This tip is probably the most important of all and we would advise that you practice this one first.

Stretches for Neck Pain

We’ve told you that you need to move more, but how?

Here are some easy stretches and exercises that you can do at your desk now that can help reduce the pain you’re in.

• In a seated position, cross your arms over one another

• Rotate as far as you can, each side

Neck movements. You can do these sitting or standing:

• Tuck your chin to your chest, putting your neck in flexion

• Look up to the ceiling in extension

Stretch your neck laterally either side by taking your ears to your shoulders.

Rotate your neck by looking as far as you can around, both sides.

And another really good one is a the chin tuck.

• For the chin tuck, start with your chin in a normal, neutral position.

• Tuck it by gently pushing it back with two fingers and holding the stretch for 10 seconds.

It's important to do these exercises every so often so you keep moving and keep active. You will find that this helps with your pain, productivity and energy levels too!

If you have any questions about any of the tips or stretches we’ve shared in this blog, please get in touch here. We’re looking forward to seeing you in clinic again soon!

Runner's Knee

If you’ve been running for any period of time, it’s likely you will have heard of the condition called Runner’s Knee. Perhaps you have heard the term Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome or Iliotibial Band Syndrome. Each of these terms actually refers to the same condition and they can all come under the umbrella term of Runner's Knee.

Today, we want to share with you some tips on how to reduce the risk of developing this common running injury.

What is Runner’s Knee

Runner’s Knee is often described as a dull pain developing around the kneecap. It is caused by the overuse and overload to that knee joint. It is often due to the nature of running or other impact activities where you're stressing the knee joints. It can be because of the repetitive impact or flexion of the knee. So even other activities that aren’t running but include flexion of the knee or high impact can affect the knee joint and cause Runner's Knee.

How can I reduce my risk of Runner’s Knee?

Whether you run 50 miles a week, run as part of your team sport, or do a lot of walking, many people can be susceptible to developing this common injury. So, what can you do to reduce your risk of developing it?

Sheffield Sports Medicine’s Top Tips

1. Make sure that you are including cross-training into your training programme.

   You don't want to be doing excessive repetitive running every day of the week.

   We recommend breaking it up and including cross-training.

   Other activities you might enjoy may include cycling or swimming.

   You want to look for low impact activities that you enjoy and where you're not stressing the knee joint as much. Instead, this cross-training can be working the muscles around that knee in different ways.

2. Don’t make any sudden training changes.

   It's important that you're gradually progressing your training load over a few weeks or months.

   If you're aiming to compete in a competition and it's getting really close to that competition, make sure that you're leaving enough time to progress and gradually do that.

3. Do some strength training.

   Here at Sheffield Sports Medicine, we have noticed that a lot of runners tend to have weak hip abductors and external rotators.

   And this isn’t necessarily because they’re not doing strength work.

   When we see runners here at the clinic and find that they have weak hip muscles, we then work on finding the cause of the weakness in their hip muscles.

   We look at why that muscle is weak. We might find that the glutes are weak so they're not firing, for example.

   We investigate to find out why certain muscles aren’t firing by finding the root cause, treating the patient to get the muscle firing again and once we have that signal firing again, we help runners strengthen the muscles.

   By strengthening these muscles, around your hips we reduce that load that puts increased stress onto the knee joints.

If you’ve been struggling with Runner’s Knee or simply want to avoid this common injury, try the tips above. They will help you get on a path to a long, happy running life! If you would like further help to treat your injury then please get in touch here and we’d love to see you in clinic!

All about the elbow!

It’s all about the elbow today.

This is a joint that generally stays healthy and strong through our use of the hands.

However when we damage the elbow it is then that we realise just how much we use and need the elbow. It connects the between the hand and the shoulder.

The more flexible the wrists and forearms are. The stronger and more resilient the elbow is to injury.

Today I’m going to give you some simple yet very effective exercises for elbow health.

They can all be done loaded or unloaded depending on the severity of your elbow pain.

And here they are

1. Wrist flexion/extension supported by your free hand

2. Lateral flexion/extension

3. Wrist circles hand open/ holding a fist

4. Finger curls

5. Wrist Curls

To watch the exercises check out the link below⬇️

🔗 https://www.facebook.com/sheffsportsmed/videos/2445783968779296/

Myths About Back Pain

Myths about back pain, and how can you cope when it strikes!

 If you suffer from back pain you may have heard these words used to explain the reason for your discomfort: Disc bulges, weak cores, joints out of place

 While back pain can be very painful and worrying, it is very common and rarely dangerous.  A total of 84 percent of people worldwide will actually experience back pain during their lifetime. And it is common across all age groups so shouldn’t be seen as the result of wear and tear. 

Do I need to have a scan to help identify what is causing my back pain?

A lot of people have this belief, and because it’s a trusted health care profession advising the scan they think it’s the right thing to do. 

 But actually, a scan is only needed when a serious condition is suspected for instance, infection, cancer or a fracture. But these conditions are extremely rare and account for only 1 percent of back pain. 

 The problem with having a scan is that it will always show something, and the stuff it showing most likely isn’t the cause of your back pain. Research has actually shown that people who don’t have back pain, have disc changes and arthritis, which is normal. It comes with age and is not dangerous and shouldn’t be painful.

Scans often result in lengthy reports containing lots of scary terms that are more damaging than good.  Knowing what is going on with you back won’t take away the pain, it may even make it worse because your more aware, more cautious and fearful of movement. 

Is my back vulnerable and easily damaged or put out of place?

 Most people think the spine is delicate and needs to be protected. This is incorrect and this thought leads to protective guarding, avoidance, and fear. 

A common term I hear on a daily basis in the clinic is “my disc has slipped out of place”. However, scientific research has clearly shown that these structures down go out of place or slip. The spine is a strong robuststructure that is supported by ligament, and muscles. 

Moving without fear, and not restricting certain movements will actually promote the recovery of your back pain. 

 I have a weak core, do I need to do core exercises to help my back pain?

 So core exercise has become very popular, but it has been proven that core exercises are no more effective that other types of exercise for back pain for example walking, in fact research has shown that people with back pain actually over work their core muscles. 

I’m afraid to bend down and lift something.

The back is designed for bending and lifting. It is important to be trained to bend and lift. The more often you do it the strong and more resilient your back will become. 

I have back pain there must be damage or injury.

Actually, people can have back pain and have no damage at all. When in fact the pain you experiencing is just your brains way of trying to protect you. So, fear of damage, low mood, depression, stress, sleep problems, low levels of physical activity drive the pain you are experiencing.

Ever had a headache when your stressed, tired or run down? Back pain is no different.  

Rest will help my pain?

Since people often think they have done damage when they got back pain, it is common for people to go to bed and rest until all that pain is gone. But there is strong evidence that keeping active and returning to usual activities is better for a full recovery. Rest is associated with high levels of pain, disability and longer absence from work.

Surgery is not the answer: 

Unfortunately people are sent for surgery far too quickly, when in fact in the long term exercise and physiotherapy has proven to be have better results. Surgery is also another trauma, which causes more compensations in your body and may lead to more pain. 

Don’t be afraid of exercise. 

Exercise is helpful to back pain. Walking, cycling, swimming, yoga all have similar effects on back pain,

Unfortunately, many people are frightened of exercise.  Research shows that exercise is not bad for your back. Yes, activities may be sore initially but they are not damaging you back, and it will get better the more confident you become. 

FIND SOMETHING YOU ENJOY!

Strong meds do not have strong benefits for back pain.

Many people believe a strong pain needs a strong painkiller. This is not true, if you have back pain start with a simple over the counter painkiller don’t rush for prescriptions. research has shown that strong painkillers that contain an opioid do not provide greater pain relief and have greater potential for harm.  Opioids promote dependence, overdose, falls, fractures, and depression.

All in all, think of your back pain like a sprain, it is very painful at the start but it gets better with movement, avoiding movement will not help the pain you experience is unique to you and can be driven by your emotions and your neurology.  

Why Do We Need sleep?

Why we sleep! To sleep or not to sleep 

 Scientists have discovered a revolutionary breakthrough it makes you live longer, it enhances your memory, makes you more creative, it makes you look more attractive, It keeps you slim and lowers food craving. 

It also protects you from cancer, dementia, it wards of colds and the flu and it lowers your risk of heart attacks and stroke not to mention diabetes. You’ll even feel happier less depressed and less anxious. 

 

And if this breakthrough was a new drug, many of you today would be sceptical and disbelieving. Those who are convinced would pay huge sums of money for a small dose. 

 But of course, the breakthrough is not describing a drug it is describing a full night’s sleep!

 

Thousands of scientific reports to date have supported the benefits of sleep, yet unfortunately we have been failed by the lack of public education, most of us don’t realise the remarkable benefits associated with sleep. 

 Top tips for getting better sleep:

 1.     Stick to a sleep schedule. Go to sleep and wake up at the same time every single day. As humans we have a natural body clock, after 1-2 weeks of a regular sleeping pattern you will wake up naturally, alert and focused for the day ahead without an alarm. 

2.     Exercise. Exercise Is great but try to avoid physically activity1-2hrs before bed. Exercise stimulates your central nervous system, making it harder for your brain to prepare for sleep.

3.     Allow time for you to unwind.That includes your brain. E.g listening to music, running a bath, all helps your body to relax.

4.     Encourage a dark, gadget free bedroom.Phones provide incredible amounts of stimuli to your brain every second. This coupled with blue like stimulates your nervous system. Making drifting to sleep, and achieving a deep sleep difficult.

5.     If you feel anxious. Lying awake or your mind is whirling, get up and do a relaxing activity such as reading. Lying there worrying about not falling asleep makes it harder to drop off. 

 

All in all, it is important to reclaim your right to a full nights sleep, without embarrassment or the having the stigma of laziness. 

 

If you have tried all the top tips above and you still wake up for long periods or you still can’t drop of because of anxiety act AS SOON AS you can. Don’t be the patient that leaves all your problems to the last minute. We understand how sleep deprivation will make you feel like you’re fighting a losing battle, SO TAKE ACTION NOW!

As a gift to you we are offering a 15minute free get some sleep consultation. 

 

As always, thanks for reading. 

Kate Yeoman.

Hip Flexors With Colin McCurdy

So, you are going about your daily routine when out of nowhere a little niggle in your back becomes a problem.

Suddenly picking the kids up becomes a painful activity, being sat down for too long brings pain to your back when you get out of the chair or sofa.

You haven't impacted your back in any way, yet the discomfort has become a constant thing. You want to get back to how it was before the constant reminder that something isn’t right.

So here for you are 3 super tips to help you achieve your pain free solution.

There is a muscle that connects your legs to your lower back. It is a large muscle called the psoas more commonly known as the hip flexior. As the name suggests, its main job is flexing the hip.

Due to all the time we spend sitting, the muscle is constantly flexed rather than being relaxed.

When you stand up the hip flexor is relaxing as you stand. However it remains tight due to our current lifestyle. This then pulls on your back because it is not relaxing. Which in turn is not allowing enough room for the hip to extend. This tends to pull your hips to tilt forwards. This is what causes your lower back to ache and hurt.

So the exercises you are about to see will help reverse the trend and bring you back into its natural position and return you to pain free movement.

1. Nice and simple, kneeling hip flexor stretch. Hold for 20-30 seconds if you have more time hold for longer.

2. Place your foot on a chair stool, anything that places the knee at a 90-degree angle.

Now take the arm on the same side as the extended leg above the head.

Now lean away from your extended leg. Depending on how tight your hip flexor is will determined how deeply you feel this stretch.

3. Kneeling/lying hip flexor stretch depending on how flexible you are.

Either standing of lying face down on the ground. Bend your leg towards your bum. Grab your ankle and pull your foot to your bum. This will stretch the thigh. Now lift your knee off the floor and this stretch now becomes a hip flexor stretch

.

Again hold for 20s - 30s of longer of you have the time.

So get going with these 3 top tips to help you on your way back to a pain free life.

If you know of anyone who would like my help get in touch and I'll fix them and you.

If you should need any further assistance, pop into Sheffield Sports Medicine for a free 15 minute consultation with me. Colin McCurdy

Invictus Games

What are they? Why are they held? When are they held? Who are the patrons of the Invictus games? How can we help?

The Invictus Games came into existence after HRH the Duke of Sussex (Prince Harry) went to view The Warrior Games 2013 in The USA. He was so inspired by what he saw from these brave servicemen and servicewomen who had given all in defence of their countries short of dying.

He was inspired and the Invictus Games were born.

Loss of a limb or limbs and the effect of making major change to their daily lives. Yet unstoppable. To continue living and growing in all aspects of their lives.  With the injuries both psychological as well as physical. These games symbolise the strength and determination to continue living a full and active life. Getting support from fellow athletes and non- athletes to help them come to terms with what has happened to them and how they with the help of others like them to recover move forward and compete in sport be it for the first time or as former athletes getting back to sport. Sport being an excellent method of dealing with and moving forward after any major trauma. It gives you something to focus on, keeps depression and lethargy at bay. Competition is also a very valid part of sport. The comradery which comes with the game cannot and should not be underestimated. The rehabilitation support is also another positive factor of the games along with mutual respect after doing battle as it were.

Invictus which is Latin carried the meaning of Undefeated, Unconquerable. So when one looks at the logo it is very apt from the actions and feelings of all the participants. I Am Undefeated, Unconquerable.

The Games are held every two years and usually in what are seen /Known as Iconic cities to further grasp the hearts and minds of those who compete and those who watch this televised event around the world.

The Invictus Poem by William Ernest Henley himself an amputee is the inspiration for the name of these games.

How can we help?

We are practice with a wide range of skills covering all kinds of injuries and the rehabilitation of those injuries. Whether you are a recent victim of a large trauma or if you have been one for a long time and feel that there is no more help available to you.      

Contact us and I’m sure we will be able to give you the help that you may feel is out of reach or unavailable.

We will help you to conquer your current issue and move you in the direction you wish to go.

Call us at Sheffield Sports Medicine on 0114 321 1852 

Part 2 Of Correct Posture With Colin McCurdy

Welcome back in today’s blog we are going to look at what things we do on a daily basis which prompts the body to change / adjust to compensate moving us into a bad posture which then becomes the norm. Along with various imbalances

 The body likes to be in balance and when it is not it affects the system in a number of ways.

We have a variety of imbalances around the body. We have Top to Bottom, Front to Rear, Left to Right, and Inside to Out. For example the inside and the outside of the leg.

Simple things that we do on a daily basis such as carrying a bag on a particular shoulder, working at a computer, sat a t a desk, driving to and from work or a driving job. We spend years at school sat at a desk. This all leads most of us to end up with poor posture.

 Now for those of you out there who get frequent headaches, stiff necks and shoulders, tight upper backs and shoulder pain. I’m going to suggest some things which you can do to help alleviate these issues.

After doing them for a while I am interested in how you are feeling after a period of time. Is it better, worse, the same?

The more feedback I can get the better I can help you guys and girls.

So to help with the afore mentioned issues I’ll need to get out of the chairs that you are in. Good.

Now set your feet straight with first and second toes line up with your hip bones. Tighten thighs and squeeze your bum muscles, brace the abs, lift chest and place shoulder blades into your back pockets. I have no doubt that this feels uncomfortable?? Wherever you feel tight is where you will need to stretch that are and tighten the muscles on the opposite side of the body, Which will start to  re-address the imbalances.

Do not forget about the head and neck and keeping everything in a straight line. Stand with the feeling of being pulled up from the top of your head. You’ll most likely feel that the chest shoulder area is tight this is due to the tightening of the chest and loosening of the back muscles to accommodate the poor posture.

Now in your rediscovered good posture you are going to perform some basic exercises to begin the process of adjustment. Start with arm circles going forwards first for 8 repetitions try and remain in the good posture while executing the arm circles. Now reverse the action and for another 8 repetitions. Tis will be followed by an exercise which will mess with your head. It’s all good fun. You are going to circle your arm son opposite directions one forward one backwards. Repeat for 8 repetitions. Now reverse the direction of your arms for another 8 repetitions.

Lastly return to the good posture position with palms facing forward and make large circles with the shoulders forwards for 8 then backwards for 8 repetitions. Also practice holding the good posture throughout the day for a round 10 – 15 seconds. Do this as often as you can in order to retrain the body to return to where it is supposed to be. Thank you for reading i’ll see you next time!

Colin.

Watch part 2 here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EG26McChcHY

Part 1 Of Correct Posture With Colin McCurdy

This series of videos will give you an overview of posture good and bad and how it can and does affect our daily lives on a variety of levels.

In tandem with this information I will be giving some options to help you alleviate any postural issues that you may have and some simple things to change within your current lifestyle to help you feel better in mind, body and maybe your spirit too.

As you may or may not have realised the body is an amazing machine. We do something not right or we injure ourselves the body will adjust how we move or how we do not move. It could be something as simple as a cut on a finger. We consciously adjust how we do things so as to not keep hitting or knocking this injured place. If we damage let’s say a muscle the body will adjust how we move in order to reduce the load which the particular muscle used to take before the injury. It’s the body’s way of protecting itself from further damage.

The basic points I would like you to take from the first video is how to get a feel for what is good posture. What is bad posture and how to feel and see the difference in yourself and others around you. Loved ones friends or family.

When stood upright for good posture the following should be evident, your feet are facing forwards with feet parallel asif on a train track. Your first and second toes should line up with your hip bones as felt from the front not the outside of the hip bones. Your knees should be pulled back but not firmly locked, you should tighten your thighs and squeeze your bum. Now brace your abs as if ready to take a punch. Lift the chest slightly and squeeze your shoulder blades together as if holding a pencil. Now place your shoulder blades into your back pockets, If you don’t have any due to wearing a skirt just pretend fo he exercise. Now turn your palms so that they are facing forwards, your head should be facing forwards and feel like you are being pulled from the top of the head upwards.  The chin should be slightly tucked in as if you are trying to gain a double chin ;)

This will most likely feel very uncomfortable. This is where we should all be when standing and also when sitting. As I mentioned before the body adjusts very quickly and quietly to an posture we on a regular basis.  

Watch part 1 here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdTvtQesEnA