For those of you who ride a motorbike for leisure purposes (but also if you are a regular user), who haven’t been out on their bikes a lot or not at all in the winter months, starting the new season often is accompanied by discomfort in the lower back and/or neck, shoulders and wrists because your body is not able to cope with your position on the bike.

Yes... this is Rianne, our sports physio!

Especially the touring bikes with forward set pegs, e.g. some of the Harley Davidson models, will make you sit in a semi reclined position.
You will be inclined to tilt your pelvis backwards, flex your back, drop your shoulders forward and protrude your chin.

If your core stability is not strong enough you could strain your dorsal ligaments and muscles and increase the pressure in your facet joints ( see picture).

It can also cause your disc to bulge.
This will lead to pain/stiffness and in some cases leg pain (sciatica).

Normally if you can stabilise your lower back sufficiently, you will improve your total posture, this will take the strain off all the other parts.

What is core stability?

People often think of core stability for dancers, runners and rugby players but not often for motor cyclists. However it is a physically demanding past time and requires considerable strength. Core stability is the stability around your low back and pelvis. They are a group of muscles in your lower tummy and lower back that contract in a particular pattern to avoid your spine to shear ( forward-backward movement).

If you compare your spine with a pile of books tied together with strings you will never achieve full stability unless you box the books in. This is the job of your core stability muscles/ They minimise the shearing.

A reminder of some of the more serious accidents that can happen…

While motor cycling is awesome fun, and hopefully the most pain that results is a bit of back pain from not being conditioned enough for it, there are some terrible accidents that can happen…

How can physiotherapy help?

Normally if your symptoms are chronic/recurrent over a longer period it might take a little longer to get back on track.
More recent problems often only require a short course of treatment to alleviate your symptoms and make riding more enjoyable.

Treatment may involve:

• Mobilisation/manipulation of the dysfunctional joints or discs
• Soft tissue techniques to painful muscles and ligaments
• Core stability training
• Strengthening where needed
• A regime to maintain and avoid recurrence

Rianne van Vugt, one of our physiotherapists at Body in Motion, is a keen and experienced motor cyclist.

Book in with her to combat your unwanted aches and pains

01202 720 300

You will be pleased to know with the help of his personal trainer Charlie Tipper, he is still smashing down goals and getting incredible results.

Here is what he says:

Here it is in black and white:

( Please note: Body in Motion is not just about weight loss, but being HEALTHY. Hence you will notice we measure and monitor everything including bone density, visceral fat, hydration levels etc to make sure the weight loss is FAT loss- not water or muscle-and the other health measures improve as well.)

Date started: 21 June 2011

Body fat % loss:     Was 38%                                Now: 19.7%        (49.9% body fat loss)

Body weight:          Was 18 stone 10lbs;          Now: 12 st 3lbs   (34.9% weight loss)

Hydration levels:  Was 47%                               Now: 57.3%         (22% improvement)

Visceral Fat:            Was 21;                                 Now: 9                   (66% improvement)

It’s fab isn’t it?

He looks fantastic, speaks with energy, has great posture and is loving life.

Better yet he has achieved so much and is still setting higher and higher goals.

Feel like a bit of Body in Motion PT in your life?
Contact us 01202 720 300

hello@bodyinmotion.co.uk

Who knows what is possible?

He has removed the limitations of his body and removed barriers of what is possible from his mind.

Congratulations Andy and keep going!

]]> http://www.bodyinmotion.co.uk/home/?feed=rss2&p=1456 0 http://www.bodyinmotion.co.uk/home/?p=1428 http://www.bodyinmotion.co.uk/home/?p=1428#comments Sun, 12 Feb 2012 18:16:41 +0000 admin http://www.bodyinmotion.co.uk/home/?p=1428 Most people hate running up hill- but then get to a downhill and hate that even more!

For most runners, running downhill is a skill that we never practice and it is no wonder that in a race where we are forced to run downhill fast that we end up with burning quadriceps, sore knees and losing a whole load of time.

However if you take time to master this skill, the downhills are a place you can gain an enormous advantage over your competitors because the chances are that they won’t be practising these skills.

By the way for all those reading this who think it is irrelevant to them because they only do flat running- downhill running will make an enormous difference to your strength and speed on the flat as well. You should add it to your program once a week.

If you want a specific program for your particular event contact our personal training Bournemouth team but below are some ideas you can take and adapt.

The Technical Bit

The first piece of advice is to make a huge effort to relax the legs. Try very hard to be conscious of relaxing especially the quads and the calves. Danny Dreyer at Chi Running advises to lean slightly downhill and keep your upper body ahead of the foot strike. Try to relax your lower back and pelvis. Your pelvic rotation will allow your stride to open up behind you. The faster you run the more relaxed you will need to be.
Try to think of running downhill as a “controlled fall”
Don’t lean back and try to “brake” yourself. Leaning backward slows your speed and increase impact forces through the hips, knees and ankles, increasing stress on the body.

The Friendly Warning

Downhill running places an enormous amount of stress on the joints. So do increase the loads very gradually and do not increase time, distance or intensity until you no longer have post session soreness. Start incorporating a few hills into your general runs and get used to it. If you experience any ongoing soreness or injury please contact a sports physio before continuing.

The Training

Then once your body is familiar with downhill running, start adding downhill repeats to your programme. Many runners have heard of “hill repeats” but most just train to sprint uphill, then walk back down.
I am suggesting for this session, you run the downhills fast, then slowly come back up hill (as your recovery!). Find a hill that takes you 2-3mins to run down and do something like 5-8 repeats depending on your fitness. Run fast but be careful of falling. Watch the ground 2-3 feet in front of you. Running downhill fast requires a huge amount of muscular co ordination and you will notice a huge increase in your flat running speeds as well.

Progress this session by combining up hill and downhill running. Find your favourite hill that takes you 3-5 minutes to run up and run as faster as you can up, take 30 seconds to recover at the top, then run down as fast as you can. Build up to 30-60 minute sessions depending on the length of the event you are training for.

The Helpful Reminder!

Remember to focus on relaxation, good posture and not braking with your heel.
Let gravity do the work. You can try running up and down stairs for variety. Also brilliant for coordination, strength and cardiovascular fitness.

Serena Williams is gearing up to defend her Australian Open title starting on 16th January 2012 but had to retire from the Brisbane Open on 4th Jan 2012 as she sprained her ankle.

Can she improve in less than 2 weeks to enough to play sports at the highest level?
As anyone knows who sprains their ankle- it can take 6 weeks- 6 months to repair properly. At Body in Motion physiotherapy, we often see patients after 1 year with ongoing pain and weakness from a sprained ankle and unable to return to sport.

Quick treatment is paramount! Initially, the key is to limit the amount of swelling- make ice your friend as soon as you can and for a few days. This is so under rated but will give you the best chance of quick repair.

If you hear a crack or a pop it is a good idea to get an X-ray to make sure there are no breaks or fractures around the ankle bones.
After a few days, seek professional help from a sports physiotherapist who will give you exactly what exercises to commence and when. They will also start some manual therapy on the ankle to assist the healing process, reduce development of scar tissue and restore full range of movement quickly.

Often people are told by “experts” just go home and ice it and it will be fine in a few days. This is NOT correct. Ankle sprains can be a significant injury that can finish the career of sports people if not treated correctly. Yes do go home and ice it- but for most people the ligament heals in a random and weak fashion and will remain a problem for months to come. They then seek help 6 months- 1 year later and require a significant amount of treatment.

Instead get one or two sessions early on, get the ligament healing well and you should heal quickly, with a strong ankle and no ongoing deficit.
Keep moving your ankle regularly at home, and weight bear as tolerated (depending on the extent of damage). Your sports physiotherapist will show you the correct stretches to do to make sure you get full movement back. You also need to do balance and proprioceptive work. As the pain reduces strengthening exercises are important.
Here is a few ideas of some good exercises to start with…..

The exercises vary depending on the activity you wish to return to. And will need to be progressed beyond these ones- but these are a good start and much more than the majority of ankle sprain sufferers do.
Here is some more info on the types of ankle sprain.

She started with a goal in mind, worked consistently with her trainer, Charlie Tipper to achieve it- and ended up with a result way beyond what she thought was possible.

Congratulations Lorraine!

We are really proud of you and inspired by you- Hope 2012 is a great year for you!

If you would like to chat with one of our personal trainers, please email them on

PT@bodyinmotion.co.uk

If you are one of the few who are not, you deserve thorough congratulations and fall into a category of less than 1%.
Most people have bad posture – whether you are sitting at a desk and PC, whether you are on the road driving or whether you are doing physical work- plastering, electrics etc

Many of us sit for long periods each day and each week. It forms the majority of our work, leisure and travel.
By the time we add up how many hours we sit at work, commuting each way, plus sitting for leisure- at the movies, playing computer games, in the pub, out to dinner, the length of time is staggering.

The problem is sitting places a lot of pressure on the back and neck. On top of that sitting badly places even more pressure on the discs, ligaments and tendons of the spine. This is exacerbated because not many of us sit correctly when we do sit.

Statistics from Work Foundation reveal absences from work with back and neck pain cost about £7.6 billion a year. Also an Federation of Small Business survey showed that back pain was responsible for 5th of all sickness absences in small to medium size businesses.

Anyone who has experienced the agony of back pain or sciatica knows prevention is far better than the cure and when there are a few simple things you can do each day

The physiotherapists at Body in Motion say there is a 4 step process to maintaining a pain free work day:

1) It is important to get the basic ergonomics correct firstly.

Check your feet are flat on the floor or a foot rest. Check your chair has lumbar support and can be pushed all the way in. Your computer screen should be at eye level and the keyboard and mouse easily reachable without having to stretch or left your arms forward.

You must be able to do your work comfortably in an upright posture with your head and spine aligned.

2) Take regular breaks to stand up and stretch.

It is important to change your position at least every hour every if you just stand up for 30 seconds move your neck, arms and back then sit down again in the correct posture. This encourages normal circulation in the muscles, re hydrates your spinal discs and keeps the joints mobile.

3) Keep fit.

If you have strong muscles in your spine and core, you will be able to sit upright with good posture without collapsing in a slouched position due to fatigue. In the gym, look for exercises that work your back like rowing, reverse flys, chin ups or lat pull downs.

Also do a good core workout on the stability ball. Classes like kettle bells, yoga and pilates help correct posture on an ongoing basis.

4) Get treatment early.

If you do have neck pain, headaches or back ache, do see a physiotherapist to treat the area as soon as possible. Any ache or pain is a sign of some damage in the body. It is easier to treat the pain if it has not become serious. If a person ignores the pain for months, other muscles, and joints start to compensate and the problem can become serious. Even if you just have a few aches and pains, simple sports massage does wonders for preventing major problems developing, restoring normal muscle length and aiding good posture.

Please contact us immediately if:

• You would like an ergonomic assessment at work
• You would like back or neck treatment for you or your staff on site or off site
• You would like a presentation on back care in the office
• You would like “back class”/”fit for business class on site”

Also if you are inspired to get fit, this is a great book to read to get started…..

Or it is too cold outside…

Or they have simply got out of the habit….

We are working with some kids on simple fitness, coordination, speed skills in our studio at Body in Motion and they love it…

So we thought we would open it up to all…

• Boost Fitness
• Improve co ordination
• Get fit for sport
• Fight obesity
• Strengthen core

We run a fun, circuit programme specifically designed with kids in mind- ages 12-16 yrs.

Many studies show that kids who are fit at a young age will stay fit and healthy through their adult life.

WHERE?

Body in Motion

467 Christchurch rd

Bournemouth BH1 4AD

WHEN?

Mondays 430-530pm

Nov 7th/14th/21st/28th

Dec 5th/12th

Jan 9th/16th/23rd/30th

WHAT WILL THEY DO?

A variety of

• Medicine ball training
• Ladder training
• Stability ball training
• TRX suspension training ( the lastest thing… very cool…)
• Kettle bell training
• Plyometrics

WHO?

Mark Ballard, our personal trainer, 20 years experience and lecturer in sports science and nutrition.

CRB certified and all insurances up to date.

HOW MUCH?

10 week course: just £50

YES PLEASE, HOW DO I BOOK MY CHILD ON?

Email: PT@bodyinmotion.co.uk
Phone: 01202 720 300

Any questions, please fell free to contact Mark and have a chat.

We do not believe in plateaus!

Andy is continuing to progress very quickly and consistently with his fat loss programme.
He has now lost an unbelieveable 67lbs! That is a MASSIVE 37.7% body fat loss!

AND he is STILL going…. see what he says below…..

We just wanted to point out that this is NOT some freaky starvation diet and intense grueling regime.

NO!
It is simple, sensible moderate modifications. The difference is Andy is doing it… instead of talking about it!

We know this because we measure everything to ensure the health of our clients is improving.

In many radical diets the client loses weight – but most of it is water and muscle which means- their body fat percentage is worse!

And then they pile it all back on plus more!

However in Andy’s case (and ALL our clients) these are the things we measure:

Muscle Mass: Improved 20%!
Basal Metabolic Rate:Improved 10%
Body Fat Percentage: Improved 38.7%
Hydration: Improved 15%
Bone density: Improved 3%
Visceral Fat (fat around the vital organs): Improved 52%

He is happy and excited about all the possibilities of his new life.
As well as continuing to tone up, lose more fat and improve his fitness and health, he is busy setting new goals for 2012; goals he never dreamed he could contemplate before…

See what he says below:

If you want similar results to Andy- you can have them.

Get in touch with our personal training team

01202 720 300
PT@bodyinmotion.co.uk

Also you might simply be interested in your general health- visceral fat, bone density, hydration levels etc

You can book a one off Body MOT with the team
Get in touch

01202 720 300

Check out this cool video of a conditioning programme:

Gone are the days of doing no preparation, doing no warm up, playing a game or going running and “hoping” you don’t get injured.

It is the same principle for work. If you have a weak back and neck, poor posture at your desk, you WILL get pain. Instead learn a few key exercises that take 5 mins a day and prevent it happening.

“PRE-HAB”

Top athletes spend weeks doing “pre-hab” before the season starts to strengthen any weaknesses, work on muscle flexibility, joint mobility and core strength.
This stuff pays enormous dividends in preventing injuries during the season and enabling you to run faster, lift more, change direction quickly and prevent aches and pains.

Pre-hab is NOT just a warm up! It is 6 weeks – 3 months of conditioning, speed work, sport specific exercises.

If you are not an athlete, it is core/back/neck strengthening, or flexibility work so you can sit comfortably at your PC all day without getting neck ache, back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome and headaches- 5 mins a day!

It does not matter whether your sport is golf, rugby, football, running or tiddly winks!

Some examples of the off season work we do with our clients:

• Thoracic mobility work
• Core strengthening
• Hamstring flexibility
• Calf flexibility
• Shoulder mobility
• Rotator cuff stability
• Ankle stabilisation programme
• Back strengthening programme
• Gait retraining
And much more….

These clients find that the normal hamstring tweaks they used to get just aren’t there any more, or the back pain they used to get on a long car drive has disappeared. They also need less deep tissue massage to keep them going as their muscles work in a more balanced way.

EARLY DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT

Usually most problems can be addressed swiftly. Many athletes try to play through the pain, or dip their head in the sand and “hope” the pain goes away. This is fine for 7-10 days but if the niggles or aching continue, do get an opinion and some treatment.
Likewise office workers try to work through the pain, but it usually gets more intense and starts to spread over time. Instead get it addressed asap.
Otherwise what happens is the body starts compensating, muscle imbalances start to appear, tight knots, scar tissue and adhesions occur and what could have been completely sorted out in 1-2 sessions, may instead take 5-10 sessions.

REHAB

Rehab is critical after an injury or operation to ensure the muscle, joint, ligament is ready for sport or work again.
Sometimes the joint/muscle becomes dysfunctional, has poor timing, incorrect muscle recruitment or is simply weak and at risk of re injury. Many people return to sport or work too soon and get reinjured and have to start again.
During the rehabilitation process, it is important to recreate and reproduce the stresses and strains on the body the athlete will undergo while playing their sport. If you restore strength and function, you reduce the risk of injury. Most people rehab to only 70% then go back too early, get injured again, this becomes a chronic injury then they give up sport! I am sure we all know people like this.

Now there is so much money in sport, coaches cannot afford to have players on the bench. They have lots of preventative exercises in their conditioning programme. Players are also screened regularly for injury prevention checking for imbalances, tightness, weakness, compensations.
Example:

Warm up:

Functional drills and dynamic stretching
Swiss ball, Bosu ball, core exercises to stimulate stability cortex

Upper body strength

Rows, bent over rows, prone rows, decline bench press,  

Supine pull ups, deltoid work flys, pull ups

Lower limbs strength:

Squats
Deadlifts
Cleans
Lunges