FITNESS AND INJURY PREVENTION MALALIGNMENT AND LOWER BACK DOS AND DON’TS FOR CLIENTS:

■ Do use a back support or place a rolled-up towel behind their lower back when trav- elling for long periods in a car or plane

■ Do ensure they perform a comprehensive dynamic warm-up before any activity ■ Always include a light lower core workout before any training or playing and as part of the post-training recovery. By ‘firing the core and sustaining’ you help protect your spine and pelvis from rotational stress

■ Do focus on three dimensional core strength and endurance in a variety of func- tional activities that puts the client in a functional hip-extended position

■ Don’t try and touch your toes first thing in the morning as the discs are hydrophylic (full up with water) and bending forward puts three times the stress on them.

tional static stretches after training and before bed, resulted in 50% fewer injuries occurring. The state of tension in other muscle groups should be assessed on a daily basis and new stretches added to ensure that a good length-tension balance is maintained in all muscle groups respon- sible for performance. Simple symmetrical stretches for the low back and hips will help keep the client aligned. Stretches should be taken to the point of tension not pain.

Release the soft tissue Post-training soft tissue release is often better than just advice and is a positive step towards relieving symptoms of trig- ger points, delayed onset muscle soreness and muscle tension. Active trigger points that result from heavy training may reduce muscle strength. These problems can impair training and competition and can progress to injury if they are not resolved (6). The effectiveness of massage or soft tissue techniques as an adjunct to stretching in order to facilitate flexibility have been demonstrated in the past (7).

Research has indicated that the incidence of delayed onset muscle soreness differs according to gender with females appear- ing to be less susceptible to it (8). However, practical experience dictates that both men and women benefit from soft tissue release.

There are many well-known soft tissue techniques used in treating sports injuries including longitudinal stroking, strip and stretch or active release technique, tran- verse friction, tranverse gliding, sustained myofascial tension, vibrational techniques and digital ischaemic pressure. Utilising a variety of techniques based on an ath- lete’s preference and the practitioner’s experience can help promote recovery. Depending on the facilities and expertise

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available the post-training soft tissue work can be done either by a professional or by a training partner, parent, coach or by the athlete themselves. For example soft tissue techniques can be done on the extremities when in the whirlpool.

Myofascial system The myofascial system has received increased attention in the past few years and is an intricate system that surrounds all the muscles, nerves and blood vessels in the body. It is a complex web-like sys- tem that separates muscles into compart-

ments and dysfunction is common. Because this system wraps around each muscle fibril in the body, it can become twisted and snagged in different places. It is like a nylon stocking surrounding your muscle, and with dysfunction, this stock- ing can become twisted. For years thera- pists and other health professionals have suggested to clients to use a tennis ball to release sore, tight muscles. Recently, in addition to using a tennis ball, small myofascial release balls are being used to stretch and soften tight muscles (Fig.9).

Small ball body rolling is a great way to stretch and release tight muscles. The

Figure 9: Myofascial ball release

Courses by author, Carl Petersen physical therapist and author of this Skiing article…

FOLLOWING THE PHENOMENAL SUCCESS OF CARL’S TWO ‘FIT FOR SKIING’ COURSES THAT SPORTEX RAN IN NOVEMBER 2005 WE HAVE SECURED 3 DATES IN 2006 FROM CARL WHO IS BASED IN CANADA.

Fit For Tennis- 1 day workshop Course covers:The day will be highly practical throughout and will be loosely divided into two parts. The first part will address dynamic warm up and fitness aspects of training for tennis. Focus will be on exercise techniques for the upper and lower core to prevent injury and improve dynamic flexibility and functional strength for playing. An on-court practical warm-up as well as an interactive off & on court clinic for agility, balance and core training will be covered. Participants will as well have the oppor- tunity to learn some live ball on court drills to improve foot speed and agility. During the second part of the day participants will be taught how to recognize and identify common mal-alignment and pos- tural syndromes found in players (at all levels) and offer corrective exercises and manual strategies (including soft tissue techniques and stretching) to manage and prevent them. This course will also present ideas on survival strategies for staying healthy including injury treatment pearls and high per- formance recovery strategies. Delegate fee: £89 for subscribers, £99 for non-subscribers Dates: 23rd May2006 – Target audience:Physiotherapists, osteopaths, chiropractors, remedial instructors and experienced sports therapists 24th May2006 – Target audience:Sports massage practitioners, personal trainers, coaches and sports trainers, strength and conditioning coaches

Fit to Perform – 1 day workshop Course covers:The day will be highly practical throughout and will be loosely divided into two parts. The first part will address dynamic warm up and fitness aspects of training for sports. Focus will be on exercise techniques for the upper and lower core to prevent injury and improve dynamic flexibility and functional strength for sports. During the second part of the day participants will be taught how to recognise and identify common mal-alignment and postural syndromes found in athletes (at all levels) and offer corrective exercises and manual strategies (including soft tissue techniques and stretching) to manage and prevent them. Examination and pre-habilitation and rehabilitation techniques for the knee and shoulder will be covered. This course will also present ideas on survival strategies for stay- ing healthy including injury treatment pearls and high performance recovery strategies. Three dimen- sional core training, activity specific warm-ups for sprints, weights, agility and hopping & bounding, ACL rehabilitation protocols and shoulder rehabilitation protocols will also be covered. Delegate fee: £89 for subscribers, £99 for non-subscribers Dates: 25rd May2006 – Target audience: All those working with athletes

To book or check availability: Tel. 020 8287 3312 or visit www.sportex.net 11