How easy is it to improve performance and prevent injury? The Bodikind blog
James Coughtrey
Specialist Podiatrist for BodiKind
Many of you who participate regularly in sport and keep-fit activity are acutely aware of the health benefits that come from engaging in physical exercise and moreover you are fully read up on the interplay that exists between good nutrition, mental preparedness and an in-depth understanding of your body, how it works and what you can do to enhance your natural abilities to best effect.
According to most of the studies that have been done on exercise related injuries about a fifth of patients present with lower limb symptoms and looking at the mechanics of the injuries and the individual choices made regarding training programs and equipment people have used leading up to the injuries, many of these issues could have been avoided with simple guidance and advice and good screening for anomalies in their lower limb function prior to the injury.
It is common knowledge that many elite sports teams and individuals now go through rigorous analysis and assessment on a regular basis as a matter of course and in the high-risk high-reward environment of professional sport It is worth noting that nowadays the sports scientists really are key to understanding the needs of professional athletes with the vast array of technology they use to gauge performance. But what about those of us who just enjoy exercise as part of a healthy lifestyle or are keen to get into running or cycling related activity but don’t know where to start. I can say without doubt that this is the best time to get yourself assessed for potential injuries and discuss your plans for training in all its forms with someone with experience in sports medicine and musculoskeletal practice. Many people choose to see a Physiotherapist at this stage or a Strength and conditioning coach or even a Personal trainer. As a specialist Podiatrist I would say think carefully about what you are after and if its specific lower limb related injury screening, advice and guidance you are after then perhaps you’d be better seeing someone like me.
Podiatrists undertake extensive training in the science of body movements and how and why they occur; this is referred to as biomechanics. This married with our clinical experience in assessing and diagnosing medical problems that affect the lower limb make us ideally qualified to deal with running and sports related injuries. Alongside this we have extensive experience treating all manner of lower limb injuries using a range of options including the manufacture and use of orthoses, assessment and guidance relating to footwear and exercise programs designed to minimize and prevent injury during activity. Often our interest in a particular area of practice leads us into further study and developing specialist skills and training in this area and that is what I have done with musculoskeletal injuries and sports medicine. Personally I prefer a more in-depth approach to assessment that covers all aspects of your training and lifestyle and If that sounds like what your after why not get in touch with us at BodiKind and book an assessment appointment today.
Look forward to seeing you soon – the BodiKind team
It’s so inspiring to see how much effort goes into becoming a sports rehabilitation professional! It makes sense that they would need to know all that they do. It would make it so they can work on their patients much better.