It's the time of year when as a Henleaze Osteopath I traditionally start to see and treat more Bristol athletes with various injuries and issues.
Having worked as an Osteopath in Bristol for more than 25 years, I've treated multiple athletes from many different disciplines.
What types of athlete can a Bristol Osteopath treat?
Some of my athlete patients have been elite international runners, some are triathletes as well as many leisure and fitness athletes.
I have treated sprinters and ballistic track and field athletes, including jumpers and throwers.
In recent years, patients have included long-distance runners and others involved in endurance and ultra-events.
The athletic related injuries I treat in Bristol are usually dependant on the discipline or sporting activity.
Athletes who are runners commonly come to my Henleaze osteopathic clinic for treatment of the following injuries:
Muscular tears and strains which are common in ballistic track athletes, sprinters and jumpers. Sprinters, for example, often suffer from Hamstring tears due to the dynamic nature of their event.
Repetitive strains to muscles and tendons are more common with longer distance and endurance athletes. These are sustained from longer periods at lower intensity and can usually be leg, ankle and foot injuries.
I have also treated long-distance athletes with knee, hip and back issues. These can be problem areas for 10K + runners, marathon runners and triathletes.
Overuse injuries are common. When an athlete repeats an action over many cycles, they are at risk of an overuse injury or strain.
Many athletes over-train and fail to recognise the right time to rest and recover. Recovery is the most important element of any athletic training plan.
Triathletes visiting my Bristol osteopathic clinic often present with running injuries as this is where there is more impact.
However, I see repetitive joint and tendon injuries from cycling-based patients (often caused by inappropriate and/or aggressive riding positions).
Swimmers can be treated for shoulder issues, and these type of athletic injuries usually occur as a result of some form of shoulder instability or an older latent injury.
What are old and latent Injuries?
I'm a good example of this: I have old niggling injuries from my days as a rugby player.
After rugby I started running and competing in triathlon events and then progressed onto endurance sport. Some of these old rugby niggles returned as annoying niggles.
These kinds of problems are often in part due to lack of stability or flexibility, so I had to work hard to ensure that these were kept under control.
As a Bristol Osteopath, I commonly see similar patterns with other athletes and prevention as well as intervention are vital.
How do I prevent athletic injuries?
Ensuring that body has good joint stability and flexibility is essential for all athletes to reduce the chances of injury.
Knee injuries are very common, and I often work with an injured athlete to re-strengthen and stabilise this area after an injury.
For many athletic patients, the site of injury is the tip of the iceberg, and Bristol Osteopaths are skilled at identifying trouble spots distant to an injury site.
These can often contribute to the problem, and need identifying and managing.
Most athletes that I see would agree that Prevention is better than cure.
What are the vital elements for athletes to consider?
Identify issues and injuries early
Preventative Osteopathic treatment is critical
Maintain good stability and flexibility
Nutrition and hydration are pivotal in injury prevention/swift recovery
Rest and recovery should always be maintained
Consider Maintenance Osteopathic Treatments
Read this to avoid common running injuries.
If you would like to discuss how my osteopathic treatments in Bristol could help you with any athletic injuries this season, please book a consultation with me online here.
My Henleaze osteopath clinic is fully open so if you’re looking for osteopathic treatments, please read this news post to find out about the measures in place at my Henleaze osteopathy clinic for all patients.
For more hints, tips and advice on staying safe and active when playing any sports this Summer, please visit my News section here.
To find out more about the full range of osteopathic treatments that I provide in Bristol, please visit here for details.