Q. Post-pregnancy I leak when coughing or when trying to run despite having worked on my pelvic floor – why is that?
A. In the case that your pelvic floor muscle is weak and requires strengthening, there is a level of skill required to train it properly. It is a fan shaped muscle and for it to work optimally, we need to contract it according to the direction in which the muscle fibres lie.
Written by Wendy Casterton, Physiotherapist
Women’s health-related issues are manifold and can be complex in nature. As such, it is often difficult to get a clear diagnosis and explanation as to what is going on and what can be done to improve things. This can lead to a serious level of compromise in our quality of life, affecting us in our personal relationships as well as socially and professionally. Nevertheless, physiotherapy centred around the very specific anatomy of a women’s pelvis and abdomen can help to address these problems, helping to restore confidence in your body and achieve your life goals.
Written by Wendy Casterton, Physiotherapist
A recent systematic review asked this question. The authors concluded that there is a clear dose-response effect regarding strength training and its injury prevention effect. This means that the greater the volume and intensity of strength training undertaken the greater the injury preventative effects were experienced. This was observed for both acute and overuse injuries across all types of sports (Lauersen et al 2018).
Written by Michael Bushell, Physiotherapist
You may be a talented rugby player, a novice marathon runner, a coach to a high school badminton player, an elderly fitness enthusiast or a weekend warrior playing park football. Whatever example matches yours, statistically you’ve either been injured yourself or have had to coach an individual through an injury. Some of us may be incredibly skilled at our sport or dedicated to our fitness regimes but are constantly injured and therefore never get the chance to fulfill our sporting and fitness goals. Although injuries are never completely unavoidable there are clear, evidenced-based ways to reduce the risk.
Written by Michael Bushell, Physiotherapist
What made you become a physio?
It was always my dream job! My first undergraduate degree was in French, yet with life experience and a personal training and sports massage qualification, I was accepted on to a physiotherapy degree as a mature student. Nothing gives me greater pleasure than to see my clients smile again once they know they’re recovering from or in control of their physical ailment. As a physio, compared with other medical professionals, we have the privilege of spending a little more time with clients to really get to know them, which really helps with aligning treatment with their goals.
Getting injured whilst participating in triathlon is incredibly common. Around 75% of all triathletes will suffer from injury during their racing career, rising to 91% for Ironman (long distance) triathletes. Overuse is the most common cause of injury – which is good news as that is something we can manage – usually occurring in the lower leg or ankle, knees, low back or shoulders. Occasionally injuries will be due to some kind of trauma, most likely falling off the bike!
Written by Wendy Casterton, Physiotherapist