Apr 03

3 Tips to Prevent Running injuries

Posted on April 3, 2017 by admin

3 Tips to Prevent Running Injuries

by Olivia O’ Leary D.C BSc Hons Chiropractic

Whether you’re a novice runner or a seasoned veteran, injuries can occur at any time. Although there is no guaranteed way to prevent all aches and pains, there are certain steps you can take to provide your body with its best defense against pre-finish line injury disaster.

1.SUPPLEMENT YOUR RUNNING ROUTINE

It’s essential to train our muscles in multiple ways in order to avoid injury and any potential overuse problems.

Utilise bikes, cross trainers, stair climbers and swimming pools to add other low-impact cardiovascular exercises to your routine. These types of exercises provide you with a good workout while limiting the strain on your legs, knees and joints. Additionally, incorporate upper and lower extremity strength training, as well as core stability, into your training regimen to build overall strength.
This well-rounded approach to working out will help you avoid injury.
2. STRETCHING

Stretching is critical to injury prevention. Runners should stretch before and after runs to avoid strains and tight muscles.
Calf, hamstring and iliotibial tract (IT) band injuries are notorious for causing problems. Stretching before and after a run can help you avoid these types of injuries. And if you are sore or experiencing pain, be sure to rest and ice that part of the body.

If the issue persists, it’s advisable to seek professional advice from one of our specialist chiropractic team or other suitably qualified healthcare professional .
It’s important to address all problems, even if you think or they feel minor. An injury can easily be exacerbated if you push your body too far. Taking this approach often gets you back training faster and stronger as opposed allowing an injury to become chronic and more difficult to treat.

3. FIND AN APPROPRIATE RUNNING SHOE

Everyone’s feet are different and have specific requirements. Spend time at a reputable shoe store to ensure you get the correct shoe. If you buy a new pair of shoes, be sure to break them in and get used to them before race day. You want to be familiar with the performance and feel of your shoes well before you start a race.
Just because you have a trusty pair of shoes from years ago doesn’t mean they are the right pair for a run. Old, worn-out shoes increase your risk of injury and negatively affect running efficiency as does a poor running gait pattern.

Poor foot mechanics can cause foot pain and unnecessary stresses further up the body, resulting in knee, hip pain and back pain.

A computerised gait scan is a highly accurate method of evaluating an individuals gait pattern and this can facilitate the prescription of custom made insole orthotics to correct an individuals gait imbalance whilst running and walking where necessary.
Running is a fun, effective way to stay active, but without proper injury prevention strategy and proper conditioning, you could end up hurting yourself. By following these tips, you can be in a better position to avoid injury and maximize your race day results.

GOREY FAMILY CHIROPRACTIC: SUPPORTING YOUR RECOVERY, MAINTAINING RECOVERY AND PREVENTING INJURY

Our specialist Chiropractic team are trained and hold extensive experience both in Ireland and the U.K in the diagnosis and treatment of back pain, neck pain, nerve and disc disorders as well as treating and managing sports injuries and conditions like osteoarthritis. No GP referral is necessary.

On site x ray is offered and for your convenience all of our Gorey Family Chiropractic team are registered with VHI, Glo, Aviva and Laya Healthcare allowing clients claim reimbursement from a wide range of private healthcare Insurance providers including the GAA Scheme.

For further information on our range of services to private individuals or specialist occupational health services to companies contact info@chiropractor.ie or alternatively call 053 94 83338.

Mar 25

How to Choose the Best Football Boots

Posted on March 25, 2013 by admin

How to choose the best football boots by Olivia O’ Leary D.C BSc Hons Chiropractic

Customise your Footwear to Stay out of the Treatment Room….

At some point in the season whether its pre season or mid way in, new football boots are a necessity. Finding the right boot is very important consideration for prevention of sports injury as well as comfort.

With a lot of young footballers that we see at Gorey Family Chiropractic experiencing conditions like Severs disease, shin splints, hamstring strains, as well as knee ligament problems we thought we would take a look at how to try to prevent these injuries and enhance performance through the right equipment, starting with how to choose and improve football boots.

From a support point of view the upper needs to be strong enough to support your foot during rapid changes in direction and when kicking. Although generally more expensive, a leather upper will mould to the shape of your feet and is very durable meaning it will age well. The soft nature of leather means it is very comfortable.

Synthetic uppers vary in quality at either end of the price scale. High quality synthetic upper is found on many modern football boots as it is strong, light and waterproof. However, some cheaper synthetic uppers may have a poor feel and will rip and tear easily under strain and tend to be found on boots at the lower end of the market. Combination leather and synthetic uppers are the strongest particularly when reinforced with ample stitching.

Heel Cup; Give Your Heels Height
The heel counter or heel cup needs to be very rigid to support your rear foot during swerving & stepping. A sturdy deep heel cup can prevent injuries especially in young footballers.

The idea of inserting in-shoe ‘lifts’ into your boots may sound like a ruse to give some added height to the front line, but podiatrists believe that raising the heel with orthopaedic supports (orthotics) can lower the risk of Sever’s disease among young players. Sever’s is an inflammation of the area where the Achilles tendon joins the heel – common in the growing joints of young adolescent players. In an FA survey these conditions were found to account for over 13 per cent of injuries to footballers aged 11-13.

Midsole
There are boots on the market that have midsoles or wedges under the heel providing some cushioning and support which is desirable for injury prevention. These are particularly good for young footballers that suffer from heel pain or any player that suffers from lower limb injuries such as shin splints, achilles tendonitis or chronic knee injury or pain. The extra bulk in this type of boot is the only downside.

Outsole
The outsole must be rigid and match the width of the foot. A narrow outsole will cause the foot to hang over the edge of the sole and place more pressure on the upper, which decreases the stability of the boot and is more likely to tear the boot.

Moulded Vs Screw-In Studs
The type of pitches that you will be playing on make a significant difference to the type of boot that you should consider buying. Soft ground conditions require better grip so use of screw-in studs is suitable for use on soft, wet and muddy pitches. The studs are usually made from hard rubber although metal studs are available.

Anyone who has had a knee reconstruction or suffers from instability in the knee joint should be careful not to use an aggressive stud design as the increased grip may cause the foot to remain stuck in the turf potentially leading to excessive twisting and injury. Use of screw-in studs on hard grounds is not comfortable as a footballer or hurler can feel like they are running on pebbles.

Moulded stud boots are better suited to harder grounds. They are designed for surfaces where there is limited give. Moulded boots are also usually used on artificial and synthetic pitches as they tend to not get stuck in the turf like studs do reducing the likelihood of twisting knee injuries.

The ideal situation for the serious player is to own a pair of boots for every condition. However, in this recessionary environment that approach can be pricey so the general player should buy a single pair of boots that that will suit the surface he or she most often plays on. With Wexford gaelic, hurling, soccer & rugby generally played in soft conditions at this time of year, boots with screw in studs are most appropriate.

Fit
A correctly fitted boot is an important factor in prevention and treatment of foot injuries. There should always be a thumb nail width from the longest toe to the end of the boot. There should also be adequate depth to ensure your foot sits securely in the boot.
Badly fitting boots are a recipe for poor performance and injury. A boot that is too big will allow the foot to move within it, ruining any chance of fine ball control, quick acceleration or manoeuvrability. A boot that is too small will be uncomfortable to play in and may result in foot damage.

Orthotics

Orthotics with Gorey Family Chiropractic Clinic

Computerised gait assessment allows for accurate prescription of sports orthotics for individuals

Football boots do accept specially moulded sports orthotics / insoles. Custom Made Sports Orthotics / insoles help correct abnormalities in the way an individual moves, for example if you foot turns inward when you run or if you suffer from fallen arches. These types of orthotics are designed to prevent sports related injuries and help protect against pressure and impact shock. Depending on which sport you participate in, sports specific orthotics will be prescribed to meet the needs of different sports from soccer to golf to tennis and running.

We offer state of the art TOG Gait Scan technology at Gorey Family Chiropractic which allows a computerised can of a foot to be taken and from this information a custom made insole is created which works both correctively and preventatively. This technology therefore looks beyond just treating symptoms but determines the root cause of the problem and addresses the malfunction of the foot that has led to the foot pain or problems. These sports orthotics can be placed into your football boots to offer an increased level of support and with the goal of injury prevention and enhanced performance. The Tog orthotics supplied by Gorey Family Chiropractic come with a lifetime guarantee against cracking of the supportive shell ensuring support for the long term for your feet.

Gorey Family Chiropractic Supporting your Recovery and Enhancing your Performance

For further information on Tog Orthotics/ insoles please see the Tog Orthotics video on the practice videos section on our website http://www.chiropractor.ie/5,gallery,orthotics_patient_education_dvd.html. Alternatively contact the practice to arrange a personal computerised assessment with one of our clinical team.

If you are troubled by any of the sports injuries mentioned above please feel free to contact our practice to arrange an assessment. For your convenience all of our clinical team are registered with VHI, Aviva, Glo and Laya Healthcare allowing clients claim reimbursement from a wide range of private healthcare Insurance providers.We also provide care under the GAA injury scheme.

Opening hours Mon 8-7, Tues 9-5, Wed 8-7, Thurs 9-5, Frid 8-7

T : 053 94 83338 or alternatively email info@chiropractor.ie.

Gorey Family Chiropractic Clinic, Railway Road, Gorey, Co Wexford.

Dec 12

Do your feet need support from a custom made insole/ orthotic?

Posted on December 12, 2012 by admin

We spend so much of our time on our feet; walking, running, working or playing sports it’s no wonder that the number of people who suffer foot pain or knee pain from the stress and strain put on their feet is quite staggering. Throw some bunions or collapsed arches into the mix and its an eventual recipe for disaster. Foot pain can be quite crippling when it strikes…so where does it come from?

SOME FOOTY FACTS & FIGURES:

An average person walks approx 12,000 steps per day (or 4 miles)
A person will walk 4 times around the earth circumference in a lifetime
A person places 500,000 kilos of pressure on their feet in a lifetime
83% of Irish Population will suffer from an acute episode of foot or foot related pain, the majority of which are treatable and even preventable with proper foot care and Orthotics.

How do feet affect other areas of your body?

The feet have a direct impact on the rest of a person’s body. Like the foundation of a house, your feet support the weight of everything above them.

When a small problem develops in your feet, a subtle change in the way you walk will cause a chain reaction of adjustments in your posture and way of walking. These changes can put stress on joints higher up in your body like those of the knees, hips and lower back which leads to the development of muscular and skeletal problems and pains elsewhere. It can be pointless to treat these other injuries without considering where the root of the problem lies. This brings us on to the topic of orthotics and their use as a treatment.

What do Orthotics do and how can they help?

Tog Custom made Orthotics work on your feet much like glasses work on your eyes- they reduce stress and strain on your body by bringing your feet back into proper alignment.

Custom made Orthotics are designed in such a way that they fit comfortably like an insole in your shoe and but have the advantage of having been custom made for exact imprints of your feet.

Custom made Tog orthotics are biomechanical medical appliances which are made to correct your own specific foot imbalances rather than the generic off the shelf model model which is not specific.

How are Orthotics Created?

We offer TOG Gait Scan technology at Gorey Family Chiropractic which allows a scan of an individual’s foot to be taken and from this information a custom made insole is created which works both correctively and preventatively. This state of the art technology therefore looks beyond just treating symptoms but determines the root cause of the problem and addresses the malfunction of the foot that has led to the foot pain or problems.

This also relieves abnormal strain off other tissues and structures further up the leg, which can lead to knee pain, hip pain and even contribute to lower back pain. By balancing and buffering the forces exerted during walking, orthotics help to restore normal balance and take pressure off other muscles and joints.

This is particularly helpful for runners or sports people where small foot malfunctions are more pronounced and influential in causing injuries whilst running.

Common conditions where orthotics can be necessary or beneficial in the overall management include

Plantar Fasciitis,
Shin Splints
Ilio-tibial band Syndrome,
Fallen arches
Achilles Tendonitis
Metatarsalgia
Heel Spurs

Lifetime Guarantee:

Tog Orthotics carry a lifetime guarantee against cracking to the supportive Orthotic shell.

If you are suffering from any of the types of problem mentioned and are based around Gorey, Wexford, Arklow or Carlow it may be time to be checked. Why not call Gorey Family Chiropractic today speak to one of our friendly team who will be happy to arrange a Tog Gait Scan assessment to evaluate the need or benefits to be gained from Tog orthotics specific to your own individual requirements.

For further information on this product, please see the Tog Orthotics video on the practice videos section on our website http://www.chiropractor.ie/5,gallery,orthotics_patient_education_dvd.html

For your convenience all of our clinical team are registered with VHI, Aviva and Laya Healthcare allowing clients claim reimbursement from a wide range of private healthcare Insurance providers.