Pass it or Past it?

With the end of another Premier League football season came the retirement of several high profile players. The 2013 season saw the curtains close on not only one of, if not the greatest manager in Sir Alex Ferguson but also Paul Scholes, David Beckham, Michael Owen, Michael Ballack, Andriy Shevchenko, Jamie Carragher and many more. The question we ask is do football players retire too early?

The average career of a football player lasts around 15-20 years and the average retirement age is around 36. This compared to the UK National retirement age of 64 years is an early age to give up on the ‘beautiful game’. Are football players giving up due to the demands on the body or are they just past it?

The demands of football at elite level are extremely high with players competing for 90 minutes at around 70% VO2max, expending 18kCal/min and covering between 10 and 15km. During this time a player will complete multiple sprints, jumps, directional changes and interactions with both players and the ball. Elite players will get a rest ratio of 1:2, so for every 10 seconds of exertion they have 20 seconds rest per match.

One reason for early retirement could be due to fatigue. Elite players start their careers around the age of 16. Training daily with some teams playing around 3 games in 10 days with European and Cup matches, rest periods are shorter between matches. As we age recovery times become increasingly longer after high intensity exercise. This cumulative effect can increase the risk of injury and also reduces athletic performance. 

Another reason could be due to injuries sustained during their careers. As we age injury recovery time increases and it becomes increasingly difficult to get back to full fitness. With peak fitness being between 25 and 35, once players pass this point their ageing muscles can not cope with the physical demands of high intensity sport. 

An important factor for many players is that they want to go out on top, at the peak of their playing careers, before they lose their skills and are surpassed by the new elite. If an ageing player is 5% short of the level needed to perform for 90 minutes then they could concede speed and endurance to the opposition that leads to the games decisive moment. Players want to be remembered as winners and not for their mistakes. 

With the advances made in sports science, medicine and rehabilitation measures it is feasible that players could go on past their 30's and into their 40's providing they look after their bodies. When you compare footballers to Ironman competitors who have been known to compete into their 70s could they go on that bit longer? 

Is it a case of going out on top or continuing to play the game they love? Maybe training programs should be adapted to meet their ongoing needs and goals? Or shall we just be happy that we have had the pleasure of witnessing some of the greatest players in the world’s most popular sport?

Please feel free to leave your thoughts and opinions below. 

A Genuine Pain in the Bum!

Working all day in an office can be strenuous on your body. Yes, you may not be enduring that which comes with a manual labour job. Yes, you may be sat down all day, but that in itself is a strain.

Now, you may be thinking “oh that’s not me!” but just because you can’t feel something, doesn't mean its not there. 

Nowadays people tend to associate most (if not all) office ailments on RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury) but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. There are countless postural problems and Musculo-skeletal disorders that can be triggered by office based work, sometimes taking years to cause physical pain but showing early symptoms is common including; headaches, upper back and neck pain, tension around the shoulders, blurred vision, migraines, joint stiffness, tiredness and lack of energy. 

So what are they? How do I know I have them? How can I prevent this?! 

PLEASE FIX ME!!

Kyphosis

Kyphosis is a postural disorder that can affect both sexes, although can be more profound in women, especially larger breasted women. Kyphosis in simpler terms means over hanging of the scapula, where the shoulders fall forward, causing a slouching stance.  

Postural correction can be achieved through a rehabilitative exercise program, Sports Massage to address muscle imbalance & Kinesiology Taping. (Treatment Info)

                                                                               

Well...Not so scary!!

Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction

SIJ Dysfunction is abnormal movement in the Sacroiliac joint, either too much movement or too little. The sacroiliac joints are located at the base of the back. Due to abnormal stresses placed on the lower back, such as sitting for long periods of time, the SI joint can become inflamed. Common symptoms of this include; lower back pain and ache, pain in the buttocks area, leg pain, groin pain and hip pain.

Treatment of this disorder focuses on short term pain relief and long term correction.

Short term treatment includes; sports massage to reduce muscular tension, spinal mobilisation to increase mobility and therapeutic modalities to reduce pain.

Long term treatment includes postural correction and rehabilitative exercise to address muscle imbalance. (Treatment info)

If left untreated this disorder can develop into a chronic condition. This can lead to lower back weakness which may increase chances of osteoporosis. Also hamstring weakness and shortening, which can inhibit exercise performance.

                                                                               

Don’t get the cane out just yet! 

Upper crossed syndrome

Upper crossed syndrome is a postural condition associated with tightness in the upper back and neck, in particular the upper trapezius and levator scapula and the pectoralis muscle groups. This causes weakness in the rhomboid and mid-lower trapezius muscles. This imbalance causes joint dysfunction around the Cervical & Thoracic vertabrae and the glenohumeral joints.

Symptoms of this syndrome usually include headaches and tension, forward head and neck posture (sticking your chin out like Brucey), elevating the shoulders towards the ears, rounding of the shoulders and upper back, winging of the shoulder blade and aching pain and stiffness between the shoulder blades. 

Treatment includes; Sports Massage, to reduce muscular tension, spinal mobilisation to educe pain and stiffness & postural correction exercises. (Treatment Info)

                                                                              

  I WILL have the posture of a model!!

...So get off your bums office workers and show those physical workers that your muscles can work just as hard! Regain your posture, reduce those headaches, release that tension and improve your productivity and drive!!  

Sports Massage for running events – Is it right for me?

Sports Massage for running events – Is it right for me?

With the Manchester 10k fast approaching it is important to make sure you are fully prepared. Many amateur runners jump straight into training without considering the effects it is having on their bodies. 

Physical activity, in particular running can be extremely demanding on the body and cause a great deal of stress. This combined with day to day life can increase the negative effects the body encounters. 

The need to prepare properly for sporting and running events is the key to success. This will help to avoid overuse injuries associated with running. Overuse and over-training are the most common causes of injury and muscle imbalance in runners. When left untreated this can lead to more serious, chronic injuries and ultimately reduces athletic performance.  

During physical exercise the muscles undergo a series of contractions which produces a number of waste products such as lactic acid. These waste products inhibit performance and increase recovery times. 

The body can remove these waste products during the healing process by circulating blood to flush out the muscles. However this takes time and can often prevent further practice due to pain and reduced flexibility. Sports massage is a safe and effective method of speeding up this process. 

The demand for sports massage is increasingly important to aid success and prevent injury. Sports massage has several benefits that can be broken down into different categories. 

Sports massage not only has physical and physiological benefits but also psychological benefits for runners. General benefits of sports massage include: increasing sports performance, prevent injuries and inflexibility, maintains general health and reduces recovery time after injury.

More specific benefits include:

Physical benefits

Increased tissue permeability

Increased flexibility

Scar tissue realignment

Improved micro circulation

Physiological benefits

Inhibition of pain

Stimulates relaxation response

Psychological benefits

Reduces anxiety levels

Invigorates bodily response

The question you may be asking yourself now is ‘Is it for me?’ The answer is sports massage is suitable for runners of all levels and abilities. Even if you are not clocking up 100’s of miles a week, you will still benefit from a sports massage. Running technique requires the same muscle recruitment whether you are elite level or an amateur weekend runner and therefore you undergo the same physical stresses.