Clear Physio and Sports Injury Clinic

A common injury that we often see here at Clear Physio is whiplash, where the neck is injured when the head is thrown forwards and backwards with force. Symptoms typically increase in intensity two to three days after the injury.

Pain usually manifests in the neck and occasionally in the head, shoulders and arms, characterised by a sharp pain that gets worse when you move, or a constant dull ache. Other signs to look out for include stiffness, tingling and locking or clicking joints.

If you suspect you might have whiplash, it’s important to see a physiotherapist as it’s unlikely that your symptoms will resolve themselves on their own. As long as your injury is properly diagnosed and treated in the most effective way, you should not suffer any long-term effects.

Sciatica occurs when the sciatic nerve running from the lower back down to the feet becomes compressed or irritated.

Symptoms of sciatica include shooting pain that starts in your lower back or bottom and runs down the back of your leg, often to your foot and toes.

Here are some frequently asked questions about sciatica that may prove useful:

#1 What causes sciatica?
The most common cause of sciatica is a slipped disc, where the tissue between the bones of the spine start to push out. It can also be caused by back injuries, spinal stenosis, where a part of the spine starts to narrow, and spondylolisthesis, where one of the bones in the spine slips out of position.

#2 How do you prevent sciatica?
There are ways in which you can reduce the chances of sciatica coming back, including getting regular exercise, maintaining good posture when sitting and standing, losing weight if necessary, and maintaining good technique when picking up heavy objects.

#3 How can sciatica be managed?
You can help improve your symptoms by carrying on as you would normally as far as is practicably possible, using heat packs on the affected areas and doing gentle exercises to encourage mobility.

#4 Can a physiotherapist help with sciatica?
Physiotherapy is one of the best ways to treat sciatica and your therapist will devise a programme of exercises specifically tailored to you and your condition to help ease your symptoms. You may also be recommended treatments like acupuncture, ultrasound treatment and shockwave therapy.

If you have any further queries, please get in touch with the Clear Physio team today to see how we can help.

We saw this post on and are sharing it, as we could not have said it better ourselves 🙏

PSA FOR ALL RUNNERS🗣️

🏃Why is strength training important for runners? Running is an impact sport! Due to the fact that the most common running injuries can be associated with lower extremity strength deficits, it is extremely important to educate runners on WHY AND HOW they should perform strength training. A big takeaway from this infographic is that resistance training can help with running economy and efficiency by decreasing energy expenditure. Understanding this concept will help with understanding this graphic better!

🗣A major shout to and the Twitter accounts JamesA_15, drchrisbarton & drwilly2003 for putting together awesome infographics that inspired this post!

‼️FACTS! Running can impose up to 8x your body weight in force on specific structures in the body. Because of this, running injuries are not uncommon, actually up to 50% of runners at some point in their life will experience an injury because of running. From research and our experience, we believe 80-90% of these injuries are due to training errors, with one of those errors being a lack of quality strength training! Every single runner out there can benefit from this infographic, be sure to share it!

🔥Looking for more exercise direction? Check out our video on YouTube - The 5 Most Important Exercises for Runners. In this video, you’ll learn our top 5 favorite strength training exercises for runners, why they’re important, and slight modifications and variations so that you can find the best fit for you and your workout routine! See link in bio

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While exercise is undoubtedly good for us, physically and mentally, it can also put a lot of stress and strain on our bodies, which can turn into injuries if we’re not careful.

One common complaint that often emerges among the physically active is shin splints.
Pain can be felt inside the lower leg above the ankle, as well as on the front and outside of the shins.

It is possible to prevent shin splints by wearing the appropriate footwear for the activity you’re doing, as well as gradually building up the frequency and intensity of your activity over time. Incorporating a mix of high and low impact training into your schedule can also be particularly beneficial.

As for treatment options, going to see a physiotherapist can help improve your symptoms. Your physio is likely to give you exercises to do, including single leg heel raises, single leg bridges and single leg sit to stands.

In addition, Massage techniques can help increase blood flow, support tissue repair and decrease swelling, while mobilisation techniques can restore typical mobility range, relieve pain and lubricate the tissue.

For more information on shin splints, read our blog here https://www.clearphysio.co.uk/what-are-shin-splints-what-can-you-do-about-them/

As the weather improves, we will be keen to spend as much time as we can outside, whether that’s going for long walks, heading out for a jog or hopping on the bike.

If it’s the latter, it’s important to know how to maintain good form – and how to treat any injuries, aches and pains that may crop up.

Three of the most common injuries that you may sustain include neck pain, lower back pain and knee pain:

📝 Neck pain occurs due to overstraining the spine and holding a static position on the bike for a sustained period of time. There are gentle stretches you can try that will loosen the neck muscles and encourage mobility.

📝 Lower back pain, meanwhile, can come about because of having to maintain your cycling posture with decreased hip flexibility, which can put strain on the muscles in your lower back. To help address this issue, check the height and angle of your saddle and try out some hip and back stretches to iron out any tension.

📝 Knee pain is also not something you should ignore. Your knees are one of the most important joints in the entire body, so if you are feeling pain or twinges make sure you do something about it as soon as you can.

If you’d like any further help or advice relating to cyclist injuries now or in the future, get in touch with the Clear Physio team today. We’ll get you back on the road in no time.

Creaking Joints - what you need to know.

As we move around and go about our daily business, it’s certainly not unusual for our joints to make creaking, cracking and popping sounds – and they can often be so loud that they’re somewhat alarming.

The medical term for these noises is ‘crepitus’, referring to the sounds you hear when bubbles of air pop inside your joints. This is entirely normal and harmless, unless it’s accompanied with pain or discomfort, which can be an indication of an injury or some kind of underlying medical condition.

How crepitus is treated will largely depend on what’s causing it. You may find that your symptoms improve by taking some kind of anti-inflammatory, or resting the affected area while using ice, compression and elevation.

However, going to see a physiotherapist can prove particularly beneficial if you’re worried about your symptoms or if you’re in pain and it doesn’t seem to be improving.

Listen to your body and if you think your crepitus may be something to do with a joint condition of some kind, or if you’re experiencing any kind of swelling or pain around your joints, get in touch with us here at Clear Physio to see how we can help.

Sore Hamstring?

Unsure how to manage your sore hamstring? Should you foam roll it? Should you stretch it? Or stretch other muscle groups instead? Sometimes stretching hamstring muscles is not the correct solution. If you would like an appointment to find out further details regarding your hamstring issues, please get in touch with us.⠀
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On the eve of the London Marathon, runners will already be aware that an inevitable part of running long distances is delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), where your body aches or feels stiff in certain places.

This is entirely normal and can happen to anyone, regardless of how fit they are, although you are more likely to experience symptoms after pushing yourself harder than you typically would.

While DOMS is normal and largely to be accepted, it’s essential to be mindful of any pain that doesn’t resolve itself with rest or rehab. If pain persists after a few days, it’s advisable to seek medical advice or get in touch with us for a physio session and/or sports massage.

Trapped nerves and nerve pain can be very distressing, particularly if it’s a chronic condition that you’ve been living with for some time.

It can have a serious impact on your mental health, leading to stress, anxiety, anger and depression, so it’s important to address your symptoms as soon as possible, even if they appear mild at first.

Typical symptoms include tingling, numbness, pain and weakness in affected muscles.
It’s also possible for pinched nerves to affect bodily functions such as bladder and bowel control, as well as sexual function which, again, can be very distressing to experience.

The good news is that there’s a lot that can be done to treat pinched nerves successfully and going to see a physiotherapist can make a significant difference to how you’re feeling.

Your physio can carry out a range of different tests to pinpoint which nerve is affected and where it’s being pinched. Once the problem has been identified, various techniques can be employed to address the situation.

If you’d like to find out more about pinched nerves and how they can be treated with physio, get in touch with the Clear Physio team today.

We could not have said it any better, Scot.

Happy Easter to you all. 😊

If you’ve been feeling an aching sensation, stiffness, tingling, numbness and weakness, as well as reduced joint mobility, in your upper body (hands, wrists, shoulders and arms), it may be that you’re experiencing some kind of repetitive strain injury (RSI).

If your symptoms persist or get worse over time, you may want to seek professional medical advice.

One of the best ways to address RSI is to see a physiotherapist. Various treatment plans are available depending on your symptoms and the cause.

If you’d like to find out more about RSI and what can be done to treat it, get in touch with the Clear Physio team today to see how we can help.

One area of focus that can have huge benefits for both your physical and mental health is your posture. Having good posture simply means that your body is properly aligned from head to toe.

Maintaining good posture should start from the bottom up, with our feet serving as the foundation for it all.

One very common condition is flat feet, where there is little to no arch, so the entire sole of the foot rests on the ground. This means that your body isn’t provided with the stability it needs, which can have a big impact on your overall posture, leading to muscle strain, leg and back pain, and musculoskeletal problems.

The good news is that there’s a lot you can do to address the condition and make good postural gains. Seeing a physiotherapist can make a big difference, as they’ll be able to give you specific exercises to do.

Please see our latest blog on our website for more information.

From one mother to another, I wish you a very happy Mother’s Day. 😊

Our blog is regularly updated with physio-related posts, ranging from how a good night's sleep can affect your functioning, to avoiding boxing injuries.

Make sure you check it out to keep up-to-date with current physio advancements!

you can access the blog through the link below:

https://zcu.io/U6vp

To the runners out there...be wary of shin splints!

Shin splints can be caused by sudden increases in distance and intensity of training which may lead to an overloading of the shin bone.

Contributing factors include flat feet, poor running technique and always running on hard ground.

Physiotherapy is useful in providing relevant and effective exercises which aid in the recovery of shin splints and the strengthening of the shin bone.

Do you know the importance of practising range of motion exercises after an injury?

If you are immobile for prolonged periods of time, this may lead to issues such as muscular atrophy.

Although it is important to rest immediately after an injury, range of motion exercises can be used after a certain point in your recovery process to encourage movement, joint mobility and aid in circulation, this in turn leads to a quicker healing time than if you were to remain immobilised.

The achilles tendon can be put under pressure quite easily even just by carrying out everyday activities.

It is important to keep your achilles tendons strong and flexible to prevent inflammation of the tendons - known as tendonitis.

Tendonitis often occurs through repetitive actions causing the tissue to become inflamed, irritated and swollen.

You can find out more about protecting your achilles tendon on our blog which you can access through the link below:

https://zcu.io/gOlG

Have you ever pulled a muscle before? Chances are that you have, muscle strain is a very common injury!

Do you know what to do after straining a muscle? Of course, rest is the first port of call, which can be followed by icing, elevation, and compression therapy.

If you are interested in finding out more on muscle strains, like the various gradations of severity, please click the link below to access our blog post titled "What To Do If You Pull A Muscle".

Happy New Year from us, all the best wishes for 2024!

Merry Christmas from us at the Clear Physio Clinic!

We wish you all the happiest festive season :)

Wanting to lose weight but finding it hard to stick to your goals?

Here are some tips to help you stay motivated!

Stock up on fibre:
Eating food high in fibre will help you to stay feeling full for longer, making you less likely to reach for the snacks.

Some examples of foods high in fibre are bananas, broccoli, and beetroot.

Drink lots of water:
It is easy to confuse hunger with thirst. Try having some water when you feel peckish to see if that makes a difference.
Additionally, staying hydrated is vital for your metabolism and general alertness!

Have a read through our blog post labelled '4 Top Tips For Weight Loss' to find out more :)

You can access the blog through the link below:
https://zcu.io/30un

Have you ever tried a massage gun?

They can be a brilliant way to release tension built up from participating in sport and generally keeping active!

Massage guns can helpful to prevent injury, keep you supple and strong, increase your range of motion, and encourage faster healing.

All of these points show the great advantages of massage guns to those of you that train hard regularly!

If you are interested to find out more, explore our blog post labelled "6 Benefits of Massage Gun Therapy" which can be accessed through the link below...

https://zurl.co/v5b2

Do you struggle with back pain?
It may be caused by something as simple as your sleeping position!

Have a read of our most recent blog post to find out more: https://zurl.co/wZLE

Clear Physio social media is back after a short hiatus!

We would like to remind you of our weekly blog posts that can be accessed through our website or via the link below:
https://zurl.co/9sPc

Recent blog topics have included stretching, good posture, and joint hypermobility syndrome. Let us know what you think of these topics in the comments!

Scoliosis is a common spinal condition that presents as a curving or twisting of the spine.

Scoliosis can affect people of any age, but it typically develops in children between the ages of ten to 15.

Symptoms may present as a leaning to one side, ribs, shoulder or hip protruding to one side, or uneven shoulders.

If you are interested in finding out more about scoliosis, please do not hesitate to read our blog post labelled "What is Scoliosis?" which can be accessed through the link below:

https://zurl.co/2BE7

Arthritis is a very common condition that can develop in people of all ages, causing pain and inflammation in the joints.

There are however, multiple ways to ease the symptoms to continue living a full and healthy lifestyle.

Research is showing that low-impact exercise such as walking, swimming, or cycling could be benficial to those with arthritis as a means of reducing pain, improving range of motion and mobility.

If you would like to find out more, please head over to our blog post named "Can Exercise Help Ease Arthritis Pain?" through the link below...

https://zurl.co/VkT5

Learn how to STRESS LESS, LIVE MORE using nutrition, movement & relaxation 3 experts have come together to help you tackle stress. You'll learn tips on nutrition, movement and mind management to help keep you calm

IT’S NOT TOO LATE!

Book your place on tomorrow's 'Stress less, live more' event!

The talk will be held at Clear Physio, All Saints' Church Hall, 1 Church Close, Maidenhead, SL6 4HE, on Tuesday 14th March 2023, 19:00-21:00.

If you are interested to attend this talk please book via this eventbrite link: https://zurl.co/BPqK