Jo here the newest member of the Paul Gough Physio Team: I’m writing to tell you’s about sports injuries and what is the BEST advice I can give you IF you do manage to get one (and yes they are a very common factor of sport 😉 )
but first I’m going to tell you about the time I fractured not one but TWO metatarsals!
About 2 years ago I suffered TWO metatarsal fractures in two years whilst playing netball because of playing too many games in such a short period of time, lots of running and jumping and all the impact which came with the nature of the sport…
But enough about me….
I’ve commonly seen this injury in a sports teams at the end of seasons when the is ground hard and there’s an increase in fixtures. I have been asked for advise and support but in many cases people ignore the advise and the injury is left untreated in the early stages…which usually makes it WORSE in the future.
My advise on what to do with an injury like this would be:
Reduce the weight bearing period- doctors will often tell you to rest and reduce loading but this does NOT mean however rest the other 90% of your body!
Perhaps look at this as a good time to focus on the areas which are weaker!
As you will be unable to run, you will suddenly have time to go swimming or aqua-jogging to maintain fitness and work on technique or even go on a exercise bike at a local gym (avoiding high resistance/gear of course)
…..
BUT don’t neglect this… This is your time to become a STRONGER athlete!
There are many other exercises you can do or participate in during a reduced-weight-bearing period (for those of you who find it hard to rest a lot 😉 )
…and depending on the severity of your injury during the stages of healing you may find some exercises more suitable than others…BUT let discomfort be your guide…If it hurts STOP!
Exercises such as core exercises, resistance band walks, balance and proprioception are extremely helpful in your rehabilitation progress and can keep you active during this cooling off period…
however remember as this is a period where you have not been running the muscles around the ankle will have decreased in their strength and you may experience stiffness of joints and soft tissues of the ankle.
……
THEREFORE it is important to mobilise the foot by moving the foot in different directions and maintaining strength by clenching your toes.
Best wishes
Speak Soon
Jo Kaye 🙂
…P.S. If you’d like to know more ways on how to recover properly from a sports injury, please go to Paul’s website: www.paulgoughphysio.com/sports-injury-clinic where there is a free special report waiting for you to download instantly and start copying the “the 7 secret recovery strategies that only the pro-athletes know and use”.
You might know Paul as an expert Columnist who writes weekly health articles for TWO of the North East's biggest daily Newspapers, The Northern Echo And The Hartlepool Mail, he is a regular Speaker at Industry Seminars around the globe and a Radio Personality, often heard on the BBC. Paul has been an expert guest on dozens of Radio shows and regularly interviewed in newspapers, magazines and trade journals all over the world, including the Guardian.
Paul’s background included working extensively in the Premier League with a Top Professional Football Team, and since quitting his job in Professional Football in 2007, his Physio Practice has become the fastest growing in the UK and biggest in the North East. So successful, that companies like BUPA, ASDA, The Vela Group And Coast & Country, repeatedly retain his Physio company's services to keep healthy their own staff and workforce. Paul Gough Physio Rooms is now a large multi-physio, multi clinic speciality practice in Darlington, Durham, Guisborough and Hartlepool.
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